Prop Talk Podcast #014 – Laura Woolley, The Collector’s Lab | Interview by The Original Prop Blog with Jason DeBord

Laura Woolley, special guest. This is the fourteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Ms. Laura Woolley is President of The Collector’s Lab, which provides “individualized, high-level professional and appraisal services to private collectors, institutions, insurance companies, museums, and wealth management professionals”.  Ms. Woolley has extensive experience working for and with the premiere auction houses operating in the entertainment memorabilia field, and also serves as an appraiser to the Antiques Roadshow.  Ms. Woolley is a Certified member of the Appraiser’s Association of America and has completed the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) examination.

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The Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Month in Tweets’ (Through 06/30/11)

This is a monthly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord) for the month of June 2011. Read more

The Original Prop Blog Quarterly Web Site Traffic Statistics: Q2 2011

The latest web site traffic statistics for the Original Prop Blog, as of June 30, 2011 (Q2 2011). We have passed the milestone of 100,000,000 (one hundred million) cumulative hits since launching the site in April 2007.

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Premiere Props “Hollywood Auction Extravaganza II” Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event July 30-31

The online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood Auction Extravaganza II”, scheduled for July 30-31, is now listed via online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers.  This second event comprised of a significant percentage of consignment-based offerings, the sale includes over 1200 lots from a wide variety of film and television productions. Read more

Prop Talk Podcast #013 – Darren Julien, Julien’s Auctions | Interview by The Original Prop Blog with Jason DeBord

Darren Julien, special guest. This is the thirteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. Darren Julien is the President and CEO of Julien’s Auctions.  Julien’s Auctions specializes in entertainment memorabilia and celebrity estate auctions, spanning movies, television, and popular music artists.  This weekend, Julien’s Auctions sold their first piece for a price in excess of one million dollars – one of two jackets worn by Michael Jackson in the Thriller video produced for his milestone album by the same name.

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Original Television and Movie Prop, Costume, and Hollywood Entertainment Memorabilia Auction Events Calendar

Below is the latest updated list of upcoming original movie and television prop, wardrobe, and memorabilia auction events. Please contact me if you are aware of any coming events of interest to collectors. Read more

The Marilyn Monroe Collection Blog: New Evidence “The Seven Year Itch” Profiles in History Subway Dress Altered for “Bachelor Flat”?

This morning Scott Fortner published a substantive update to his article posted on Friday, with very compelling and extensive analysis of the dress(es) worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch (1955).  The questions originally raised by Scott has led to a number of significant revelations about the famous dress, one of which was sold last weekend by Profiles in History in their Debbie Reynolds auction event. Read more

The Marilyn Monroe Collection Blog Asks: “Was It THE Dress?” (Profiles in History’s Debbie Reynolds Auction)

Over the past week, the public have been reacting to the top piece sold at auction in the Debbie Reynolds sale held by Profiles in History last weekend, with the famous “subway dress” attributed to use by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch (1955) breaking all records and realizing $4.6 million dollars (amounting to as much as $5,658,000 with fees, depending on method of bidding and payment).  Scott Fortner, who publishes articles on his Marilyn Monroe Collection blog and was in attendance at the event, this morning published an article posing some questions about the dress, based on his analysis of images from a variety of sources. Read more

“Star Wars: The Blueprints” Book To Feature Original Production Material from Lucasfilm Archives, Now Available To Order Online

A new book, Star Wars: The Blueprints, has been announced via the official website for the work, which includes a video trailer, sample pages, and a great deal of information about the incredible tome.  The limited release book features blueprints from the Lucasfilm Archives and has been put together by author J.W. Rinzler, who has previously produced amazing works about the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. Read more

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ 30th Anniversary Discussion Panel

On June 17th, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held a special event celebrating the 30th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  They premiered a new digital restoration of the film, and also held a discussion panel with principal members of the crew that made the movie. Read more

Impressions, Questions: Profiles in History’s Debbie Reynolds Sale Event Raises the Bar on Values Realized at Auction

Yesterday, Profiles in History held it’s sale event liquidating the Debbie Reynolds collection, and the hobby and media at large are reeling at the prices realized at auction.  Held at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, the auction featured an incredible assortment of original wardrobe memorabilia from classic Hollywood.  Highlights include the famous “subway” dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch, which sold for more than $5.6 million (with fees), “test” ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz fetched $627,3000, Dorthy’s “test dress” sold for $1,119,300, and a bowler hat worn by Charlie Chaplin realized $135,300. Read more

Prop Talk Podcast #012 – James Comisar, The Comisar Collection | Interview by The Original Prop Blog with Jason DeBord

James Comisar, special guest. This is the twelfth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. James Comisar is the curator of the most comprehensive collection of original television artifacts in the world – wardrobe, props, sets, set decoration, vehicles, and more, spanning 60 years of popular culture history.  He is a principal expert in this field and specialist in authentication, preservation, investment, restoration, and other important aspects of pop culture memorabilia and ephemera collecting.

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Donnie Darko “Frank” Bunny Mask on eBay is NOT the Mask Seen in 2008 Original Prop Blog James Duval Interview

A reader directed my attention to an active eBay auction listing in which the the description can lead one to believe that the Donnie Darko “Frank” bunny mask for public sale is the same “one of a kind” mask that was seen in an interview conducted by the Original Prop Blog with actor James Duval at Comic Con International in July 2008.  Based on my review of the photos included in the eBay auction listings, this is not the same mask.  The auction description states: “The mask was gifted to me by actor James Duval, who played the role of ‘Frank’.” The following sentence states: “Please see the youtube video with James talking about the mask below.” Read more

Pawn Stars Latest Episode Features Civil War Jacket – “TBS” Stamp – Inspector’s Mark or “The Burbank Studios”?

Friends and Original Prop Blog readers Jen and Bryce wrote to me today in regards to one of the latest episodes of Pawn Stars, which premiered last night. In the episode, “Late Night Chum”, a customer brings in what appears to be a Civil War jacket. Mark, the Administrator from the Clark County Museum, is called on to help authenticate it, and speculates that the stamped letters, “TBS”, might be an inspector’s mark. With an alternate assessment, and based on their experience with classic movie memorabilia, props, and wardrobe, and having found the same mark on studio-used garments, Jen and Bryce believe that it might actually be a mark indicating prior ownership by “The Burbank Studios”. Read more

Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Auction to be Held in Knightsbridge, England on June 29th, Catalog Available Online

The second of two Entertainment Memorabilia auctions to be held by Bonhams in the month of June has published its catalog online. This event will be held at their Knightsbridge location in England on June 29th for their “Entertainment Memorabilia” auction (Sale 19036). The first auction will be held in Los Angeles on June 29th. Read more

The Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Month in Tweets’ (Through 05/31/11)

This is a monthly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord) for the month of May 2011. Read more

“AVATAR: The Exhibition” at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle June 4th-September 3rd

The Experience Music Project has organized an exhibition called “AVATR: The Exhibition”, which will be held at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle from June 4th through September 3rd.  Per the official site, this was created with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment, and “will feature authentic props and costumes, interactive displays, concept models, and sketches from the blockbuster film”. Read more