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

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Prop Talk Podcast #012 – James Comisar, The Comisar Collection | Interview by The Original Prop Blog with Jason DeBord

James Comisar, special guest. This is the twelfth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. James Comisar is the curator of the most comprehensive collection of original television artifacts in the world – wardrobe, props, sets, set decoration, vehicles, and more, spanning 60 years of popular culture history.  He is a principal expert in this field and specialist in authentication, preservation, investment, restoration, and other important aspects of pop culture memorabilia and ephemera collecting.

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Pawn Stars Latest Episode Features Civil War Jacket – “TBS” Stamp – Inspector’s Mark or “The Burbank Studios”?

Friends and Original Prop Blog readers Jen and Bryce wrote to me today in regards to one of the latest episodes of Pawn Stars, which premiered last night. In the episode, “Late Night Chum”, a customer brings in what appears to be a Civil War jacket. Mark, the Administrator from the Clark County Museum, is called on to help authenticate it, and speculates that the stamped letters, “TBS”, might be an inspector’s mark. With an alternate assessment, and based on their experience with classic movie memorabilia, props, and wardrobe, and having found the same mark on studio-used garments, Jen and Bryce believe that it might actually be a mark indicating prior ownership by “The Burbank Studios”. [Read more…]

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Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Auction to be Held in Knightsbridge, England on June 29th, Catalog Available Online

The second of two Entertainment Memorabilia auctions to be held by Bonhams in the month of June has published its catalog online. This event will be held at their Knightsbridge location in England on June 29th for their “Entertainment Memorabilia” auction (Sale 19036). The first auction will be held in Los Angeles on June 29th. [Read more…]

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Auction House Buyer’s Premiums: On The Rise (Revisited Three Years Later – 2011 Update)

Back in 2008, the Original Prop Blog published an article about “Buyer’s Premiums” assessed by the major auction houses in the marketplace (see Auction House Buyer’s Premiums: On The Rise).  With their upcoming Debbie Reyonlds sale in June, Profiles in History raised their rates by 5%, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to revisit the topic, as well as compare and contrast with findings from the article published May 30, 2008, with updates as of today, May 31, 2011 – three years later. [Read more…]

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Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Auction to be Held in Los Angeles on June 26th, Catalog Available Online

One of two Entertainment Memorabilia auctions to be held by Bonhams in the month of June has its associated online catalog available online this morning. This event will be held in Los Angeles on June 26th for their “Entertainment Memorabilia including Animation Art” auction (Sale 19045).  The second auction will be held at their Knightsbridge location on June 29th (catalog is currently unavailable). [Read more…]

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Prop Talk Podcast #011 – Brian Muir, Film Industry Sculptor (“Darth Vader Sculptor”) | Interview by The Original Prop Blog with Jason DeBord

Brian Muir, special guest. This is the eleventh ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog.  Mr. Brian Muir is a veteran in the film industry, working as a sculptor on an incredible number of movies, including Star Wars: A New Hope, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, numerous James Bond films, Harry Potter films, and more.  Notably, Mr. Muir is credited as the sculptor of the iconic helmet for Darth Vader early in his career.

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Second “D23 Expo” at Anaheim Convention Center in August 2011 to Again Feature “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives”

As reported in 2009, Disney held their first D23 Expo (see “D23 Expo” at Anaheim Convention Center in September 2009 to Feature “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives”).  This year will mark the second such event, at the same facility though, per a press release, it will be twice the size.  A highlight for the show will be the return of the “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives”, boasting “80 years of Disney history”.  The event is scheduled to run August 19-21. [Read more…]

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Pawn Stars: Harry Houdini Straight Jacket Matched to Vintage Photo from January 1, 1915 – For Sale On eBay

Last week’s episode of Pawn Stars featured a gentleman who brought in a vintage straight jacket that he believed to have been owned by magician Harry Houdini.  In the episode, Rick calls in Murray SawChuck to help authenticate the piece, which he ultimately believes he does irrefutably via matching details (stitching, buttons, placement and style thereof) to a very high resolution vintage photo from January 1, 1915.  If correct, it marks the pieces as extraordinarily rare and historically important, yet the owner of the piece and Rick cannot come to terms, with the owner at $30,000 and Rick at $25,000.  It would seem to be much more valuable than that, by my estimation, and is currently listed for sale on eBay for $149,000. [Read more…]