Devoted fans of the Star Wars movies and custom lightsaber collectors will finally be able to get a glimpse of an original Luke Skywalker lightsaber just in time for the franchise’s latest film release.
Visitors to Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum in Hollywood, California will be able to see the iconic prop starting Saturday, a day after ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is released nationwide, according to ABC News.
Shelling out $450,000 for the historical film prop, Ripley’s purchased the saber hilt last June at an auction held by Profiles in History.
Visitors to Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum in Hollywood, California will be able to see the iconic prop starting Saturday
The event comes one day after ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’, the latest installment in the franchise, is released nationwide
The Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum bought the item last June from Profiles in History auction house, the nation’s leading dealer in Hollywood collectibles
The auction house, which describes itself as ‘the nation’s leading dealer in guaranteed-authentic original historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage signed photographs and manuscripts,’ acquired the piece from the collection of Gary Kurtz, a producer on ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’
According to ABC News, it is the first time the lightsaber will be made available for public view.
Suzanna Smagala-Potts, a spokesperson for Ripley’s, said the prop was first used in the ‘Empire’ installment during a scene where Mark Hamill’s Luke makes an escape after partially dismembering a hungry Wampa ice monster.
The hilts of the original lightsaber were designed by Roger Christian, who crafted the ‘elegant weapon’ out of 1930’s-era Graflex camera flash handles.
‘I brought out an old dusty box that hadn’t been opened for about 10 years,’ Christian told ABC News. ‘Out of this box, I found these Graflex flash handles. I just took one in my hand and thought: “There it is.'”
The Graflex logo can still be seen, etched into the handle on Ripley’s lightsaber.
Visitors to Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum in Hollywood, California will be able to see the iconic prop starting Saturday
Shelling out $450,000 for the historical film prop, Ripley’s purchased the saber hilt last June at an auction held by Profiles in History.
The hilts of the original lightsaber were designed by Roger Christian, who crafted the ‘elegant weapon’ out of 1930’s-era Graflex camera flash handles (pictured)
Suzanna Smagala-Potts, a spokesperson for Ripley’s, said the prop was first used in the ‘Empire’ installment
Devoted fans of the Star Wars movies will finally be able to get a glimpse of an original Luke Skywalker lightsaber on Saturday for the first time