High-priced sale at auction: Darth Vader's lightsaber replica fetches an astonishing £2.7 million.

Star Wars and Star Trek Memorabilia Break Auction Records

In a historic event for film collectors, Propstore's Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles has seen several iconic items from popular films and TV series sell for record-breaking prices.

The highlight of the auction was the lightsaber used by Darth Vader in the Star Wars films, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return Of The Jedi (1983). The prop, the only one with verifiable screen use ever to be offered at public auction, was sold for an astounding $3.65 million (£2.7 million). The buyer remains undisclosed.

Another Star Wars item that fetched a high price was a stunt Longclaw sword used by Kit Harington's Jon Snow in Game Of Thrones. It was sold for $94,500 (£70,170).

The Star Trek franchise also made its mark at the auction. Sir Patrick Stewart's Ressikan Flute from Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series (1987-1994) along with a costume continuity script were sold for $403,200 (£299,400).

From the world of Harry Potter, the Platform 9 3/4 sign and Daniel Radcliffe's wand from the scenes in Prisoner Of Azkaban when he is seen opening the Marauder's Map were bought for $138,600 (£102,900) and $81,900 (£60,800) respectively.

The auction also saw the sale of the neuralyzer from Men In Black (1997) for $315,000 (£233,900) and an eight-foot bullwhip, belt, and whip holster handled by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989) for $485,100 (£360,260) at the same event.

The most significant item of the day, however, was the lightsaber, which now holds the title of the highest-priced Star Wars item ever to go under the hammer.

Propstore's chief operating officer, Brandon Alinger, stated that the auction results mark a landmark moment for the world of film collecting. He added that the auction continues today and tomorrow with more than 600 further items up for grabs.

Despite the sale of these iconic items, the article does not provide any information about Lulu, her battle with alcoholism, or her PTSD, nor does it reveal any secret final project of David Bowie.

The auction took place along with over 400 other lots of film and TV props and costumes. A total of 433 lots achieved a sales total of $14,302,417 (£10,618,530) on the first day of the auction.

The shark tooth clapperboard used to film Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) was also sold for $94,500 (£70,200) at the auction.

As the world of film memorabilia continues to grow in value and interest, these record-breaking sales serve as a testament to the enduring appeal of these iconic films and TV series.