Over the past several years, one issue that has been discussed among hobbyists from time to time relates to questions about Stormtrooper helmets characterized as “prototypes” and attributed to the production of the first Star Wars film, A New Hope. A number of hobbyists do not believe these helmets are indeed prototypes (precursors to the helmets made for and used in A New Hope) but made following that production, which would classify them as non-Original or replicas.
The purpose of this article is to archive photos and descriptions of these helmets sold into the marketplace, to share additional relevant information, and to analyze the history and pedigree attached to these props. Sharing all available information may bring additional insights as well as invite commentary and initiate an open dialogue to hopefully learn more about these pieces and their origins.
In light of the current LucasFilm lawsuit with Andrew Ainsworth (see Lucasfilm, Andrew Ainsworth Legal Battle Moves to UK), and the fact that these pieces are periodically offered for sale to collectors, I thought this could serve as a complimentary resource to Jez’s related existing content on his StarWarsHelmets.com site (see Overview of ANH Stormtrooper Armor and Helmets).
Star Wars Stormtrooper Helmet Overview
Just as a very brief frame of reference, the Stormtrooper armor and helmet were based on original designs and artwork by Ralph McQuarrie. Andrew Ainsworth and his Shepperton Design Studios were contracted to manufacture the Stormtrooper armor and helmets, as well as other helmets worn by other characters in the original Star Wars film (excluding Darth Vader).
Per the Star Wars Helmet Archive, the original receipts show that 56 Stormtrooper helmets were manufactured – 50 stunt helmets (made of HDPE painted white) and 6 hero helmets (made of white ABS). There are many more details about the development of these helmets, differences between hero and stunt, and other information, which is better presented on Jez’s site linked above.
Mr. Ainsworth’s work in the Star Wars franchise was limited to the first film released in 1977.
Ralph McQuarrie, Liz Moore, Brian Muir: Conceptual Design, Art, & Sculpt
One of the more interesting developments to leak out of the UK court case between LucasFilm and Andrew Ainsworth is in regards to the argument over the original sculpt based on the Ralph McQuarrie conceptual artwork.
Here are samples of the designs created by Ralph McQuarrie, who came up with the overall appearance of the Stormtroopers for the first film:
The following images were released on some of the prop replica discussion forums. These show two helmet sculpts which were not originated with Andrew Ainsworth, but, as I understand it, Liz Moore, and (as it’s been reported) predated Ainsworth’s work on the film. The example on the left is very close in appearance to the final Stormtrooper helmet design. Both photos courtesy The Dented Helmet, via the discussion topic “Pics of the original stormtrooper helmet sculpt“:
Also of relevance are these excerpts from an interview with Brian Muir by Niall of BigBadDaddyVader.com (LINK):
Bigbaddaddyvader.com:How did you come to be involved in the production of Star Wars?
Brian Muir: I was asked by Arthur Healey, the old guy I served my apprenticeship under, if I would like a start on a film called ‘Star Wars’ and I jumped at the chance.
BBDV:What was your original briefing for the work you would carry out?
BM:.I was told it was for a Science Fiction film and that I would be sculpting some type of futuristic characters. I was given drawings for each project as required.
BBDV:What were your first thoughts when you saw Ralph McQuarrie’s concept art?
BM: The first Ralph McQuarrie painting I saw was of the Stormtroopers. My thoughts were that they were very detailed and good reference to work from.
BBDV:After seeing the concept work did you have any immediate thoughts about how to approach the characters?
BM: Having seen the concept work I realized that I would need a full plaster figure to be able to sculpt the armour and head on in clay. I also realized the Stormtrooper armour would have to be sculpted in separate sections for fitting purposes.
BBDV:Which piece did you start work on first and did you have a specific reason for this?
BM: I started on the Stormtrooper armour initially because the suits were needed in Tunisia for filming by 26th March 76 and they had to be sculpted, moulded,cast in plaster, carved to sharpen lines, remolded and recast in fiberglass to be used as tools in the the vacuum forming process. At least 50 suits were required for the film.
