Imperial Stormtrooper Hero E-11 Blaster from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope with Signed LOA from Producer Gary...

Description

Imperial Stormtrooper Hero E-11 Blaster from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope with Signed LOA from Producer Gary Kurtz (TCF, 1977). This screen used blaster is one of the "live" weapons used during the filming of Star Wars. Bapty & Co., the legendary British movie weapon makers/suppliers, based this weapon on a British Sterling submachine gun which was dressed for the studio. Loaded with blank ammunition during filming, it produced realistic smoke and recoil effects when fired, making the actors look as though they were actually firing laser bolts. Included with the Blaster is a signed LOA from Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz stating (in part): "This is to confirm that the Stormtrooper blaster prop you have purchased is from my film archive. This was one of the 'live' weapons used during filming of Star Wars. Once filming had finished the guns were returned to the weapons hire company which had loaned them to the production. All extraneous parts and dressings added for the filming were removed and the guns went back into the company's armoury. This gun is the original Sterling sub machine gun used in Star Wars, and the additional dressing (sight, grips, cut down cartridge casing, etc.) are also all original film used pieces. The only replacement piece is the metal bracket holding the scope to the body of the gun. This gun has been deactivated and restored to its original screen used condition as seen in Star Wars. This Stormtrooper Sterling machine gun is one of those guns (now deactivated to conform to British firearms regulations), bought back by the Kurtz / Joiner archive in 2003..." Measures 19.5 in. long. Exhibits production use with scuffing to black paint with some oxidation to exposed metal parts. Comes with the original deactivation certificate issued to Bapty when the weapon was rendered non-firing. Provenance: Profiles in History Hollywood Auction 22, July 29, 2005, Lot 171.5 Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.

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