‘American Empire? What American Empire?’ You Can Ask With This Reagan-Adjoining Stormtrooper Helmet

To be a child within the Eighties meant absorbing the final years of the Chilly Warfare by way of popular culture that performed into fears a couple of World Warfare III everybody assumed was coming—assume WarGames, Red Dawn, and “99 Luftballoons.” By some means that script obtained flipped when President Ronald Reagan introduced the “Strategic Protection Initiative,” a system meant to guard the U.S. from missiles that rapidly acquired its personal popular culture nickname: “Star Wars.”

Whereas Reagan’s Star Wars by no means really obtained off the bottom, it stays a key takeaway from his time in workplace, a lot in order that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Southern California hosted an exhibit framed round it final yr: “Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI.” The library referred to as it “a enjoyable and informative exhibition on Star Wars—each the real-world know-how of SDI, in addition to gadgets from the film phenomenon,” showcasing “unique gadgets from SDI together with an genuine Command Launch Tools Console, in addition to props, costumes, and idea artwork from the Star Wars franchise.”

That unusual mix of politics (nuclear battle, so enjoyable!) and science fiction is not on show, however one of many key gadgets featured is now going up on the market. A screen-used Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars: Episode I – A New Hope could be a uncommon sufficient discover, however based on Julien’s Auctions, it’s one in every of simply six unique stunt helmets nonetheless round being held by personal collectors. Now it may be yours if in case you have the $200,000-$300,000 (estimated value) required to be the highest bidder.

Right here’s a full, uncropped take a look at the helmet:

Additional particulars from a press launch word that “this helmet is believed to be featured in scenes on Tatooine as a ‘Sandtrooper’ helmet and will have been worn by the third Stormtrooper guard from the left, escorting Princess Leia to be confronted by the ominous Darth Vader.”

Julien’s is co-hosting the public sale, dubbed “Echoes From the Galaxy: A Star Wars Memorabilia Exhibit + Public sale,” with Turner Basic Motion pictures, and if you happen to’re going to San Diego Comedian-Con otherwise you occur to be within the San Diego space, you possibly can cruise by the Comic-Con Museum (2131 Pan American Plaza in San Diego) to take a look at the exhibit beginning July 14. The sale will likely be Sunday, July 27 beginning at 10 a.m. PT.

Right here’s a video concerning the public sale that rapidly exhibits off a few of the different heaps, together with the lightsabers. You may get a better take a look at the Julien’s Auction website, which additionally has all the main points on find out how to bid.

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