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

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4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray (UHD) Discs Come Into Full Swing As Original Movie Prop & Costume Authentication Tool

Late last year I decided it was finally time to jump into 4K with a new television supporting the latest high definition format.  It usually takes some time for the standards to settle into place and pricing to become more mainstream, and it would seem that 2016 was the year for UHD/4K.  The amount of detail that can be found in the quality releases on the new 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray (UHD) can be breathtaking.  Of course, one of my reactions is imagining the impact such discs can have on authentication efforts in researching whether a particular artifact was used in a film or a specific scene by way of screen-matching what is seen in the film or television production to the piece of memorabilia from the same production.  While Blu-Ray was a huge leap from the standard definition quality DVD and laserdiscs that came before it, with 4K/UHD we have another monumental leap forward with the amount of details and pixels on screen. [Read more…]

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NOTICE: Original Prop Blog Does Not/Will Not Supply Props to Dealers “jnsmcmahan”, “jsnent”, John Tarter, Billie Null, Mark Sullivan, L.A. Prop & Wardrobe, Hollywood Prop Supply, Studio West Prop, Ellis Props, et al

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I am in receipt of a phone call today from a gentleman from Missouri, calling me claiming that he was told by an eBay dealer that the “vintage Listerine bottle from The Waltons” that he purchased was sold by the Original Prop Blog to the eBay dealer.  A simple search brought up such a listing on eBay – VINTAGE LISTERINE BOTTLE FROM TV’S THE WALTONS+ – sold five days ago by eBay dealer jnsmcmahan.  Long time readers of the Original Prop Blog will know that I personally do not find “jnsmcmahan” to be a credible dealer of authentic Hollywood memorabilia.  None the less, this notice is being published to make it perfectly clear that I have not sold anything to and will never in the future conduct any business with those behind eBay accounts “jnsmcmahan”, “jsnent”, nor anyone directly or loosely associated with such dealers or material or type/kind of material, including John Tarter, Billie Null, Mark Sullivan, L.A. Prop & Wardrobe, Hollywood Prop Supply, Studio West Prop, Ellis Props, and others.  In fact, the Original Prop Blog does not supply props or costumes to anyone.   [Read more…]

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Alteration of Historic Lincoln Document in National Archives Highlights Issues Related to Manipulation of Genuine Assets and Authentication

Earlier this year, a story broke about the discovery that a genuine document produced by Abraham Lincoln had been altered in order to make it more historically significant.  While the identification and preservation of historic documents is outside the scope of the same in the entertainment/popular culture memorabilia field, the story is instructive none the less, and highlights the ease with which genuine material can be altered to make it more important and valuable. [Read more…]

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Jalopnik Challenges Authenticity of “JFK Ambulance”; Barrett-Jackson Sells Vehicle for $132,000 at Auction

While not about original props and costumes from movies or television, this story is of interest in that it involves a public auction and public challenges over the authenticity of a high value item offered for sale – an ambulance said to have carried the body of President John F. Kennedy following his assassination in 1963 (Barrett-Jackson Lot: 1277 – 1963 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE AMBULANCE).  [Read more…]

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Original Prop Blog: Three Year Anniversary

Today marks the three year anniversary of the Original Prop Blog.  Three years ago today I published its first article, “The Hobby Without A Name…“ [Read more…]

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Milestone: Original Prop Blog’s 1,000th Article

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This article marks a milestone for the Original Prop Blog – the 1,000th article.  When I started the site back in April 2007, I honestly did not ever imagine that I would produce this much content.  So the occasion provides an opportunity to reflect back, look forward, and thank those that have supported this endeavor. [Read more…]

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“The Robert De Niro Collection” at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin

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Robert De Niro donated his personal collection of 8,000 costume, prop, and makeup items from fifty-six motion pictures and two theater productions to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin in 2006.  This material is now available to researchers and the public at the humanities research library and museum at the University. [Read more…]

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Original Prop Blog: Two Year Anniversary

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Today marks the two year anniversary of the Original Prop Blog.  So it was two years ago today that I published its first article, “The Hobby Without A Name…” [Read more…]