Original Prop Blog - Jason DeBord's TV and Movie Prop Memorabilia Resource http://www.originalprop.com/blog News, Opinion, and Insights About Original Movie Props and Costumes Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:49:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 OriginalPropBloghttp://feedburner.google.com Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Week in Tweets’ (Through 03/19/10) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/mSfePHjglaE/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/19/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-031910/#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 07:45:29 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19415

This is a weekly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord).

The Original Prop Blog Twitter account is used to publish brief reports and links to information of interest to readers that does not warrant a full report here on this site or is a supplement to existing content.

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Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/19/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-031910/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/19/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-031910/ New Zealand Herald “Fraud of the Rings” Story Gets It Wrong About Original “Lord of the Rings” Movie Prop Collection http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/2t1WNBfU-Dk/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/17/new-zealand-herald-%e2%80%9cfraud-of-the-rings%e2%80%9d-story-gets-it-wrong-about-original-lord-of-the-rings-movie-prop-collection/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:30:27 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19374

Reporter Joseph Barratt authored a news feature in this past weekend’s “Herald on Sunday” (published online by The New Zealand Herald) titled “Fraud of the Rings?” which focused on Troika Brodsky and his collection of original movie props used in the Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson.  The collector was both surprised and dismayed by the story that was published, questioning his credibility and the authenticity of the pieces in his collection created by Weta Workshop and sourced from highly publicized, direct from the studio sources (New Line Cinema Auctions and a Hasbro sweepstakes contest).

Because the “Fraud” story has in the past few days taken on a life beyond the source, I felt it was appropriate to give the collector an opportunity to provide information to the public with which to defend his reputation and the legitimacy of these important pop culture artifacts in his collection.

The “Fraud” story has been picked up by other online media as well as fan-based discussion forums this week.  Troika has contacted the news organization in an effort to correct and clarify the article without success, with the exception of the correct spelling of his name in the online version of the story.

The full original story can be found at the The New Zealand Herald website (as well as an electronic version as printed in 03/14/10 edition of “The Herald on Sunday” for $0.99):

I have personally known the collector featured in the article for many years.  I have offered him an opportunity to respond – publicly and in his own words – to the article published Sunday.

Below is Troika Brodsky’s statement:

I was recently contacted by Joseph Barratt of New Zealand publication Herald on Sunday asking if I would be willing to speak with him about my collection of original movie props from the Lord of the Rings films and my continued interest in acquiring more. Mr. Barratt told me he was “interested in doing a story on [my] hunt for items from the Lord of the Rings production. The idea would be to let people know they might have gems just sitting around at home. I think it would also be a great way to raise the profile of your search for items”. I agreed to help Mr. Barratt with his article because I loved the idea of being able to share some of my collection and knowledge of the pieces from a fans perspective with other fans of the Lord of the Rings films and this seemed like a nice way to talk about my story as a collector of these items over the last seven years.

Mr. Barratt emailed me a series of questions that he was asking for answers to in order to write his piece. Examples of the questions Mr. Barratt asked are: “What sort of items are you looking for?”, “How much are some of the different items worth?”, “How long have you been collecting?”, “What got you into collecting Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit items?” and “How big is your collection?” I responded to Mr. Barratt with a roughly two-thousand word response that answered his questions as thoroughly and honestly as I could and expanded upon that by discussing the differences between the stunt and hero props that Weta created for the films as well as the specifics of how I knew for certain that the specific pieces in my collection that I was discussing with Mr. Barratt were in fact, irrefutably authentic.

While I told Mr. Barratt that my collection included between 25-30 original pieces, I specifically only discussed six of my original film props. I told Mr. Barratt about a life-sized Ringwraith “maquette” and a life-sized Lurtz (Uruk) “maquette” in my collection that were created by Weta and originally sold directly by New Line Studios Online Auctions that came with Certificates of Authenticity from the studio. I also mentioned that I was ultimately able to correspond with Richard Taylor from Weta about the pieces and he was able to confirm, in detail, exactly which costume and prop parts on both “maquettes” were originally used during shooting and what was created specifically for the pieces. I have this in writing. The only other specific film props in my collection that I shared information about with Mr. Barratt were four weapon props that originated as the Grand Prizes in a US-only, 2003 cross promotion between New Line Studios and Hasbro.

This was a highly publicized and well-documented promotion where the Grand Prizes were authentic weapon props used on the set of Lord of the Rings. These Grand Prizes were even on display at Toys R Us in Times Square during the 2003 Christmas season to help promote the release of Return of the King film. The props are as authentic as they come. They came directly from the shooting set (I confirmed this with the person at Weta, via email, who shipped the pieces off to the promotion,) were then placed in lockable acrylic cases, and then placed in custom made wooden crates along with paperwork from the company running the promotion (Alcone Marketing Group) as well as a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the Producer of the Lord of the Rings films, Barrie Osborne. I purchased all four of these props from the original winners of the Promotion. Ascertaining authenticity of production used film props can often be very difficult or downright impossible. In the case of these Hasbro/New Line contest props, there is simply no way to dispute their authenticity. They truly represent “as good as it gets” in terms of provenance and in addition to my two life-sized “maquettes”, these are the only pieces in my collection that I specifically discussed with Mr. Barratt.

In addition to sharing the details of my collecting and collection with Mr. Barrat, as well as a nice introduction into the world of original prop collecting, I also shared quite a bit about just how huge of a fan of both the Lord of the Rings films (and books) I am as well as the incredible work that the artists at Weta did to create these amazing artifacts that I have spent seven years collecting. The story of what Weta accomplished on these films has been told again and again, but it is that story and that artistry that motivated me collect these pieces. They are truly works of art and the ability to see that up close is an incredible thrill. I also shared with Mr. Barratt my desire to publicly show some or all of my collection in conjunction with film screenings of the trilogy in an effort to both raise some money for some local children’s charities where I live and to simply share these pieces with other fans. It is not my desire to horde these pieces away. Nothing makes me happier than being able to see the same excitement I get from these pieces on the faces of other folks. I expressed all of this to Mr. Barratt as well as my hope to some day get the blessing of Weta and Peter Jackson’s production company directly, to display my collection. I shared all of this with Mr. Barratt based upon the belief that he was being honest with me about the story he claimed he was interested in telling in his article.

