Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber Fetches $3.75M at Auction

The original lightsaber used by Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' sold for $3.75 million at Heritage Auctions on Wednesday, setting a new record for a Star Wars prop. The sale surpassed the previous record of $3.6 million set by Darth Vader's lightsaber last year. The prop, part of the house's Hollywood and Entertainment Signature sale ending July 17, was custom-made for the iconic scene where Darth Vader reveals he is Luke's father and severs his son's hand. It includes a detachable hand rig designed by makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, who kept the prop until his death. Heritage executive vice president Joe Maddalena called it a 'genuine piece of modern mythology.' The all-time most expensive Star Wars memorabilia remains a 1977 painting by Tom Jung for 'A New Hope,' which sold for $3.8 million.