One of my favorite programs on television is Pawn Stars, which airs on The History Channel. Pawn Stars is a reality series about the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas run by “The Old Man”, his son Rick, and his grandson “Big Hoss”. The series is akin to Antiques Roadshow in that customers bring in antiques, collectibles, and other items to sell, which includes authentication and appraisal by experts.
Occasionally, the show features the evaluation of items purported to be original movie props, as well as experts that are relevant to our hobby.
One of the more interesting examples was an episode last season in which a customer brought in a bullwhip that he claimed was used in one of the Indiana Jones films. It serves as a good example of how such items are acquired and accepted as authentic by some, based on assumptions, trust, and little information. Mark Allen from Western Stage Props is brought in to authenticate the whip, and is well known in collectors circles (especially IndyGear.com’s Club Obi Wan forum).
Full episodes can be viewed online on YouTube’s official Pawn Stars channel in three part segments, and the episode with the bullwhip can be found in the embedded YouTube videos below.
Pawn Stars | Season One | Episode 11 | Part 1 – see 3:30 through 5:30
Pawn Stars | Season One | Episode 11 | Part 2 – see 0:00 through 3:00
Pawn Stars | Season One | Episode 11 | Part 3 – see 6:15 through 6:56
There have been more episodes of interest in Season Two, with one featuring a look at a saddle the owner claims was used in Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves and another episode including the authentication of a flamethrower by Rick Washburn of Weapons Specialists Limited, who provides real firearms to the film industry.
Learn more about Pawn Stars at the official site at www.History.com:
Jason DeBord