This is a Part 3 follow-up my Part 1 and Part 2 close-up looks at the “[o]riginal production used “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from the collection of Oscar-winning set decorator Roger Christian” featured in the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” taking place on December 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th. This latest video primarily looks into additional discrepancies between the lightsaber depicted in the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and the lightsaber depicted in the auction catalog, in the online iCollector listing, and that was on display at San Diego Comic Con earlier this year, as well as Roger Christian’s own characterization of the same in various interviews over the years.
Also provided further below are links to much of the information that was referenced in this video, which you can find under “FOOTNOTES”.
Click below to watch this video or click through to watch directly on YouTube:
As updated with on-screen notes within the video, I did find that the documentary The Galaxy Britain Built: Droids, Darth Vader and Lightsabers appears to have originally aired in December 2017 on The BBC. As a reminder, the Letter of Authenticity for the lightsaber in this upcoming public auction is dated October 2017. I don’t have any information of the lead time of the documentary from production to release.
Please be sure to continue viewing the video past the perceived break, as an Addendum was added at the end which includes a comment made by Jason Joiner of The Kurtz Joiner Archive about this current lightsaber up for auction in Profiles in History. I made mention of The Kurtz Joiner Archive in past videos and he wanted to make it clear that the current lightsaber does not come from their Archive, so I wanted to give him an opportunity to provide that statement. As a reminder, the other two lightsabers attributed to use by Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: A New Hope that were sold by Profiles in History (as noted just below) were from The Kurtz Joiner Archive:
Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 22” July 2005 (Source: Kurtz / Joiner Archive)
Lot 157. “Luke Skywalker Hero Lightsaber from Star Wars”
Sold for $200,600Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 33” December 2008 (Source: Kurtz / Joiner Archive)
Lot 347. “Mark Hamill Hero “Luke Skywalker” Lightsaber from Star Wars and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”
Sold for $240,000Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 89” June 2017 (Source: Kurtz / Joiner Archive; Lot 347, Hollywood Auction 33)
Lot 1307. “Mark Hamill Hero “Luke Skywalker” Lightsaber from Star Wars and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”
Sold for $450,000
FOOTNOTES (links to public sources of information referenced in the YouTube video):
- Original Prop Blog: YouTube Close-Up Look – Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” Luke Skywalker Lightsaber from Star Wars: A New Hope
- Original Prop Blog: YouTube Close-Up Look – Luke Lightsaber Auction Part 2: Is The Lightsaber In The LOA Different From The One Up For Auction?
- Original Prop Blog: San Diego Comic-Con 2018: Profiles in History Movie Props and Costumes Exhibit Showcases Future Auction Highlights
- iCollector: Lot 1479. Original production used “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Estimated At:150,000.00 – 200,000.00 USD
- Profiles in History: Hollywood Auction 96
- Reuters: Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber to light up ‘Star Wars’ props auction
- CBC Radio: Star Wars designer brings war stories (and real light saber!) to q
- YouTube: The Galaxy Britain Built: Droids, Darth Vader and Lightsabers
- The Kong Blog: The Man Who Literally Built ‘Star Wars’
- BBC: Oscar winner tells of building Star Wars lightsabers
- Facebook: Cinema Alchemist “RC and Light sabre” (video)
- Facebook: Cinema Alchemist “This is an exact prototype of Lukes Lightsaber…” (photos)
- Comparison Photo A: Download Link
- Comparison Photo B: Download Link
- Comparison Photo C: Download Link
- Comparison Photo D: Download Link
Jason DeBord