Movie Prop Collecting with Jason DeBord's Original Prop Blog Film & TV Prop, Costume, Hollywood Memorablia Pop Culture Resource

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Featured Interview Preview: Joe Maddalena, Profiles in History – Stembridge Recap

This is a preview of my extensive interview with Joe Maddalena, owner of Profiles in History.

The full interview will be posted some time in the next week or so, as well as a complimentary article featuring a pictorial preview of items upcoming in their next event, Hollywood Memorabilia Auction 28, in August.

Given the timeliness of the Stembridge auction event this past Tuesday, I thought I would share the portion of our discussion showcasing Mr. Maddalena’s views of the event and collecting real firearms. [Read more…]

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“Prop Equity”

One perspective I have adopted with my original prop collecting and collection is the notion of “Prop Equity”. I think this is a viewpoint and practice that crosses over into various hobbies, but I’ve found it especially pertinent to original prop collecting due to the high cost and rarity of the pieces.

What is “Prop Equity”, and how does it relate to building and maintaining a collection? [Read more…]

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Authenticity & Burden of Proof

One interesting phenomenon I’ve picked up on in the hobby is the vast differences of perspective in regards to the burden of proof and authenticity.

One viewpoint is that a piece is as the seller claims and that the burden to prove otherwise is on potential buyers and/or critics to prove otherwise. Though the seller/owner does not share any material facts to prove the piece authentic, he or she expects compelling evidence to debunk the piece.

Of course, the converse view (held by myself) is that the seller must come to the table with material facts and evidence that support his or her claims of authenticity and use in the property (film or television product). [Read more…]

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Book Review: Sculpting A Galaxy

This is a review of Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop (published November 14, 2006). This is “yet another” great resource for Star Wars fans and those especially interested in creatures, models, ships/vehicles, etc. It is a beautiful book and worth the money, but if you have the two Chronicles volumes (OT and/or Prequels, depending on your preferences), as well as perhaps The Making of Star Wars, some of what you find here may be duplicative. In my opinion, it is lacking in some areas and not as polished and comprehensive as some other Star Wars works. [Read more…]

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A Case Against Enabling “Bad Sources”

One thing I’ve consistently been a proponent of is this: hobbyists and dealers alike should actively, consciously, and consistently make a point to avoid dealing with bad sources, or platforms for bad sources.

It is a small hobby, and as such, every individual collector, and, more so, dealer, has the power (and in my view, responsibility) to affect change in who has a role in the marketplace and to what extent.

Everyone should, in good conscience, exercise this power to the benefit of all by refusing to deal with “Bad Sources” in the hobby. [Read more…]

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Business Practice: The Prop Butchers

One unfortunate type of collectible born out of the original prop industry is the sale of prop pieces, bits, swatches, and sections.

The phrase “take a piece of the movie home” is quite literal with this practice.

It seems, that in some cases, it can be more profitable to take one original prop and destroy it, cutting it into smaller pieces and selling each piece as a collectible (either by itself or as part of another collectible, such as a card). But this prioritizes profit over preservation. [Read more…]