Star Wars strikes back with cash appeal

May the force be with you.

The helmet worn by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back is among a vast collection of coveted Hollywood treasures going under the hammer in Los Angeles next month.

Experts have predicted it could fetch nearly US$500,000 after being worn by actor David Prowse, who played Luke Skywalker’s nemesis.

“The catalog estimate is $250,000-$450,000, and you never know what something will go for until it crosses the block – it could well exceed that,” Zach Pogemiller of auctioneer Profiles in History said.

The Icons and Legends of Hollywood sale will take place over two days from September 25, with nearly 1,000 lots expected to sell for more than $10 million.

It will feature items from some of Tinseltown’s most iconic movies, ranging from Hollywood’s golden age to contemporary action movies and sci-fi.

Up for grabs will be a black-and-white dress worn by Dorothy, or more specifically, Judy Garland’s camera double Barbara Koshay, in the 1939 classic, The Wizard Of Oz, which is estimated to reach up to $500,000.

A pair of glasses worn by Harry Potter is also one of the lots.

“You always hear stories of movie studio personnel who rescued what are now priceless pieces because they were being thrown out,” Pogemiller said. “It’s incredible that people really didn’t have the foresight to preserve these important artifacts.”

– reporting AFP