Imagine my surprise when I saw that Mr. Barratt’s article, focusing on me and my collection was published with the headline “The Fraud of the Rings?” and an opening line stating that “Peter Jackson’s production company has cast doubt on the authenticity of one of the world’s largest collections of Lord of the Rings memorabilia”. It appears to me that Mr. Barratt had a sensational title in mind upfront and decided to craft a story to fit it. At no point in his article do I actually see evidence that Peter Jackson’s production company has actually cast doubt on my specific collection. I do see an article written by Joseph Barratt and published by The Herald on Sunday that appears to have the specific intent of casting doubt on my collection. Weta refused to comment and Mr. Dravitzki from Wingnut simply appears to be saying that it is his belief that most original props from the films are still in their possession (very true, and remarkable considering they created over 20,000), that there is a tremendous amount of fraud in the prop collecting community and that people should be careful not to be taken advantage of (very, very true) and that he really couldn’t say anything one way or the other regarding what is in my personal collection without knowing more (which makes complete sense and also goes to show that the author of the article chose not to tell Mr. Dravitzki about where I claimed my props to have come from). Mr. Barratt’s article also state’s that the amount I paid for my stunt Sting sword was “about $50,000” which is fact a number and a ballpark figure that he created. I certainly said that I paid quite a bit, but at no point did I share with Mr. Barratt what I actually paid for this piece.

In my opinion, Mr. Barratt appears to have sought to do nothing more than create the appearance of scandal by ignoring facts and picking and choosing quotes to attempt to craft a story to fit a headline. What I believe I find the most surprising is that I really would think that Mr. Barratt’s readers in New Zealand (and now everywhere else that his article has been linked to) would be far more interested in hearing about the story of a Lord of the Rings fan that has successfully dedicated themselves to collecting some of the most iconic props seen throughout the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. I think with the two new Hobbit movies in pre-production, that a story highlighting the continued and enduring appeal of Peter Jackson’s groundbreaking original films would be of interest to readers. Mr. Barratt missed a great opportunity to tell an interesting story about one Lord of the Rings fan’s personal connection to the original props created for the films and instead chose to write something that apparently was meant to cast doubt on the legitimacy of my collection and my reputation. Despite sharing some very specific details about the iron clad provenance of the film props I was discussing with him, at no point did Mr. Barratt follow up to ask me anything on the topic of fraud or otherwise question the authenticity of my pieces, yet that was clearly the focus of his article. I have asked the Editor of The Herald on Sunday to retract the story but so far he has responded that he is simply looking into my complaint.

Troika Brodsky
3-17-10

The Original Prop Blog provided coverage of the public (not for profit) display of some of Troika’s pieces in 2008 (see Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra “Lord of the Rings” Event, Original Prop Exhibit Photo Recap), including some of those pieces originally given away as sweepstakes prizes in highly publicized and studio sanctioned contest held by Hasbro.

In fact, a simple Google search will bring a top result of the individual behind the Hasbro promotion (see Bill McCarthy, LinkedIn), should the reporter have wished to obtain verification:

Director of Trade Marketing
Hasbro, Inc.
(Public Company; HAS; Consumer Goods industry)
2002 — 2007 (5 years )

Responsible for growing sales, profit and market share for Hasbro’s board games and puzzles. Specific activities included promotions, partnerships, celebrities, licensing, in-store merchandising, customer presentations and business development support. Significant successes include:

LORD OF THE RINGS: Negotiated agreement with New Line Cinema to support Hasbro’s Lord of the Rings licensed games, Monopoly, Risk and Trivial Pursuit. The sweepstakes, “Win the Sword of Aragorn” offered 9 actual props from the Academy Award winning film including the Sword, the bow of Legolas and the Ax of Gimli. Prizes were pictured in a poster-size entry form in the games as well as on Hasbro’s web site. The actual props were on display at Toys R Us Times Square for the film premier. Sweepstakes response rate of 36% demonstrates the popularity and power of the campaign, resulting in sales double what was expected.

Another top Google search result on key terms is www.LordOfTheRings.net, which has a contemporary notice of the sweepstakes:

New Line Cinema and Hasbro Present Sweepstakes Event
Dates: Now Through February 9, 2004

This holiday season, Hasbro is offering consumers the rare chance to win authentic stunt props used during the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Game pieces can be found inside specially marked “The Lord of the Rings” versions of Monopoly, Risk and Trivial Pursuit. Each game piece comes with a unique code that can be entered on line for entry into the sweepstakes.

Eight grand prizes will be awarded beginning December 22. Each week, a different prize will be awarded until the final prize drawing on February 9, 2004.

The grand prizes are: The Sword of Aragorn, “Strider Sword”; The Sword of Gandalf, “Glamdring”; The Axe of Gimli; The Bow of Legolas; The Sword of Frodo, “Sting”; The Sword of Eowyn; The Sword of Theoden; and The Sword of Faramir.

Using the date of February 2004 above, a quick search of”Hasbro.com” at Archive.org allowed me to find the original sweepstakes rules with just one minute of research (Archive).  Below is an excerpt describing the pieces:

Prizes/Approximate retail value (ARV): (8) Grand Prizes (1 Per Drawing): One of the following authentic props from the film “The Return of the King” (together with certificate of authenticity): The Sword of Aragorn “Strider Sword”; The Sword of Gandalf “Glamdring”; The Axe of Gimli; The Bow of Legolas; The Sword of Frodo “Sting”; The Sword of Eowyn; The Sword of Theoden; The Sword of Faramir; (Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $1,000). Each prop will be permanently encased in an acrylic container. (1,000) First Prizes: Movie Poster of the film “The Return of the King” (ARV: $10). (10,000) Second Prizes: Top Trumps “Lord of the Rings” Card Game (ARV: $5). Limit one prize per person.

