Star Wars

June 17, 2018 By Jason DeBord

Andrew Ainsworth Still Taking Credit For The Work Of Others, Compares Himself To Michelangelo…

The Daily Express have published a puff piece about Andrew Ainsworth (“the designer of the original stormtrooper”) today in an article by Gabriella Geisinger (see “How the Stormtrooper became Star Wars icon ‘More popular than Michelangelo’s David'”). Ainsworth even compares himself to Michelangelo. In the article, Ainsworth gives passing mention to Ralph McQuarrie for his original “sketch” of the Stormtrooper, and as in past interviews of course no mention at all of Liz Moore (who was responsible for the original Stormtrooper helmet sculpt) or Brian Muir (who was the first to sculpt armor parts). And no mention of John Barry, (the production designer) or John Mollo (the wardrobe designer) who were also part of the team that created the Stormtrooper. To be fair, Ainsworth deserves credit for what he did contribute to the original Star Wars film… but he always seems eager to take much more credit than is due. [Read more…]

May 3, 2018 By Jason DeBord

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…]

December 6, 2015 By Jason DeBord

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

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…]

November 20, 2015 By Jason DeBord

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

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.
[Read more…]

October 2, 2015 By Jason DeBord

Return of the “Prototype” (“Ridgeback”?) Stormtrooper Helmet at Profiles in History Auction

I’ve been tracking the public auction of prop helmets characterized as “prototype” stormtrooper helmets made for Star Wars: A New Hope for many years now, going back to 2008 wherein I first published an analysis of these helmets floating around the marketplace at the time, as well as some context with regards to their maker, Andrew Ainsworth. In the same article, I published archives of some of the past offerings of these helmets at public auction, including one from Profiles in History in their “Hollywood Auction 21” a decade ago (which passed as unsold at the time). I thought maybe we’d seen the last of these following a lot of public controversy, when finally last year both Christie’s and Nate D. Sanders put them up for sale and then withdrew them from auction, but with the latest Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 74”, we have yet another one, only now they’ve done away with the “prototype” moniker and call it a “ridgeback”. In any event, the piece went unsold at this week’s auction, so maybe the collecting market is still not buying it? [Read more…]

July 20, 2015 By Jason DeBord

Official Pix Offers First Autograph & Signing/Sketch/Artwork Opportunity With Colin Cantwell, “Star Wars: A New Hope” Prototype Model Builder

Official Pix is offering their first signing opportunity to get autographs and personalized sketches from Colin Cantwell. At 82 years old today, Colin Cantwell famously made the first prototype models for the first Star Wars films for George Lucas back in 1974/1975; the first realizations for the X-Wing Fighter, the Y-Wing Fighter, the Tie Fighter, the Star Destroyer, the Death Star, the Landspeeder, the Sandcrawler, and the Millennium Falcon, as well as the T-16 Skyhopper that Mark Hamill is seen using in the final cut of the film. Prior to building these prototype models, Colin created original full color artwork as well as sketches based on his discussions with George Lucas in 1974, and was one of the very first artists to work on Star Wars. I worked with Mr. Cantwell in 2014, helping him to bring some rare memorabilia to auction with Julien’s Auctions as well as recording a number of video interview with him about his work in and out of the film and television industries (see all Original Prop Blog articles about Colin Cantwell here: LINK). [Read more…]

July 24, 2014 By Jason DeBord

Daily Mail Piece on Nate D. Sanders “Super-Rare Prototype” Stormtrooper Helmet from Andrew Ainsworth’s Work on Star Wars

The Daily Mail must be an easy get for a puff piece on movie prop memorabilia, going by their latest article on the “prototype” stormtrooper helmet being put up for auction (again) by Nate D Sanders this month. It reads as though it was repurposed from the auction house material, without the benefit of any third party analysis or questions about the provenance of the item. A similar helmet was pulled from auction by Christie’s last month, and their have been questions raised about the background of these “prototype” stormtrooper helmets attributed to Andrew Ainsworth’s work on Star Wars: A New Hope going back for years now. [Read more…]

June 18, 2014 By Jason DeBord

Update: Additional Images of Christie’s Withdrawn “Prototype” Star Wars Stormtrooper Helmet

This is an update to the article published on Monday (see “Christie’s Withdraws “Prototype” Star Wars Stormtrooper Prop Helmet with Andrew Ainsworth Provenance from Upcoming Auction“). As mentioned in that prior article, unfortunately, no images were provided of the sides and back of the helmet. A friend in the UK previewed the upcoming Christie’s auction, and took photos of the “prototype” Storwtrooper prop helmet, which has since been withdrawn from their sale (#5446). These additional images are important, in that the single image provided in the online lot description/catalog only included one “straight on” style image which did not show whether the lower, back side of the helmet had the “ribbed” decoration (a detail that most other “prototypes” have shared). [Read more…]