One development in the hobby that comes up as a topic of conversation from time to time, and is directly related to the opinion piece article posted a few days ago (see Original Prop Marketplace Oversight) as well as recent discussions about the Return of the Jedi lightsaber currently at auction (see Elstree Props “Original” Return of the Jedi Lightsaber at Auction), is the “Production Protection Program“, or “P-3”. [Read more…]
Original Prop Marketplace Oversight
One topic that comes up with original prop collectors now and again is the notion of “marketplace oversight”. Given the nature of these collectibles, where value is intrinsically tied to provenance and authenticity, how do we, as a hobby, move away from the “Wild West” environment, and perhaps implement some sort of oversight (whether organized or informal) to help guide and share information with new and seasoned collectors and identify those individuals or entities that trade in inauthentic pieces? [Read more…]
Anonymity, Transparency, & The “Real World”
There are several very interesting and very active topics running on the Movie Prop Forum, which have engaged hobbyists on a variety of important issues related to the hobby of collecting original props. [Read more…]
Dealer/Event Review: Premiere Props, Hollywood Roadshow
Much of the details of my most recent transaction with Premiere Props / Hollywood Roadshow can be found in these topics:
“Premiere Props, Hollywood Roadshow, Auction Outcome Manipulation”, “…Update 1”, “…Update 2″, “…Update 3″, “…Update 4″
Generally speaking, I’ve come to expect that, as a consumer buying goods, issues do happen.
However, most issues can be resolved with 1) good customer service/communication and, more importantly, 2) the exercise of “good will” on behalf of the merchant. In my personal experience, Premiere Props is incapable of the first and completely lacking the second. [Read more…]
The “Other” Dealer Issue: Communication & Good Will
Most of my opinion pieces on the blog involve issues of provenance and authenticity. That really goes to the heart of the hobby, and makes up much of the minefield that original prop collectors navigate as they transact in the marketplace.
The “Other” issue, which gets less attention here and on the discussion forums, is one just as prevalent and much easier to resolve: Business Practices & Customer Service [Read more…]
Work in Progress: The Ultimate Original Prop COA, Part II
I had initiated a discussion topic on the Movie Prop Forum related to my previous article (see “Work in Progress: The Ultimate Original Prop COA, Part I“), which can be found here: [Read more…]
Work in Progress: The Ultimate Original Prop COA, Part I
I thought it would be productive to initiate a hobby-wide discussion of what the “Ultimate COA” would call for, look like, detail, include, and provide to the owner of an original prop, costume, or other artifact from a production.
As discussed in many other articles on the OPB, I generally have a fairly unfavorable opinion of most COAs, in that they typically do not address the foundational components of authenticity: origin, history of ownership, use in the production, etc.
So what information would be included in the “Ultimate” COA? [Read more…]
Authenticity & Burden of Proof, Part II: Inauthentic Props
This is a follow-up to an article I wrote back in May, “Authenticity & Burden of Proof“.
In the prior article, I made the argument that a discerning collector should approach a potential prop or costume or other artifact acquisition as an unknown, or inconclusive in terms of it’s being “Original” (see What is “Original”?). Authenticity must then be proven. This is a different perspective from those that believe what they are told about a piece, without question. [Read more…]