BBDV:What Were the challenges you found about realising the concepts?
BM:There were no technical challenges as the sculpting side came easily but like anything artistic it’s subjective and with the input of John Barry (designer) and George Lucas changes were made.
OOOO
BBDV:In light of the recent much publicised dispute between Lucasfilm and SDS can you now state what your part and input and work on the Stormtrooper helmet and armour was?Who was responsible for the final look of the helmet in particular?
BM: As is now known, Liz Moore sculpted the Stormtrooper helmet and is responsible for the final look. She left Elstree Studios to go to Holland where she sculpted the helmet. I was unaware of this until recently and am glad that she has now been credited with such an admired piece of work. It appears that the ears were added at a later date, possibly to hide the joints,but it is not known who sculpted them.
I was responsible for all the armour on the Stormtrooper. Pieces were added: ammunition belt,shoulder straps,knee plate and knee boxes. These were made from wood for vacuum forming and probably made by the carpenters shop.
BBDV:What did you feel were the most important aspects of the design for the stormtrooper helmets and armour?
BM: The armour was made to look as if it was a complete suit but with the movement it opens up and each part mirrors the next. Unfortunately during the process of being replicated it has lost its original form. It is a well balanced concept which is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The armour gave the actors freedom of movement so they did not look robotic.Ralph McQuarrie’s concept of the helmet was also aesthetically correct and a good balance with the armour and in my opinion Liz Moore achieved everything Ralph McQuarrie portrayed in his concept.
Andrew Ainsworth’s History Recounted
I have also found the following scans on various prop replica discussion forums, also relevant to the topic. The first example is missing pages (if any readers have the complete set, please contact me and I’ll update the attached file below):
Shepperton Design Studios History
Relevant Excerpts:
After finishing with the film business and requiring valuable space, I decided one day in the early eighties to have a clear out. Out went the Stormtrooper armour moulds, but I kept the protective skins for reference, and I also kept the moulds for the helmets, as they were better made, in pretty good condition and possibly one day may have a use.
OOO
My original concept was to make the character without joints and to be as organically grown as possible. To acheive this all mouldings had to be undercut and blend into the next. With the Stormtrooper helmet, I had conceived to make it by rotational moulding, that is in a split female mould using PVC or PU polyols. Considering that the development budget was zero, my ambitions were curtailed into practicalities and so I looked around the workshop to find an alternative and something that would suffice as a prototype.
‘Fishponds’… that was the answer. I was running a nice line of fishponds and rock cascades, made from HDPE, a tough flexible material in a beautiful grungy green. I manufactured these fishponds from sheet material 1.5mm thick, heated to a semi molten stated and sucked with vacuum over a male mould. the material is a “pig” to mould, and really needs something as rough as the texture on a rock cascade to stop the moulded item shrinking back to its preformed shape. Its advantages were that it would form wll in undercuts and was tough enough to spring off overcentre moulds without cracking.
Knowing the exact parameters of this materials moulding characteristics, I set about sculpting a Stormtrooper head mould incorporating the absolute maximum undercuts and tumblehomes that I reckoned I could mould the HDPE material around and still achieve a release. This is where the mould making material I used came into their own. By slowly increasing the undercuts on the sculpted head and trial running the mouldings, I eventually arrived at the maximum undercuts I could achieve. This method of trial and error, contributed significantly to determining the final shape of the head, and at the end of the day, although not quite as originally conceived, it was a pretty good effort.
At this point I had proved to myself that a reasonable undercut could be achieved…but it was a vacuum formed piece and as such only part of an all enveloping structure. To make a complete head I was going to have to mate a few moulding together. If this was going to look any good at all, I would have to be clever on how I disguised the joints…It could not look fabricated…that would really defeat the object of the exercise.
