Let’s take a look back to the 80’s of a story about how a trip to England, and a random stop at a petrol station, led to the discovery Star Wars “Star-Badges” and quest to complete the collection!
In the early part of 1989 I was traveling around England. Our coach pulled into a petrol station in the little town of Moreton-in-Marsh to refuel and all the passengers disembarked to stretch their legs and stock-up on snacks for the road. At the checkout counter, I happened to notice a familiar sight: the Star Wars logo. Being the late-eighties, it was not a common image to see in a retail setting since it had been several years since the last movie and there was no expectation of any new material anytime soon from that galaxy far, far away. Always on the lookout for Star Wars merchandise, I made my way up to the counter and discovered a wire rack display with an arched cardboard backdrop touting the famous logo in red and surrounded by a semi-circle of six metal buttons (badges as they are called in the United Kingdom) featuring art of Star Wars characters and ships. These weren’t just any badges, they were “Star-Badges!”…
The worldwide success of Star Wars opened the floodgates to relatively cheap and quick knockoff movies. In Italy especially, poster artists used elements of the original movie to populate posters for many of the knockoffs…
Earlier this year, when Rebel Force Radio and a full audience of the galaxy’s greatest Star Wars fans descended upon Steve Sansweet’s Rancho Obi-Wan in Petaluma, California, home of the Guinness Book of World Records largest Star Wars memorabilia collection, we were joined by the one, the only, Puppet Lando, who shared conversation about his trip to the Bay Area and performs his classic tune “I Want My Felt To Be Felt”
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Let’s discuss what went into renewing the power of the Force. You see, Kenner had a sweet deal. In 1977, they negotiated a license with Lucasfilm to make Star Wars toys for a $100,000 advance and an ongoing 5% royalty. All they had to do to keep that deal alive—forever—was to pay Lucasfilm $10,000 per year. That was no problem at all for the first few years, as Kenner shipped over 300 million Star Wars products between 1977 and 1985. After Tonka purchased Kenner in 1987, even though they were no longer making Star Wars toys, and there were no new Star Wars movies on the horizon, Tonka believed it was still worthwhile to send Lucasfilm enough money every year to keep the contract going.
But in 1991, Hasbro purchased Tonka, and—whether by intent or accident—didn’t make the required payment, so their contract with Lucasfilm expired. And in 1992, George Lucas started letting people know that he was working on Star Wars movies again. Of course, Hasbro was interested in making the toys, but now they had to compete against other toy companies for a new license, and that meant they had to show Lucasfilm what they could do…
At the Imperial Archives, one of our favorite categories is unproduced toys. This includes toys that were designed and never released, as well as toys that changed substantially during the design process. Let’s take a look at two Kenner Star Wars action figures that fall into the latter category. Each figure is represented in our collection in the form of both a preproduction drawing and an unpainted hardcopy prototype.
First up is an early “uncloaked” version of The Emperor from the vintage Return of the Jedi action figure line.
Star Wars fans who had the original Emperor action figure that was sold in stores will likely recall that the cloak was molded onto the body as part of the figure, but that wasn’t the initial plan.
Each of the four founding collections of The Saga Museum includes many prototypes of unproduced toys. Here’s a unique one from the Imperial Archives—a little-known handheld Return of the Jedi video game from 1983.
At the start of the 1980s, Parker Brothers was a major player in the young handheld video game market. Their Merlin game, launched in 1978, sold 2.2 million units in 1980, making it the single best selling toy or game in the United States that year. Two years later, Parker’s Atari 2600 console adaptation of Konami’s arcade hit Frogger outsold even Merlin, but they were shut out of the handheld market for that title when those rights were licensed to competitor Coleco instead. Their adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back was also limited to consoles…
Vintage food collectors will often comment on the extreme scarcity of Star Wars food packaging that they’re able to find years later. While many saved highly-publicized Star Wars food premiums that were advertised with purchase of food items, few thought to save the actual packaging. As a result, there are still to this day many rare, one-of-a-kind, and unknown-to-still-exist Star Wars food items. As collectors, one way we are able to learn what was made is through these ads in magazines, newspapers, and comics from the period.
