The true vintage era of
Star Wars collecting was the seven year period between 1978 and 1985. While there were a few items released before '78, the collecting ball didn't really start to roll until Kenner released little action figures with the phrase "Start Your Own Collection…" emblazoned on the card backs. And the
Star Wars Generation was up for the challenge. That is, it was up for the challenge so long as there was the promise of a new
Star Wars film every three years. By 1985, it was obvious that we wouldn't be seeing any such thing, and despite the efforts of Marvel Comics and Nelvana,
Star Wars was destined to take a breather.
To the world at large, the phenomenon was over and it was on to the next thing. Not unlike Obi-Wan and Yoda, a small group of
Star Wars fans were scattered across the globe, secretly enjoying six hour VSH adventures in their basement while they waited in hopes that some day the fantastical world of
Star Wars would once more bathe the young and the young at heart with it's tales of adventure where flawed heroes fought passionately and risked all in hopes of a brighter day.
During these dark ages, a few companies ventured out in hopes to remind fans what it was they loved. Of those companies brave enough to release new items, the Hamilton Group out of Jacksonville, FL stands out as the clear winner for top quality collectibles.
The Hamilton Collection began with a series of eight plates, each accurately depicting a character or scene from the films. The first wave, released in 1987, included the following:
• Han Solo
• R2-D2 & Wicket
• Luke & Darth Vader
• Princess Leia
• Imperial Walkers
• Luke & Yoda
• Space Battle
• Crew in Cockpit
Upon the overwhelming success of these entail releases, Hamilton went on to create a slightly larger plate to commemorate the tenth anniversary of
Star Wars , a series of three movie montage plates based on the scenes and characters of the Trilogy, and a series of vehicle plates, as well as a series of coffee cups.
This write up was inspired by the following auction:
COMPLETE SET OF 8 * ORIGINAL * STAR WARS PLATES +BONUS1026