In other research of online reporting of the event, such as with this news brief, more details were made available about the authenticity of the pieces:

Hasbro Unsheathes ‘Lord of the Rings’ Weapons

New York, NY — If you’ve ever wanted to take a stab at collecting “Lord of the Rings” memorabilia, a contest to win the cast members’ swords might be a good way to start your collection.

Gamemaker Hasbro is holding a sweepstakes that will give away the weapons used by Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, Frodo and others from the film.

The gamemaker is giving the swords away in connection with the release of “Lord of the Rings” themed Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and Risk games.

Each sword, bow or axe comes with a certificate of authenticity.

But if that’s not enough proof they’re the real deal, a spokeswoman for Hasbro says the blades even have nicks and cuts in them from when the cast used them in battles.

Fan site TheOneRing.net also featured a story on their website in late 2003 about the display of the prizes at Toys R Us in Times Square.  Below is a link to the images published in conjunction with the article:

With regards to the official studio auctions held by New Line, there is also relevant information easily found via Archive.org, as seen with the link below to the completed auctions of the public sale of original Lord of the Rings props and costumes:

In any event, I am always appreciative of the mainstream media showing interest in exposing fraud within our hobby.  Unfortunately, in this instance, the news organization has raised the question of fraud with regards to pieces sourced from studio sanctioned events owned by a collector who openly provided a great deal of information to assist in crafting the story.  Again, given the “fraud” framing of the “Herald on Sunday” feature, I thought it would be appropriate to provide the subject an opportunity to make a public statement with regards to the story and consequential buzz that has manifested across the Internet in the past few days.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/17/new-zealand-herald-%e2%80%9cfraud-of-the-rings%e2%80%9d-story-gets-it-wrong-about-original-lord-of-the-rings-movie-prop-collection/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/17/new-zealand-herald-%e2%80%9cfraud-of-the-rings%e2%80%9d-story-gets-it-wrong-about-original-lord-of-the-rings-movie-prop-collection/ Original Television and Movie Prop, Wardrobe, and Entertainment Memorabilia Auctions: Upcoming Event Calendar http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/Vtzdfr_Bs3o/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/16/original-television-and-movie-prop-wardrobe-and-entertainment-memorabilia-auctions-upcoming-event-calendar-4/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:58:46 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19368

Below is the latest updated list of upcoming original movie and television prop, wardrobe, and memorabilia auction events. Please contact me if you are aware of any coming events of interest to original prop collectors.

Profiles in History
Hollywood Auction 39 – Michael H. Epstein & Scott E. Schwimer Glamour Photography Auction
March 26-27, 2010
Calabasas, CA

Propworx
Iron Man
April 16-18, 2010
Chicago, IL

Heritage Auction Galleries
2010 April Signature Music & Entertainment Auction – Auction #7018
April 8-11, 2010
Beverly Hills, CA

Profiles in History
Hollywood Auction 39
TBA – May 2010
Calabasas, CA

Premiere Props
Frightmare Weekend Horror Auction
May 1, 2010
Irving, TX

Propworx
Kevin Smith Sells Out
TBA – June 2010
TBA

Bonhams
The Entertainment Sale – Sale 18245
June 13, 2010
Los Angeles, CA

Propworx
Star Trek  Creation Las Vegas Star Trek Convention
June 18-20, 2010
Pasadena, CA

Christies
Popular Culture – Sale 5554
June 22, 2010
London, South Kensington

Bonhams
The Entertainment Sale – Sale 17973
June 23, 2010
Knightsbridge, London

Profiles in History
ABC’s LOST Auction
TBA – July 2010
TBA

Propworx
The Official Stargate Auctions
TBA – August 2010
Pasadena, CA

Julien’s Auctions
Star Trek
TBA – Summer 2010 (Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino)
Las Vegas, NV

Propworx
Star Trek
TBA – August 2010 (Creation Las Vegas Star Trek Convention)
Las Vegas, NV

Christies
Popular Culture – Sale 5570
November 25, 2010
London, South Kensington

Profiles in History
Hollywood Auction TBD
TBA – Winter 2010
Calabasas, CA

Bonhams
The Entertainment Sale – Sale 17974
December 15, 2010
Knightsbridge, London

_________

Important Note: Inclusion on this list does not reflect an endorsement – it is intended to be comprehensive and factual.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/16/original-television-and-movie-prop-wardrobe-and-entertainment-memorabilia-auctions-upcoming-event-calendar-4/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/16/original-television-and-movie-prop-wardrobe-and-entertainment-memorabilia-auctions-upcoming-event-calendar-4/ Update on New York State Assembly Bill A01730/S4313B: Seeks More Transparency For Auction Houses http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/Ab1xsb6sazY/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/14/update-on-new-york-state-assembly-bill-a01730s4313b-seeks-more-transparency-for-auction-houses/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:24:42 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19362

This article serves as an update to a feature published one year ago (see Latest Version of New York State Assembly Bill A01730: Seeks Prohibition of Auction House “Sham” Bids Without Disclosure). 

Maine Antique Digest reports in their latest issue that the legislation “has taken on a new life since Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester) made several amendments to make it more palatable for passage” (see New York Bill Would Tightly Regulate Auctions):

“This bill would provide statutory protections to auction participants,” explained Brodsky. “The world’s major auction houses are located in New York state and are an important source of economic activity and tourism. Thus, it is important that state law provide protections for all parties to auctions.”

Details of the current bill can be found on the New York Senate site (see Bill S4313B).  The Bill passed the New York State Assembly and was delivered to the Senate on 01/26/10.

Below is the Bill Memo found on the link above (note: there does not appear to be any material changes to the “Summary of Provisions” when compared with the A01730 Memo published in the article one year ago).

S4313B Memo

BILL NUMBER: S4313B

TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the general business law, in relation to auction requirements

PURPOSE : It is to prohibit acceptance of “sham” or “chandelier” bids by auctioneers without disclosure.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS : The Auctioneer will be held responsible for the truth of statements contained in any catalogue etc.

