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

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Jack Warford, Star Wars Starship Model Photographer for Merchandising/Promotion in 1977 & Rare Filming and Prototype Images

This article is by its nature self-promotion for Julien’s Auctions (where I serve as COO), but I believe it is consistent with my past articles sharing news and insights about Star Wars with followers, so I’m making an exception in this case, as I am in a unique position to share new information about Star Wars.  I wanted to put a spotlight not so much on our lots in an upcoming auction, but on Jack Warford and his story behind some of the iconic photography of original model starships from the original Star Wars in 1977.  All of this background was completely unknown to me prior to working on bringing some prints and original photos to auction this year. [Read more…]

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San Diego Comic-Con 2019: Star Wars Imperial Stormtrooper Costume Exhibit

This is part of my ongoing coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2019. There was a large area of the main Exhibit Hall carved out for all things Star Wars, and as has been tradition, they had costumes from all of the films on display, featuring different types of imperial stormtrooper armor. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – “Empire Strikes Back” Darth Vader Costume Auction with Bonhams Update: Withdrawn

This is part of my ongoing series of YouTube videos, with a follow up to my recent look at the Bonhams “TCM Presents … Wonders of the Galaxy – Science Fiction and Fantasy in Film” auction that took place today, May 14th, in Los Angeles. This latest video editorial provides an update to Lot 162 described as “A complete Darth Vader costume from The Empire Strikes Back/Star Wars Episode V”.  Shortly before the auction was scheduled to begin, the status of the costume was changed to “WITHDRAWN”.  However, the Darth Vader gloves from Star Wars were not withdrawn, though failed to reach the unstated reserve, stalled at $28,000. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – “Empire Strikes Back” Darth Vader Costume Up For Auction with Bonhams (Screen-Used? Production Made? Touring Costume?)

This is part of my ongoing series of YouTube videos, with this one taking a close-up look at the upcoming Bonhams “TCM Presents … Wonders of the Galaxy – Science Fiction and Fantasy in Film” auction taking place on May 14th in Los Angeles.  This latest video editorial specifically takes a closer look at Lot 162 described as “A complete Darth Vader costume from The Empire Strikes Back/Star Wars Episode V”.  [Read more…]

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YouTube Update – “Darth Vader Lightsaber Prop from ‘Return of the Jedi'” from 2010 Auction

This is part of my new, ongoing series of YouTube videos, with this one serving as a direct update to an article published here on the Original Prop Blog back in May of 2010.  At that time, there were questions about a prop lightsaber up for auction attributed to the character of Darth Vader in the film, Return of the Jedi.  Some of these questions were raised in my article published on May 31, 2010 (Profiles in History ‘Hollywood Auction 40′ Video Preview: Darth Vader Lightsaber Prop from ‘Return of the Jedi’).  Don Bies, former curator of the Lucasfilm Archives, has provided some information relevant to those outstanding questions, which is shared in this latest YouTube video. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – Luke Lightsaber Auction Part 5: Profiles in History Withdraws Lightsaber From Auction

This is a Part 5 follow-up my Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 close-up looks at the “[o]riginal production used “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from the collection of Oscar-winning set decorator Roger Christian” featured in the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” taking place on December 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th. This latest video features news of the lightsaber being withdrawn from auction by Profiles in History, per a report from Reuters. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – Luke Lightsaber Auction Part 4: Roger Christian Responds

This is a Part 4 follow-up my Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3 close-up looks at the “[o]riginal production used “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from the collection of Oscar-winning set decorator Roger Christian” featured in the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” taking place on December 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th (the lightsaber specifically is scheduled to go under the hammer on December 13th). This latest video highlights a “Reader Comment” made today by Roger Christian himself.  As he took the time to respond to some of my questions in my prior videos as well as correct a few mistakes made by me, I wanted to bring attention to the comment that he published in order to share it with anyone who might have watched prior videos on YouTube and/or read prior articles here on the Original Prop Blog.  One of my primary questions was whether or not the prop lightsaber seen in the photos on the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) is the same lightsaber or a different lightsaber from the one up for auction and as seen in the photos published by Profiles in History in their auction catalog and in the online listing at iCollector.  Today, Roger Christian says that: “[t]he two photos immediately below my signature in my COA depict the exact same lightsaber that is being sold by Profiles in History”. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – Luke Lightsaber Auction Part 3: Which Lightsaber Is Original?

This is a Part 3 follow-up my Part 1 and Part 2 close-up looks at the “[o]riginal production used “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope from the collection of Oscar-winning set decorator Roger Christian” featured in the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” taking place on December 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th. This latest video primarily looks into additional discrepancies between the lightsaber depicted in the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and the lightsaber depicted in the auction catalog, in the online iCollector listing, and that was on display at San Diego Comic Con earlier this year, as well as Roger Christian’s own characterization of the same in various interviews over the years. [Read more…]