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

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San Diego Comic-Con 2019: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

This is part of my ongoing coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2019. 2019 is the first year that Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! exhibited pieces from the collection in the main exhibit hall.  On display was the lightsaber prop purchased from Profiles in History and attributed to use by Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, the Han Solo blaster from Return of the Jedi purchased from Julien’s Auctions, and a Hoverboard from Back To The Future Part II and a bullwhip from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.  In that I cataloged the Han Solo blaster for Julien’s, I noticed that it appears to have since been damaged (and as you’ll note in the photos, the handle of the blaster is held in place by some gum-like material in this display. [Read more…]

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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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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…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – Luke Lightsaber Auction Part 2: Is The Lightsaber In The LOA Different From The One Up For Auction?

This is a Part 2 follow-up to my last YouTube video taking a close-up look 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 at the 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. [Read more…]

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YouTube Close-Up Look – Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” Luke Skywalker Lightsaber from Star Wars: A New Hope

This is part of my new, ongoing series of YouTube videos, with this one taking a close-up look at the upcoming Profiles in History “Hollywood Auction 96” taking place on December 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th.  As a follow-up to the previously posted overall preview of the auction, this latest video editorial specifically takes a closer look at Lot 1479 described as 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”.  [Read more…]

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WITHDRAWN: Bonhams Pulls “A Luke Skywalker Lightsaber used in Return of the Jedi” from “TCM Presents… Out Of This World!” Auction

Last week The Original Prop Blog published an article about the “A Luke Skywalker Lightsaber used in Return of the Jedi” prop up for public auction in their current “TCM Presents … Out of This World!” event scheduled to conclude on November 21st.  The description in the online catalog had been edited to remove the (vague) details about the provenance, and the piece in question seems to match a “Return of the Jedi” lightsaber prop that I wrote about in 2013 that was offered for sale on eBay and seemed to have a connection with Elstree Props.  Today, the lot is marked as “WITHDRAWN” on the item page. [Read more…]