KP Outer Spacers was a corned-based snack food which the British call “crisps” and Americans correctly call “chips”. These snacks were shaped like spaceships, so it was well suited as a Star Wars promotion. This started in early 1978 shortly after the release of Star Wars in the United Kingdom and offered a mail away Star Wars “Fighter Kite”, made by the British toy company, Palitoy. The offer required kids to send in 3 wrappers and 95p to receive a kite, reducing the number of intact bags saved to this day. The promotion appeared on three different flavors of KP Outer Spacers: beef burger, chutney, and pickled onion…
Usually, when I write about items from the Imperial Archives, I’ll focus on items that you will hopefully one day be able to see at The Saga Museum of Star Wars Memorabilia, but this time, I’m going to include a couple of important items that probably won’t ever go on public display there. I am including these items, because of the significance of Stuart Freeborn’s Yoda Archive.
I first learned about Stuart Freeborn when I was in elementary school, reading about the making of each Star Wars movie. His credits on Star Wars and Return of the Jedi—“makeup supervisor” and “makeup designer,” respectively—are fairly unassuming; only his title on The Empire Strikes Back—“makeup and special creature designer,” really offers a clue of the major role that he really played. Stuart was responsible for bringing to life truly fantastic characters including Chewbacca, Jabba the Hutt, the Ewoks, and most notably, Yoda.
Many years ago, as Stuart was nearing the end of his life, he wanted to make sure that key materials from his production archive would be saved for posterity, so he made arrangements to find people who would appreciate and preserve these items. Lisa and I were honored to become the home for Stuart’s Yoda archive…
You heard the podcast. Now, you can watch every moment of Rebel Force Radio live from Rancho Obi-Wan in Petaluma, California – Home to Steve Sansweet and the Guinness Book of World Records largest Star Wars memorabilia collection. We were joined by Steve, Anne Neumann, Billy Mac, Baby Belushi, The Babu Freaks and an audience of RFR listeners for an evening they soon won’t forget. We were even treated to “The Running of Wilrow Hoods” along with other surprises and even an emotional moment or two. Enjoy and if you like what you see, please consider supporting Rancho Obi-Wan by becoming a member. Do it!
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I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) in Tempe, Arizona to see an exhibition of Star Wars art created by contemporary Native artists entitled The Return of the Force. This exhibition ran from January through mid-May, and was the second showing of The Return of the Force, which debuted in 2023 in Durango, Colorado. This exhibition was a follow-up to The Force Is With Our People, held in 2019 at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, and curated by the museum’s ethnographer, Tony Thibodeau.
I’d like to recognize the artists who participated in this exhibition. Thank you for sharing your creativity and your stories. I would also like to acknowledge the Gallery team at TCA for hosting this exhibit, and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Duane Koyawena (Hopi/Tewa) and Samantha Honanie (Hopi/Diné). I am grateful for your insights and your collaboration in helping me share these stories…
This is an item that fans of vintage Star Wars Kenner action figures will immediately recognize: it’s the original art for the Star Wars Collector’s Action Stand (or Action Collector’s Stand, or Action Display Stand, depending on where you saw it). It was painted by an unknown artist, probably in the last quarter of 1977 or the early weeks of 1978.
When we acquired the painting in 2001, it had been stored away in darkness for a few decades, so the colors remained vivid, and the board that it’s painted on remained dry and flat. Unfortunately, when it was created, it was almost certainly thought of as an ephemeral object, intended to be photographed and then likely forgotten, so the materials and techniques that were used to craft it would have been selected for efficiency rather than longevity. As a result, some of the paint in one area—the Death Star—was literally falling off in flakes. We needed to act quickly to stabilize it. We called the Seattle Art Museum for advice, and they connected us with a professional art conservation expert who we then contracted to restore the painting and help us preserve it for the future…
For May the 4th in 2024, the Dairy Farmers of America brands did a nationwide milk promotion in the US. The most prominent item offered was “Blue Milk” under the TruMoo brand which was sold across most of the country, like the blue milk seen in the original Star Wars in 1977. For the completist collector, there is nothing more nerve-wracking than a regional promotion. It’s hard enough to track down international items, but finding variations within a country are a whole other level of madness.
The promotion went far beyond one national brand with Star Wars-themed 1% lowfat, 2% reduced fat, fat free, and whole milk across 22 regional brands with labels featuring Chewbacca, Yoda, Leia, and Luke, respectively. There were also some size variations, the blue milk appeared on some regional brands, and there was even a nuanced 1.5% Fat Milk for those milk connoisseurs who need that precise balance between lowfat and reduced fat milk! Some of these brands were in only available in one or two states such as Alta Dena in California, Cass Clay in North Dakota, Country Fresh in Illinois and Michigan, Creamland in New Mexico, Gandy’s in Texas, Hygenia, in Texas, Oak Farms in Louisiana and Texas, Oakhurst in Maine and New Hampshire, Price’s in New Mexico and Texas, and Tuscan in New Jersey and New York….
In museum design, there is a concept known as the Design Object. This is the largest object in your collection that cannot readily be broken down into smaller objects. Since you need to be able to move your Design Object into and through your building, its dimensions drive things like the width of dock roll-up doors, the capacity of freight elevators, hallway sizing (widths and turn radiuses) and gallery entrance dimensions. This 6-foot-long, 6-foot wide X-wing fighter—roughly one-sixth scale—is the Design Object at the Imperial Archives.
(It is not the Design Object for The Saga Museum—that’s a 15-foot by 8-foot painting at Rancho Obi-Wan. We’re also not counting the two large permanent installations at the Archives—the theater designed by Doug Chiang and the nearly full-size replica of the cantina from A New Hope that many of you saw while it was installed at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in 2015.)…
As the 2024-2025 Holiday Season comes to a close, we’d like to share images of the Lucas Company holiday cards from 1977 to present. Although this is not a complete set, it’s really close. These cards were sent by employees of Lucasfilm, Lucas Arts, Lucas Digital, ILM, Lucas Learning, Lucas Licensing, JAK, Skywalker Ranch, and other companies to friends and colleagues. They are unbelievably hard to track down, but collectors have made it their mission to hunt these down over the years. Not all of them are Star Wars themed, but many are…
2024 proved to be a historic year for Rancho Obi-Wan, marked by our announcement in October of our plans to launch The Saga Museum® of Star Wars Memorabilia.
Over the next two years we need to raise $2 million to begin the formal stages of bringing The Saga Museum from a grand idea into the galaxy’s most innovative museum for Star Wars fans like you.
As we bring 2024 to a close, we’re inviting you to join us in making these bold dreams come true. A gift to support The Saga Museum today at any amount meaningful to you will make a tremendous impact towards reaching our goal.
To learn more about our exciting plans, please watch the heartfelt video below with the official announcement of The Saga Museum of Star Wars Memorabilia…
As a kid whose life was profoundly changed by Star Wars in theaters in 1977, the anticipation for the Star Wars Holiday Special on television the following year was high. It’s hard to imagine there was a time when there was very little Star Wars content available to us, but no one anticipated the unprecedented success and impact of Star Wars, and we were starved for that content in the early years. We got some of that fix through the Marvel Comics series, but the three year wait for the next movie seemed like an eternity. So the announcement of a live action television program that continued the story and included all the main actors was something to look forward to. I was glued to the television for every second of the broadcast, and even some of the commercials were entertaining, such as the Kenner commercial with C-3PO and R2-D2….
5 October 2024 – Seattle, WA and Petaluma, CA: A new chapter in the Star Wars universe is being written, not in a galaxy far, far away, but right here on Earth. The Saga Museum® of Star Wars Memorabilia aims to bring together four of the world’s largest Star Wars collections—comprising over 1.5 million objects—into one groundbreaking, immersive experience. This highly anticipated museum will offer fans a galactic range of exhibits, programs, and amenities designed to be both fun and inspirational, while celebrating the rich legacy of Star Wars. Plans for the new museum were announced Saturday night at a fundraising event at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP).
“Since Princess Leia’s spaceship first sped across the big screen and our collective consciousness 47 years ago, Star Wars fandom has continued to grow and evolve,” said Steve Sansweet, founder of the nonprofit Rancho Obi-Wan, the world’s largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia as recognized by Guinness World Records. “This new museum is for everyone who has ever felt inspired by Star Wars and its continuing legacy. It will be a place where the creative minds of tomorrow can come and dream.”
The mission of the nonprofit is to share the fun and excitement of Star Wars and to deliver a robust suite of meaningful educational, aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural exhibitions and programming for multiple generations.
“Our intention is that this combined Star Wars memorabilia collection will serve a higher purpose,” Sansweet said. “The legacy of Star Wars is coming full circle to help teach science, technology, robotics, engineering, art, and mathematics in this new museum.”
The founding collections at The Saga Museum are from some of the most renowned Star Wars collectors in the world:
Steve Sansweet—Rancho Obi-Wan: Executive Chairman and Founder of Rancho Obi-Wan, Steve’s collection is certified by Guinness World Records as the largest Star Wars memorabilia collection globally. Steve was Director of Content Management & Head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm for 15 years and is the author of 17 official Star Wars books.
