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

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YouTube Close-Up Look – “Empire Strikes Back” Darth Vader Costume Auction with Bonhams Update: Withdrawn

This is part of my ongoing series of YouTube videos, with a follow up to my recent look at the Bonhams “TCM Presents … Wonders of the Galaxy – Science Fiction and Fantasy in Film” auction that took place today, May 14th, in Los Angeles. This latest video editorial provides an update to Lot 162 described as “A complete Darth Vader costume from The Empire Strikes Back/Star Wars Episode V”.  Shortly before the auction was scheduled to begin, the status of the costume was changed to “WITHDRAWN”.  However, the Darth Vader gloves from Star Wars were not withdrawn, though failed to reach the unstated reserve, stalled at $28,000. [Read more…]

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YouTube Edition – The 12th Annual Original Prop Blog “Year in Review” for 2018 – Original TV & Movie Props, Costumes and Pop Culture Memorabilia

This is part of my new, ongoing series of YouTube videos.  As per tradition, (see 2007 Year in Review, 2008 Year in Review, 2009 Year in Review, 2010 Year in Review, 2011 Year in Review, 2012 Year in Review, 2013 Year in Review, 2014 Year in Review, 2015 Year in Review, 2016 Year in Review, 2017 Year in Review), what follows is an editorial featuring my personal observations and opinions with regards to the business of buying, collecting, selling, and preserving original pop culture artifacts used in film and television productions. A look back at interesting trends, developments, and news stories from 2018. As is always the case, this is a completely subjective exercise, and merely touches on the developments and events that relate to the hobby and art market.  2018 marks the first year that this will be published exclusively in video form on YouTube. [Read more…]

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YouTube Update – “Darth Vader Lightsaber Prop from ‘Return of the Jedi'” from 2010 Auction

This is part of my new, ongoing series of YouTube videos, with this one serving as a direct update to an article published here on the Original Prop Blog back in May of 2010.  At that time, there were questions about a prop lightsaber up for auction attributed to the character of Darth Vader in the film, Return of the Jedi.  Some of these questions were raised in my article published on May 31, 2010 (Profiles in History ‘Hollywood Auction 40′ Video Preview: Darth Vader Lightsaber Prop from ‘Return of the Jedi’).  Don Bies, former curator of the Lucasfilm Archives, has provided some information relevant to those outstanding questions, which is shared in this latest YouTube video. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – Luke Lightsaber Auction Part 5: Profiles in History Withdraws Lightsaber From Auction

This is a Part 5 follow-up my Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 close-up looks at the “[o]riginal production used “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from the collection of Oscar-winning set decorator Roger Christian” featured in the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” taking place on December 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th. This latest video features news of the lightsaber being withdrawn from auction by Profiles in History, per a report from Reuters. [Read more…]

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Pulled From Auction? Profiles in History Removes “Screen Used” Obi-Wan Kenobi Lightsaber from “Icons & Legends of Hollywood” Online Auction Catalog

As reported earlier today (LINK), Profiles in History was all over the news in the mainstream media (Associated Press, Page Six, Syfy Wire, etc.) with outlets writing about one of the highlights of their massive four day “Icons & Legends of Hollywood” auction in June – a “screen used” prop lightsaber attributed to use by Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.  Profiles in History claimed that the “hero” lightsaber had provenance leading back to the late John Mollo, the costume designer on the film who passed away late last year.  I pointed to an active discussion on the Replica Prop Forum, with some members openly questioning the authenticity of the piece.  It appears that the piece – Lot 775 – has been pulled from the auction, as a fresh download of the online PDF version of the catalog for the sale is two pages lighter.  Scanning the now 499 pages, it skips the previous two page spread of Lot 775 entirely. [Read more…]

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WITHDRAWN: Bonhams Pulls “A Luke Skywalker Lightsaber used in Return of the Jedi” from “TCM Presents… Out Of This World!” Auction

Last week The Original Prop Blog published an article about the “A Luke Skywalker Lightsaber used in Return of the Jedi” prop up for public auction in their current “TCM Presents … Out of This World!” event scheduled to conclude on November 21st.  The description in the online catalog had been edited to remove the (vague) details about the provenance, and the piece in question seems to match a “Return of the Jedi” lightsaber prop that I wrote about in 2013 that was offered for sale on eBay and seemed to have a connection with Elstree Props.  Today, the lot is marked as “WITHDRAWN” on the item page. [Read more…]

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Update: Ewbank’s “Not A Prototype” Andrew Ainsworth Stormtrooper Helmet Sells for £3,500 GBP at Auction

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This is a quick update to recent articles about the “not a prototype” Andrew Ainsworth stormtrooper helmet that Ewbank’s put up at auction this month (“not a prototype” being interesting in that the maker, Andrew Ainsworth, himself claims the helmets of this style are prototypes).  In any event, this one did in fact sell at auction for £3,500 GBP (hammer price).  [Read more…]

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Ewbank’s Comments on Facebook About Their “Not A Prototype” Andrew Ainsworth Stormtrooper Helmet Auction

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An interesting discussion has broken out on the official Ewbank’s Facebook page about the Stormtrooper helmet in their upcoming auction (which I wrote about earlier this month – see “Andrew Ainsworth “Prototype” Stormtrooper Helmet Withdrawn By Christie’s in 2014 Now Offered by Ewbank’s in 2015“).  Ewbank’s has stated in this Facebook discussion that the helmet “is not a prototype“.  However, they include a letter as proof of authenticity in which the helmet’s maker, Andrew Ainsworth, states in writing that the helmet “was an early prototype made by myself“.  This is the exact same helmet that Christie’s put up for auction last year and then decided to withdraw from their own auction.  What does Ewbank’s have to say about Christie’s pulling the same item from their auction?  Per Ewbank’s, Christie’s “mis-catalogued [it] as a ‘prototype’“.  Yet Christie’s marketed the helmet as what Mr. Ainsworth claimed it to be… a “prototype”.  Confused yet?  So is Lindsay Muir (wife of Brian Muir, who sculpted the Stormtrooper armor and Darth Vader helmet for Star Wars).  She entered into this public debate with Ewbank’s on their Facebook page regarding their helmet up for auction.  Ewbank’s closing remarks to Mrs. Muir (one of the most knowledgeable people in the world on these matters) includes the line, “[y]our view is certainly not my experience of bidders who are generally very well informed actually”.  This, from the auction house who would seem to suggest that the maker of the artifact they have up for sale – who provided the letter regarding it’s provenance and authenticity – is flatly wrong about his own characterization the piece that he himself made and as he addressed it in that letter.  It would seem that auction houses (like with Profiles in History’s last auction) are evolving to reject Andrew Ainsworth credibility on his own creation, while embracing that very lineage to help them sell these problematic artifacts.
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