Propstore has an auction coming up late this month, headlined by Luke Skywalker’s medal (from STAR WARS (1977)), Gonzo, Charlie Chaplin’s shoes, and Travolta’s jacket from GREASE (1978). All well and good, but here are a few of my favorites, and a few of the funniest ones I found in the auction’s ~1300 lots.
Guns from MEN IN BLACK II (2002) (three separate lots)
Any of these is probably a quintessential item to own from the MEN IN BLACK films (short of a neuralyzer or the Noisy Cricket gun) because the design is so unique and immediately identifiable. The best of all of these is probably the triple-barreled one (pictured) that screams MIB. One of the others apparently got some use in the hands of Will Smith in MIB II, and the third sat on a wall in a scene where Smith and Tommy Lee Jones visit an arsenal to gear up.
Two of these are also stunt pieces built out of foam, [this is not legal advice; i’m a lawyer but not your lawyer; if you want to buy guns, consider talking to one but not to me] so a purchaser wouldn’t have to wade through firearms-transfer rules to take it home the way you might have to if you bought a prop gun that was built from a real (hopefully deactivated) firearm.
Ralph McQuarrie Concept Art for MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (1987)
McQuarrie is probably best known for his iconic Star Wars concept art. MOTU isn’t a terrible movie (surprisingly), but this is a nice opportunity to own a McQuarrie piece that probably won’t break the bank the way some of his other work would (e.g., a sketch of the Death Star for STAR WARS went for 10,625 GBP in 2021).
Fun sidenote: I tried (unsuccessfully) to find some prices for his best Star Wars concept art paintings. I checked the usual suspects -- Heritage, Propstore, Christie’s, Sotheby’s -- with little success (just a few doodles from McQuarrie’s personal collection that sold in 2000 at Christie’s). I assume that the best of the best are sitting in the Lucasfilm archives or in George Lucas’s personal collection. However, for the Indiana Jones fans in the audience, I did learn that McQuarrie did an etching in a copper plate that was used to print the image of the Ark of the Covenant that Indy references in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (screenshot from YouTube immediately below, then the plate itself, courtesy of Heritage). Sold for $18k in 2015, if you’re curious. The more you know!
Models from STAR TREK (various series)
There are several screen-matched models (here’s one more) from STAR TREK on offer, none particularly prominent in the series, but still a glorious Thanksgiving centerpiece or Christmas tree-topper. My favorite is the Klingon Bird-of-Prey (pictured and linked above) that was, apparently, a special effects model (read: they blew it up, which is why it’s in pieces). I always loved the design of the Klingon ships.
Note Propstore stops short of saying they can screen-match this lot, which is probably why its estimate is lower than the screen-matched stuff, but I would still feel good about its provenance reaching back to Paramount.
Script collection - STAR TREK: VOYAGER (1995-2001)
Concededly not the most visually-interesting of lots, but the right nerd (e.g., me) could have a blast reading these scripts, observing notations in them, and watching how they put the words on the screen.
Reference photos from STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)
If (when) I had (have) a home theater, I would (will) decorate the interior of it with production photos. I love these little glimpses behind the curtain.
LOL what
Lifeboat from TITANIC (1997)
If you want this, I hope you’re ready to bid high - I heard there aren’t enough of them to go around.
Costume from CONAN THE DESTROYER (1984)
I’ll be bidding on this, I need more work clothes.
Cannon from PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003)
The argument against buying this is that you don’t have space for it. The argument in favor of buying it is that you can replace your desk chair with this baby.
I’ve actually been meaning to re-watch this movie to see if it holds up - I have fond memories of it but I think maybe Johnny Depp’s behavior in recent years could ruin it for me, or at least prevent me from enjoying it as much as I used to. I usually try to separate actor from art, but some actors (and they’re almost always actORs) just do their level best to make that separation difficult.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Nightmare Fuel
Fun fact: this costume is actually from the little-known TMNT/SEVENTH SEAL crossover (directed by Robert Eggers, starring Werner Herzog), and it offers a potent reminder that Death Comes For Us All.
I’m a lawyer, but not your lawyer. The views expressed above (“Views”) are not legal advice. Views are mine alone (and I don’t even know that I’ll stick to them, if pressed). Views should not be attributed to anybody else, including (but not limited to) my employer, employer’s clients, friends, family, or pets (current, former, or future).