original esb vader costume on the auction block

[Too Much Garlic]

Would be cool if the larger pictures could be posted. Or... is it one of the two that was posted about recently?

 

[propologist]

this might be a stupid question but why would an auction company sell something for that kind of money potentially if it didn't check out to begin with ?

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

this might be a stupid question but why would an auction company sell something for that kind of money potentially if it didn't check out to begin with ?

I don't know that this would be the first time Auction Houses have been duped. Oh, my Doubt-O-Meter is one of a kind. If I sell it to you, it will be for a jillion dollars...U.S..

 

[stormtrooperguy]

Why does it look like LFL just sent them a box of stuff and said "Here ya go, an authentic Vader costume!"?

i'm guessing that's exactly what they did. any suits i've seen on display have been mishmash collections of parts.

 

[GINO]

I can immediately see some aspects are certainly not screen used or even production made. Would need a better look at some of the other components to assess them more accurately.



.

 

[sskunky]

i'm guessing that's exactly what they did. any suits i've seen on display have been mishmash collections of parts.

They didn't, it came from a tour suit company here in the UK that shut down many years ago and sold off everything and the collector selling this acquired two Vaders.

I can immediately see some aspects are certainly not screen used or even production made. Would need a better look at some of the other components to assess them more accurately.
.

I know that the chest box and belt are not screen used and the seller has stated that in the past. Although he thinks almost everything else is, but I have my doubts. The shoulder armour looks OK but the helmet has certainly been repainted due to damage. He has two suits and the other is almost certainly a tour suit and helmet.

 

[GINO]

Sskunky, you accidentally included part of your post in my quote.

 

[sskunky]

Sskunky, you accidentally included part of your post in my quote.

Yeah,
sorry. Think I've corrected that now.

 

[JoeR]

So to summarise, Caveat emptor, as usual with any auction house!

Someone should contact Christie's and get detailed pictures and then we can respond with a proper critique and save someone from a very costly mistake. I imagine that this will be withdrawn before the auction once they have the facts.

 

[pneumoniaprone]

It seems like in the articles I have read they are only claiming that the Helmet, facemask and shoulder armor were created for empire. NPR actually says "The helmet, mask, shoulder armour and shin guards of the costume have been produced for the second Star Wars movie 'The Empire Strikes Back', released in 1980.", but the others make no mention of the shins.

I am not trying to claim whether they are or aren't but just wanted to point out that the articles I have read only associate the pedigree with a few of the parts.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

It seems like in the articles I have read they are only claiming that the Helmet, facemask and shoulder armor were created for empire. NPR actually says "The helmet, mask, shoulder armour and shin guards of the costume have been produced for the second Star Wars movie 'The Empire Strikes Back', released in 1980.", but the others make no mention of the shins.

I am not trying to claim whether they are or aren't but just wanted to point out that the articles I have read only associate the pedigree with a few of the parts.

This all sounds REALLY questionable at best.

 

[pneumoniaprone]

There is also a better picture of the helmet on the cover of the ecatalogue for the auction.
Christie's eCatalogues

Details on pages 32-33

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Looks a bit more RotJ now, in my opinion. Looks like some bad cracking along the back of the neck too. The armor is also not ESB.

Edit: I like this part...

The costume is being sold on behalf of a gentleman recorded as having one of the most extreme cases of the debilitating condition Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) ever diagnosed. The costume came into the gentleman's possession after much tenacity in his quest to possess an original Darth Vader suit from The Empire Strikes Back, as an aid to battle the condition. Initially after coming to an agreement with Lucas Films, Don Post would begin to make him a replica of the costume. However the project was abandoned because Post could not recreate it to the demanding specifications that the client required "he was recreating the costume from A New Hope and NOT Empire" the owner would explain in his 2009 book. The owner would ultimately be led to a UK company called Farmer Studios Ltd. who had, at the time of Empire's production, been authorized by LFL UK to create second generation Vader suits for promotional purposes. After initially buying one of these suits, the client purchased a second suit in 2003 thinking it was another second generation suit. However, it was only after receiving the second suit and comparing it to his first suit that he could physically see the differences to the one already in his possession. This led him to the conclusion that he was now the owner of a production made helmet, mask, shoulder armor and shin guards. Farm Studios Ltd. later confirmed the second suit was the David Prowse costume they had received.

The ownership of this suit went some way to helping the owner overcome and control his much documented condition of OCD, which had literally taken over his life. The consigner will be donating a percentage of the proceeds of this sale to Cancer Research UK in memory of his mother, Rita Grace.

 

[Jarvis B]

Vader Auction

Who's the American Collector ?





CBC News - Film - Darth Vader costume on the block

 

[Cibernite]

The Helmet does look like ROTJ and ESB did not have that kind of Cape chain or hook. It does look like a Promo Suit. Not screen used. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Bluecow]

I hope these links work
For those interested here some links from Christies
Vader's Helmet at Christies 360

Vader Page from Auction brochure (32-33)

Also to note there is a Raiders Idol on page 34

 

[anakin]

spot on gut reaction - also love the bit about having the suit "as an aid to battle the condition"

Why does it look like LFL just sent them a box of stuff and said "Here ya go, an authentic Vader costume!"?

 

[Brian Muir]

 

[Too Much Garlic]

So... because he saw differences he himself concluded that he must have a screen used suit? So... he's just guessing, despite being repeatedly told that it is not possible to conclude that it is screen used just by looking at the pieces. I thought he had rock-solid paperwork... but even that can be faked.

Cool that the suit helped him overcome his disorder, but I guess that's part of the reason he doesn't accept that what he likely has is just tour suits. The helmet is definitely not ESB - it has been discussed before.

EDIT: Seriously... what the **** does Andrew Ainsworth know about Vader?

 

[voice in the crowd]

I was going to write a big post but decided against it. Christies are as a rule are one of the most credible auction houses in the world I think they may have made a major mistake here but with out more information cannot say conclusively.

Andrew Ainsworth didn't work on ESB or on Vader at any point ever the comments on him concluding its authenticity are cringeworthy :sick.