* The consignor must show that he or she has complete and lawful right, title, and interest in property being auctioned

* It must be disclosed if an auctioneer or auction house has any interest in an article being auctioned

* It must be disclosed if a consignor is to receive a rebate commission or when he or she will be allowed to bid upon and buy back their own article

* If there is a “reserve price” it must be disclosed that the item/lot is being sold subject to reserve

* If there is no reserve price there shall not be any indication given that the item/lot is being sold at reserve

* It must be disclosed if an auctioneer extends a loan to a purchaser

* Detailed information must be provided about any jewelry being sold

* The auctioneer shall issue an invoice to each purchaser with specific information

* Each auction sale must be advertised at least once in the seven days preceding the auction

* Prospective purchasers must be allowed to inspect articles for sale

* Checks must be sent to anyone entitled to proceeds of a sale within 14 days

* Except to implement the reserve price no auctioneer, consignor etc. shall make a bid unless their status as someone with inside information has been disclosed

* Whenever an estimated value of an item is posted a description of such estimate must also be provided

* Any advertisement indicating an auction for a business’ liquidation must state the name of that business

* If the reserve price is not bid, the auctioneer may withdraw a lot from sale

* The auctioneer may open bidding on any lot by placing a bid on behalf of the seller

* After the reserve price has been reached an auctioneer may not bid on behalf of the consignor

* The reserve price shall not exceed the minimum estimated value of the lot

* An auctioneer may not offer more than one article for sale at any time unless combining of articles/lots is indicated prior to the initial bid

* An auctioneer may not represent a manufacturer’s or owner’s guarantee unless such guarantee accompanies the article

* An auctioneer may not offer an article contained in a carton or package unless it is announced that the bidder can reject the item upon opening such package.

EXISTING LAW : The present law does not regulate the use of sham bids by auction houses.

JUSTIFICATION : This legislation grew out of an 18-month investigation into art market practices. The Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation initially met with art market participants and then identified key issues, which were developed into a draft memorandum and study bills. These bills were the basis for a public hearing in New York City on January 30, 1991 held by the Assembly Tourism, Arts and Sports Development Committee. The hearing was followed by subsequent meetings with art market participants.

A sham or chandelier bid is any bid for which there is no bona fide offer or bidder.

At the hearing, the Committees received testimony that sham or chandelier bids are used by the auction houses as a means of obtaining bids that meet and/or exceed the reserve price. The Committees
received testimony that raised serious concerns over this practice.

Witnesses testified that sham bidding undermines confidence in the art market, and that such bids are deceptive and should be prohibited.

Sham bids create a false atmosphere of interest in offered work that may not actually exist and deprives the public of any real knowledge of the true level of interest for the work.

Testimony was received that a sham or chandelier bid is not an ethical bid, but is simply an inventive bid. Acceptance of a sham bid by an auctioneer on behalf of an auction house is essentially a deceptive practice. There is no justifiable reason to permit the taking of fake bids without disclosure of this practice to the public. The theatrical benefits created by this practice are far outweighed by the public’s right to be informed of the acceptance of such bids during the auction process. This theatrical game playing is akin to pulling the wool over the consumer’s eyes. Identification of the acceptance of such bids with the phrase “for the consignor” would put an end to the chicanery being perpetrated by the auction houses. The marketplace has no need for such a fraudulent and deceptive practice.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : A.1249 (1993-94), A.284 (1995-96), A.536 (1997-98), A.3847 (1999-2000), A.1317 (2001-02), A.1254 of (2003-04), A.3514 (2005-06). A.2442, Passed Assembly; (2007-2008)

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None.

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None

EFFECTIVE DATE : This bill will take effect on the sixtieth day after it becomes a law.

Many of the details of this legislation, if passed, would have a dramatic affect on the operation of live auctions.  However, very few “entertainment memorabilia” auctions take place in the state of New York, so it would have little to no impact on the original prop and costume collecting hobby.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/14/update-on-new-york-state-assembly-bill-a01730s4313b-seeks-more-transparency-for-auction-houses/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/14/update-on-new-york-state-assembly-bill-a01730s4313b-seeks-more-transparency-for-auction-houses/ Auction Fraud at Center of FBI & Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Annual Report for 2009 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/tfNZQr0pmNE/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/14/auction-fraud-at-center-of-fbi-internet-crime-complaint-center-ic3-annual-report-for-2009/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:44:49 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19352

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued their Annual Report a few months ago. Among the highlights is that auction fraud – a frequent topic in the hobby of collecting original television and movie props and wardrobe – was reported to make up one of four complaints made to the organization.

The full annual report (in PDF form) can be found via the link below (see IC3.org):

Below is the official press release from the IC3 with regards to the annual report (Direct Link):

Last year’s report included links to a number of useful resources for citizens that have been defrauded or encountered other issues via the Internet for which involvement of law enforcement may be productive.

  • The National Consumers League – National Fraud Center “Online Incident Report Form”: www.fraud.org
  • The Internet Crime Complaint Center “File A Complaint”: www.ic3.gov
  • The Federal Trade Commission “Complaint Assistant”: www.ftc.gov
  • eBay Online Fraud Complaint Reporting Forum: www.eBay.com

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/14/auction-fraud-at-center-of-fbi-internet-crime-complaint-center-ic3-annual-report-for-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/14/auction-fraud-at-center-of-fbi-internet-crime-complaint-center-ic3-annual-report-for-2009/ Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Week in Tweets’ (Through 03/12/10) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/-VhW7AdbC1c/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/12/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-031210/#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:23:58 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19346

This is a weekly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord).

The Original Prop Blog Twitter account is used to publish brief reports and links to information of interest to readers that does not warrant a full report here on this site or is a supplement to existing content.

opbspacerx425narrow

  • Golden Closet: “Collectors For Charity Haitian Earthquake Relief Auctions Results” – http://bit.ly/bLiBir

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/12/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-031210/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/12/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-031210/ Prop Store of London to Offer Original Props and Costumes from the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks HBO Miniseries “The Pacific” http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/FVK8qcyQ74k/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/10/prop-store-of-london-to-offer-original-props-and-costumes-from-the-steven-spielberg-and-tom-hanks-hbo-miniseries-the-pacific/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:03:26 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19324

Beginning March 12th, The Prop Store of London will be offering original props and costumes from HBO’s miniseries, The Pacific.  The first of the 10-part series, produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman, airs on Sunday.  The series is co-executive produced by Bruce McKenna, one of the writers on Band of Brothers, also produced by HBO with Spielberg and Hanks, though this series features the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater, while Band of Brothers featured the European Theater.Prop Store will be selling the majority of original assets from the series, including key wardrobe from the primary characters.