Gus Lopez—Bobacabana: Creator of the Star Wars Celebration Collecting Track and co-author of several Star Wars books and many articles. Gus’ collection includes rare and one-of-a-kind items like original art, toys, awards, and screen-used movie memorabilia.
Duncan Jenkins—The Sithsonian: Known for his international presentations at Star Wars conventions, Duncan’s collection is one of the most comprehensive in the world, with a focus on international and unique memorabilia. He has also coauthored four Star Wars collectibles books.
Lisa Stevens & Vic Wertz—Imperial Archives: Lisa, one-time president of the Official Star Wars Fan Club and Star Wars Brand Manager at Wizards of the Coast, and Vic, former associate editor of Star Wars Insider, have a collection rich in modern toys and high-end limited-edition collectibles.
“The Saga Museum is a natural extension of Rancho Obi-Wan,” said Anne Neumann, President of the nonprofit museum located in Petaluma, California north of San Francisco that opened to the public in 2011. “Rancho Obi-Wan has inspired thousands of visitors through the ‘Force’ of imagination. Our intention is that The Saga Museum will build on that mission and legacy.”
The founding team, with decades of experience in collecting, curating, and preserving Star Wars memorabilia, has been consulting with museum professionals and fundraising experts to help ensure the success of this new venture. The Saga Museum has launched a campaign to raise $2 million for a two-year planning phase, which will involve working with cities across the United States to identify a permanent, engaging world-class museum design firms, hiring an architectural firm to draft renderings, and executing a capital campaign to fund construction.
“We want The Saga Museum to be a place where everyone, from hardcore fans to casual visitors, can experience the magic of Star Wars in new ways,” said Neumann. “It’s an opportunity to explore how these stories have impacted not just pop culture but the world at large.”
12 September 2024 – San Francisco / Seattle: “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…..” Actually, not far away, and coming up on Saturday, October 5, fans of the Star Wars universe are gearing up for an out-of-this-world experience as the acclaimed nonprofit Rancho Obi-Wan home to the world’s largest Star Wars memorabilia collection as confirmed by Guinness World Records, hosts a special fundraiser at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). This rare one-night-only event includes food, drink, an exhibit of “Star Wars Inspired Guitars” and of course, opportunities to buy and bid at auction on rare Star Wars collectibles.Special guest emcee for the evening is noted Star Wars Super Fan and online influencer Mark Daniel.At the end of the evening, Rancho Obi-Wan will be making a major announcement about the future of the collection.
“The Force is strong with this event, and strong with our legions of fans from the light and dark side who support our mission,” said Steve Sansweet, who founded the nonprofit Rancho Obi-Wan in 2011. “Our mission is to inspire people by showcasing the collection and promoting a warm, joyous, inclusive environment for a fun, authentic fan experience, Rancho Obi-Wan presents collectibles and works of art, including fan-made pieces, to inspire others to be imaginative, creative, seek information and learn new crafts.”
The highly anticipated October 5 event at MoPOP marks a significant milestone—the first fundraiser held outside the museum’s Petaluma, California base.Located just north of San Francisco, thousands of people have experienced the collection, which now comprises a fan base from 59 countries.
“Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture is the perfect spot for this event,” Sansweet continued. “Their collection which includes significant sci-fi elements is sure to delight our attendees. Plus, where else can you take a monorail to a party.”
The evening promises to be a true celebration of Star Wars fandom, with a variety of immersive experiences planned. Attendees will be treated to passed appetizers, a grazing bar, and a dessert bar, all while mingling among iconic Star Wars props and costumes in MoPOP’s extensive galleries. The event will also feature a special exhibit from Rancho Obi-Wan, showcasing Star Wars-themed guitars that are sure to strike a chord with fans of all ages.
“Rancho Obi-Wan is more than just a collection: It’s a celebration of the creativity and passion that Star Wars has inspired in millions of fans worldwide,” said special guest emcee Daniel, the energetic and beloved host of Star Wars Celebration events. “I’m thrilled to be part of an event that brings this incredible community together.”
The evening’s program includes both a live and silent auction, offering attendees the chance to take home rare and unique Star Wars collectibles. Sansweet emphasized the importance of this event in preserving the museum’s vast collection.
