I remember when I first got into Lightsaber replicas in the early 2000s there were no Graflex replicas. If you wanted to build a Luke Skywalker lightsaber you had to buy a real Graflex either off ebay, a camera shop (who at that time may not have known what they had), or an antique store (again, the dealer not realizing what they actually had).
In the early 2000s I remember the price for a real Graflex being $300-$500 depending on quality. Because the wide-use of the internet was much smaller back then many people simply didn't know a Graflex was the base for Luke's lightsaber and sometimes you would find ebay auctions for a Graflex listed for next-to-nothing because it was listed as an 'antique camera flash' or 'Grayflex' or 'old camera parts' but that was still the exception and not the rule.
I wasn't able to afford a real Graflex at first but then the prices seems to go down and I paid $200-$300 for my first 2 Graflexs'. Then came the replicas: Larbel, Parks, Graflex Reborn, and Biskit. Some were amazing (Parks), some were okay (GR and Biskit), and some were acceptable (Larbel) but they were all less than $200. I got 2X Larbels and then 2X Parks and sold all but one Larbel.
From 2005 to 2014 prices of real Graflexs steadily dropped over time despite the internet getting wider and more and more people becoming aware of the Graflex (sellers and buyers). Parks was selling his replicas directly plus other saber builders/sellers were selling his version as well as a few other's getting into the Graflex replica business (including Roman IIRC). Because of the strong presence of awesome, accurate replica Graflexs available in early 2014 you could get a real Graflex in good shape off ebay for $300 or less. It was a great time to be a SW fan and a lightsaber builder.
Then the first 'The Force Awakens' trailer dropped including that shot of Maz handing Leia her brothers lightsaber, and within 24 hours there were 2-3 dozen real Graflex's on ebay for $1000 or more, some listed/selling for thousands of dollars. I think I remember seeing one sell for around $6000 and many listed for $3000. Real Graflex's were still uncommon and hard to come by so ebay was the place and if you wanted one you had to pay the asking price and the price stayed between $800-$1200 for a few years.
Now though it seems like we're finally reached a critical mass with Graflex's. More and more people are into LED sabers (neo-pixel, proffie, base lit CREE, etc..) and there are dozens of sites selling empty hilts or fully installed Graflex lightsabers. You have replica makers like Roman, Parks, KR Sabers, 89sabers, TCCS, JQ Sabers, and more all making/selling Graflex replicas.
You don't know about all of these custom shops but you want a lightsaber just like Luke or Rey? You can always buy a Graflex saber made by Hasbro (FX LED) or Disney Parks/Galaxy's Edge.
There will always be people who want the real thing, the real deal, a real Graflex, but many people just want a Graflex style lightsaber and in 2023 the market is flooded. With all the information available and resources, variety of sellers, and variety of replica Graflex's available, will the prices of real Graflex's ever go back up over $300 for units in good, nice shape excluding near-mint Folmers sold in communities like the RPF?
In the early 2000s I remember the price for a real Graflex being $300-$500 depending on quality. Because the wide-use of the internet was much smaller back then many people simply didn't know a Graflex was the base for Luke's lightsaber and sometimes you would find ebay auctions for a Graflex listed for next-to-nothing because it was listed as an 'antique camera flash' or 'Grayflex' or 'old camera parts' but that was still the exception and not the rule.
I wasn't able to afford a real Graflex at first but then the prices seems to go down and I paid $200-$300 for my first 2 Graflexs'. Then came the replicas: Larbel, Parks, Graflex Reborn, and Biskit. Some were amazing (Parks), some were okay (GR and Biskit), and some were acceptable (Larbel) but they were all less than $200. I got 2X Larbels and then 2X Parks and sold all but one Larbel.
From 2005 to 2014 prices of real Graflexs steadily dropped over time despite the internet getting wider and more and more people becoming aware of the Graflex (sellers and buyers). Parks was selling his replicas directly plus other saber builders/sellers were selling his version as well as a few other's getting into the Graflex replica business (including Roman IIRC). Because of the strong presence of awesome, accurate replica Graflexs available in early 2014 you could get a real Graflex in good shape off ebay for $300 or less. It was a great time to be a SW fan and a lightsaber builder.
Then the first 'The Force Awakens' trailer dropped including that shot of Maz handing Leia her brothers lightsaber, and within 24 hours there were 2-3 dozen real Graflex's on ebay for $1000 or more, some listed/selling for thousands of dollars. I think I remember seeing one sell for around $6000 and many listed for $3000. Real Graflex's were still uncommon and hard to come by so ebay was the place and if you wanted one you had to pay the asking price and the price stayed between $800-$1200 for a few years.
Now though it seems like we're finally reached a critical mass with Graflex's. More and more people are into LED sabers (neo-pixel, proffie, base lit CREE, etc..) and there are dozens of sites selling empty hilts or fully installed Graflex lightsabers. You have replica makers like Roman, Parks, KR Sabers, 89sabers, TCCS, JQ Sabers, and more all making/selling Graflex replicas.
You don't know about all of these custom shops but you want a lightsaber just like Luke or Rey? You can always buy a Graflex saber made by Hasbro (FX LED) or Disney Parks/Galaxy's Edge.
There will always be people who want the real thing, the real deal, a real Graflex, but many people just want a Graflex style lightsaber and in 2023 the market is flooded. With all the information available and resources, variety of sellers, and variety of replica Graflex's available, will the prices of real Graflex's ever go back up over $300 for units in good, nice shape excluding near-mint Folmers sold in communities like the RPF?
Last edited:
