Star Wars Bib Fortuna toy prototype sells for £36k

A prototype of a Star Wars toy has sold for £36,000 at auction.

The 1980s master model of Bib Fortuna, a male Twi'lek who lived on Tatooine, had an estimate of £12,000.

It sold at Thornaby-based Vectis Auctions along with prototypes of an ewok called Logray which fetched £12,000, and an Emperor's royal guard which reached £28,800.

Auctioneer Kathy Taylor said the three "relatively unknown" characters had "beaten all expectations".

They had been made in America by Kenner for the production of the toys in Europe by Palitoy, which was based in Coalville, Leicestershire.

Ms Taylor said they were sold by Palitoy's European tooling manager who had kept them after the release of the figures from the Return of the Jedi, the third instalment in the original Star Wars trilogy.

She said: "It is amazing [the models] survived because a lot of people would not have kept them.

"I do not believe [the seller] realised their value or importance to the hardened collectors who want anything to do with the history of a toy."

Ms Taylor said the master models are larger and more detailed than the final figures sold in toy shops.

The figure of Logray sold to a telephone bidder from the USA. The location of the other winning bidders is yet to be verified.

All prices include the buyer's premium.