- The Washington Times - Thursday, October 19, 2023

A miniature X-wing starfighter used in the 1977 movie film “Star Wars” sold over the weekend for $3.1 million by Heritage Auctions.

After it was priced at $400,000, a bidding war between two collectors boosted the model’s cost, which at $3,135,000 became the most valuable prop from “Star Wars,” Heritage Auctions said in a release.

The X-wing, which came from the collection of Oscar- and Emmy-nominated model maker Greg Jein, is in the film as Red Leader assaulting the trenches of the Death Star.

Visual distinctions on the resin model include a cockpit pilot, scorch marks around its exhaust ports and blast marks.

The Greg Jein auction as a whole netted $13.6 million and drew considerable attendance.

“The success of this auction — from the overall result to the number of participating bidders to the packed-out auction room full of Greg’s friends and fans — was a profound testament to my friend as both a visual-effects master and one of the great collectors,” Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.

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