“Rancho Obi-Wan is a testament to the enduring legacy of Star Wars, and this fundraiser is crucial in helping us continue to share that legacy with fans for generations to come,” he said.“This collection is, truly, a global treasure of galactic proportions.
Among the items being auctioned off are special “Rancho Obi-Wan Star Wars Experiences” such as: exclusive tours of private Star Wars collections, including those belonging to Rancho Obi-Wan’s Vice President, Gus Lopez, as well aslongtime Star Wars collectors Rancho Obi-Wan board member, Lisa Stevens, and Vic Wertz. These tours, paired with a Skywalker Vineyards wine tasting, offer a rare glimpse into the personal treasures of some of the most dedicated Star Wars collectors in the world. Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) known for its dedication to pop culture, provides the perfect venue for this galactic gathering.
“Our museum is dedicated to providing immersive experiences that inspire and connect diverse communities, which made hosting Rancho Obi-Wan’s fundraiser at MoPOP a natural fit,” said Jacob McMurray, MoPOP Chief Collections + Exhibitions Officer. “We’re honored to partner with Rancho Obi-Wan on an evening showcasing the beloved Star Wars franchise and to raise money for an important cause.”
As guests explore the galleries and participate in the evening’s events, they will also have the opportunity to take photos with costumed Star Wars characters, ensuring that every moment of the evening is filled with memories to last a lifetime.
Tickets for the fundraiser are priced at $350, with a special rate of $300 for Rancho Obi-Wan members. For those looking to enhance their experience, add-on tickets for the exclusive collection tours are available for $550. All proceeds from the event will support Rancho Obi-Wan’s mission to preserve and share the world’s most comprehensive Star Wars collection.
The Fundraiser for Rancho Obi-Wan is happening Saturday, October 5, 2024 at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington! One of the big highlights of the night will be an auction featuring some rare STAR WARS memorabilia. Rancho Obi-Wan founder Steve Sansweet and president Anne Neumann join us to exclusively reveal some of the items that will be open for bidding.
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Ever wanted to draw Star Wars characters and vehicles just like the professional comic book artists? Star Wars illustrator Grant Gould explains with these easy-to-follow steps how to draw Undercover Obi-Wan. Steps 1-5 are drawn lightly with pencil. No pen, no dark lines. Finished lines and details will come at the end.
YOU WILL NEED:
Paper
Drawing pencil
Colored pencils
Colored pens
STEP ONE
Drawing lightly with a pencil, create a simple framework using basic shapes like circles, lines and triangles.
STEP TWO
Create a rough outline that shows the placement of his legs, arms and guns. You can also add two mirrored triangle shapes where his eyes and mouth would be.
STEP THREE
Let’s flesh out his weapons first. Start with basic shapes and then add in details when you’re ready.
STEP FOUR
Now you can focus on his helmet. Draw the visor first and then add the three circles near his mouth area, then move on to the remaining details.
STEP FIVE
It’s time to create his outfit and equipment, and don’t forget about the hands.
STEP SIX
At this point, you should have a fairly detailed pencil drawing. Once you’re happy with your masterpiece, you can go over your lines with pen or marker, or heavier pencil lines.
STEP SEVEN
You can color your drawing, too, if you prefer. It’s completely up to you!
We are excited to let you know that Rancho Obi-Wan tour tickets for 2024 are now available!
A tour of Rancho Obi-Wan is a fun, unique and inspiring experience for people of all ages. Come explore the home of the world’s largest Star Wars memorabilia collection with family and friends.
Check out the covers of issue #1 and meet the creative team
Disney+’s hit series Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series saw the legendary Jedi Master emerging after years of hiding to rescue a young Princess Leia while being hunted by Reva, the mysterious Third Sister Inquisitor, and ultimately embarking on a journey to face his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker turned Darth Vader. And we’ll get to experience it again in a brand-new way.
StarWars.com is excited to announce that Marvel will adapt the show — set between the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope — with Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, kicking off in September. A 6-issue miniseries written by Jody Houser with pencils from Salvador Larocca, every installment will tell the story of an episode from the TV series. You can check out the main cover by Phil Noto, along with variants by Lee Garbett and Taurin Clarke, below…
Watch the interview with Deborah Chow, Ewan McGregor, Vivien Lyra Blair, Hayden Christensen, and Indira Varma for A Look Back at Obi-Wan Kenobi at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023.
Welcome to Colour Me Star Wars. A collection of articles from the archives of *starwars.com no longer directly available, in which there are a variety of PDF Files for you to download, print off and colour in.