I ended up making the head from five mouldings. Each one incorporating the maximum undercuts for that particular moulding and each one overlapping the other on sympathetic lines that disguised the joints. It gave the overall appearance of homogeneous, organically being. Splitting the sculpted moulds up like this also gave me the facility to enhance certain aspects and characteristics. For example: the ears which hid the vertical joint on the side of the head could also be used to widen the head and increase the intimidating presence of the being, such as can be found in a lion’s main or aggressive lizard. The eyes, like a fly’s eye could be made to see in all directions, hence the ‘blister eyes’ and again adding to the intimidating features of the character. Features like these allowed me to fine tune the character and hence the first prototype that I presented was eagerly accepted. A request for 50 heads soon followed.
This was fine, but I had presented a prototype that was made from a totally unsuitable material and a material that was not really viable for reproducing in a larger quantity than one. However I persevered and made several more helmets in the green HDPE. The front face of the character held up reasonable well on shrinkage, but the looser back part was susceptible to severe distortion, and every helmet I made ended up a different distorted shape in this area. IN actual fact I have overcome this previously with a cunning trick of moulding, but the budget restraints led me to abandon it. I had incorporated a serrated flexible hose as an insert around the back of the head, moulded over it and completely encapsulating it. Upon release the moulding brought the flexible hose with it and ‘hey preto’ a beautiful undercut with minimum distortion.
Model & Collectors Mart Magazine – “The Man Behind The Masks”
Relevant Excerpts:
M&CM
After you graduated from art school you set up SDS to produce sports cars. How did you get the work on Star Wars?
Andrew
I took on the work to sudsidise the work on my cars, which took a lot of money. I used to give friends of mine a hand to paint scenery and one of them was a friend of John Mollo [costume designer for Star Wars]. John asked him if he could make something three dimensional, which he didn’t know how to do, but he knew a man who could… and I’m the man who could!
He brought over some images on colour plates from John Mollo and said, “Can you make this?” SO I knocked him up something very quickly. I thought it was for his kids of something. I was a fairly early effort and I knocked out about half a dozen Stormtrooper helmets. My friend then said “Well actually they’re not for me. They’re for a film for John Mollo. Here’s the contact if anything comes of it just buy me a drink. He certainly got that drink!
I think what happened next was that George Lucas took them back to America. Got the film funded. Come back and said, “We like that. We’ll have a lot more!” John Mollo then got in touch with us directly and realised we could produce anything in any format overnight, and away it went!
We used to have limos lined up outside the front of the shop. As two or three helmets were finished a driver would take them off to the set and we would carry on with more.
M&CM
So did you have free reign with the designs?
Andrew
Well they didn’t have a clue what to do anyway, so they were very happy for anything I could give them and, because I was so fast, things were made before the plaster shop knew what was happening.
M&CM
When did you first thing “Hang on! I still have the moulds I created for Star Wars. I could probably produce a really special collectable?”
Andrew
Well… It was about a year ago, so almost 30 years after the first film was released. Until then we were concentrating on building our other business. In those 30 years we had forgotten we ever did films. Then about a year ago we noticed a couple of these helmets sitting on top of a cupboard gathering dust. My partner, Bernadette, said, “I’m, going to send those to Christie’s. They have been sitting there for ages”. I said, “They’ll laugh at you. It’s not worth the effort”. But when we put them for sale at Christie’s the phone didn’t stop ringing. We were so surprised at the number of people who wanted to work with us or sell them for us. So we reinstated the original company, ‘Shepperton Design Studios’ and now we are bringing this product line out exactly as it was thirty years ago.
“Prototype” Stormtrooper Helmets Archive
So what are these helmets in the marketplace that are promoted as “prototypes”?
How are they different from the ones seen in the film?
How many are there?
These are some of the most frequently asked questions with these helmets come up for sale. We will revisit these questions following the archive below which catalogs those offered to the marketplace to date.
