YORK, Pa. – The quest for early Star Wars collectibles has reached a fevered pitch, but the auction market tells us the journey is just beginning. Interest in Star Wars items is stronger than ever, especially for prototypes and samples, rare variations, and toys produced in low numbers or no numbers at all. To some, it may seem that Hake’s – the auction house holding numerous world records for Star Wars material – has already sold the ultimate rarities from that wildly popular category. But exciting surprises continue to emerge, some from unexpected sources, and those fresh consignments and new discoveries will be front and center at Hake’s November 15-16 pop culture auction. View the fully illustrated catalog on LiveAuctioneers.
Market-watchers pounced on rare comic art & action figures at Hake’s $2.7M auction
YORK, Pa. – Original comic strip art continues to solidify its position alongside fine art in the collector marketplace, with the latest proof coming on day two of Hake’s July 26-27 auction of pop culture rarities. Amongst the highlights of the $2.7 million sale was a selection of six consecutive lots of original concept art created in the late 1970s for a proposed Star Wars daily newspaper comic strip. Drawn by legendary comic strip artist Al Williamson (1931-2020) as part of a series of twelve strips, the artworks never saw publication.
Star Wars comic strip art leads galaxy of greats at Hake’s, July 26-27
YORK, Pa. – If modern art aficionados could be granted one wish, it might be the discovery of a major, previously unknown Picasso. While Picasso lovers may have a very long wait ahead of them, those who revel in the uniquely imaginative art and imagery of the Star Wars saga just might have their wishes granted on Tuesday, July 26 and Wednesday, July 27, when Hake’s auctions six extraordinary artworks from Star Wars’ earliest days. View the fully illustrated catalog on LiveAuctioneers.
Boba Fett prototype sells for record $236K at Hake’s Star Wars auction
YORK, Pa. – The enduring, multigenerational appeal of Star Wars action figures and related collectibles was never more obvious than on June 2nd, when Hake’s first-ever Special Event Auction featuring memorabilia from the legendary franchise closed the books at $903,000. The online auction, whose final bid was received at 11:14 p.m., achieved a 100% sell-through rate and set multiple new world records in so doing. In Hake’s last two auctions, 500 lots of Star Wars material have sold for a combined $2.1 million.
Star Wars prototype action figure sells for world-record price
YORK, Pa. – Last night Hake’s in York, Pennsylvania, set a new world auction record with the sale of a Kenner Star Wars Boba Fett rocket-firing prototype action figure. The Version 2 J-slot prototype, made in in 1979, attracted 27 bids before closing at $204,435. It was won by an online bidder in California.
Star Wars prototype action figure aims for world record price at Hake’s auction
YORK, Pa. – In the Star Wars universe, few characters are as fascinating to fans as the cool and enigmatic bounty hunter Boba Fett. Helmeted and garbed in Mandalorian armor, the noncommunicative Boba appears in both the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies. In the 2002 prequel Attack of the Clones, it is revealed that Boba is the genetic clone and adoptive son of Jango Fett, another famously feared bounty hunter. This exciting disclosure only added to the burgeoning Boba Fett mystique.
Hake’s auctions Capt. America shield for $259,540, closes 2021 at $10M+
YORK, Pa. – A Captain America “hero-prop” shield screen-used by Chris Evans in Marvel Studios 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame sold for a heart-stopping $259,540 at Hake’s Auctions on November 3. The marquee item in a Nov. 2-3 online auction of premier entertainment and historical memorabilia, the star-emblazoned shield opened at $20,000 and attracted 17 bids before selling to its new owner, Wilmot “Wil” Creasy. A commercial analyst with Creasy Group, a Western Australia business focused on mining and metals exploration and investment, Creasy now adds iconic aluminum to his burgeoning pop-culture portfolio, which reportedly also includes extremely rare Pokémon cards [Instagram: Pokewizard96].
Hake’s to auction Chris Evans screen-used Capt. America shield from Avengers: Endgame
YORK, Pa. – The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a groundbreaking achievement of interconnected films crafted by numerous architects and starring many of Marvel’s most powerful heroes and game-changing villains. The first three phases of movies, known as the Infinity Saga, unfolded over 11 years, with each individual entry providing a puzzle piece for the larger picture that would come to pass in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.
Hake’s $3.6M pop culture auction shatters house record; highest gross in 54 years
YORK, Pa. – If records are made to be broken, then Hake’s has clearly mastered the art of an encore performance. Their June 29-30 auction, which grossed a robust $3.6 million, rewrote the company’s history books as it became their second consecutive auction to break an existing house record. Along the way, a number of new individual record prices were set, as well.
Collector Profile: Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions
YORK, Pa. – Some people wear their heart on their sleeve. Alex Winter has his passions all around him in his office. As president of Hake’s Auctions, he works at a desk surrounded by original comic book art, vintage toys, Star Wars action figures, superhero collectibles, and dozens of record albums. As a boy, he was interested in comic books but gained an appreciation for other types of collectibles while working an entry-level job at Hake’s. Some 36 years later, he’s still there — and he’s the company’s president. We visited with Alex to learn more about his collecting interests and some of the most memorable items Hake’s has sold during his tenure.