Original Vader costumes.

_Lee_

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Ive been thinking lately about the number of various Original screen used Vader costumes in collectors hands and to be honest im a little confused.There seems to be quite a few around and i was just curious as to how many were made for each film?

Lee
 
I can't speak for 'ESB' , 'ROTJ' or 'ROTS' - but all sources and information on 'ANH'
suggests one fully finished helmet with another back up. But an absolute maximum
of two on ANH.

The issue becomes clouded after 'ANH' as factors such as 'tour suits' come into play
and, well...

I don't have the energy tonight.
 
I believe the ESB Vader 'fencing' or 'stunt' helmet is in collectors hands - I've not heard that any other screen used DV hems are? Those that survived are probably in the LFL archives I imagine.

According to what I have read, a LFL chap sold a repainted ESB head and shoulders display via auction several years ago. I think there is more info on Jez's site www.starwarshelmets.com

Regards

Al
 
Originally posted by ob1al@Jan 7 2006, 06:01 PM
I believe the ESB Vader 'fencing' or 'stunt' helmet is in collectors hands - I've not heard that any other screen used DV hems are? Those that survived are probably in the LFL archives I imagine.

According to what I have read, a LFL chap sold a repainted ESB head and shoulders display via auction several years ago. I think there is more info on Jez's site www.starwarshelmets.com

Regards

Al
[snapback]1153443[/snapback]​

There is a complete suit that can be seen at ToysRGus both in Sansweets collection as well as one owned by a collector named Amy White. I was told that the suit Amy White has is made up from various suits and that one or two parts on it are replica to complete it. Jason Joiner (Kurtz Archive) also has a complete suit I believe. The repainted head and shoulders went through Profiles I believe and it was repainted by Don Bies. Jez's site does also show a few other buckets in collectors hands and ScreenUsed.com has a dome (on a really cool clear mask display). Hope that helps.
 
Sansweet's vader is not all original film used.
The set that Don Bies repainted either was not ever original film used or it has been so heavily modified that it can no longer be considered original.
 
Originally posted by GINO@Jan 7 2006, 07:03 PM
Sansweet's vader is not all original film used.
The set that Don Bies repainted either was not ever original film used or it has been so heavily modified that it can no longer be considered original.
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That's rough news for the owner of Bies painted Vader as if I remember it went for over $70,000.
Yikes. I had thought it was original and originally Lucasfilm either auctioned it for charity or gave it way for some charity something or other and at the time they had Bies "touch it up," then they permanently mounted it together and put it in a case. Then it was put in Profiles. Is this close to the story?
 
According to a tailor from ROTJ, IIFC, I think he said there were 9 suits made for that film. (which sounds about accurate. )
Not sure if that # included 9 sets of armor though.

Jayn
 
Last year or the year before the ESB Stunt Bespin fencing helemt...(with the lenses in the cheeks) sold on ebay for 100K :eek I think I've still got the pics...

I'll go check.

Steve

EDIT: Here you go.

[attachmentid=5897] [attachmentid=5898]
[attachmentid=5899]
 
Originally posted by DL 44 Blaster@Jan 7 2006, 07:10 PM
Last year or the year before the ESB Stunt Bespin fencing helemt...(with the lenses in the cheeks) sold on ebay for 100K  :eek  I think I've still got the pics...

I'll go check.

Steve



They have one at the Seattle Sci-Fi museum that has clear cheeks. It could be this one.
 
Originally posted by bighowboy@Jan 7 2006, 08:34 PM

There is a complete suit that can be seen at ToysRGus both in Sansweets collection as well as one owned by a collector named Amy White.  I was told that the suit Amy White has is made up from various suits and that one or two parts on it are replica to complete it.  Jason Joiner (Kurtz Archive) also has a complete suit I believe.  The repainted head and shoulders went through Profiles I believe and it was repainted by Don Bies.  Jez's site does also show a few other buckets in collectors hands and ScreenUsed.com has a dome (on a really cool clear mask display).  Hope that helps.
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Good summary.
And I think the Sansweet suit is a mix, not all original.
I don't believe Jason Joiner has an original Vader suit.

The Don Bies helmet/armor are original but the dome is a bit too short to be screen used...although it could be just mounted way too high....the faceplate could have been screen used but Don Bies cleaned it up repainted it to the extent that it's difficult to tell. Really sad what was done to that original set. The dome was permanently attached to the faceplate so that it could not be recast. It would be worth well over $100k if it was left in it's original condition. Yes that ESB dome on screenused.com is nice. On www.starwarshelmets.com, the RPF helmet is derived from an original ANH or tour ANH but it itself is not original. The Hall ANH helmet is not derived from an original...norwhere near. The MGM one is a tour ANH, not original.

The ESB stunt helmet belongs to Paul Allen who put together the Seattle Science Fiction Museum where the helmet resides. That's really the only complete screen-used helmet I know of in private hands although I have heard rumors of others...

:cheers,

Thomas
 
.....there is (or was) a Vader costume at the Planet Hollywood in Vegas (Cesar's Palace, I think)......is it just a promo suit?
 
Originally posted by KevVader@Jan 8 2006, 04:47 AM
.....there is (or was) a Vader costume at the Planet Hollywood in Vegas (Cesar's Palace, I think)......is it just a promo suit?
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I think that one is or was just a promo.
 
The ANH Vader suit seen in the "Kermit" photos outside DP studios was privately owned by a special effects professional. Sadly, it was sold after his death.
 
I have heard different versions of the story about that Kermit suit. It is a screen suit (Tantive IV) of course and the helmet is _the_ screen helmet as far as I can tell. Don Post studios was in California...so the suit would have to have been shipped from the UK. It would make sense that it would remain as LFL property but LFL doesn't have that helmet in its possession. Who started the story about someone owning/stealing/taking that screen suit? I heard the person's wife sold it for a song back then but it's still mythology to me...at one point I heard that John Mollo had it but that turned out to be unreliable information.

:cheers,

Thomas
 
Originally posted by DL 44 Blaster@Jan 8 2006, 02:10 AM
Last year or the year before the ESB Stunt Bespin fencing helemt...(with the lenses in the cheeks) sold on ebay for 100K  :eek  I think I've still got the pics...

I'll go check.

Steve

EDIT:  Here you go.




..and what guts me is that this same ESB stunt-use Vader helmet was sold by Christies in London (I think in 1995) for a mere £2,800 around $4,960 :)


(Which to me as an impoverished post-graduate at the time might just as well have been 100k).
 
Here are some shots of JJ's Vader suit.

I've heard different stories about what it is and where it came from, I'm inclined to belive that parts may well be original, but there's a lot that looks completely different too.


From a JJ-organised convention some years ago, scanned photos given to me by my mate clanger68
joiner1.jpg


jjoiner2.jpg




The same suit at the Luton exhibit. (Bad photo by me.)
joiner3.jpg




The same helmet (repainted if original?) on the cover of Starburst.
starburst1.jpg



Jeremy


(Thanks Wackychimp)
 
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