A collection of Star Wars memorabilia, from action figures to key rings, a space helmet and even an original script, gathered over the years by the actor who played the bounty hunter Boba Fett, is to go up for auction.
Though he only made brief appearances in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Boba Fett became a cult character and the British actor who played him, Jeremy Bulloch, diligently collected items relating to him.
On May the 4th – a nod to the Jedi phrase “May the force be with you” – fans will be able to bid for memorabilia at a sale run by East Bristol Auctions in the UK.
As well as collecting souvenirs from when the films were made, Bulloch, who died in 2020, gathered memorabilia from fans at Star Wars conventions.
The auctioneer Andrew Stowe said: “Jeremy didn’t just star in the franchise; he was a massive fan himself. His love for the movies and the fans took him all over the world and wherever he’d go he would purchase or be given Boba Fett memorabilia. His home museum contained everything from Boba Fett teatowels to rare action figures.
“It’s very rare for an actor to have such a deep-rooted connection to their role, let alone amass a collection of this scale.”
Among the 400 lots is a Boba Fett helmet that a fan made for him. Constructed out of steel but with a foam lining so it can be worn, it was displayed in Bulloch’s home office for many years. It is estimated to fetch up to £800.
One curiosity is a painting of Boba Fett surrounded by Italian Renaissance-style cherubim and clouds. Bulloch said the artist knew how fond he was of all things Italian and he displayed it in his home museum. The estimate is between £250 and £500.
Bulloch’s own vintage Boba Fett action figure is expected to fetch up to £1,200. The catalogue describes this as a “rare opportunity for Star Wars toy collectors to purchase an action figure owned by the actor who performed as the character”.
Though Boba Fett did not appear in the prequel Revenge of the Sith, Bulloch did make a cameo appearance in the film and hung on to his copy of the script, which is estimated to fetch up to £600.
Bulloch died at the age of 75 from complications relating to Parkinson’s disease and part of the proceeds of the auction will go to Parkinson’s UK.
So extensive was Bulloch’s collection that it had to be split in two. In May last year, the first part made £155,000.