As far as I can discern, the first one of these helmets offered for sale, through Christie’s auction house, with Andrew Ainsworth as consignor.
Christie’s December 2002
Venue: Christie’s (London, South Kensington)
Sale: 9538 “Film and Entertainment”
Lot: 217
Auction Date: December 17, 2002
Web Archive: Christies.com
Price Realized: $7,122.00
Auction Archive:
Marketing Description:
Star Wars, 1977
Sale Information
SALE 9538, 17 December 2002 FILM AND ENTERTAINMENT
Price Realized
£4,465
($7,122)Star Wars, 1977
A prop Imperial Stormtrooper’s helmet, the unfinished helmet of white painted vacu-formed plastic with black rubber details, simulated vents and clear plastic eyepieces (one missing) — made for the 1977 20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm production Star Wars; accompanied by a black and white photograph of a group of Stormtrooper helmets and a corresponding black and white still (printed later), both — 8x10in. (20.3×25.4cm.); and a letter concerning the provenance (4)Special Notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer’s premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.
The following four lots are the property of Andrew Ainsworth who set up Shepperton Design Studios in 1974, the company responsible for the production of all the helmets and armour (with the exception of Darth Vader) used in Star Wars, 1977.
Lot Notes
See footnote to lot 214.
The accompanying photograph shows a group of Stormtrooper helmets stacked up outside Shepperton Design Studios in Twickenham, London. The helmets are stacked on top of sheets of uncut plastic Stormtrooper body armour.
Photographs courtesy of B.F.I. Collections/Lucasfilm and Shepperton Design Studios.
END OF SALE
Christie’s December 2004
Venue: Christie’s (London, South Kensington)
Sale: 5515 “Film and Entertainment”
Lot: 228
Auction Date: December 14, 2004
Web Archive: Christies.com
Price Realized: $4,596.00
Auction Archive:
Marketing Description:
Star Wars, 1977
Sale Information
SALE 5515, 14 December 2004 FILM AND ENTERTAINMENT
Price Realized
£2,390
($4,596)Star Wars, 1977
A prototype prop Imperial Stormtrooper’s helmet, the unfinished helmet of white vacu-formed plastic with black rubber detail and clear plastic ‘bubble’ eyepiece — made for the 1977 20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm production Star WarsSpecial Notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer’s premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis
Lot NotesAccording to Andrew Ainsworth, this is one of around five prototype helmets that were made when Shepperton Design Studios were experimenting with white vacuform plastic to make the first Stormtrooper helmets in 1976. They initially made six helmets out of khaki-coloured plastic [see previous lot] and when they realised that design was not entirely satisfactory, they then made these prototypes to experiment with the different material. The serated edge at the back of this helmet was abandoned for the following batch of helmets as it was too difficult to mould.
The helmet in this lot is identical to that sold through these rooms as part of the Collection Of Andrew Ainsworth in 2002. This helmet was given by Ainsworth to a friend around the time of the release of the film.
Christie’s June 2005
Venue: Christie’s (New York, Rockefeller Plaza)
Sale: 1535 “Entertainment Memorabilia”
Lot: 232
Auction Date: June 16, 2005
Web Archive: Christies.com
Price Realized: $4,200.00
Auction Archive:
Marketing Description:
Star Wars, 1977
Sale Information
SALE 1535, 16 June 2005 ENTERTAINMENT MEMORABILIAPrice Realized
$4,200Star Wars, 1977
A prototype prop Imperial Stormtrooper’s helmet, the unfinished helmet of white vacu-formed plastic with black rubber detail and clear plastic ‘bubble’ eyepiece — made for the 1977 20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm production Star Wars; accompanied by a corresponding black and white still (printed later) — 8x10in. (20.3×25.4cm.) (2)Lot Notes
According to Andrew Ainsworth, this is one of around five prototype helmets that were made when Shepperton Design Studios were experimenting with white vacuform plastic to make the first Stormtrooper helmets in 1976. They initially made six helmets out of khaki-coloured plastic and when they realised that design was not entirely satisfactory, they then made these prototypes to experiment with the different material. The serrated edge at the back of this helmet was abandoned for the following batch of helmets as it was too difficult to mould.
