As Astons Auctioneers prepare to enter a new phase of their own, soon to be under new ownership, the current owners go out on a high as a treasure trove of vintage Star Wars toys from a Stourbridge collection goes under the hammer. Chris Aston from Astons describes the incredible haul, which was kept in bin bags and left to a neighbour after the man’s death.
“This auction is going to do double our previous record. It’s the most expensive auction we’ve ever done – and it was all in bin bags.
“Jawa is up to £11,500 before the auction on pre-bids so that could make £25,000. The last one sold in the UK for £26,000. The Star Destroyer, there’s only two or three in the world of that kind. It could make anything.”
“All the Star Wars collectors are going mad about it on the forums. We’ve had people viewing for six or seven hours because there’s so much stuff. People have driven down from Scotland and coming up from London, and people enquiring from America.”
Up to 1,000 bidders could join the auction, which stars at 10am, and competition could be fierce.
It will be the final sale before the Dudley auction house is taken over by new owners. Mr Aston said: “It’s going to go crazy. It is weird how it has fallen. It will be nice to go out with a bang and get the record to finish on.”
Of note are the two figures Chris is holding above. The Star Destroyer Commander is one of only 3 known variations of this card, while the Jawa is one of only 10 known versions, with one selling in 2019 for £26,000. Best of luck to Chris and the team, and we’ll bring you news of the final tally once it’s been accumulated.