Yahoo News Red Five, Standing by: This Rare ‘Star Wars’ Starfighter Miniature Could Fetch an Otherworldly Sum at Auction
In a galaxy not so far, far away, you have the chance to own some sci-fi history.
Several items featured in the Star Wars films are coming to auction this month during Heritage Auctions’ Hollywood/Entertainment Signature sale, taking place July 25 and 26. The leading lot is a Y-wing starfighter miniature that’s set to achieve at least $300,000.
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“As Heritage has done time and again, we’re bringing together some of the most important cultural artifacts that have never before been in single place,” Joe Maddalena, the executive vice president of the auction house, said in a statement. “When you do that, you immediately, instinctively recognize the importance and influence of these science-fiction films and television shows—how they’ve shaped how we look at and think about the world and beyond.”
The starfighter, one of the ships that helps destroy the Death Star in the original Star Wars movie, was designed by the modelmaker Colin Cantwell, one of the first artists hired by the director George Lucas to work on the film. Cantwell’s Y-wing was possibly the first concept model approved by Lucas, and the one on offer this month was one of just two hero models meant to be seen up close. A similar screen-matched X-wing starfighter hammered down for a whopping $3.1 million last year.
Elsewhere, one of the series’ most iconic costumes is highlighted in the Heritage auction: the metal bikini that Princess Leia wears when she’s Jabba the Hutt’s slave in Return of the Jedi. The much-debated outfit, made of resin and urethane, was called out by Carrie Fisher, who originated the role of Princess Leia. She and others saw it as a skimpy look that played into the male gaze—not to mention that the bikini was uncomfortable to wear. Still, the bikini has become widely associated with Star Wars, and makes regular appearances as a Halloween costume year after year.
While the auction is a feast for Star Wars fans, Trekkies won’t be disappointed either. Many items associated with Star Trek are also up for grabs, including a USS Excelsior miniature, a 5.5-foot-long version of the USS Enterprise, and original artwork created for the series.
So, may the force be with you—where no man has gone before.
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