A cache of rare Star Wars memorabilia exceeded expectations after going up for auction.
Over 700 lots were included in the two-day Prop Store auction in Valencia, California, which ended on Friday, March 1st, 2019. Many of the items came to auction for the first time.
Among the lots that sold for far more than expected was an unused ride-on Star Wars Speeder Bike and store display with its original shipping box which had an estimate of between $8,000 to $10,000 but actually sold for $24,600. Huffy made the ride-on pedal bike for Kenner for a 1984 store promotion and limited retail sale. One of 100 grand prizes, there are few known examples of an unused, unassembled bike with an unused store display in the original shipping box. It’s one of the Holy Grails of Star Wars display collecting.
Another big seller was a Star Wars Yoda The Jedi Master Fortune Teller (Yoda 8-Ball) hardcopy prototype which had a guide price of between $3,000 and $4,000 but changed for hands at auction for $7,995. The hardcopy paint master was used as an approval piece for Lucasfilm review, but it was rejected because the colors were too light, especially the green.
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The unused Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Cloud City Play Set was one of the classic toys that got a lot of attention.PROP STORE
Also exceeding expectations during the sales were an unused Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Cloud City Play Set which achieved almost double its top estimate of $500 and sold for $922 and an unused Millennium Falcon Extraordinaire store display, one of the most impressive and largest toy displays ever created, went for $4,674 – considerably more than its $1,500 guide price.
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Another item that got a lot of attention was a Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Lunch Box. Complete with a thermos, cleaning instructions, and a Flip’n’Sip sticker, the item from the collection of Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian sold for $676, far more than its $80 to $120 estimate.
Somewhat surprisingly, an item considered to be a highlight of the sale, an unopened Star Wars ‘Early Bird’ kit from Kenner failed to sell – it had an estimate of between $8,000 and $10,000.
A rare and unopened Lord of the Rings figure far exceeded its estimate of between $800 and $1,2000.PROP STORE
The auction also included many non-Star Wars items from or related to, such franchises as Star Trek, Masters of the Universe, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman, Marvel and Lord of the Rings.
It was a LOTR Ringwraith The Black Rider figure, manufactured by Knickerbocker, that was another star sale having been given an estimate of between $800 and $1,2000 but sold for a staggering $8,302.
Simon Thompson is a freelance producer (TV & Digital), film & entertainment journalist and broadcaster. From the UK, he now lives and works in LA. He’s on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Source: Rare ‘Star Wars’ Memorabilia Exceeds Expectations At Auction