'Star Wars' lightsaber and 'Ben Hur' chariot to be auctioned

May 3, 2018

Storied film items including 'Star Wars' lightsaber and 'Ben Hur' chariot to be auctioned

LOS ANGELES — More than 2,000 pieces of movie memorabilia including costumes and props used by James Dean and the lightsaber wielded by Obi-Wan Kenboi in "Star Wars" are headed to the auction block.

The auction house Profiles in History announced Thursday that the items, which include a practice chariot used during production of "Ben Hur," the leather jacket worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the first "Terminator" film and a nightgown used by Olivia de Havilland during "Gone With the Wind" filming are among the sale items.

The "Icons & Legends of Hollywood" auction is scheduled for June 5-8 in Los Angeles.

Profiles in History says it is also selling the Harley Davidson that Schwarzenegger rode during "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." Numerous other pieces of sci-fi film memorabilia are included in the sale, including a spacesuit worn by Sigourney Weaver's character in "Alien," and the flamethrower she used in the sequel, "Aliens."

Several "Star Wars" pieces are also due to be sold, including a 46-inch tall model of the Death Star used in "Return of the Jedi" and models of C-3PO and Darth Vader created by effects house Industrial Light and Magic are also due to be sold.

Star Trek costumes and props from several of franchise's motion pictures are also included.

A tuxedo worn during filming of "Giant" is one of several Dean items also slated to be sold, as is a dress Elizabeth Taylor wore in the film. Some of the items for sale date back to film's early era, including a suede loincloth worn by Johnny Weissmuller in the 1932 film "Tarzan the Ape Man."

Several of the auction's marquee items will be on display in New York at The Society of Illustrators from May 15-19.