Below is an exclusive sneak peak of some of the offerings that will be made available for sale beginning on Friday.

Corporal Eugene Sledge

This is a costume worn by Corporal Eugene Sledge (Joseph Mazzello) in the 2010 TV mini-series The Pacific. The costume consists of a green jacket (size S, tagged Ep 6.) with USMC printed on the pocket, undershirt, green trousers with belt (size 30, tagged Ep. 6 Sc. 601-618pt1), boots (size 10), gaiters and webbing which includes a canteen and ammo pouches. The costume also comes with a camouflage helmet and a generic backpack containing a rubber e-tool and Sledge’s original poncho. This costume was used in Episode 6 “Peleliu Airfield.” The costume is production distressed.

* Please note that the backpack in this lot, while original to the show, cannot be guaranteed to have been used by this particular character. The backpacks were mixed and matched during production.

Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone

This is a costume worn by Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (Jon Seda) in the 2010 TV mini-series The Pacific. The costume consists of a tan jacket (size 38, tagged Sc. 855), green jacket (size 38, Sc. 855) with USMC printed on the pocket, undershirt, green trousers with belt (size 30, tagged Sc. 855), boxer shorts, generic boots (size 12), gaiters and Basilone’s true webbing which includes a canteen and ammo pouches. The costume also comes with a camouflage helmet and a backpack containing a rubber e-tool and camouflage half shelter. This costume was used in Episode 8 “Iwo Jima.” The costume is production distressed.

*Please note that the boots in this lot, while original to the show, cannot be guaranteed to have been used by this particular character.

PFC Robert Leckie

This is a costume worn by PFC Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale) in the 2010 TV mini-series The Pacific. The costume consists of a green jacket (size M, Ep. 4 stage B Dirty) with USMC printed on the pocket, undershirt (Ep.4 C sc. 438), green trousers with belt (size 30, Ep. 4 stage B Dirty), boxer shorts, gaiters, boots (size 10), and Garand webbing which includes a canteen and ammo pouches. The costume also comes with a camouflage helmet, and a generic backpack containing a rubber e-tool and green half shelter. This costume was used in Episode 4 “Gloucester/Pavuvu/Banika.” The costume is production distressed.

* Please note that the backpack in this lot, while original to the show, cannot be guaranteed to have been used by this particular character. The backpacks were mixed and matched during production.

Carbine Rifle

A stunt M1 Carbine rifle used in the 2010 TV mini-series The Pacific. These non-working versions of the Carbine rifle were used by the actors for safety on set. The prop is made of hard rubber which has been moulded to resemble the real rifle. The “wooden” sections have been painted a dark brown colour and all other sections have been made to look like metal, including the magazine. The item has been heavily distressed and has a green khaki canvas strap. The rifle measures 90cm (35.5”) long.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/10/prop-store-of-london-to-offer-original-props-and-costumes-from-the-steven-spielberg-and-tom-hanks-hbo-miniseries-the-pacific/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/10/prop-store-of-london-to-offer-original-props-and-costumes-from-the-steven-spielberg-and-tom-hanks-hbo-miniseries-the-pacific/ Premiere Props “Live Movie Prop Extravaganza Auction” Catalog Online, Event March 13th http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/3wNkh5sr5TE/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/09/premiere-props-%e2%80%9clive-movie-prop-extravaganza-auction%e2%80%9d-catalog-online-event-march-13th/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:25:01 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19308

Premiere Props is hosting their “Live Movie Prop Extravaganza Auction” this weekend on March 13th, in Los Angeles. Auction service provider iCollector has published the catalog online, promoting as featuring over 500 original props and costumes from a variety of films.

Based on the material currently listed, it appears to generally be an unremarkable selection of material from recent releases, such as Book of Eli, Resident Evil Afterlife, The Blind Side, Remember Me, Bruno, and others.

Full details about the event can be found at PremiereProps.com:

The catalog and online bidding capability is at iCollector.com:

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/09/premiere-props-%e2%80%9clive-movie-prop-extravaganza-auction%e2%80%9d-catalog-online-event-march-13th/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/09/premiere-props-%e2%80%9clive-movie-prop-extravaganza-auction%e2%80%9d-catalog-online-event-march-13th/ Concerns in Marketplace Over Authenticating Movie Prop Slates & Clapperboards: Update 5 (Message from Clapperboard.net) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/HRpfntjFM5M/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/08/concerns-in-marketplace-over-authenticating-movie-prop-slates-clapperboards-update-5-message-from-clapperboard-net/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:18:39 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19301

This is an update to the ongoing research into concerns about the authenticity of slates and clapperboards circulating in the marketplace. Previous articles examined clapperboards from Quantum of Solace and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines as case studies. Today’s feature includes a message from 365Films/Clapperboard.net.

Below is a Reader Comment published today by Richard of 365Films, in response to the original article in this series:

For the benefit of doubt I thought I would make our position clear.

We are 365Films a commercial company(Part of the 365Group) and owners of clapperboard.net

And we produce a range of clapperboards to suit all tastes from a £15 budget board to £1500 digital boards. And everything else in between.

We also offer a bespoke service in which anyone can ask us to engrave or print ANYTHING on any type of board. And we charge £150 per board for this service.

In reading the above post in might appear to some readers that we would produce copies of original boards but to be clear to date we have not been asked to make any boards other than by the major film and tv studios. We have supplied many film houses with many types of board (including engraved ones similar to the ones above) but we have not supplied individuals or people outside of the movie industry with single boards.

Most companies pay on recognisable invoices and we do know whos who so we do not just produce boards for anyone. However if we were asked to do so (and we havent) then we would question the motif of the requester.

