Est. sale price: $60,000 - $80,000
One of the most beloved characters from the Star Wars saga, the Wookiee named Chewbacca who owed his life to Han Solo. This original full costume headpiece from Peter Mayhew was likely used in more than one of the films from the original trilogy. Made from a screen-used cowl hairpiece and a Stuart Freeborn facial appliance, this is the finest Chewbacca costume head known to exist.
A Chewbacca headpiece used in the original Star Wars trilogy sold for $172,200 ($140,000 plus $32,200 buyer’s premium) at a Profiles in History auction.
Profiles described it as the finest “screen correct” Chewbacca headpiece in private hands. It comprises a screen-used full-head cowl finished with period-made facial pieces, such as the front jaw, nose, teeth and tongue.
The item also included signed photographs from Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, and Stuart Freeborn, who designed the costume.
Other Star Wars items realizing high prices at the July 28 auction in the San Fernando Valley included a screen-used blaster rifle from the first Star Wars movie, which sold for $104,550 ($85,000 plus buyer’s premium of $19,550).
It is the first blaster that appeared on film ever offered for public sale. This particular model is one of two made with a Bakelite stock like the one used in the scene in which Chewbacca helps break Princess Leia out of jail (though it is unknown if this is the one used by the Wookiee).
A collector also snapped up the original concept art for the famous poster used in the first Star Wars movie for $73,800 ($60,000 plus $13,800 for the buyer’s premium).
The poster was drawn by Tom Jung, who worked for the advertising agency Smolen, Smith and Connolly and already was well known for his work on the Dr. Zhivago poster.
Jung called the famous image of the cross formed by Skywalker’s sword in front of a ghosted image of Darth Vader and the Death Star a good illustration of the movie’s good-versus-evil theme.
See the art below.
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