Han Solo’s original blaster gun from the original Star Wars trilogy has become the most expensive prop gun ever sold at auction.
Made specifically for Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, the BlasTech DL-44 Heavy Blaster was sold for $1,057,500 (£904,342), coming with a signed image of Han himself. It’s one of just three hero props that have survived since A New Hope premiered in 1976. Hero props are detailed versions of props that are used for close-up shots and photoshoots.
Made by London prop house Bapty, the gun is made from a World-War-I-era Mauser C-96 ‘Broomhandle’ pistol (adapted to fire blanks), the flash-hider from a World-War-II-era MG81 machine gun, and an early twentieth-century rifle scope, according to the Guinness World Records. Parts of an aircraft were also attached to make it seem more futuristic. The parts of the gun were selected by set director Roger Christian and them assembled by armourer Carl Schmidt.
After filming wrapped, the gun was dismantled and sent back to Bapty, but in 2010 new owners of the prop company tasked its staff with putting the blaster back together.
The original asking price for the blaster was $550,000 but the eventual buyer ended up paying nearly double this amount to ensure they got to take the blaster home.
Featured image: Disney/Lucasfilm