The helmet in this lot is identical to that sold at Christie’s South Kensington as part of the Collection Of Andrew Ainsworth in December 2002 and another similarly sold in 2004. This helmet was given by Ainsworth to a relative at the time of the release of the film and is thought to be the last one in circulation.
Christie’s December 2005
Venue: Christie’s (London, South Kensington)
Sale: 5679 “Film and Entertainment”
Lot: 152
Auction Date: December 14, 2005
Web Archive: Christies.com
Price Realized: $1,703.00
Auction Archive:
Marketing Description:
Star Wars
Sale Information
SALE 5679, 14 December 2005 FILM AND ENTERTAINMENTPrice Realized
£960
$1,703)Star Wars
An unfinished Imperial Stormtrooper helmet of white APS with black plastic brow detail, the mouth, nose and cheeks painted blue, with ridged neck at the back and clear plastic bubble eyes — made by Andrew Ainsworth at Shepperton Design StudiosSpecial Notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer’s premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.
Lot NotesIt is not clear if this helmet was made for production purposes, but in its unfinished state, it would not have been used during filming. The vendor apparently purchased the helmet from Andrew Ainsworth in 1978.
Bonhams June 2007
Venue: Bonhams (Knightsbridge)
Sale: 15242 “Film and Rock & Roll Memorabilia”
Lot: 233
Auction Date: June 20, 2007
Web Archive: Bonhams.com
Price Realized: $16,000.00
Auction Archive:
Marketing Description:
Sale 15242 – Film and Rock & Roll Memorabilia, 20 Jun 2007
KnightsbridgeLot No: 233
Star Wars, 1977: an original prototype Stormtrooper helmet,
made in 1976 in cream-coloured, vacu-formed plastic, front and back pieces pinned together, with clear plastic eye pieces and rubberised braid trim to the forehead,
approx 28cm (11in) highSold for £8,400 inclusive of Buyer’s Premium
Footnote:
It is believed there are only a handful of these prototypes now left worldwide. This particular example was made pre-production out of a rather thin plastic and formed in three pieces. The pronounced undercut to the rear section was quite complicated to mould and it was subsequently abandoned to make the helmets easier to produce. Ainsworth Productions of Twickenham were responsible for the manufacture of all the Stormtrooper helmets on the first ‘Star Wars’ film, now known as ‘Episode IV-A New Hope’. This helmet was recently assessed by the maker and confirmed to be one of the prototype models.
The Prop Store of London
Venue: The Prop Store of London
Sale: N/A
Lot: N/A
Auction Date: N/A
Web Archive: propstore.com
Price Realized: unknown
Listing Archive:
Marketing Description:
Star Wars – Ep IV – A New Hope
Prototype Stormtrooper Helmet
Stock # 2177A prototype Stormtrooper helmet made for the 1977 George Lucas classic Star Wars. The helmet is made from vac formed plastic and is very similar to the final screen used version. The ear pieces are detailed differently and there is a ridging effect to the rear. The helmet has been in a private collection for over 20 years. It was given to the most recent owner by the son of one of the original financial backers of the movie. That financial backer was gifted a complete Stormtrooper costume personally by George Lucas, alas, the rest of the costume was ‘played in’ and ultimately destroyed by his son. The helmet survived and was passed on to the current owner. A letter fully detailing the history will accompany the prop. An exceptional piece of history worthy of display in any collection. A similar prototype sold at Christies in London in December 2002 for £4,465.00.
