Rare Star Wars double lightsaber figure for sale
<img src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9296/live/a12564e0-b75d-11f1-8e7f-6f99c81f3136.jpg.webp" alt="Vectis Auctions A Luke Skywalker action figure in its original packaging. The figure is blond, dressed in a white jacket and beige trousers. An image of the character in the movie, dressed in the same way, is pictured next to the figure. The Star Wars logo in portrayed at the top of the packaging.”>
Vectis Auctions
A Star Wars figure featuring a rare double telescoping lightsaber is expected to fetch up to £20,000 at auction.
The Luke Skywalker model portrays the character as a farm boy and was released in 1977 to celebrate the launch of the original franchise movie A New Hope.
The figure is considered rare because it features a yellow lightsaber barrel with a second, thinner blade concealed within it, allowing the weapon to extend to a longer length, according to auctioneers.
It is due to be sold by Thornaby-based Vectis Auctions on 15 October with bids starting at £9,000, the firm said.
“This thinner inner saber was very fragile, expensive to produce and proved a potential safety risk to children, so it was quickly replaced with a single lightsaber,” a spokesperson for Vectis explained.
They added only two other vintage Star Wars figures produced by Kenner featured the double telescoping lightsaber – Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi and Darth Vader – meaning they were sought-after by Star Wars fans.
Vectis said the Luke Skywalker action figure was originally obtained from the family of an employee of General Mills, a company that ran promotional campaigns for the franchise.
The employee was responsible for sending mail orders of the figures out as part of an early-bird promotion of the movie.
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