This lightsaber is an original prop used in the film and was auctioned on Propstore.com. We use the original auction text and photos with kind permission from propstore.com.
Description
An Obi-Wan Kenobi first-turned wooden prototype lightsaber, from the production of George Lucas‘ Star Wars: A New Hope. The lightsaber, conceptualised by George Lucas and constructed by John Stears and Roger Christian, was made from camera flash handles, battery packs and other hardware. The design was altered for different characters‘ lightsabers, including Obi-Wan Kenobi’s (Alec Guinness), which utilised plumbing equipment and a World War I British grenade in its construction.
To create Guinness‘ ‚dueling‘ lightsaber, which would require a motor to spin a rod and help create the glowing lightsaber effect, a master copy had to be carved from wood, allowing for moulds to be made for the reproduction of the lightsaber in metal.
This piece is the woodworked master used to create the lightsaber moulds. Carved on a lathe and painted with a white undercoat and a black topcoat, the prototype has a hole for the lathe’s drive centre and another for a mould pour entrance. The saber shows wear from production use and aging, the paint has chipped away from most edges, and the rim of the end disc has broken off entirely. Dimensions: 28.5 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm (11 1/4″ x 2″ x 2″)
£10,000 – 15,000
