Hi all TIG members, I'll try and keep this short.

I've been working on an intensive charcter study of Bespin Luke loose variations now for some years, the result's of this have been quite fruitful, with my collection currently standing at about 21 unique variations. My focus is now nearing an end, and I've now decided I wont to try and find out where all these different variations originated from.

I've spent many hours sifting through pictures of carded Lukes, but now I need more details that I cant get from some pictures, so I'm appealing to anyone out there with any carded or bagged Bespin Lukes to help with a few questions.

Naturally what would be great would be a photo of the carded figure you have posted on this thread ( front and back ) and then, answer a few questions.

1. What is the hair colour, use this picture as a reference.


2. What belt sculpt is present, attached or detached:


3. An important one, which Lightsaber is present, the photo below is from the homepage, version one is Lili Ledy and unique to that, the others, I'm trying to track there origins.


4. Now this one is a little harder on carded figures, but if possible the COO stamp information would be greatly appreciated.


Cheers for reading and I hope you folks can help me out, When I finished all my findings will be published on here as a reference for collectors.

Thanks in advance
Alex

Completely forgot, if anyone can add any information about Bespin Luke origins that they already know for certain, please do, it's all going down in my notes!

Hey Alex,





The hair color is #2
Attached belt
V5 Lightsaber
COO #3

Hair color #5

Detached Belt

V2 Lightsaber

COO #8


Here is a picture of my loose Luke Bespins, if you have any questions, lmk!
Thanks,
Pat

RetroRewindToys wrote:

Hair color #5

Detached Belt

V2 Lightsaber

COO #8

Thats very interesting, I thought the V2 Lightsaber was PBP, but its actually the China variant.

Another thought in the history of Ledy, could it be that the Ledy saber is also the same mold, passed on from china with the figure mold.

These are my 3 bespin lukes. Sorry I don't know much about them. Maybe they will help some

Sorry about bad pics.



First to left
1. Orange, dunno which one of those it is.
2. Attached
3. Not sure 3 or 4. Or repro, not sure it's legit.
4. COO 1

Middle one
1. Yellow, think 2.
2. Attached
3. Don't have saber.
4. Think its COO 3, might be 2.

Right one
1. Looks mostly like 6
2. Attached
3. Don't have saber.
4. COO 8.

Quote :

Thats very interesting, I thought the V2 Lightsaber was PBP, but its actually the China variant.

It's the origins of these Lightsaber variants which initially inspired me to start researching the history and origins of the figure and his variations. I was sick of wondering which saber to pit with which figure, or whether I needed more of the same figure with different sabers.
Your right as too this lightsaber typically being desribed as PBP, however, I've seen other lightsabers on PBP cards, as well as this V2 lightsaber on Several Palitoy cards and also in Hong Kong Baggies as well, and now a China baggie! This could be a long haul!

Cheers Pat for the pictures.

The China baggie figure was either lightsaber #1 or #2, I went with #2 because I saw no evidence of the extra plastic that #1 has, also it wasn't rounded on the edges. If I am missing any of the "tells" between sticks 1 & 2 lmk & i'll double check. I would hate to confuse these for anyone.

If thats right then its safe to say that the V1 and V2 saber molds both originate from China. I'm guessing here again but it making sense to me that Ledy had one mold and PBP the other, that would explain the V2 on Palitoy and PBP cards but not ending up in the HK baggie.

The V1 and V2 sabers share the same mould IMO.

The Ledy saber (V1) is almost translucent, whereas the V2 saber is solid yellow.

Pat: First of all to TIG.

Does your China baggie Luke look like one of the Lukes posted in this thread by any chance?

http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t3193-luke-bespin-no-coo-raised-bar-lili-ledy

Quote :

Does your China baggie Luke look like one of the Lukes posted in this thread by any chance?

The far right one in Rawlins pic looks like the China baggie version to me, they have the raised bar no COO that slightly overlaps the crease in the trousers. I have two of these in my collection, one has dark boots like the PBP/Tri-Logo/Palitoy version.

