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

Archives for 2011

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Impressions, Questions: Profiles in History’s Debbie Reynolds Sale Event Raises the Bar on Values Realized at Auction

Yesterday, Profiles in History held it’s sale event liquidating the Debbie Reynolds collection, and the hobby and media at large are reeling at the prices realized at auction.  Held at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, the auction featured an incredible assortment of original wardrobe memorabilia from classic Hollywood.  Highlights include the famous “subway” dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch, which sold for more than $5.6 million (with fees), “test” ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz fetched $627,3000, Dorthy’s “test dress” sold for $1,119,300, and a bowler hat worn by Charlie Chaplin realized $135,300. [Read more…]

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Prop Talk Podcast #012 – James Comisar, The Comisar Collection | Interview by The Original Prop Blog with Jason DeBord

James Comisar, special guest. This is the twelfth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. James Comisar is the curator of the most comprehensive collection of original television artifacts in the world – wardrobe, props, sets, set decoration, vehicles, and more, spanning 60 years of popular culture history.  He is a principal expert in this field and specialist in authentication, preservation, investment, restoration, and other important aspects of pop culture memorabilia and ephemera collecting.

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Donnie Darko “Frank” Bunny Mask on eBay is NOT the Mask Seen in 2008 Original Prop Blog James Duval Interview

A reader directed my attention to an active eBay auction listing in which the the description can lead one to believe that the Donnie Darko “Frank” bunny mask for public sale is the same “one of a kind” mask that was seen in an interview conducted by the Original Prop Blog with actor James Duval at Comic Con International in July 2008.  Based on my review of the photos included in the eBay auction listings, this is not the same mask.  The auction description states: “The mask was gifted to me by actor James Duval, who played the role of ‘Frank’.” The following sentence states: “Please see the youtube video with James talking about the mask below.” [Read more…]

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Pawn Stars Latest Episode Features Civil War Jacket – “TBS” Stamp – Inspector’s Mark or “The Burbank Studios”?

Friends and Original Prop Blog readers Jen and Bryce wrote to me today in regards to one of the latest episodes of Pawn Stars, which premiered last night. In the episode, “Late Night Chum”, a customer brings in what appears to be a Civil War jacket. Mark, the Administrator from the Clark County Museum, is called on to help authenticate it, and speculates that the stamped letters, “TBS”, might be an inspector’s mark. With an alternate assessment, and based on their experience with classic movie memorabilia, props, and wardrobe, and having found the same mark on studio-used garments, Jen and Bryce believe that it might actually be a mark indicating prior ownership by “The Burbank Studios”. [Read more…]

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Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Auction to be Held in Knightsbridge, England on June 29th, Catalog Available Online

The second of two Entertainment Memorabilia auctions to be held by Bonhams in the month of June has published its catalog online. This event will be held at their Knightsbridge location in England on June 29th for their “Entertainment Memorabilia” auction (Sale 19036). The first auction will be held in Los Angeles on June 29th. [Read more…]

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“AVATAR: The Exhibition” at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle June 4th-September 3rd

The Experience Music Project has organized an exhibition called “AVATR: The Exhibition”, which will be held at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle from June 4th through September 3rd.  Per the official site, this was created with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment, and “will feature authentic props and costumes, interactive displays, concept models, and sketches from the blockbuster film”. [Read more…]

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Auction House Buyer’s Premiums: On The Rise (Revisited Three Years Later – 2011 Update)

Back in 2008, the Original Prop Blog published an article about “Buyer’s Premiums” assessed by the major auction houses in the marketplace (see Auction House Buyer’s Premiums: On The Rise).  With their upcoming Debbie Reyonlds sale in June, Profiles in History raised their rates by 5%, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to revisit the topic, as well as compare and contrast with findings from the article published May 30, 2008, with updates as of today, May 31, 2011 – three years later. [Read more…]

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Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Auction to be Held in Los Angeles on June 26th, Catalog Available Online

One of two Entertainment Memorabilia auctions to be held by Bonhams in the month of June has its associated online catalog available online this morning. This event will be held in Los Angeles on June 26th for their “Entertainment Memorabilia including Animation Art” auction (Sale 19045).  The second auction will be held at their Knightsbridge location on June 29th (catalog is currently unavailable). [Read more…]