When Elstree Props listed their business for sale on eBay in November 2007 (see Elstree Props Retiring, Offering Business For Sale), I posed the following question with regard to the “100% unconditional guarantee”: [Read more…]
The “Production Protection Program” (“P-3”): Retired?
Based on the transfer of ownership of Elstree Props (see Elstree Props, New Ownership, Announcement On Redesigned Website) and a near complete lack of evidence of it ever having been on the Internet, it appears that the “Production Protection Program”, or “P-3”, has been retired. [Read more…]
Star Wars “Original Prototype Lightsabers from 1976 Meeting”
Elstree Props (e11e on eBay) is marketing another very expensive “original” prop auction with pieces claimed to have been “prototypes” in the production of Star Wars: A New Hope. This new eBay offering is a set of lightsabers, attributed to a January 1976 meeting. Comparing the claims made in the auction listing with J.W. Rinzler’s The Making of Star Wars raises many questions about these vintage camera flashguns being offered for sale starting at $19,938.00. [Read more…]
The “Production Protection Program” & The United Movie Collectors Guild
One development in the hobby that comes up as a topic of conversation from time to time, and is directly related to the opinion piece article posted a few days ago (see Original Prop Marketplace Oversight) as well as recent discussions about the Return of the Jedi lightsaber currently at auction (see Elstree Props “Original” Return of the Jedi Lightsaber at Auction), is the “Production Protection Program“, or “P-3”. [Read more…]
Challenging The Hobby: The COA & The Guarantee
Article Summary: An opinion piece about original prop Certificates of Authenticity and dealer/retailer “guarantees”, including the Origins of the COA, The “Guarantee” (Money Back, Lifetime), The Studio Reseller COA & Guarantee, The Professional Dealer COA – Issues of Lost Provenance, Professional Dealer COA Questions, Individual & Private Seller COAs & LOAs, and the Auction House COA & Guarantee. [Read more…]