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

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Pulled From Auction? Profiles in History Removes “Screen Used” Obi-Wan Kenobi Lightsaber from “Icons & Legends of Hollywood” Online Auction Catalog

As reported earlier today (LINK), Profiles in History was all over the news in the mainstream media (Associated Press, Page Six, Syfy Wire, etc.) with outlets writing about one of the highlights of their massive four day “Icons & Legends of Hollywood” auction in June – a “screen used” prop lightsaber attributed to use by Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.  Profiles in History claimed that the “hero” lightsaber had provenance leading back to the late John Mollo, the costume designer on the film who passed away late last year.  I pointed to an active discussion on the Replica Prop Forum, with some members openly questioning the authenticity of the piece.  It appears that the piece – Lot 775 – has been pulled from the auction, as a fresh download of the online PDF version of the catalog for the sale is two pages lighter.  Scanning the now 499 pages, it skips the previous two page spread of Lot 775 entirely. [Read more…]

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Profiles in History’s “Screen Used” Obi-Wan Kenobi Lightsaber from “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” Raises Questions

Today, Profiles in History is making news with Associated Press announcing one of the highlights of their next Hollywood auction, a “screen used” prop lightsaber attributed to use by Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.  Profiles in History claims that the “hero” lightsaber has provenance going back directly to the late John Mollo, the costume designer on the film who passed away about six months ago.  Head over to the Replica Prop Forum, and there is already a discussion underway, with some members raising questions. [Read more…]

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Revisiting TV Prop Studio Sanctioned Auctions: Descriptions, Research, Production Made, Multiples, Back-Ups, “Use” on Screen (ScreenBid/Breaking Bad, Profiles in History/LOST, Christie’s/Star Trek)

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An issue that seems to come up with every official studio auction of original props and costumes from popular television shows is that of buyers feeling mislead by descriptions of auction houses, particularly use.  We saw this with Christie’s and their official “40 years of Star Trek” auction, with Profiles in History and their sale of material from ABC’s LOST, and based on a reader comment today on my article about newcomer ScreenBid and their Breaking Bad auction, it would seem that the same issue is in play with this latest sale as well.  Since people likely don’t check my articles for comments after reading it, I thought it might be worthwhile and productive to highlight that comment and my response in a new article, as it is an issue that seems to occur with each of these official studio sales, particularly because it brings in participants who have not participated in such sales before, and perhaps have not purchased or collected original props, costumes, and other artifacts from film and television. [Read more…]

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Vintage Poster Scandal Update: 1931 Dracula Poster Lawsuits & Default Judgments – Profiles in History vs. Thomas Rega / Thomas Rega vs. Studio Conservation

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One of the most significant scandals to hit Hollywood memorabilia collecting in the past decade was a series of discoveries in the poster community relating to purported fraudulent movie posters and one sheets.  A new update was published yesterday on the MoPo Mailing List at FilmFan.com by Dianne Jeffrey, President and CEO of Studio Conservation Inc.   Ms. Jeffrey was the professional who did some of the restoration work (in good faith) on the Dracula poster consigned to a Profiles in History auction in which it was featured on the cover of their “Hollywood Auction 37” sale event in 2009. Ms. Jeffrey has stated on MoPo that she received notice of a default judgment against her from Thomas Rega “in the amount of $263,312.50, plus attorney fees of $18,134.80”; she is a resident of California and the lawsuit was filed against her in New Jersey and she did not represent herself and/or her business in court.  Interestingly, Profiles in History was previously awarded a default judgment against Thomas Rega in their own lawsuit filed against him in California. [Read more…]

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Vintage Poster Scandal Update: Judge Sentences Kerry Haggard to over 6 years in Federal Prison and Orders to Pay $1,380,000 in Restitution to Victims

This is an update to the ongoing series of articles into various claims and charges of fraud in the posters, one sheets, and lobby cards art market that have rocked the collectibles industry over the past two and a half years. Today, per reports from Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, the Athens Banner-Herald, and other mainstream media sources, Kerry Haggard was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon to six years and six months in federal prison.  The court also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1.38 million dollars. [Read more…]

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Original Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5 “Freddy” Gloves Update

Back in June 2007, I published an article about Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5 “Freddy” gloves in the marketplace, and highlighted that reproductions (marketed as replicas) were being crafted by Mr. David B. Miller (see Original Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5 Freddy Gloves).  Mr. Miller was kind enough to share supplemental information in his Reader Comment to the original article (see Update).  I stumbled across a relevant discussion this week on a forum called Springwood Slasher with members raising concerns about a “Freddy” glove listed for public sale on eBay (see Is this really the screen used glove?).  In discussing with other hobbyists and horror prop expert Mario Kirner, Mario shared an interesting observation based on a review of his archive of images of past examples of this specific prop offered for sale in the public marketplace. [Read more…]

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Vintage Poster Scandal Update: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Reports NY Federal Prosecutors Seek New Arrest Warrant

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today published an update to one of several scandals that rocked the collectible poster collecting field in 2009 and 2010.  The news report states that “Federal prosecutors in New York are asking a judge to jail a Georgia man who is accused of selling fake vintage horror movie posters over the Internet”. [Read more…]

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‘LOST’ Items Not “Lost”; New ‘The Prop Blog’ and Unnamed Source Get Facts Wrong About Upcoming Auction According To Profiles in History

Yesterday, “The Prop Blog” (see New Website “The Prop Blog”…) published an article citing “a source that has chosen to remain anonymous” reporting that “Profiles in History plans to auction off only what they have determined to be the top 1,000 pieces” in their upcoming LOST auction.  [Read more…]