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

Archives for May 2008

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Prop Store Mention on Attack of the Show: I Am Legend M4 Rifle

Olivia Munn of G4’s Attack of the Show made mention of an original prop for sale at Prop Store of London on their “Gadgets” segment last night. This featured the non-firing M4 rifle from I Am Legend, starring Will Smith. Prop Store has both a non-firing and live fire version of this prop (for $8,999.00 and $12,499.00 respectively) used prominently in the film on their site: LINK [Read more…]

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“Original Prop Purchase Agreement” Template

One thing many collectors do not consider are the potential (unfortunate) “what if?” possibilities we can encounter in buying and selling original props, wardrobe, and other artifacts from film and television.

In the event a problem arises, it is best that both Buyer and Seller have a common understanding of the consequences and responsibilities.

Also, there are areas in which specifics are often not addressed or clarified appropriately, such as ancillary costs and other details beyond the “purchase price” (i.e. shipping costs, shipping method, etc.).

I recently developed an “Original Prop Purchase Agreement” for one of my own purchases, so I decided to simplify it, convert it into a more basic template, and offer it here as a tool for other collectors to consider, edit, amend, and/or employ however they see fit: [Read more…]

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Studio Reseller Certificates of Authenticity: Premiere Props & Hollywood Vault

Over the past several years, the Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) issued by two of the biggest “studio resellers” – Premiere Props and Hollywood Vault – have evolved. Unfortunately, the changes made have been to the detriment of provenance and is a significant missed opportunity given that these companies are in the position of releasing props and wardrobe into the marketplace that are sourced direct from the studios in a fully authorized capacity (making the pieces both authentic and with clear title).

I thought it would be informative to compare and contrast COAs issued by Premiere Props and Hollywood Vault to see exactly what changes have been made over the years, and the current state of certification and provenance offered by these two dealers. [Read more…]

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Batmobile Makes Brief Appearance on eBay?

Per Jalopnik.com, one of five original Batmobiles from Tim Burton’s Batman was listed on eBay starting at $500,000. It appears that the listing has since been removed by eBay, but according to the article, “Found on eBay: Tim Burton’s Batmobile Makes You Feel Like Michael Keaton“, these are the photos and accompanying marketing description from the listing: [Read more…]

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Condé Nast Portfolio – “Reality’s Bites”

There is an article on Condé Nast Portfolio written by Cathleen MacCarthy, “Reality’s Bites“, which discusses the “topping out” of baby boomer memorabilia and the rise of high end collectibles that are a draw for Generation X, including skateboarding, videogames, and ’90s rock.

The article cites many examples from different fields reflecting the birth of the market of pop culture rising from Beatles and Rolling Stones memorabilia in the early 80s, compared with interest today in Nirvana and Guns ‘N Roses. [Read more…]

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“Star Trek: The Experience” – May Close at End of 2008

There is an interesting article by Anthony Pascale at TrekMovie.com, reporting on the state of the contract between CBS and Cedar Fair regarding the “Star Trek: The Experience” attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton:

Future of ‘Star Trek: The Experience’ In Doubt

Per the article, the current agreement ends December 31,2008, and there are “currently no plans to renew” it. A final decision is expected at the end of this month. Apparently attendance has been in decline for some time. More details are available at the above referenced article. [Read more…]