Profiles in History April 2005
Venue: Profiles in History (Beverly Hills, CA)
Sale: Hollywood Auction 21
Lot:179
Auction Date: April 1, 2005
Web Archive: none
Price Realized: no result shown in prices realized list
Auction Archive:
Marketing Description:
179. PROTOTYPE STORMTROOPER HELMET FROM STAR WARS. (TCF, 1977) This prototype Stormtrooper helmet is one of only six prototypes made for director George Lucas, and is the only known prototype that was actually finished with the distinctive Stormtrooper paint scheme. It is likely that this was the first time that this memorable combination of grey, black and white was ever attempted on a Stormtrooper costume piece, and Lucas was so pleased with the color scheme that it became the standard for all future Stormtrooper armor. Ridges on the bottom edge of the rear of this helmet are not present on the screen-used helmets, making this a rare variant of the final design. Comes with a letter of provenance from the person who acquired it from Lucas. It is possible that this helmet was production-used, as many different helmets were conscripted for the legions of Stormtroopers featured in all of the first three films. $8,000 – $10,000
“Prototype” Characteristics
How do these “prototype” helmets differ from “original”, production used helmets?
In terms of construction, there are three substantial elements consistent with those helmets promoted as “prototypes”:
1) Three Part Design
Note: Original Hero helmet at right from LucasFilm Celebration IV, photo by “Shadow”
The original Stormtrooper helmets seen in the film were made of three main parts:
- a face mask (below “brow”, to front of “ear cap”)
- top (above “brow) and back (behind “ear cap”)
The “prototype” Stormtrooper helmets were made of two main parts:
- a face mask (below “brow”, in front of “ear cap”)
- top (above “brow” line, front to back)
- back (under “brow” line, incorporating “ear cap”)
The original helmets featured “ear caps” which covered the seam created by attaching the two parts, just as the black “brow” trim covered the seam between the face mask and the top cap section.
The “prototype” helmets feature a more advanced design in which the “ear piece” is part of the back, rather than being an extra piece added to each side in order to cover a visible seam.
This is a photo from StarWarsHelmets.com of a nearly finished hero-style helmet taken by Andrew Ainsworth in his workshop in 1976. Note the ear pieces have not been attached, and the ear area is smooth and contiguous with the rear of the helmet (unlike the prototypes, with a raised ear all around):
The photo below of 26 Stormtrooper helmets outside Shepperton Design Studios circa 1976, also courtesy StarWarsHelmets.com. Note here too, the end helmet at the bottom of the stack (closest to camera) has not had the ear piece attached, and again, the ear area is smooth/contiguous with the back of the helmet, unlike the “prototype” design of a raised “keyhole” shape:
This is a close-up zoom of the “earless” helmet and the helmet right above with the added ear piece fixed in place:
Here is a comparison of the two original helmets above alongside photos of “prototype” examples:
Here are some more comparisons – screencaptures from A New Hope on the left, photos Jez took of a “prototype” helmet on the right:
2) Serrated “Neck”
The original helmets feature a smooth back neck, while the “prototype” helmets have a “serrated” back neck design not seen in the film:
Note: Original Hero helmet at right from LucasFilm Celebration IV, photo by “Noonch”
3) Unfinished State
Though there are variations helmet to helmet, all seven “prototype” helmet examples are in an unfinished state, which includes one or more of the following traits:
- missing lenses
- missing mic tips
- uncut “teeth”
- untrimmed/unfinished parts
- missing decals
- missing paint
“Prototype” Provenance, Authenticity, & Marketing
Christie’s December 2002:
The following four lots are the property of Andrew Ainsworth who set up Shepperton Design Studios in 1974, the company responsible for the production of all the helmets and armour (with the exception of Darth Vader) used in Star Wars, 1977.
Christie’s December 2004:
According to Andrew Ainsworth, this is one of around five prototype helmets that were made when Shepperton Design Studios were experimenting with white vacuform plastic to make the first Stormtrooper helmets in 1976. They initially made six helmets out of khaki-coloured plastic [see previous lot] and when they realised that design was not entirely satisfactory, they then made these prototypes to experiment with the different material. The serated edge at the back of this helmet was abandoned for the following batch of helmets as it was too difficult to mould.
