The Latest

Han Solo’s Blaster Sells for Over $1M

The sole surviving example of the original three used in filming.
byINDIEWRAP
September 6, 2022
2 minute read
Rock Island Auction Company
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

The only surviving blaster originally used by Harrison Ford as Han Solo in “Star Wars: A New Hope” sold at Rock Island Auction Company‘s August Premier Auction for $1,057,500. Han Solo’s blaster headlined the three-day event that drew international interest and achieved over $23 million.

Interest in the iconic blaster was hotter than the twin suns of Tatooine in the run-up to the auction. The BlasTech DL-44 Heavy Blaster was estimated to bring between $300,000 – $500,000. Bidding quickly blew past the estimate as well as the 2018 sale of a blaster prop used in “Return of the Jedi” for $550,000.

“We know how passionate fine arms collectors can be and it’s great to see that same energy in other fields of collecting,” said Kevin Hogan, President of Rock Island Auction Company. “We’re grateful for the excitement and support generated for this auction. It’s yet another demonstration of the growing markets for collectibles and fine arms.”

The prop, one of three made for the 1977 film, was previously considered missing and presumed lost forever. The gun had been in the inventory of Bapty & Co., a London prop house that provided numerous weapons for “A New Hope.”

The blaster comprised of military surplus parts would go on to serve as the prototype for those carried by Solo throughout the first three Star Wars films produced. Star Wars fans refer to Han Solo’s blaster, one of the most recognizable weapons in movie history, as the “Hero” prop from “Star Wars: A New Hope.”

This August Premier Auction is the fifth largest in the company’s history. With more than 2,000 lots, the three-day auction event marks the company’s sixth consecutive event to breach the $20 million mark. Additional highlights from the August Premier Auction include:

  • A pair of pistols wielded by Angelina Jolie in the 2001 film “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” ($35,250)
  • Wild Bill Hickok’s Smith & Wesson No. 2 revolver ($235,000)
  • The Finest Known 1891 Production Colt Single Action Army ($763,750)
  • A Winchester “One of One Hundred” Model 1873 rifle ($440,625)
  • A Rizzini engraved by Master Firmo Fracassi ($246,750)
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Author
INDIEWRAP
Related Posts
Read More

30 Years of Laughs: ‘Billy Madison’

On February 10, 1995, Billy Madison hit theaters, marking Adam Sandler’s first major starring role in a feature film. What started as a wacky, absurd comedy about a man-child repeating grades to prove his worth quickly became a cult favorite, setting the stage for Sandler’s long and successful career in Hollywood.
Read More

‘Up in the Air’ at 15

Released on December 4, 2009, Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air arrived at a time of economic uncertainty and captured the zeitgeist of an era defined by corporate downsizing and a growing sense of disconnection. Fifteen years later, the film remains a poignant exploration of isolation, identity, and what it means to truly connect in a world increasingly driven by technology and convenience.
Read More

Review – Look At Us Now: A Comic Book Movie

LOOK AT US NOW: A COMIC BOOK MOVIE explores the societal impact of Comic Book culture and its importance to fans, while also telling the story of how geek culture went from being a punchline to a global phenomenon. Based on the poem by Vee The Vision.