Darth Vader's lightsaber has been put up on display in London, ahead of its sale in the US next month.
The prop, which was used to chop off Luke Skywalker's hand in the iconic Star Wars classic, The Empire Strikes Back, has been described as the "Holy Grail" for fans of the franchise. Millions of fans will undoubtedly be keen to become Luke Skywalker and be proud owners of this famous weapon.
This weapon was used by Darth Vader to wield the "energy sword" during the iconic fight scenes from 1980s The Empire Strikes Back, and Return Of The Jedi in 1983. The weapon is expected to sell for up to $3 million, ahead of its sale in LA next month.
"It's just an amazing piece of film history", said Brandon Alinger, Chief Operating Officer of the Propstore Auction house, who are in charge of the sale. "Is there any villain as significant, as memorable as Darth Vader? I don't think so, and this is his weapon".
Elsewhere, Stephen Lane, Propstore founder added: "Somebody, literally, who Googled 'sell Star Wars film prop' came to us and said, 'I've got this thing to sell', and we were just floored. "There was no understanding that this thing even still existed - it's a brand-new discovery, which is incredibly exciting for Star Wars collectors".
Lane also went on to compare the prop's significance to the famous ruby slippers worn by the late Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz in 1939.
The lightsaber's authenticity has been verified by experts, who matched its dents and scratches to those from movie scenes.
Showing off the device to the AFP, Alinger added: "Look at the big dent on the back, that's probably from (Luke Skywalker actor) Mark Hamill's lightsaber blade".
This three day auction, which takes place from 4-6 September, will also include the bullwhip, belt and holster which were used by Harrison Ford from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989.
Other items include a neuralyzer which was used by Agents J played by Will Smith, and Agent K, played by Tommy Lee Jones, erasing memories in Men in Black in 1997. This is expected to fetch for up to $150,000 under the hammer.
Consignments manager at Propstore in the UK, Ibrahim Faraj, added: "This is used in the opening scene of the film".
