Darth Vader's lightsaber up for auction

Darth Vader's lightsaber, one of the most famous props in the world of cinema, is up for sale at auction Propstore, The New York Times reports.

Vader's lightsaber is expected to sell for between $1 million and $3 million. The prop was used in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). It was based on a 1950s British photo accessory, which was modified with plastic parts, wiring, and lenses from old calculators.

According to Propstore CEO Brian Alinger, the sword ended up in a private collection by chance — it was given to someone who visited the Star Wars set as a child. The authenticity was confirmed by comparing the characteristic damage with those seen in the films.

The auction also offers other unique lots, including Indiana Jones' whip from The Last Crusade (1989), estimated at $250,000-500,000, Michael Keaton's Batman costume from the first Batman (1989), Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man costume, Wolverine's claws from Logan (2017), the neutralizer from Men in Black (1997), and Captain America's shield from Age of Ultron (2015).

The auction will take place from September 4 to 6, and the full catalog is available on the Propstore website.