eBay Vice President Jim Ambach announced today that eBay is discontinuing its Live Auction format services at the end of the year, citing an effort to improve “buying and selling experiences”. The “Live Auction” format differs from eBay’s traditional business model of scheduled, “online-only” auctions, and typically (as it relates to original props, wardrobe, and memorabilia auctions from movies and television) provides collectors the ability to bid on items auctioned “live” over the Internet, in real time, in lieu of being present at the actual auction event with people bidding in person, with the auctioneer recognizing “floor” bids, telephone bids, absentee bids, and online bids. [Read more…]
Upcoming Auction Event Calendar Snapshot
Here is the latest updated list of upcoming original prop auction events. Please contact me if you are aware of any coming events of interest to original prop collectors. [Read more…]
Rock Island Auction Company Features Tom Selleck Firearms
Rock Island Auction Company has a “Premiere Firearms Auction” coming May 3rd, 4th, & 5th, 2008 in Moline, IL. The catalog can be viewed online HERE.
Of particular interest to original prop collectors are a few pieces from Tom Selleck: [Read more…]
Ian Fleming’s “James Bond” Letters Fetch Nearly $30,000 at Auction
Duke’s Auctioneers sold a collection of letters from James Bond author-creator Ian Fleming in their “Important Paintings and Furniture” live auction event yesterday. The event, running April 10-11, 2008 also includes “original works by George Stubbs, Pablo Picasso, Alfred Munnings; signed prints by Matisse and Andy Warhol, and other watercolours, sketches and oils spanning the 18th to 20th centuries”. [Read more…]
Lucasfilm vs. Ainsworth Stormtrooper Helmet Legal Battle Explodes in Mainstream Media
Similar to the news story with the collector filing suit against Christie’s and CBS Paramount late last year (see “Star Trek Collector Sues Christies, CBS & Paramount Studios for $7 Million Dollars“), the story of the legal battle between George Lucas and his Lucasfilm production company and Andrew Ainsworth and his Shepperton Design Studios seems to have captured the interest of the mainstream media, only in this case, the story is much more international. This legal dispute is over the trademark and copyright of the Stormtrooper helmet and other helmets and armor produced for Star Wars: A New Hope. This story has broken very wide, in the last day especially, with well over 150 related stories showing up in Google searches yesterday into today. [Read more…]
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Releases 2007 Report
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released it’s 2007 Internet Crime Report last week.
The IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Per their webpage: [Read more…]
Lucasfilm, Andrew Ainsworth Legal Battle Moves to UK
The Guardian reports that the Lucasfilm lawsuit against Andrew Ainsworth over the Stormtrooper armor trademark and copyright dispute moves to UK courts tomorrow. [Read more…]
It’s A Wrap! “Annual Prop and Wardrobe Sale Extravaganza” – Additional Details
As reported last week, It’s A Wrap! sent customers the following announcement via e-mail: [Read more…]