Following a public appeal from his wife, a British auction house on Friday decided not to sell “Star Wars” items once owned by actor Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca.
Mayhew, a British-born actor who passed away in 2019, was at a height of 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 meters) and portrayed Chewbacca in the first film and its sequels up to 2015.
Around 25 years ago, he and his American wife Angie sold their home in the northern English town of Keighley, leaving behind early Star Wars artifacts in the attic.
The material was discovered by the subsequent owners, who have not been identified, who finally brought it to a local auctioneer who was thrilled by the discovery and made it widely known, announcing its sale later this month.
The lots contained signed pictures and a scrapbook, as well as notes, scripts, and call sheets from the making of “The Empire Strikes Back” and the original movie.
Ryedale Auctioneers stated that they anticipated strong interest despite their modest estimates of about oe150 ($180) per item.
Mayhew’s widow then posted on the Twitter account of the Peter Mayhew Foundation, a charity set up in his memory, saying: “It really breaks my heart to see our belongings auctioned off like this.”
