This lot will be auctioned on Tuesday, June 29th. The auction will begin at 9:00am PDT and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on June 30th or July 1st.

A Darth Vader touring helmet created by N.J. Farmer Associates Ltd. for touring and promotional events in the U.K. circa 1980s. Lucasfilm commissioned Farmer to produce a number of high-quality Darth Vader costumes for use in public events and press appearances. Farmer had a relationship with Lucasfilm UK as he was previously part of Palitoy, the toy-manufacturer who created Star Wars toys and merchandise in the U.K. They first created around the time of The Empire Strikes Back's release, and continued to support Lucasfilm's UK division with costumes and components through the release of Return of the Jedi and beyond into the later 1980s.

This two-piece helmet was molded from a genuine film helmet and is made of fibreglass and is painted black and grey, with machined aluminum "tusks" at the sides of the mouth and dual-layer metal grills inserted behind the mouth and chin vents. It consists of a faceplate and a dome, which secures to the top of the faceplate via a two-piece ring mounting system. Inside the mask is a single acrylic lens piece which is screwed in place, with foam pads at the cheeks, forehead, and scalp for actor comfort. The facemask includes adjustable nylon straps to secure to the head and is marked inside with a number '2' in white paint and '11' in red paint. Similar markings are seen in the top of the dome, inside of the mounting ring, though they are very faint. The piece was originally obtained from Farmer directly.

The helmet dates to the 1980s, with specific promotional use unknown, and was reconditioned at some time after. The reconditioning work included a re-paint and work on the interior dome mounting ring. The piece shows minor wear from age, with surface cracks visible and light rust on the metal grills; it is in overall good condition. Dimensions (faceplate): 8 1/2'' x 9'' x 14'' (22 cm x 23 cm x 36 cm); (dome): 13 3/4'' x 15'' x 12'' (35 cm x 38 cm x 30 cm)

Estimate: $40,000 - 60,000