I published a few Market Watch articles in 2007 and 2008 focused on the sale of Hannibal Lecter masks, specifically from the film, Hannibal. This feature updates the state of the marketplace for these pieces with an archive of proof that exact replicas cast from an original source exist in the marketplace, making it very challenging for the authentication of any original masks.
As noted in the original article, I have personally researched most of the Hannibal Lecter masks publicly offered for sale over the years, and have yet to come across one that I would characterize with certainty as original and authentic, at least in terms of clearly being filmed and seen in the final cut of any of the three films.
Below are links to the original OPB articles on the topic:
I would recommend reading or looking back at those original articles for context before continuing on with this feature.
Below is a new link to a public for sale offering of replicas of these masks cast from an original source or mold (from the Night Owl Forums):
Below are images of the replica castings from the for sale topic (click each image for full resolution):
As can be seen from the photos, these replicas are virtually indistinguishable from the mask discussed in the prior OPB topics. The bars and buckles also appear to be similar or the same (restricted by the resolution of the photos).
Below is a comparison between the Hannibal mask offered at auction as “SCREENUSED” in 2007 and 2008 compared with some of the photos above:
Note also in the topic, in addition to the 15 masks currently offered and those sold before, the seller is offering the mold for sale, which opens up the possibility of more of these castings coming into the marketplace:
Yep, the mold I made is silicone w/ fiberglass backing and it was made from an extra unused mask from the movie Hannibal (which was made out of only thin fiberglass resin and didn’t have the metal mouth bars but there were indents on the back of the mask showing the exact placement for the bars). I will also take offers on the molds since I won’t need them anymore. Here is a pic of the SOTL mold, it is the same as the Hannibal mold but has an extra vent hole on each side and a slightly narrower mouth.
Another “Problematic” Development for Original Prop Collectors
This situation obviously causes issues for original prop collectors, as distinguishing between an original mask and a replica mask exclusively via physical examination would be nearly impossible, short of an irrefutable screen-match to a mask seen on screen in the film. Given this development, even masks traced back to the production should be considered problematic and suspect. In my opinion, if this type of prop is offered for sale in the future, it would require an extraordinary amount of provenance and supporting material/arguments in order to be authenticated as genuine and “original”.
I will soon add a new stand alone page on the OPB which catalogs and archives those replica props in the marketplace which are derived from original sources (cast from original molds, original castings and paper props made from original photos and scans). This cataloging and identification system will provide information about props that are particularly problematic due to the unlicensed bootleg replicas which can be indistinguishable.
Jason De Bord