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

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Profiles in History “Peer Review” on George Reeves Superman Cape; More on 12/29/75 Western Costume Letters

As noted in recent articles (see Profiles in History Pledges More Transparency; Open Q&A On Website Regarding Provenance, Authenticity, Other Questions and Profiles in History Pledges More Transparency: Update & Response to “What We Are Currently Working On”), Profiles in History’s General Manager, Fong Sam, has written about embracing what they call “the concept of auctions as peer review” with regards to “verifying provenance” of material listed for public sale in their auction catalogs on his haxbee.com site.  With their upcoming sale, The Dreier Collection, Part 1, a few principals in our art market have raised questions with me privately with regards to one of the items listed for auction, Lot 106 GEORGE REEVES “SUPERMAN” CAPE FROM THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN.  Since the suggested resource on the Profiles in History website has yet to be created, I thought I would publish those questions raised with me in this article as part of the public “peer review” process with Profiles in History. [Read more…]

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“Museum Collection of Superhero Memorabilia” Superman Costume Auction Results

As reported over recent weeks, Antique Helper offered a collection of mostly Superman-related costumes and memorabilia yesterday, the descriptions of which included caveats and disclaimers as to provenance and authenticity.  Generally, the auction results for the costumes highlighted in the prior articles were lackluster, in terms of comparable confirmed authentic examples of the same style and type of wardrobe pieces. [Read more…]

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Antique Helper Catalog Now Online With Descriptions of Superman-Related Costumes at Auction; No Warranties Nor Claims of Authenticity

As reported last week, Antique Helper is offering for public auction a number of Superman-related costumes as part of their “Super Hero Museum Collection” auction this weekend.  The catalog is now published online, with carefully worded lot descriptions. [Read more…]

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Press Release: “Museum Collection of Superhero Memorabilia” to be Sold at Auction by Antique Helper in Indianapolis

This morning I received a press release from the press contact for Antique Helper in Indianapolis, Indiana with regards to their “Museum Collection of Superhero Memorabilia”, part of their larger “Art and Antiques Auction”.  Included in the sale are pieces attributed to the American Superheroes Museum.  [Read more…]

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More Examples of ‘Western Costume’ Letters of Authentication Dated 12/29/75 for George Reeves Superman TV Series Wardrobe Pieces

Last week, an Original Prop Blog article revisited a 2008 feature (see …Questions, Observations) which archived marketing collateral regarding a George Reeves Superman wardrobe piece with a Western Costume Company letter.  The new article (see Signature Comparison…) compared the letter and signature to a similar letter attached to a Superman cape offered for public sale on eBay .  I’ve since received photos of three additional Western Costume letters bearing the signature of Robert Niewoehner with the same date: December 29, 1975.

[Read more…]

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Signature Comparison: ‘Western Costume’ Letters of Authentication for George Reeves Superman TV Series Capes Dated 12/29/75

In 2008, an article was published on the Original Prop Blog with regards to certain props and costumes consigned to a Signature House auction (see Signature House Entertainment Memorabilia Auctions – Questions, Observations).  Included were questions raised about the remarkable coincidence of two letters of authentication included with two different capes (attributed to use by George Reeves in the Superman television series produced in the 1950s) from two different dealers; both letters shared the same date: December 29, 1975.  A third such letter – with the same date – has now been introduced into the marketplace.  This third example bears a signature that appears to differ from the example featured in the 2008 article. [Read more…]

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Superman Costume Collection Pulled From Upcoming ‘Morphy Auctions’ Sale Event

Earlier this month, Morphy Auctions listed a large collection of more than a dozen Superman-related principal costume and wardrobe pieces in their online catalog for their late February 2010 sale event.  As was the case with an unrelated auction last year (see Philip Weiss Auctions Cancels “Special Superhero Weekend”), it would appear that all items have been pulled from their upcoming sale. [Read more…]

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Philip Weiss Auctions Cancels “Special Superhero Weekend”

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The Philip Weiss website has been advertising a “Special Superhero Weekend” auction event for about a month, with highlights noted as “The Dane Nash Collection” of Superman costumes “originally purchased from Jim Hambrick”.  Per the website, this auction event has been canceled, with no further details or explanation. [Read more…]