(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
I love Star Wars. I love it so much that I actually bought the original trilogy on DVD and paid to have it shipped to a girl in Israel who had never seen it (she loved it, obviously, and is a real life Leia). Yeah, my commitment runs deep. But even my obsessive fanhood is impressed by the Star Wars love this one wealthy bidder proved at a recent auction.
A movie-used R2-D2 droid sold for $2.76 million at an auction this week, making it one of the most valuable pieces of Hollywood memorabilia ever sold.
If that sounds like a lot (it does, that’s crazy), consider that experts claim the droid is the “creme de la creme of movie props” and something that you could “put next to a Picasso.” Of course, I always dreamed of stationing an astromech droid next to my Picasso and Monet.
The R2-D2 droid was sold by Profiles in History, an auction house based in Calabasas, California, as part of its Hollywood Auction. The 43-inch tall unit was compiled from parts used throughout filming of the original Star Wars trilogy from 1977-1983. Man, that little droid has been through a lot.
Prior to the auction, Stephanie Connell, a London-based movie memorabilia consultant, said that the R2 unit was a very unique item to be sold at auction.
“This is not just a normal movie prop. This is instantly recognizable, the creme de la creme of movie props. This is something you could put right next to a Picasso.”
Sadly, the auction house did not release the identity of the mystery buyer, but we do know that it was the most expensive item purchased during the auction. Other items included: Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber from the first two films ($450,000) and Darth Vader’s helmet from the original film ($96,000).
Other sci-fi related items included a 23-ship collection from Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers ($1.8 million).
If only I was rich, I’d have the nerdiest Man Cave of all time. (Sigh)…a boy can dream…
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