What we do very well is to produce excellent quality clapperboards with bespoke and custom printing for movie houses, tv, film and we have an excellent standing in this role.

Where things seem to get a bit murky is the aftersales of these items or props as merchandise with providence or authenticity.

To be clear it is very very easy to duplicate the boards. A basic CNC machine and some time and you will have a result.

So to sum up

1) We have never been asked to make duplicate boards for anyone other than known industry contacts.

2) It is very easy to make a copy of a board with a standard CNC machine

3) We are well known and respected by organisations like the BBC, Paramount and others for high quality work, excellent customer care, great pricing and a good product.

I know this doesnt help your cause but I wanted to make sure our point was clear in that we are a legitimate manufacturer and supplier to the world of clapperboards.

If anyone has any questions please contact me on 01992 410636 info@clapperboard.net or visit us at http://www.clapperboard.net

I would like to thank Richard and 365Films for taking the time to share information with regards to this series of articles.

All related articles can be found via the link below:

Original-Prop-Blog-Researching-Clapperboards-in-the-Marketplace-Portal

Further information will be published as it becomes available. If anyone has any additional information or concerns about clapperboards in the marketplace, please contact me.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/08/concerns-in-marketplace-over-authenticating-movie-prop-slates-clapperboards-update-5-message-from-clapperboard-net/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/08/concerns-in-marketplace-over-authenticating-movie-prop-slates-clapperboards-update-5-message-from-clapperboard-net/ Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Week in Tweets’ (Through 03/05/10) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/ByBkzWeXz7I/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/05/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-030510/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:17:18 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19294

This is a weekly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord).

The Original Prop Blog Twitter account is used to publish brief reports and links to information of interest to readers that does not warrant a full report here on this site or is a supplement to existing content.

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Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/05/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-030510/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/05/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-030510/ Pawn Stars: An Entertaining Television Series for Collectors and Original Movie Prop Hobbyists http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/rENUWXvMRss/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/05/pawn-stars-an-entertaining-television-series-for-collectors-and-original-movie-prop-hobbyists/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:02:48 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19281

One of my favorite programs on television is Pawn Stars, which airs on The History Channel.  Pawn Stars is a reality series about the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas run by “The Old Man”, his son Rick, and his grandson “Big Hoss”.   The series is akin to Antiques Roadshow in that customers bring in antiques, collectibles, and other items to sell, which includes authentication and appraisal by experts.

Occasionally, the show features the evaluation of items purported to be original movie props, as well as experts that are relevant to our hobby.

One of the more interesting examples was an episode last season in which a customer brought in a bullwhip that he claimed was used in one of the Indiana Jones films.  It serves as a good example of how such items are acquired and accepted as authentic by some, based on assumptions, trust, and little information.  Mark Allen from Western Stage Props is brought in to authenticate the whip, and is well known in collectors circles (especially IndyGear.com’s Club Obi Wan forum).

Full episodes can be viewed online on YouTube’s official Pawn Stars channel in three part segments, and the episode with the bullwhip can be found in the embedded YouTube videos below.

Pawn Stars | Season One | Episode 11 | Part 1 – see 3:30 through 5:30

Pawn Stars | Season One | Episode 11 | Part 2 – see 0:00 through 3:00


Pawn Stars | Season One | Episode 11 | Part 3 – see 6:15 through 6:56

There have been more episodes of interest in Season Two, with one featuring a look at a saddle the owner claims was used in Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves and another episode including the authentication of a flamethrower by Rick Washburn of  Weapons Specialists Limited, who provides real firearms to the film industry.

Learn more about Pawn Stars at the official site at www.History.com:

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/05/pawn-stars-an-entertaining-television-series-for-collectors-and-original-movie-prop-hobbyists/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/05/pawn-stars-an-entertaining-television-series-for-collectors-and-original-movie-prop-hobbyists/ Profiles in History Offers Sneak Peak Preview of Movie Props Consigned to May 2010 Auction http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/KOlTRqIrzrI/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/03/profiles-in-history-offers-sneak-peak-preview-of-movie-props-consigned-to-may-2010-auction/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:31:50 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19253

In addition to next month’s special event, the Michael H Epstein & Scott E Schwimer Glamour Photography Auction, and the LOST auction this summer, Profiles in History will have two of their traditional entertainment memorabilia auctions, one scheduled for May 2010 and one towards the end of the year.  The auction house has today released information about a few of the highlights that will be a part of the May auction event.

Below are some of those highlights (click images for higher resolution):

Hero Colonial Warrior helmet from Battlestar Galactica (1979 TV series)

Hero illuminating Laser Rifle from the original Lost in Space TV series

Original hero full size “Zero” puppet from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Screen-used “Sally” puppet head, hair and eyelashes from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Original screen-used “Jeannie” bottle from I Dream of Jeannie

Production made X-Wing Fighter filming miniature from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

Production made Y-Wing Fighter filming miniature from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

More pieces can be found at the newly redesigned Profiles in History website:

More reports and information will be forthcoming as we get closer to the event.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/03/profiles-in-history-offers-sneak-peak-preview-of-movie-props-consigned-to-may-2010-auction/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/03/profiles-in-history-offers-sneak-peak-preview-of-movie-props-consigned-to-may-2010-auction/ Update on Fake ‘Star Wars’ Movie Prop Blaster, Message from Author of Letter of Provenance http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/hqf4B_L0nGg/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/01/update-on-fake-%e2%80%98star-wars%e2%80%99-movie-prop-blaster-message-from-author-of-letter-of-provenance/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:47:10 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19241

This is an update to two stories published late last year about a replica Star Wars: Return of the Jedi “Biker Scout Blaster” which was marketed for sale as an original from the production.  The author of the original Letter of Provenance has written me today and granted permission to publish his initial e-mail for the benefit of the readers of the Original Prop Blog.

The original articles can be found via the links below:

Below is the new update from the author of the Letter of Provenance, Chris Distin:

From: Chris Distin

Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 11:59 PM

To: jason@originalpropblog.com

Subject: AJB007 and Star wars…..

Hi Jason,

You left a link to your Website on the AJB007 Forum reference the whereabouts of RAREPROPS, looks like my name creeps up twice on your Website now.

