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

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YouTube Edition – The 12th Annual Original Prop Blog “Year in Review” for 2018 – Original TV & Movie Props, Costumes and Pop Culture Memorabilia

This is part of my new, ongoing series of YouTube videos.  As per tradition, (see 2007 Year in Review, 2008 Year in Review, 2009 Year in Review, 2010 Year in Review, 2011 Year in Review, 2012 Year in Review, 2013 Year in Review, 2014 Year in Review, 2015 Year in Review, 2016 Year in Review, 2017 Year in Review), what follows is an editorial featuring my personal observations and opinions with regards to the business of buying, collecting, selling, and preserving original pop culture artifacts used in film and television productions. A look back at interesting trends, developments, and news stories from 2018. As is always the case, this is a completely subjective exercise, and merely touches on the developments and events that relate to the hobby and art market.  2018 marks the first year that this will be published exclusively in video form on YouTube. [Read more…]

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Hollywood Reporter Feature: “A Marvel Heist and the Booming Business (and Seedy Underworld) of Movie Collectibles”

Writer Gary Baum has written an interesting primer on the art market for original production material from film and television for Hollywood Reporter, which was published today.  It takes a look at the market from several viewpoints – the increasing market and values, theft and fraud, some of the motivations behind collecting – and he interviewed principals in the industry such as Max Anderson of the Stan Lee Museum, Steve Sansweet of Rancho Obi-Wan, Darren Julien of Julien’s Auctions, James Comisar of the Comisar Collection, Joe Maddalena of Profiles in History, collector David Mandel, Jeff Pirtle of NBCUniversal, Brandon Alinger of Prop Store, Catherin Williamson of Bonhams, Laura Woolley of The Collector’s Lab, Jacob McMurray of Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, Margaret Barrett of Heritage Auctions as well as law enforcement, and it also gives some history of the hobby (and business) of buying and selling high end memorabilia. [Read more…]

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Auction Buyer Files Lawsuit Against Profiles in History Over Tony Soprano Costume from Final Episode of “The Sopranos”

A customer of Profiles in History, Dwight Manley, has this week filed a lawsuit against the auction house in Los Angeles Superior Court.  Manley is suing over a costume worn by James Gandolfini in the final episode of The Sopranos, and has also named The Golden Closet as a Defendant as the company was the consignor of the item in question.  His complaint alleges fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of express warranty.  [Read more…]

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The 11th Annual Original Prop Blog “Year in Review” for 2017: News, Developments, and Trends in Collecting Original TV & Movie Props, Costumes and Pop Culture Memorabilia

As per tradition, (see 2007 Year in Review, 2008 Year in Review, 2009 Year in Review, 2010 Year in Review, 2011 Year in Review, 2012 Year in Review, 2013 Year in Review, 2014 Year in Review, 2015 Year in Review, 2016 Year in Review), what follows is an editorial featuring my personal observations and opinions with regards to the business of buying, collecting, selling, and preserving original pop culture artifacts used in film and television productions. A look back at interesting trends, developments, and news stories from 2017. As is always the case, this is a completely subjective exercise, and merely touches on the developments and events that relate to the hobby and art market. [Read more…]

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12-Year Prison Sentence for $23 Million Sports Memorabilia Fraud Scheme

As reported in the Chicago Tribune (“Collector given 12 years in prison for selling phony sports memorabilia“), John Rogers of Arkansas received a long sentence following his 45-minute statement to the court asking for leniency, at one point stating “I don’t deserve a break, but I’m asking you for one”.  Rogers plead guilty to one count of wire fraud in March.  Judge Dirkin said his fraud scheme was “breathtaking” and that Rogers “literally told thousands of lies to honest people to have them part with their money”. [Read more…]

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California Assembly Continues To Confuse and Confound Marketplace with New Legislative “Fixes” to Autograph Law

The Original Prop Blog is more confused than ever with the ever evolving and changing law in California pertaining to the sale and purchase of autographed memorabilia.  Governor Jerry Brown signed new changes into law in October, and rather than starting over with a new law that makes sense, they continue to tinker with the existing one which is just a terribly written (though well-intended) piece of legislation.  Honestly, it’s gotten to the point where reading these bills and referencing back to the previous laws that the new fixes are supposed to… fix…  just continue to make things more and more confusing.  Confusing isn’t a strong enough word.  Confounding?  [Read more…]

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California Assembly & Senate Continue To Confuse Marketplace with New Legislative “Fixes” to Autograph Law

In early 2016, I wrote a lengthy critique of the then proposed new “autograph anti-fraud legislation” introduced to the California Assembly.  That bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, and sustained vocal opposition to the law continues, along with confusion in the marketplace in California.  Government being government, there are now two different legislative “fixes” in the works that don’t address the myriad of problems that the terrible law put into effect.  Additionally, Pacific Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of Book Passage and Bill Petrocelli back in May, with the suit intended to challenge the “law that made the sale of autographed books unconscionably difficult”. [Read more…]

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eBay Alert: Star Trek Original Series Tricorder Prop… Buy A Replica for $8,500?

As I’ve mentioned many, many times, there are always countless fake/replica/reproduction props and costumes listed on eBay as “authentic” and “genuine” and used on this or that television show or in a certain movie.  So even if I took it upon myself to make note of these as a full-time job, I could never cover everything.  But it is particularly irksome when someone contacts me directly to help authenticate a prop or collection – which I did for free – only to see it show up on eBay a few days after informing him it is a replica, being offered as “an original” and “not a reproduction prop” and “the real thing and very valuable”…   I informed him that my expert’s opinion was that the piece was “a replica” and explained why and that these pieces were of little value.  Not the $8,500 Buy It Now price on eBay.  I even provided links to online collecting communities for further opinion and additional resources. [Read more…]