A model of an X-wing starfighter used in the original "Star Wars" in 1977 sold for an eye-popping sum over the weekend.
The miniature so-called "Red Leader" brought more than $3.1 million at the estate sale of late Hollywood visual effects artist Greg Jein, Heritage Auctions said in a press release Monday.
The model is screen-matched and was depicted leading the Rebel Alliance's assault on the Death Star in "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope." It was built by Industrial Light & Magic, which won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for the film.
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Jein, an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated model maker who built numerous miniatures for the "Star Trek" franchise and had a more than six-decade professional career, died last year.
The two-day sale of his collection realized more than $13 million total, making it the second-highest grossing Hollywood auction ever, only beaten by Debbie Reynolds' estate sale in 2011, which brought $22.8 million.
Heritage said the sale was nearly a sold-out event and that more than 2,200 bidders participated, including all those who cast bids online, over the phone and in person.
"The success of this auction — from the overall result to the number of participating bidders to the packed-out auction room full of Greg's friends and fans — was a profound testament to my friend as both a visual-effects master and one of the great collectors," Heritage Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement.
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He added, "This event exceeded my expectations, and I couldn't be prouder to have been part of this historic event."
