Wax Cast for Empire Strikes Back Large-Size Figure Boot
As most serious collectors know, Kenner planned to release five new toys as part of their large-size figure line in conjunction with the 1980 release of The Empire Strikes Back. In the end only one, IG-88, made it to store shelves; figures representing Lando Calrissian, Luke Bespin, Leia Bespin, and Han Hoth were all cancelled before they could be mass-produced.

Two of these new figures, Han Hoth and Luke Bespin, were to have come packaged with boots made using the same mold. This boot derived from a wholly new sculpt; it wasn't ported over from an earlier figure or a pre-existing line. (Weirdly, the boots for the original Han Solo large-size figure derive from Kenner's International Velvet doll.)

What you see here is a wax cast of that Han Hoth/Luke Bespin boot sculpt. I got it directly from a former Kenner sculptor. As it is common for wax sculpts to be destroyed during the making of electroform molds, I think it's likely that this is the closest we'll ever come to seeing a sculpt or a hardcopy of this boot form.

Funnily, I had a bit of a time convincing the sculptor to sell this to me. Notice that it has a lot of excess wax above the sculpted boot area. He was loathe to give up all that reusable sculpting material!

Description by: Ron Salvatore
Photo: Ron Salvatore
From the collection of: Ron Salvatore
Country:United States
Film:Empire Strikes Back
Licensee:Kenner
Year:1980
Category:Prototypes / Miscellaneous Toys


  


Checklist by Duncan Jenkins, Gus Lopez, and the Star Wars collecting community
Software by Chris Nichols

All information © 2014 Star Wars Collectors Archive