Darth Vader's Lightsaber is up for auction, expected to sell for $3 million

Star Wars fans with a few extra million to spare will probably want to take note of this auction, which is ending soon. Darth Vader's Lightsaber, the actual prop used in both Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), is currently bidding at $1.2 million, with an estimated value of up to $3 million.

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Darth Vader's Screen-Matched Hero Dueling Lightsaber, image credit: Propstore Auction

This iconic movie prop was constructed using a retro English camera flash bulb attachment from the 1950s, items from an old digital calculator, and other various bits and pieces. Although multiple Lightsabers, or "laser swords," were created for characters like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker for filming, the version we see was a dueling variant specifically designed for the iconic scenes between Darth and Luke from the original trilogy.

As a dueling variant, it features a blade attachment, and images from Propstore Auction indicate that it has suffered some wear and tear, including scuff marks, over the years. Still, the actual Lightsaber wielded by Darth Vader from The Empire Strikes Back has to be one of the most impressive props from the original trilogy.

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Darth Vader's Screen-Matched Hero Dueling Lightsaber, image credit: Propstore Auction

Far more complex than the original film's duel between Vader and Obi-Wan, the duel in Empire was the one of the film's major action sequences, and actors Hamill and Anderson underwent extensive duel choreography training under stunt coordinator Peter Diamond. The intensity of these scenes proved challenging for the props: grips originally affixed with glue often detached during combat and were subsequently reinforced with small screws.

This hero dueling lightsaber was again utilized in the filming of Return of the Jedi, along with the original bladeless hilt from Empire. It served as Darth Vader's primary dueling weapon in both films. Although backup versions were also used, those were not constructed from M.P.P. flash units and differed slightly in visual appearance.

For a closer look at this iconic piece of film history, check out the following video.