Hake’s Auctions is currently selling 400 Star Wars lots with action figures, prototypes, vehicles, playsets, original comic art, and movie posters. Ranging from loose figures to extremely rare pieces, there’s something for any fan of the series.  

Some of the double threats among the Star Wars listings are the double-telescoping Darth Vader 12-back-A AFA 75+ and the Luke Skywalker 12-back-C AFA 80. Both figures were made by Kenner and released in 1978. The figures come with the double-telescoping lightsaber that has a second extendable piece. Vader stands 4-1/4” and is on punched card, while Luke is 3-3/4” tall and on an unpunched card.

Among the key pieces is the Empire Strikes Back Walrus Man sample card AFA 80. The 47-back Walrus Man card contains a 4” figure of Bib Fortuna wearing a white cape instead of the regular tan cape. It was used as a sample for Kenner’s 1984 Return of the Jedi toy line since the Bib Fortuna card was not yet ready at this stage in development. The blister bubble also differs because it is not the standard type used on carded figures, instead featuring square corners and made from a different type of plastic.

There’s a trio of Empire Strikes Back figures from the 12” series, including Chewbacca AFA 75, Darth Vader AFA 80+, and R2-D2 AFA 60. Each lot has the box flat that has been assembled and contains the figures. They were proposed for Kenner’s 1980 12” series line but never put into production. Each is the only AFA graded example as assembled with figure as opposed to a regular box flat. They were originally owned and assembled by a Kenner employee.

The Star Wars #3 page 7 original art by Howard Chaykin and inked by Steve Leialoha can be found in the comic listings. The 10-1/2” x 15-3/4” artboard with pen and ink original art comes from the movie adaptation that Marvel published in 1977. Featuring seven panels, it depicts Obi-Wan Kenobi training Luke Skywalker with the aid of a Marksman-H combat remote. Luke appears in all but one panel and Obi-Wan is in three panels. Chaykin and Leialoha signed it in black felt tip pen.

The Empire Strikes Back action display stand prototype comes with figures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Bossk, Stormtrooper, and FX-7 who are depicted on the box. The cardboard backdrop has Star Wars graphic with Empire logo sticker. The stand has white label strip on front with names of Rebel Commander, Dengar, AT-AT Driver, Ugnaught, Leia, Han Solo, Yoda, Imperial Commander, Lobot, and 2-1 B medical droid. It was most likely used as a Toy Fair mock-up and never sold to the public.

From the Palitoy line, Hake’s is selling a Return of the Jedi Boba Fett tri-logo 70-back AFA 80+. The 3-3/4” figure from the 1984 line was released with English, Spanish, and French text on the card. The figure is the light blue version of the figure with unpainted knee and the card has been punched. This is the highest graded example of this variation.

Hake’s is selling a few original movie posters from the series, including the highly coveted Star Wars birthday one-sheet released for the movie’s first anniversary. They are also selling the Star Wars advance style B one-sheet, style A one-sheet first and second printings, style A half-sheet, and a style C British quad.

The auction’s undisputed Star Wars highlight is the Boba Fett J-slot rocket-firing prototype AFA 85+. The prototype was displayed at the New York Toy Fair in 1979 but never went into mass production and there are less than 30 examples of the J-slot variety. This fully painted 3-3/4” figure was the photo example that was used in Tomart’s Price Guide to Worldwide Star Wars Collectibles by Stephen J. Sansweet and T.N. Tumbusch, and Star Wars Vintage Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors by John Kellerman.

The auction also includes a selection of new discoveries of rare early production items found in Minnesota. The Sand People 12-back-A AFA+ (SKU on footer) does not have a punch perforation for the hang tab. There’s also a Ben Kenobi double-telescoping 12-back-A AFA 70+ with white footer and Han Solo 12-back-A AFA 60 with white footer on unpunched card.

Hake’s Auction #228 will close next week on November 6-7, 2019, so interested collectors are encouraged to get their bids in soon at hakes.com.