Quote :

the ledy saber ( V1 ) is almost translucent, whereas the V2 saber is solid yellow

Thats what I've always been told as well Doc. I was under the impression it was unique to Ledy as well and not available in a baggie?

Anyone know the origin of the China Baggie ( as in the product it came from, carry case, action figure stand or catalogue pack etc )

Dr Dengar wrote:

The V1 and V2 sabers share the same mould IMO.

The Ledy saber (V1) is almost translucent, whereas the V2 saber is solid yellow.

Pat: First of all to TIG.

Does your China baggie Luke look like one of the Lukes posted in this thread by any chance?

http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t3193-luke-bespin-no-coo-raised-bar-lili-ledy

You think the V2 mold was given to Ledy and then they started producing the V1 from that same mold?

Theres a china baggie luke in my lime lite.

Dr Dengar wrote:

The V1 and V2 sabers share the same mould IMO.

The Ledy saber (V1) is almost translucent, whereas the V2 saber is solid yellow.

Pat: First of all to TIG.

Does your China baggie Luke look like one of the Lukes posted in this thread by any chance?

http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t3193-luke-bespin-no-coo-raised-bar-lili-ledy

Thank you for the welcome Dr. Dengar! I checked your thread and my Luke looks different. The raised bar on the COO looks complete & rounded on mine. Thanks!
Pat

snaggletooth wrote:

You think the V2 mold was given to Ledy and then they started producing the V1 from that same mold?

Theres a china baggie luke in my lime lite.

V1 and V2 refer to different coloured sabers cast from the same mould IMO. V1A and V1B would then be better designations.

snaggletooth wrote:

Theres a china baggie luke in my lime lite.

Thanks Scott, I took a look and the details on his face look different compared to Lukes in my thread. So they might both be Ledy indeed.

RetroRewindToys wrote:

Thank you for the welcome Dr. Dengar! I checked your thread and my Luke looks different. The raised bar on the COO looks complete & rounded on mine. Thanks!
Pat

Thank you for checking Pat! Do you have a Ledy Luke in your collection by any chance?

Doc D. I have two China baggie type Luke in my collection ( tan boots & dark boots ), both with exactly the same face sculpt as the one in Scott's collection. Both also have the overlapping raised bar COO which is a definate feature of the China baggie, one thing the research I've been doing has established.

Can we at this point just establish something in the Wolff COO guide, he has the over lapping raised bar tagged as Lili Ledy which to all my knowledge it is not, it's the China baggie version, All the ledy figures I've seen including in Wolff's collection have the cut off raised bar. Minoe error no doubt.

Which brings me to the other thread you posted Doc, the two possible Ledy figures you show, I'm no Ledy expert at all so I could say, but one thing I have noticed is that all the Ledy Bespin Lukes you see always seem to have real fat looking lightsaber hilt on his belt due to the spray ap. Wolff also commented on this, as well as saying that the plastic looked wrong.
Thing is I've got two Lukes which both have the cut off raised bar ( Ledy ) but no fat hilt spray ( well one has one side quite fat ) both however seem to look more like the left figure in your thread ( the one Wolff doesn't seem sure of ). The other thing is both the plastics on mine look slightl different, one looks glossy one doesn't.
I initially assumed I had two Ledy Lukes until I read your Thread. So now like you, I'm unsure as to wether I've got 2 Ledy's, 1 Ledy or none at all. The other irritating thing here is, if any of these figures arn't Ledy then what are they and where did they come from, given that they bear the same Ledy COO?

I'm confused, I posted a pic of mine on the other thread, the other one is the same but glossy looking.

Dr Dengar wrote:

Thank you for checking Pat! Do you have a Ledy Luke in your collection by any chance?

I believe this is a Ledy but I may be wrong

Quote :

I believe this is a Ledy but I may be wrong

That's the same as the 2 in mine. I believe them to be Ledy also, ( believe has become more of a hope of late! )

Dr Dengar wrote:

V1 and V2 refer to different coloured sabers cast from the same mould IMO. V1A and V1B would then be better designations.

snaggletooth wrote:

Theres a china baggie luke in my lime lite.

