Described as one of the most recognised props in film history, the weapon was used in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Buckinghamshire-based auctioneer Propstore confirmed this is the first authentic, screen-matched lightsaber ever to be offered at public auction. The prop, used during filming at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, will be exhibited in the UK this August before the live sale in Los Angeles from 4-6 September. Its starting estimate is $1m (c. £750,000), BBC reports.

The sale could surpass Propstore’s previous record, a $1.9m (c. £1.45m) X-wing fighter model sold in 2022. The auction also features a treasure trove of other film memorabilia. A bullwhip used by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and a Batsuit worn by Michael Keaton in 1989’s Batman are both estimated to reach up to $500,000 (c. £375,000).