Collection Picture Post- My top 10 unusual Star Wars Items

I was talking with some friends and I posed the question, "What are the top 10 unusual Star Wars items  you have in your collection?"      This was kind of a tricky question.   For example, we all have action figures, but,  Do you count the Stromtrooper that you carried 24/7 for most of your formative years?    or  Do you count those really rare items that only 10 were ever made and you had to win a contest to get?    or  Do you count a bootleg item your great aunt Sally found while on vacation in Mexico and brought it back to you as a souvenir?  

In a galaxy so mass produced, What makes a Star Wars item unusual?   It was hard to come up with items!    I chose my items based on several things.  1.)  Is the character overly popular like Vader or Fett or is it more of a supporting character?    2.)  How often do you see the item in someone else collection, on Ebay, etc?   3.)   How easy or difficult was it to obtain?
4.)  If it is homemade, how much, blood, sweat or tears went into making it? and lastly, 5.) Does the item have a sentimental attachment?

So here is my list, in no particular order:

Me with Tim Rose

1.) Admiral Ackbar costume-  There isn't really anything unusual about a costume.  But, I count this one for 2 reasons.  There are not many people who do Admiral Ackbar costumes, and even fewer who are women.   I get asked a lot, "Why did  you choose to do that costume?"    The answer is simply that I wanted to do a masked costume.   I have a Tusken costume, but I hate it.   The last time I wear it was very early on during my pregnancy and I thought I was going to die.    Not that Ackbar is much better with all the latex.  It doesn't breathe well.    I did attempt to wear Ackbar  early in my pregnancy as well, but only for short periods of time.     I have worn it since having my baby but I had extra weight I hadn't lost yet and some big boobs (see photo).   At the time,  it was really hard to strap them down like I usually do.     It is funny to see an Ackbar with some lovely lady lumps.  But, I had to wear it to meet Tim Rose.  The opportunity was too great to pass up.

The mask was purchased off of Ebay.    It was made by a guy in Utah, who made the mask to be used in a fan film.  The same guy has had other items on Ebay that were amazing.   The hands were purchased from another source, which my husband and I painted.

2.) Vintage footwear:  I bought this pair of Princess Leia Clark's shoes in 2000 off of Ebay.  The shoes have never been worn..  This was back in the day when my husband and I had just met, thanks to a Star Wars chat room.    So he had a front row seat to a lot of my unusual Ebay purchases.    A few of which have made this list.    He never really has understood why I go after certain items, I say why not?      The box is great! I love the vintage graphics.  I remember having shoes like these as a kid, but not as cool because they weren't Star Wars.  These shoes keep the 70's alive! They are complete with the an un-punched hang tag.   I am just waiting for the day that they will fit my daughter, no I am not going to let her wear them.  I just would like to take a picture of her trying them on.

3.) Marketing booklets-    I have 2 of these marketing booklets for the Phantom Menace.  One is from Walmart.  It diagrams all of their toy displays and cross promotional items.  It is amazing to look at and see how much retail space Star Wars took up in 1999.    The second book (not pictured) that I have is from KFC.  It talks about the game promotions, collector cup sells, and kid's meal toys.   And, of course, how the employees are supposed to encourage extra purchasing.   When my husband and I first got married, he worked for 11 KFC stores and traveled between them.   It was also great because he had access to their storage building.   One day, he called me and said I am bringing home some Star Wars leftovers.  He got to bring home leftover cups, toys, and display pieces.

4.) Macrame  R2-D2 towel holder-   This is another one of those crazy finds off of Ebay.   This thing is all things great about the late 70s, early 80s. Macrame and Star Wars!!  All wee need is some shag carpet.   I picture somebody's Aunt Shirley making the macrame and painting the R2 for an awesome Christmas gift.    The R2 is one of those paint your own pottery pieces.   I remember my mom and her sisters doing stuff like that. before cool places like Hearts of Clay popped up.    The place they went was in the basement of somebody's house. It was kind of creepy.

I love kitchy stuff so this was perfect for me!

R2-AL and my favorite Vader (my husband)

R2-AL with the Team Fox Delorian
 2010

5.) R2-AL  We built our own R2 unit.   Not everyone has the means or interest to build their own R2 unit.  My husband decided he wanted to tackle the project.  It has taken 4 years of working on it on and off.  Yes, there were some blood, sweat, and tears involved.  But in the end it was a worth while project and we love it.   R2-AL is named for our family and we jokingly call it our 4th child.   He greets everyone at the front door of our home.

6.) Bootleg china thimbles  from England-  Yet again another Ebay purchase.   I won almost all of the thimbles that the seller had listed.  Only the C-3PO got away.    These are from the late 70s, early 80s.    What makes these interesting is that there is one with Tarkin and one with Dodonna.  None of the licensed memorabilia from that time period featured these characters.    Solo looks  cromagnon, it isn't very flattering.

7.)  Stormtropper Room Guard from the soap opera Port Charles.   From 1996-2008 Disney held an event at MGM Studios called Super Soap Weekends.   Think Star Wars weekends, just with soap opera actors from the shows on ABC.   You could meet the actors and get autographs.  One of the greatest things about Super Soap Weekend was a little store that was set up called, Soap Central.   You could purchase costumes and props from the different shows.   My sister and I were regular attendees of SSW and I would drop a large amount of money in Soap Central.

 I purchased the Stormtrooper in 2000.  When I saw it sitting in the shop, I knew I had to have it.   It was used as a prop on Port Charles.   The story line was that Neil, a young kid had leukemia.    He was also a Star Wars fan.   In his room, you would randomly spot Star Wars items.   The trooper is actually one of the electronic room guards that has been weathered.

8.  12 inch Princess Leia doll-   Ok, so I know you are probably saying there is nothing unusual about that.   Well, this doll is mine.  I have had her since I was 3 years old.   Santa brought her and the 12 inch Luke that year for Christmas.   Here is my sentimental favorite.  I had this nervous tick or oral fixation. I am not exactly sure what you would call it. I just know that I would chew on my dolls and well, I ate her foot off.  I am not proud of this, but I love this doll just the same.    

9.  Star Wars Attack on Reading  I got this book off of Ebay also.  The copyright for this book is 1979.  It is a book to help students with reading comprehension.   You know, you read a passage and then answer questions about what happened in the story.    Being that I am a preschool teacher, I love stuff like this.

Ackbar protesting the local Long John Silver's

10.) Admiral Ackbar bowling pin-     So kitchy Star Wars craft items have made the list more then once.  But, who doesn't want an Admiral Ackbar bowling pin?   I made him for a contest our local county fair sponsored last year.   I thought for sure the squidy awesomeness would at least place, but noooo!  Admiral Ackbar was beat out by a bowling pin sock monkey and a crappy farmer!  Whatever, I am over it!  So now he makes an awesome bookend and part time activist.


What are your favorite or unusual Star Wars items?   Feel free to leave a comment or if you feel like doing a post on this topic, please share your link.  I love to see what other people have in their collections.