You have some info on there regarding a Star Wars Blaster that I sold/swapped a while back, you have the Letter I gave with the Prop, I’d appreciate if you would at least block the address off the Letter so that I dont get any letters from Nutters that find my address on your Website:-)

I found the Article very Informative and eye-opening, I bought the Blaster years ago from a Guy who assured me that his Uncle worked on the Film.He’d had it in his Possesion for years in a Cabinet.

One of the Main reasons for me buying this was because he said it was ” A Gun made of Wood”, I thought this to be strange, it was definately someone who knew nothing about propmaking and his mails seemed sowewhat naive which either meant he knew nothing about the trade or he was very good at deciept. I paid next to nothing for this Gun so he was definately not out to rip me off!!

When I recieved and inspected it, it turned out to be Resin, which I was hoping. so this told me the guy had no idea what it was. These 2 facts made me start to research the Blaster, also asking Elstree for Info, ( there was no Certificate from Elstree at this time!) They said that the Guys that made the Original Blasters were still around and they would ask their opinion. They contacted me soon after saying that it definately looked good but they would need to inspect it to check what resin mix was used and whether this was the same used back then. this would obviously cost me money. so I didn’t send it.

The things that still bug me about this gun are……. 1, The maker of this Gun went to a lot of effort to Mould this, I mean the Handle looks like it is from the Sten Gun which the Stormtrooper Blaster was based on. 2, Why has there never been another one turn up on the Market? I mean if there was one made, there surely must be more. 3, I couldn’t find any reference material on the Original Blasters? Pictures, Blueprints. Do any exist for these Blasters?

I contacted other people who I thought may be able to help me but with no avail, no-one really had any real info on these kind of Blaster, so I sort of forgot about it and had it around here for ages, I decided to put it on Ebay and see what info I may get from there, I got an offer from a Collector in the UK for a trade…. the Blaster in Exchange for a Bond Prop… which I accepted, the Collector knew himself that there was no definate Provenance and basically said that although the Item i got for it was not worth much, we could both get a good deal from it, If it did turn out to be Original then he would have definately have got the best deal from it.

I myself never entered it into an Auction myself as I could not be 100% sure of its Authenticity.

You can imagine my surprise when I saw this Blaster entered into the Profiles Auction with a Massive price,( which as far as I can tell is not the person I traded with )I took it that someone had done their homework and found it to really be Authentic, the Certificate from Elstree was included so someone had sent this to them to show the original makers.

Anyway, to cut a long story short.. I swapped this in good intention and hope that this clears a few questions for you

You can contact me on cdistin@web.de if you have any further queries.

Many Regards

Chris Distin

Coincidentally, earlier this month, Jason White (see www.MoviePropKing.com) announced his recent acquisition of two prop weapons from Return of the Jedi which he has had authenticated and determined to be authentic.  One of the two of these pieces is a biker scout pistol, as pictured below:

Below is a comparison with the piece that is the subject of this series of articles (bottom) and Jason White’s (top):

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/01/update-on-fake-%e2%80%98star-wars%e2%80%99-movie-prop-blaster-message-from-author-of-letter-of-provenance/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/01/update-on-fake-%e2%80%98star-wars%e2%80%99-movie-prop-blaster-message-from-author-of-letter-of-provenance/ Original Prop Blog Monthly Web Site Traffic Statistics: February 2010 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/lG3urlmtlCs/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/01/original-prop-blog-monthly-web-site-traffic-statistics-february-2010/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:28:13 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19231

The latest web site traffic statistics for Original Prop Blog, as of February 28, 2010…

The following is a guide of the various aspects being tracked each month:

  • Requests/Hits: Every element on every page (i.e. each photo or graphic) is counted as a server “request” or “hit” (so visiting the main portal may result in 20-30 “hits”); however, a caching plug-in was implemented in May 2009, which may result in an under-reporting of actual traffic.
  • Page Views: Every visit to a unique page – the main page, a static page, or any article – should return a “Page View” result of one per page (though, as noted, this may now be under reported due to caching and different tracking software)
  • Visits: “Visits” are the number of times one user browses the site, and visits one or more pages.
  • Unique Visitors: “Unique Visitors” are the number of uniquely identifiable users that visited the site. May 2009 was the first month of reporting this feature, it will only be reflective of that date, not historically.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/01/original-prop-blog-monthly-web-site-traffic-statistics-february-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/03/01/original-prop-blog-monthly-web-site-traffic-statistics-february-2010/ Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Week in Tweets’ (Through 02/26/10) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/g7lMRlg34uM/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/26/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-022610/#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:59:58 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19220

This is a weekly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord).

The Original Prop Blog Twitter account is used to publish brief reports and links to information of interest to readers that does not warrant a full report here on this site or is a supplement to existing content.

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Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/26/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-022610/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/26/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-022610/ Details on PropWorx Iron Man Movie Props, Costumes, Auction Catalog http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/30bQS5PhXy8/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/24/details-on-propworx-iron-man-movie-props-costumes-auction-catalog/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:48:43 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19209

PropWorx, best known for its liquidation of assets from Battlestar Galactica via two live auction events and thousands of eBay auctions, has launched a new website with details about one of its new licenses, Iron Man, on behalf of Marvel Studios.  In addition to photos and descriptions of some of the nicer items is a page to pre-order a limited edition auction catalog which appears to be impressive.

Among the first items announced is a damaged Iron Man Mark II helmet, the Mark I armor’s leg actuator, a Mark I hero RT unit, and one of Tony Stark’s pinstripe suits, as worn by Robert Downey Jr.