The helmet in this lot is identical to that sold through these rooms as part of the Collection Of Andrew Ainsworth in 2002. This helmet was given by Ainsworth to a friend around the time of the release of the film.
Christie’s June 2005:
According to Andrew Ainsworth, this is one of around five prototype helmets that were made when Shepperton Design Studios were experimenting with white vacuform plastic to make the first Stormtrooper helmets in 1976. They initially made six helmets out of khaki-coloured plastic and when they realised that design was not entirely satisfactory, they then made these prototypes to experiment with the different material. The serrated edge at the back of this helmet was abandoned for the following batch of helmets as it was too difficult to mould.
The helmet in this lot is identical to that sold at Christie’s South Kensington as part of the Collection Of Andrew Ainsworth in December 2002 and another similarly sold in 2004. This helmet was given by Ainsworth to a relative at the time of the release of the film and is thought to be the last one in circulation.
Christie’s December 2005:
It is not clear if this helmet was made for production purposes, but in its unfinished state, it would not have been used during filming. The vendor apparently purchased the helmet from Andrew Ainsworth in 1978.
Bonhams June 2007:
It is believed there are only a handful of these prototypes now left worldwide. This particular example was made pre-production out of a rather thin plastic and formed in three pieces. The pronounced undercut to the rear section was quite complicated to mould and it was subsequently abandoned to make the helmets easier to produce. Ainsworth Productions of Twickenham were responsible for the manufacture of all the Stormtrooper helmets on the first ‘Star Wars’ film, now known as ‘Episode IV-A New Hope’. This helmet was recently assessed by the maker and confirmed to be one of the prototype models.
Prop Store of London:
The helmet has been in a private collection for over 20 years. It was given to the most recent owner by the son of one of the original financial backers of the movie. That financial backer was gifted a complete Stormtrooper costume personally by George Lucas, alas, the rest of the costume was ‘played in’ and ultimately destroyed by his son. The helmet survived and was passed on to the current owner. A letter fully detailing the history will accompany the prop. An exceptional piece of history worthy of display in any collection. A similar prototype sold at Christies in London in December 2002 for £4,465.00.
Profiles in History April 2005:
This prototype Stormtrooper helmet is one of only six prototypes made for director George Lucas, and is the only known prototype that was actually finished with the distinctive Stormtrooper paint scheme. It is likely that this was the first time that this memorable combination of grey, black and white was ever attempted on a Stormtrooper costume piece, and Lucas was so pleased with the color scheme that it became the standard for all future Stormtrooper armor. Ridges on the bottom edge of the rear of this helmet are not present on the screen-used helmets, making this a rare variant of the final design. Comes with a letter of provenance from the person who acquired it from Lucas. It is possible that this helmet was production-used, as many different helmets were conscripted for the legions of Stormtroopers featured in all of the first three films. $8,000 – $10,000
Information Analysis
All seven accounts above are consistent in a number of claims/attributions.
Though most are described specifically using the term “prototypes”, two of the seven are characterized as “unfinished”. Given that most include just one frontal photo, it is difficult to see if they feature the “prototype”-characteristic “serrated” back neck and raised, “keyhole” ears.
However, in the case of the Christie’s 2002 “unfinished” helmet, the Christie’s auction immediately following in December 2004 makes reference to that first auction, stating “[t]he helmet in this lot is identical to that sold through these rooms as part of the Collection Of Andrew Ainsworth in 2002”. A consistent remark is made in the Christie’s June 2005 offering, referencing both previously offered lots. Both the December 2004 helmet and June 2005 helmet are clearly identified and described as a “prototype”.