Thanks Scott, I took a look and the details on his face look different compared to Lukes in my thread. So they might both be Ledy indeed.

You might be right on the sabers mate, are all Ledy sabers the V1? is there any way we can work out any time frames that the mold was in possession of PBP/Ledy/China?

Back in the day how would you of got your hands on a China baggie Luke?

I can't help you on the Luke mate I've not even started on him yet, hope he does turn out to be ledy though

Quote :

Back in the day how would you of got your hands on a China baggie Luke

I wondered this as well mate, I had a good dig through some books and found these:

- ESB Special Action Display Stand - came with ( Luke Bespin, Leia Bespin, Lando, Bossk, Snowtrooper, FX-7 )
- Darth Vader Collector's Case Special Offer Set - came with ( Luke bespin, Yoda, Darth Vader )
- Popy ESB Luke Bespin ( Japanese release, I assume he came in a baggie inside the box, but I'm not sure )

John Kellerman also lists shed loads of Catalogue multipack store exclusives in his book, Bespin Luke appears in:

- Montgomery Ward, Spiegel, Aldens catalogues 1980 - ( Luke Bespin, Yoda, R2-D2, FX-7 )
- JC Penney cataogue 1980 - ( Luke Bespin, Lando, Bespin Guard, FX-7, Han Hoth, IG-88, Rebel Soldier, Snowtrooper, Leia Bespin, Yoda )
- JC Penney catalogue 1980 - ( Rebel Soldier, Han Solo, Luke Bespin, Boba Fett )
- Sears catalogue 1980 & 1983- ( Leia Bespin , Luke Bespin, Lando, Bespin Guard, Rebel Soldier, Han Hoth, FX-7 Snowtrooper, IG-88 )
- Sears catalogue 1982 - ( 2-1B, FX-7, Luke Bespin, Cloud Car Pilot, AT-AT Driver, AT-AT Commander, Tie Fighter Pilot, Imperial Commander )

I think that's it, now I'm not sure how they arrived, and more importantly in which baggies, I know there was at least 6 different baggies. ( if anyone does know any origins and which bags... Please Help us out! ) Also if anyone knows any other offers that could get you a Baggie Luke Bespin, please let us know.
There is a good baggie guide on The Star Wars Collectors Archive, I'll find the link and post it, I should probably give it a good read agin myself too.

http://theswca.com/images-speci/baggiefeature/baggiefeature.html

Thats the link for the TheSWCA Baggie guide, check out the Yak Face baggie at the bottom Nearest you'd get to that bad boy is sticking you Yak in a Tesco baggie!

Hey Alex,
This is a Popy Bespin Luke, so one down

Alex,

SWCA has the Made In China Luke Bespin as a 1984 ROTJ-g baggie so I guess it's safe to assume it came out later then everything you have listed. What are some other possibilities?

RetroRewindToys wrote:

Dr Dengar wrote:

Thank you for checking Pat! Do you have a Ledy Luke in your collection by any chance?

I believe this is a Ledy but I may be wrong

Edit: inserted picture for comparing. This is the one I got that I suspect of being ledy. It's the one to the right in my earlier post.


I don't think it's ledy :/ sadly, it's a bit hard to tell but notice that the bar moves slightly over the piece on pants on the ledy, where it ends before it on the non ledy.

Many thanks for those pictures Rawlin, I finally see the difference! Mine is totally not a Ledy.

General Kahn thats great work on the baggie research mate, thats a lot of luke baggies and probably variants too.

RetroRewindToys wrote:

SWCA has the Made In China Luke Bespin as a 1984 ROTJ-g baggie so I guess it's safe to assume it came out later then everything you have listed. What are some other possibilities?

Thats a lot later than I was expecting, any one know of any china Luke's that appear earlier in any of them Baggies described by General Kahn

When did Ledy produce there first Luke Bespin and are all yellow Ledy sabers V1?