More information and photos can be found on the official PropWorx website dedicated to the Iron Man property at ironman.propworx.com:

The limited edition hardcover version of the catalog can be ordered online for $39.95 on the same site:

Per the PropWorx schedule, the auction is slated for April 2010 at Chicago Comic Con.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/24/details-on-propworx-iron-man-movie-props-costumes-auction-catalog/feed/ 1 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/24/details-on-propworx-iron-man-movie-props-costumes-auction-catalog/ Variety Kids Host Charity eBay Auction for 1966 Dodge Coronet from Coen Brothers “A Serious Man” http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/eZHsOaiz_YQ/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/23/variety-kids-host-charity-ebay-auction-for-1966-dodge-coronet-from-coen-brothers-a-serious-man/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:46:29 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19199

Variety Kids has launched an eBay auction of a 1966 Dodge Coronet from the Coen Brothers Academy Award nominated film, A Serious Man.  100% of the proceeds for the sale of the original movie prop will benefit The Children’s Charity’s Mission.

The 10-day auction can be found at eBay Motors:

Per the auction description:

1966 Dodge Coronet from

“A Serious Man”

Item Value: Priceless!

Here’s a rare opportunity to own the amazing 1966 Dodge Coronet used in Focus Features and Working Title Films’ A Serious Man. The film is nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Original Screenplay (Joel & Ethan Coen).

This is the vintage vehicle seen on-screen as the car owned and driven by lead character Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg).

Note: This car was not used to film the accident scene.

This unique piece of film history is on display now at the Mall of America.

Proceeds from the auction will go to help inspire hope, enrich lives and build a better future for children in need in Southern California.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE PLACING A BID:*

* The Coronet comes with a letter of authenticity from Focus Features.

* The winner at the end of the auction may personally take delivery of the vehicle in Hastings, Minnesota or pay all applicable costs in connection with shipping the vehicle to the winner’s requested destination.

* The winning bid does not include additional charges that may be incurred, such as license and registration fees and taxes.

* NOTE: This vehicle will not be available for delivery and title transfer until 4.2.10.

* Prior to delivery, the winning bidder will be required to sign an affidavit, liability release, and where imposing such condition is legal a Publicity Release (collectively referred to as the “Prize Claim Documents”) in which such bidder warrants and represents that he or she will neither permit the vehicle to be given away in consumer contest, sweepstakes or other promotion without the express written consent of Focus nor use the vehicle in any advertising that incorporates a theme or image that would lead a reasonable person to believe the advertiser is in some way associated with or has been endorsed by the Picture or Focus.

* Focus Features makes no representation with respect to the manufacturer’s warranty, if any, applicable to this vehicle.

* Please see full auction rules here.

*Your bid indicates you have read and agree to all of the terms of the auction.

The following is the marketing graphic included in the listing:

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/23/variety-kids-host-charity-ebay-auction-for-1966-dodge-coronet-from-coen-brothers-a-serious-man/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/23/variety-kids-host-charity-ebay-auction-for-1966-dodge-coronet-from-coen-brothers-a-serious-man/ “Clothes Off Our Back” Charity Auction of Sony Pictures Movie Costumes Benefits Haiti Earthquake Relief http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/gEqrz0-B18M/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/23/clothes-off-our-back-charity-auction-of-sony-pictures-movie-costumes-benefits-haiti-earthquake-relief/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:22:24 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19192

“Clothes Off Our Back” is hosting a series of charity auctions that include original wardrobe pieces worn in Sony Pictures films.  The sale, which also includes autographed TV and movie scripts, posters, and other entertainment memorabilia, will benefit Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

Original wardrobe pieces include costumes worn by Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall, Adam Sandler in Click, Jennifer Lopez in Enough, Nicole Kidman in Bewitched, Jude Law in The Closer, Lucy Liu in Charles Angeles, Cameron Diaz in The Sweetest Thing, and more.

All auctions can be found at www.ClothesOffOurBack.com:

Per the auction descriptions, 85% of the sale price of each item will be donated to the American Red Cross to support emergency relief efforts in Haiti.  The listings state: “assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include sending relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources”.

Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/23/clothes-off-our-back-charity-auction-of-sony-pictures-movie-costumes-benefits-haiti-earthquake-relief/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/23/clothes-off-our-back-charity-auction-of-sony-pictures-movie-costumes-benefits-haiti-earthquake-relief/ Original Prop Blog on Twitter – ‘The Week in Tweets’ (Through 02/19/10) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/QIEyFOMVtvw/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/19/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-021910/#comments Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:42:36 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19185

This is a weekly feature archiving the “tweets” from the official Original Prop Blog Twitter account (twitter.com/jason_debord).

The Original Prop Blog Twitter account is used to publish brief reports and links to information of interest to readers that does not warrant a full report here on this site or is a supplement to existing content.

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Jason DeBord

]]> http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/19/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-021910/feed/ 0 http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/19/original-prop-blog-on-twitter-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%98the-week-in-tweets%e2%80%99-through-021910/ Russell Crowe’s “Museum of Interesting Things” in Australia (Photos & Video of Movie Prop Exhibition) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OriginalPropBlog/~3/XmK13C1UL7k/ http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2010/02/19/russell-crowes-museum-of-interesting-things-in-australia-photos-video-of-movie-prop-exhibition/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:26:32 +0000 Jason DeBord http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=19131

Late last year, the “Museum of Interesting Things” opened at the Nymboida Coaching Station Inn in Australia. Russell Crowe has donated original movie props and costumes from many of his films for display at the museum.  Aaron of HeroProp.com was kind enough to provide photos and videos from his recent visit to share with readers of the Original Prop Blog.

Props and costumes on display include pieces from Gladiator, Master and Commander, American Gangster, 3:10 to Yuma, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, Romper Stomper, L.A. Confidential, and more.  Aaron also mentioned that a representative for the museum indicated that there is an additional shipping container of memorabilia, which includes an original chariot from Gladiator.

A mainstream media report was published by MSN/AOL earlier this month with details about the museum (clicking portal below will open new window and player – does not embed):

Below are two videos produced by Aaron of HeroProp.com:

Below are photos taken by Aaron of HeroProp.com, including pieces from Gladiator, Master and Commander, Crowe’s boots from Romper Stomper, Nicole Kidman’s whip from Australia, badges and other pieces from L.A. Confidential, a full display of paper props and robe from Cinderella Man, Crowe’s bike from American Chopper, and more.

Click each image for higher resolution:

Thanks again to Aaron of HeroProp.com for all of the photos, videos, and information.

Jason DeBord

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