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Stormtrooper helmet, blaster used onscreen in original ‘Star Wars’ heads to auction

DALLAS — Attention, “Star Wars” faithful.

An upcoming auction celebrating the 45th anniversary of the movie that started it all, “Stars Wars: Episode IV: The New Hope,” could make you the envy of other collectors.

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As part of its “Hollywood & Entertainment Signature® Auction,” Dallas-based Heritage Auctions is offering several props actually used in the 1977 flick, including a screen-matched stormtrooper helmet and screen-used E-11 blaster shared within the film by stormtroopers, as well as the characters of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia, WXIN-TV reported.

The auction is slated for July 22-23, with opening bids of $300,000 for the helmet and $35,000 for the blaster, MassLive.com reported.

According to the auction house, the helmet is one of six original stormtrooper helmets completed in time for filming “Star Wars” in the Tunisian desert in 1976.

“The so-called ‘sandtrooper’ helmets have unique hand-painted detailing that’s slightly different from stormtrooper helmets completed later on during production of the film,” WXIN reported.

“Finding screen-matched props from ‘Star Wars’ is virtually unheard of,” Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena told the TV station.

“…There is something particularly magical about the helmet and blaster. These recognizable, revered items were made for a movie that was turned down by studios before 20th Century Fox OK’d a franchise that continues to thrive in the 21st century,” he added.

According to MassLive.com, other “Star Wars” items slated for auction include Ewan McGregor’s lightsaber hilt from “Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith” with a starting bid of $25,000 and a bladed hero lightsaber from “Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace” with a starting bid of $100,000.

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