As reported a few weeks ago (see “Premiere Props Now In Business Of Selling “Authenticated” Forgery, Along With Premiere Props COA? (Star Trek Mark English Communicator)“), the entertainment memorabilia dealer tried to make lemons out of lemonade after being informed by third party observers that one of the pieces listed for public auction in their latest sale was a forgery. They changed the title and description for the lot in question, recasting the offering as an authenticated fake prop. I have just gotten around to looking up the results of the June 15th sale, and found that the item is marked “WAS NOT SOLD” (though there was a bid of $200 – the start price). I had characterized the sale as “a first in this art market – the open and notorious public sale offering of “authenticated” fake props, along with a COA certifying it… fake?” Well, the hobby has apparently spoken… I guess? [Read more…]
ScreenUsed’s Movie Prop, Costume, and Memorabilia Live Online Auction to be Held on July 6th, Catalog Available Online
ScreenUsed will be concluding their next live online auction on July 6th. The auction catalog is now available online via a PDF download via their official website and collectors can bid on iCollector. Featuring an assortment of original props, costumes, and other production material from film and television, this sale boasts 190 Star Trek items out of the 468 lots. In the spirit of the style of auction that they have created, this sale will have the benefit of lower starting prices and reserves than many competing auctions. [Read more…]
Premiere Props Now In Business Of Selling “Authenticated” Forgery, Along With Premiere Props COA? (Star Trek Mark English Communicator)
“Crew members and independent collectors have verified the authenticity of this item as a Mark English Forgery. Comes with a COA from Premiere Props”. Wow. I guess this is a new direction of this art market, filed under Sell At Any Cost: The Authenticated Fake Prop? As noted in my wordy titled preview of Premiere Props upcoming regularly scheduled auction (see “Premiere Props ‘Hollywood Auction Extravaganza X’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event June 15 (Plus An OPB Editorial Plea For Authentication)“, their authentication and lot descriptions, in my personal opinion, left a lot to be desired. I have no idea if anyone at Premiere Props reads the Original Prop Blog, but if “authenticating” a fake prop as fake and still offering it for sale is what they thought I had in mind with my public “plea for authentication”, they could not have been more wrong. There is zero benefit to selling forgeries back into the marketplace, in my opinion, and the idea of including a COA “authenticating” a fake as a fake makes my head spin. If the fake fooled Premiere Props, is it responsible for them to continue to facilitate the sale of a piece that is widely regarded as problematic for those of us who make efforts to keep such pieces out of the marketplace? How about someone takes a hammer to it instead? [Read more…]
Premiere Props ‘Hollywood Auction Extravaganza X’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event June 15 (Plus An OPB Editorial Plea For Authentication)
Lots for Premiere Props’ sale in mid-June have been listed online with online bidding partner iCollector, as part of their “Hollywood Extravaganza X”. The one-day auction is scheduled for June 15th. As with past auctions, the sale includes general memorabilia, though, as with their last sale, there is more interesting material with this event than they’ve had in some time, although much of it does not include any substantive information (or even vague information) about history and provenance in the lot descriptions (though to their credit, some do). Premiere Props is such a frustrating company, on so many levels, but some of their auction descriptions (if you can even call them that) are beyond unacceptable. I can’t imagine someone wanting a piece so badly as to take such a massive leap of faith in bidding on something in which no information whatsoever is provided about *why* it is authentic. [Read more…]
ScreenUsed’s Movie Prop, Costume, and Memorabilia Live Online Auction to be Held on March 9th, Catalog Available Online
ScreenUsed will be holding their third live auction on March 9th. The auction catalog is now available online via a PDF download via their official website and collectors can bid on iCollector. In chatting with Desi DosSantos about the sale, he said: “This auction has several items that have not been uncovered for a long time, in particular, Quint’s Machete and Hooper’s Dive Mask, both from Jaws. We look forward to an exciting auction.” [Read more…]
Premiere Props ‘Hollywood Auction Extravaganza IX’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event March 2-3
About 350 lots of the promised “over 1,000 movie props and costumes” that will comprise the online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood Auction Extravaganza IX” is now listed with online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers. The two-day auction is scheduled for March 2nd and 3rd. As with past auctions, the sale includes general memorabilia, though there is more interesting material with this event than they’ve had in some time, although much of it does not include any substantive information about history and provenance in the lot descriptions (though to their credit, some do). [Read more…]
Premiere Props ‘Hollywood VIP Auction III’ Catalog Online, Television & Movie Prop and Costume Sale Event January 26
A portion of the online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood VIP Auction III”, scheduled for January, is now listed via online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers. The auction boasts “over 500 famous movie costumes and props from your favorite films”, though as of this writing, 333 items are listed. As with past auctions, the sale includea a substantial number of replica props, and general memorabilia, as well as used toys that are more garage sale fare, which is puzzling, since it is a “Hollywood VIP Auction”. [Read more…]
Air Gun Movie Prop Used for Publicity Photography By Sean Connery as James Bond Disappoints in Sotheby’s Resale
A little over two years ago, an air gun /pistol used by Sean Connery for some iconic James Bond publicity photos stunned the hobby when it sold at the traditional late November Christie’s South Kensington Pop Culture auction far in excess of its estimate, realizing a staggering £277,250 (US$438,609) including buyer’s premium. In a resale by Sotheby’s this past weekend, it sold for less than half that amount. [Read more…]