This lot will be auctioned on Tuesday, June 21st. The auction will begin at 8:00am 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 Wednesday, June 22nd; Thursday, June 23rd; or Friday, June 24th.

A Darth Vader touring costume 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 U.K. as he was previously part of Palitoy, the toy-manufacturer who created Star Wars toys and merchandise in the U.K. They first created costumes for Lucasfilm around the time of The Empire Strikes Back's release, and continued to support Lucasfilm's U.K. division with costumes and components through the release of Return of the Jedi and beyond into the later 1980s.

This costume consists of a number of components, including a two-piece helmet, shoulder armor, chest control box, belt, cape and internal robe, vest, shirt, codpiece, pants, greaves, and boots. The fiberglass helmet was molded from a genuine film helmet and is painted black and gray with machined aluminum "tusks," dual-layer metal grills in the vents, a single acrylic lens piece which is screwed in place, foam padding for wearer comfort, and elastane straps. The faceplate and dome, both marked "7" in a silver color and "12," in a red color, are secured together via a two-piece ring mounting system. The fiberglass shoulder armor is painted black and gray with hinged ends. The black cotton cape features a leather-trimmed collar with a metal chain across it and a matching interior robe layer, both with N.J. Farmer Associates labels marked "769" and "770" respectively. The quilted black leather vest features a zippered and buckled back with an N.J. Farmer Associates label. The cotton shirt features quilted black leather sleeves, a tie-up back, and an N.J. Farmer Associates label. The chest control box is made of fiberglass with painted buttons and leather straps. The black leather belt features a metal buckle, a battery slot for four "D" batteries, and two metal belt boxes with embellishments including red lights and green buttons that light up when powered. Red and blue wires extend from the battery slot, while a TS cable leads out of one of the belt boxes. The codpiece is made of black leather with a felt backing. The quilted black leather pants feature boot stirrups, a fastening strip fly, and an N.J. Farmer Associates label. The greaves are made of vacuum-formed plastic with fastening-strip straps, and the tall riding-style boots are made of black leatherette. The costume dates to the 1980s with specific promotional use unknown. It originated with members of the N.J. Farmer crew and elements such as the helmet are believed to have been re-finished at some point in their life. Replica gloves were added to complete the costume. Various components some wear from use and age, including scuffing, discoloration, creasing in the leather, and one of the belt box embellishments having come unglued and fallen inside the belt box.

Contains electronic components; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Estimate: $80,000 - 120,000

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