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

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Trend: The “Hype Premium”

A trend that comes and goes with the theatrical release of hit films (and sometimes not so “hit” films) and “hot” films (i.e. a small but enthused following) is that of “Hype Premium”. This trend manifests itself in conjunction with the theatrical release of films that include complimentary promotion in the form of prop offerings by the studio or studio affiliate. Well, I just now made up the terminology – “Hype Premium” – but it’s descriptive enough…

This is an oft discussed trend – even in the midst of it actually occurring – but it rarely fails to deliver.

Companies like Hollywood Vault and Premiere Props often schedule auctions by 1) offering props from films at the time of the theatrical release and then, 2) offering additional props later, at the time of the DVD release.

This is done to maximize promotion of the film (in theaters and for home video release) via the sale of props and wardrobe pieces.

So what does this have to do with the “Hype Premium”?

The “Hype Premium” is the difference in price realized for the same or similar items offered at the theatrical release compared with the home video release. [Read more…]

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Original Prop Marketplace Oversight

One topic that comes up with original prop collectors now and again is the notion of “marketplace oversight”. Given the nature of these collectibles, where value is intrinsically tied to provenance and authenticity, how do we, as a hobby, move away from the “Wild West” environment, and perhaps implement some sort of oversight (whether organized or informal) to help guide and share information with new and seasoned collectors and identify those individuals or entities that trade in inauthentic pieces? [Read more…]

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Anonymity, Transparency, & The “Real World”

There are several very interesting and very active topics running on the Movie Prop Forum, which have engaged hobbyists on a variety of important issues related to the hobby of collecting original props. [Read more…]

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The “Other” Dealer Issue: Communication & Good Will

Most of my opinion pieces on the blog involve issues of provenance and authenticity. That really goes to the heart of the hobby, and makes up much of the minefield that original prop collectors navigate as they transact in the marketplace.

The “Other” issue, which gets less attention here and on the discussion forums, is one just as prevalent and much easier to resolve: Business Practices & Customer Service [Read more…]

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Work in Progress: The Ultimate Original Prop COA, Part II

I had initiated a discussion topic on the Movie Prop Forum related to my previous article (see “Work in Progress: The Ultimate Original Prop COA, Part I“), which can be found here: [Read more…]

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Authenticity & Burden of Proof, Part II: Inauthentic Props

This is a follow-up to an article I wrote back in May, “Authenticity & Burden of Proof“.

In the prior article, I made the argument that a discerning collector should approach a potential prop or costume or other artifact acquisition as an unknown, or inconclusive in terms of it’s being “Original” (see What is “Original”?). Authenticity must then be proven. This is a different perspective from those that believe what they are told about a piece, without question. [Read more…]

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eBay’s “Entertainment Memorabilia Buying Guide” & Original Prop Authentication

One interesting section of content on the eBay website is what they call the “Entertainment Memorabilia Buying Guide“.

Of the sections, of particular interest to original prop hobbyists is titled “Research Entertainment Memorabilia“: [Read more…]