For Serious Collectors Only
Ric Taylor is selling off an extensive Star Wars collection.
By Charlie Youngmann
“Eclectic, I believe is the word,” said Ric Taylor, in reference to his massive collection of rare Star Wars memorabilia.
Over the years, Taylor’s acquired all manner of vintage Star Wars items from manufacturers like Rawcliffe, Gentle Giant, and Hallmark. A good portion of which gets displayed in his store, Maryland Pipe Dreams in Calvert County. Now, he’s getting ready to sell it.
“For serious collectors only; these are not toys,” Taylor clarified.
Having recently downsized from a four-bedroom house to a two-bedroom condominium, Taylor has had to make some difficult decisions about what he can keep. It was clear he had to make a change when the collectables stored in his garage began to take up so much space that getting out of the passenger side door proved impossible with both cars parked inside.
Taylor attended the original screening of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope back in 1977 (then simply referred to as Star Wars) and was hooked. While he may not care for the more “sanitized” execution of the newer Star Wars films produced by Disney, Taylor said his love of the original franchise is what spurred him into his collecting frenzy.
Now, the walls of Taylor’s Huntingtown shop are adorned with dozens of busts and figurines representing characters as iconic as Luke Skywalker or as obscure as the entire bounty hunter lineup from Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
“I never looked at it as ‘well, this is gonna be a value thing and I’m going to make money on it,’” Taylor said. “It just started out as ‘I like this’ or ‘I like that’ and ‘since I’ve got that and that, I might as well go ahead and get this.’”
Taylor’s collection isn’t just limited to Star Wars. In his travels, he’s picked up autographed Beatles memorabilia, home run baseballs, D.C. Comics figurines and all kinds of promotional art and posters.
Taylor’s best and most interesting piece would be his original Revenge of the Jedi movie poster. If you’re not familiar with this installment of the franchise, it’s because the movie doesn’t exist. “Revenge” was the original title of the movie that would later become Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
The promotional posters were made and distributed prior to the rework of the script we know today. Given that the items tie-in with a movie that was never made, they are highly sought after due to their rarity and have previously sold for thousands of dollars, Taylor says.
Taylor’s poster is still in mint condition and in the original mailing tube, making it a rarity even among Revenge of the Jedi posters. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take the poster out for photography without seriously harming its value. You’ll have to take Taylor’s word for it that within that tube sits a rolled-up piece of cinematic history.
Now Taylor’s poised to sell off his treasures (with the exception of a couple of autographed Beatles items). He’s promised his wife Nancy he’s done collecting for good and looking to liquidate his hoard of valuables.
If you’ve got the itch to start a Star Wars collection of your own, head on down to Maryland Pipe Dreams and chew the fat with Taylor for a while. For the right price, you may walk home with something made a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.
