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

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Update: Additional Images of Christie’s Withdrawn “Prototype” Star Wars Stormtrooper Helmet

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This is an update to the article published on Monday (see “Christie’s Withdraws “Prototype” Star Wars Stormtrooper Prop Helmet with Andrew Ainsworth Provenance from Upcoming Auction“).  As mentioned in that prior article, unfortunately, no images were provided of the sides and back of the helmet.  A friend in the UK previewed the upcoming Christie’s auction, and took photos of the “prototype” Storwtrooper prop helmet, which has since been withdrawn from their sale (#5446).  These additional images are important, in that the single image provided in the online lot description/catalog only included one “straight on” style image which did not show whether the lower, back side of the helmet had the “ribbed” decoration (a detail that most other “prototypes” have shared). [Read more…]

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Christie’s Withdraws “Prototype” Star Wars Stormtrooper Prop Helmet with Andrew Ainsworth Provenance from Upcoming Auction

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Today Christie’s has withdrawn Lot 136 from their upcoming Sale #5446, a prop attributed to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and described as a “prototype Imperial Stormtrooper’s helmet“.   There has been ongoing public debate and controversy over movie prop Stormtrooper helmets trading for sale in the marketplace for years, and some of this debate and discussion intersected the legal battles between Lucasfilm and Andrew Ainsworth.  In the auction description, Andrew Ainsworth was named as the source of provenance for the prop withdrawn from the current Christie’s sale. [Read more…]

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Lucasfilm vs Ainsworth Legal Battle Aftermath & Update: Andrew Ainsworth Owes Lawyers £3.5 Million

Following the UK Supreme Court ruling well over a year ago, legal website The Lawyer today reports that Andrew Ainsworth owes the legal firm that represented him in his dispute with Lucasfilm about £3.5 million.  Per the report, “[t]he case was brought on a conditional fee arrangement (CFA), and usually the court will order the losing side to cover the other’s costs”.  Since one issue was decided in favor of Ainsworth, and the other in favor of Lucasfilm, Ainsworth was never awarded a costs order, thus sticking him with a legal bill well into millions of dollars.  Ainsworth is quoted in the article noting that his legal team “gained a lot of kudos” for their apparently free (at this point) legal defense, though it will be interesting to continue to follow to see if his lawyers believe that they received £3.5 million pounds worth of kudos. [Read more…]

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“The Check That Bought Superman” at Auction (1938 Payment Made by DC Comics to Siegel & Shuster for Character Ownership)

Comic Connect is holding a very special, interesting, and historic auction for “The Check That Bought Superman”.  In fact, it is a check written by DC Comics in 1938 to Siegel and Shuster, creators of the character and comic book Superman, for $412, $130 of which was purportedly for the rights to the character. With about a week left at public auction, it is already bid up to $46,000.  Full details about the piece and the auction can be found at www.ComicConnect.com. [Read more…]

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Martin Nolan of Julien’s Auctions Featured on NBC’s ‘Today Show’ to Discuss Rare Unpublished Marilyn Monroe Photos

Julien’s Auctions Executive Director, Martin Nolan, appeared as a guest on this morning’s broadcast of The Today Show. In it, he discusses a set of rare Marilyn Monroe material which will be featured in their upcoming “Hollywood Legends” auction, which includes previously unseen photographs. [Read more…]

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The Original Prop Blog 2011 Year in Review: News, Developments, and Trends in Collecting Original TV & Movie Props, Costumes and Pop Culture Memorabilia

As was the case in previous years (see 2007 Year in Review, 2008 Year in Review, 2009 Year in Review, 2010 Year in Review), what follows is an editorial featuring my personal observations and opinions with regards to the business of buying, collecting, selling, preserving original pop culture artifacts – looking back at the top trends, developments, and news stories of 2011. As is always the case, this is a completely subjective exercise, and merely touches on the developments and events that relate to the hobby. [Read more…]

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Julien’s Auctions ‘Icons and Idols’ (Hollywood & Marilyn Monroe, Sports & Rock ‘n Roll) Catalogs Online, Events to be Held in Beverly Hills December 1st-4th

Julien’s Auctions has today announced their next events, a pairing of two sales – “Hollywood & Marilyn Monroe” and “Sports & Rock ‘n Roll”, both under the “Icons and Idols” banner and each two-day sales, with the former scheduled for December 1st and 2nd and the latter for December 3rd and 4th.  Both live auction events will be at their Beverly Hills facility.

[Read more…]

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Martin Nolan of Julien’s Auctions Featured on NBC’s ‘Today Show’ to Discuss Rare Marilyn Monroe Photos, Negatives, Copyright

Julien’s Auctions Executive Director, Martin Nolan, appeared as a guest on this morning’s broadcast of The Today Show. In it, he discusses a set of rare Marilyn Monroe material which will be featured in an upcoming auction, which includes previously unseen photographs, the negatives, and the copyright to the respective images. [Read more…]