A Luke Skywalker lightsaber and severed hand prop from The Empire Strikes Back has sold for $3.75m.

The prop, which has never been offered for public sale, has established a new world auction record for a screen-used Star Wars prop.

The lot headlined the Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.

It featured during Skywalker’s climactic Cloud City duel in the 1980 sci-fi film, during which Darth Vader cuts off his hand.

Mark Hamill’s screen-used Luke Skywalker lightsaber, complete with the severed hand effects rig sets new auction record. Heritage Auctions / SWNS The prop was used in “Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.” Lucasfilm/Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions, said: “This is one of the most important surviving Star Wars artifacts in existence.”

“It comes from the emotional climax of The Empire Strikes Back—the scene that forever changed the saga and produced one of the most unforgettable moments in movie history.”

“Collectors understood that they were bidding on much more than a prop. They were competing for a genuine piece of modern mythology.”

The iconic prop was featured during Skywalker’s duel in the 1980 sci-fi film, during which Darth Vader cuts off his hand. Lucasfilm/Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Constructed from a modified Graflex flash unit and accompanied by the original severed-hand effects rig created by legendary makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, the lightsaber was created from a cast of Mark Hamill’s hand.

It allowed filmmakers to achieve the iconic sequence entirely in-camera decades before the advent of digital visual effects.