Luke Skywalker defeats Darth Vader at auction

Lightsabers, costumes and other assorted props have gone under the hammer at a huge Hollywood auction.

Aug  1 2005

Some of the most recognisable props in movie history went under the hammer at a Beverly Hills auction on Friday.

'Star Wars' was the centrepiece of the event, with producer Gary Kurtz putting more than 85 items from the original trilogy up for sale.

A lightsaber used by Luke Skywalker in the first film raised the most money, selling for a whopping £113,000, more than double its estimated value.

And underlining the fact that 'the force' is more powerful than 'the dark side', another lightsaber – this time brandished by dastardly Darth Vader in 'The Empire Strikes Back' – sold for a mere £67,000 (also well above its original evaluation).

Other 'Star Wars' memorabilia sold during the auction included an X-Wing fighter pilot suit, a Chewbacca mask, a Storm Trooper blaster and Yoda's trusty walking stick.

And it wasn't just 'Star Wars' items raking in the big bucks – props from the TV shows 'I Love Lucy' and 'Hogan's Heroes' and leather jackets worn by Indiana Jones and 'The Terminator' also sold well, helping the auction gross raise over £1million in total.

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