‘Star Wars’ Starfighter Miniature Sells for $1.55 Million, Princess Leia Bikini Goes for $175K at Auction

As a longtime movie critic with a particular fondness for science fiction and fantasy films, I have been fortunate enough to witness the evolution of iconic props and costumes from some of the most beloved franchises in cinematic history. The recent Heritage Entertainment Auction was a thrilling reminder of just how much these artifacts can captivate collectors and fans alike.


A miniature model of a Y-Wing Starfighter piloted by Gold Leader, who assisted Luke Skywalker in destroying the Death Star in “Star Wars: A New Hope” from 1977, was sold for an impressive $1.55 million during Heritage’s July Entertainment Auction on Friday.

One noteworthy item in the collection was a gold bikini worn by Princess Leia in “Return of the Jedi” (1983), sold for an impressive $175,000. This set comprises seven components: a brassiere, plates, hip rings, an armlet, and a bracelet – all originally belonging to Industrial Light & Magic’s chief sculptor Richard Miller.

The Y-Wing that sold on Friday is one of just two “hero” (meaning that it was used in close ups) Y-Wing filming miniatures built by the ILM visual effects team. According to the Heritage Auction description, the basic design came from Colin Cantwell. It was based on a rough description from George Lucas. “Lucas felt the need to create distinct shapes so that the audience could immediately tell whether a ship was a ‘good guy’ or ‘a bad guy,’” it reads. 

At the Heritage auction, other notable items were up for grabs besides the Bob Peak movie poster artwork for “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,” which was sold for a staggering $106,250. This poster marked the final version used for Leonard Nimoy’s 1986 sci-fi film “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,” in which he both directed and starred as Spock. An impressive John Alvin concept art piece from his 1982 “Blade Runner” movie poster also found a buyer for $100,000.

During the auction, there were various items up for bidding such as a Thor hammer from “Thor: The Dark World” production worth $81,250, and a “Mandalorian” helmet that was sold for $40,000.

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2024-07-27 14:24