Also, there are photos on YourProps.com of a helmet described as the helmet “purchased from Christies after being auctioned by Mr Andrew Ainsworth back in 2002” and that it “is identic[al] in appearance & construction to the screen seen props apart from a variation in the moulding of the rear neck section”. Also, looking at the slight profile photo (the Christie’s auction photo was straight on), the ear section appears to match the “prototype” design as well:
Link to YourProps Listing: LINK
YourProps Prototype Stormtrooper Helmet Archive:
The Christie’s December 2005 is also described as “unfinished”, rather than “prototype”, but it is described with characteristics unique to the “prototype” spec, such at describing the “ridged neck at the back”.
In terms of an overall explanation of the history of these prototypes, the December 2004 and June 2005 Christie’s auctions both feature the same narrative, citing Andrew Ainsworth as source:
According to Andrew Ainsworth, this is one of around five prototype helmets that were made when Shepperton Design Studios were experimenting with white vacuform plastic to make the first Stormtrooper helmets in 1976. They initially made six helmets out of khaki-coloured plastic [see previous lot] and when they realised that design was not entirely satisfactory, they then made these prototypes to experiment with the different material. The serated edge at the back of this helmet was abandoned for the following batch of helmets as it was too difficult to mould.
It appears that there are more than five of these helmets in the marketplace. Given the seven examples above, there appears to be six (the Prop Store and Profiles in History examples appear to be the same helmet, based on the photos). I am also aware of additional helmets being offered for sale privately that may not have been part of these various auction house events. There is also another helmet showcased on the Internet, but not for sale, described as part of the “Isberg Collection” (LINK, ARCHIVE).
With regard to the rest of the narrative quoted above, there are accounts in contrast with this in a topic on the Movie Prop Forum (see “Prototype” Stormtrooper Helmets) and the Replica Prop Forum.
Outstanding Questions
Taking all of the information available, there are several outstanding questions.
Given the concept art (from Ralph McQuarrie) and an original sculpt (from Liz Moore) were produced prior to the work of Andrew Ainsworth, why would the “prototype” style appear so different from the concept art, original sculpt, and original helmets used in the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope?
Why does the “prototype” design appear further along in evolution compared with the helmets used in the film, with the three part design (presumably easier to produce and assemble compared with the two part design) and the built-in “ears” (eliminating the need for the add-on part to hide the seam)?
Would the differences between the original helmets and the “prototype” helmets not require two different sets of moulds? Is this consistent with what we know about this production and lack of resources, going on the cheap?
Why is there no record of the “prototypes” prior to (to my knowledge) the first one appearing in the 2002 Christie’s auction?
Why are there so many “prototype” helmets in the marketplace? If assets from the production and manufacture of the helmets and armor were thrown out, why were prototypes and unfinished helmets archived?
Why is there so much discrepancy between the “prototype” helmets themselves, in terms of painting, detailing, etc.?
Why are Mr. Ainsworth’s own accounts inconsistent, as well as in contrast with some of these outstanding questions?
There are other questions and comments others can add to this discussion, but I will leave that open to Reader Comments.
Very relevant to these questions is the amount of time that has passed, and the fact that much of the history and details known and recounted are subject to the memories of people who were involved with this 32 years ago, with much of these likely viewed as inconsequential at the time..
In closing, here is an archive of photos that are on various auction and dealer website, as well as photos provided to me directly as a contribution to this article.
“Prototype” Photos
These are additional photos of “prototype” Stormtrooper helmets from Jez at StarWarsHelmets.com (click each image for full resolution):
These are photos from the archive (Bonhams, Christie’s, Prop Store of London, Profiles in History) listed earlier (click each photo for original resolution):
Christie’s – Sale 9538 -Lot 217 – December 2002
Christie’s – Sale 5515 – Lot 228 – December 2004
Christie’s – Sale 1535 – Lot 232 – June 2005
Christie’s – Sale 5679 – Lot 152 – December 2005
Bonhams – Sale 15242 – Lot 233 – December 2007
Profiles in History – Hollywood Auction 21 – Lot 179 – April 2005
The Prop Store of London
OOO
Jason De Bord