This is an original, production-used panel from the Death Star. Yep, an actual piece of the shooting model from Star Wars. (None of that "A New Hope" junk for me -- the first will always be, simply, Star Wars.) It was part of the model used for long-range shots, where detail wasn't as important. Larger panels appeared in the close ups of the Death Star, while a large, spherical model was used for the really wide shots.
This came, via a dealer, from the collection of Richard Edlund, the Chief Special Effects Photographer for the film. Talk about provenance! It's 3 x 3 inches, and made from a rigid foam. It's painted grey, with a kind of rough texture to it.
As a huge -- huge! -- Star Wars nerd, owning a piece of the original Death Star model is a dream come true. It's an iconic part of the film, an instantly recognizable symbol of science-fiction bad-assery. And now, this tiny square is one of the crown jewels of my collection. I'm positively over the moon about this. ("That's no moon, Doc. It's a space station!")
Okay, back to my secret lair. Stay tuned for a killer, killer announcement.
