Gallery: Star Wars - The Auction Awakens for collectors in Wolverhampton

The well-known to the not-so-familiar toys from the Star Wars universe – dozens of some of the rarest toys are going on auction in Wolverhampton on Friday.

The collection features a number of figures and vehicles dating back to the first release of The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi.

The auction will take place at Cuttlestones Auctioneers and Valuers on February 12 from 10am.

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Some of the rarest toys include the notorious Boba Fett's Slave 1 spaceship, a TIE Interceptor fighter, a Rebel Transport spaceship, a Tauntaun, a Rancor Monster, an X-Wing fighter, a Speeder Bike, an Ewok Combat Glider, and many more. The collection is currently owned by Robert Filkins, aged 38, who is looking to make more space in his home on the Northway, Sedgeley, by shrinking his shrine to the franchise a little.

"I was born in 1977 when the first Star Wars film came out." said Mr Filkins.

"From then on, whenever my family went on holiday, they were always looking for Star Wars memorabilia. I think I've just grown out of it a bit now."

The items are expected to sell for thousands of pounds, especially as many of them are boxed in their original packaging from the 70s and 80s.

"It came as a bit of a shock if I'm honest," said Mr Filkins. "I did some research on ebay and realised how much they're all worth. I haven't thought about what I'll do with the money. I just hope they make a couple of hundred pounds."

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The starting price for some of the items is as low as £20 to £40 for unboxed figures – while others such as the boxed X-Wing fighter start from £60 to £100.

As far as seasoned collectors are concerned, these are the most prized items from the epic franchise, dating from the period of the original trilogy's release.

Richard Forrester, saleroom manager at Wolverhampton Auction Rooms, said: "First seeing this collection instantly took me back to my childhood when I used to spend hours acting out the famous battles of the Star Wars movies with my brothers.

"It is rare to see a collection so fantastically maintained when many children's toys of this age have been lost or broken. The majority even come with their original box, which are highly prized by serious collectors, and we expect the collection to reach four figures."

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As well as the Star Wars collectibles, the auctioneers hold a number of retro figures and memorabilia including figures from He-Man, Ghostbusters, James Bond, Action Man and diecast vehicles.

"It is a must-see for any toy enthusiast and I expect lots of interest from buyers on the day," Mr Forrester added.

Those interested can view the items from 10am to 7pm on Thursday, and from 9am onwards on the day of the sale.

The catalogue is available online here For those unable to attend on the day of the sale, telephone, commission and live internet bidding options are available.

For further information, call 01902 421985 to speak to the auctioners.