Prop Store Live Auction 2018: My 10 Favorite Lots!
The Prop Store annual LIVE auction event is set to take place on on Thursday September 20th 2018. For collectors and fans of entertainment memorabilia collecting this event is more becoming of a holiday of sorts. Over 600 rare and iconic lots will be sold during this history making entertainment memorabilia live auction event. A common misconception is that this kind of auction is only for the rich, well maybe most items may sell for the price of a mansion but there are many lots that even the most budget minded collector can afford.
I often describe myself as a mid tier collector, I can spend a few thousand or a couple of hundred dollars on something I like. In this article I am going to list my personal 10 favorite lots both on the high cost side and the lower cost side. I feel it’s important to understand that anyone can participate in the hobby of collecting entertainment memorabilia from television shows and movies. A part of why I started this blog back in 2012 was to further help the novice or casual collector find legitimate sources of which to obtain those items from.
Now with all that being said I give you my 10 personal favorite lots in the upcoming Prop Store Live Auction 2018!
#10: Resident Evil (2002) Virus Specimens and Poster – Lot #36 Estimate: £600 – £800 
The first Resident Evil movie is still my favorite out of all of the many follow up movies. I was a fan of the video game back in the day and very much looked forward to seeing this movie in the theater when it came out. This lot consists of a set of virus specimens (pictured) and poster from Paul W.S. Anderson’s action horror.
From the Prop Store description – The antidote and virus specimens were stolen from the Hive during the opening scene of the movie. The specimens consist of a transparent plastic core with two metal ends and central glass spiral tubes finished in blue and green. The U.S. one sheet poster (EX condition) shows an image of Alice (Milla Jovovich) and Rain (Michelle Rodriguez) with a criss-crossed sliced effect outlined with stitches.
#9 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Matte Painting Sky Behind Devil’s Tower (Matthew Yuricich) – Lot# 121 Estimate: £1,000 – £2,000
I love the way movie effects were done long before computer animation was a thing. This lot here represents to me the pure artistry that went into the movie making process behind the scenes. I still remember going to the theater with my mother to see this movie, I have loved it ever since. This matte painting is a rare gem for sure. I add the video posted on YouTube by the Prop Store to give more insight into the fascinating lot. If you like this lot see also lot# 122.
From the Prop Store description – Matte painting is one of cinema’s oldest visual-effects techniques, used to extend sets and create scenery for films by means of a painted image rather than a physical set. This matte painting was used to create a remarkable cloud formation in the sky behind Devil’s Tower for the scene in which the clouds took on an otherworldly appearance as the Mothership arrived.
#8 The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Ellis ‘Red’ Redding’s (Morgan Freeman) Inmate Uniform – Lot# 392 Estimate: £6,000 – £8,000
This lot is much more personal to me as it is from a special moment in my life. Back in the summer of 1993 they filmed this movie just twenty miles from where I lived. As a result for over 3 months I got to be one of hundreds of background extra’s to participate in the making of this iconic and beloved movie. I still have some original paperwork from my time on set as well as a cast member’s chair back that was gifted to me by a crew member. Fun fact it was originally title during filming as Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.
From the Prop Store description -Ellis ‘Red’ Redding’s (Morgan Freeman) inmate uniform from Frank Darabont’s prison drama The Shawshank Redemption. Red wore his inmate uniform throughout the film. This costume consists of Red’s shirt, and a pair of background prisoner jeans.
#7 LABYRINTH (1986) Goblin Puppet Head – Lot# 289 Estimate: £2,000 – £3,000
Almost anything made by Jim Henson’s creature shop catches my attention. I firmly believe that Labyrinth is still an amazing adventure/fantasy movie. Don’t forget David Bowie is in this movie and it’s wonderfully directed by Jim Henson.
From the Prop Store description – Made of foam latex, the head has eyebrows made of faux hair and eyes cast from resin. The eyes also feature red reflective pupils, making them appear illuminated. A patch of Velcro is attached to the back of the head, so any hat or helmet appliances could be attached during production. A nylon sleeve runs below the head for hand access, with cotton netting running below to disguise it. The head rests on a wooden display and shows wear to the foam, which has become brittle with age. The piece remains in delicate but good overall condition.
#6 The Smurfs (2011) Smurf Trap, Chair and Toy Cannon – Lot# 400 Estimate: £200 – £300
Now you probably think I have gone crazy with this selection. I chose this lot in particular because it represents the price point I mentioned at the beginning of this article. This lot is screen used in the movie and the auction estimate makes it reasonable for those with a certain budget in mind. Honestly for what it was the 2011 Smurf’s movie wasn’t all that bad; it was pretty much what I thought a live action movie would be that was based off of the 1980’s cartoon.
From the Prop Store description – A Smurf trap, chair and cannon from Raja Gosnell’s fantasy-comedy The Smurfs. Smurf traps and a chair were part of Gargamel’s (Hank Azaria) lair as he tormented Papa Smurf. The cannon was used by Gutsy in a New York toy store to outsmart Gargamel.
#5 Forrest Gump (1994) Forrest Gump’s (Tom Hanks) Weathered Bubba Gump Shrimp Hat – Lot# 174 Estimate: £5,000 – £7,000
I always find myself watching this movie almost every time I come across it airing on cable TV. This is such a wonderful movie and performance by Tom Hanks. This hat would be instantly recognizable in your collection.
From the Prop Store description – Forrest Gump’s (Tom Hanks) weathered Bubba Gump Shrimp hat from Robert Zemeckis’ Academy Award®-winning drama Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) started a shrimping company with his friend Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise). Later, Forrest wore a Bubba Gump hat that began to show wear as he embarked on a seemingly endless cross-America run.
#4 The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) Prosthetic Orc Mask and Teeth – Lot # 307 Estimate: £3,000 – £5,000
I really like this one from the Lord of the Rings film franchise. The Lord of the Rings films are so much fun to watch, I like the adventure the characters go on and the challenges they faced at every turn. There have been auctions dedicated to movie props and costumes from this series of films but it is still rather difficult to find these for sale. This mask would display very nicely in a collection.
From the Prop Store description – Prosthetics were used to bring this evil race of creatures to life throughout the trilogy of films. The mask was created by the artists at Weta Workshop in New Zealand, who under the direction of Richard Taylor and Peter King won an Oscar® for Best Make-up on Return of the King. The mask is constructed from latex and is painted with mottled shades of brown, with holes cut out for the eyes, nostrils and mouth, and smaller holes in the ears. A small amount of artificial hair is still present. A set of pointed acrylic teeth complete the set. Presented on a black flocked head for support, the edges of the mask have begun to dry with age, and some light restoration has been carried out around the hairline and the back of the neck.
#3 Jason X (2001) Jason Vorhees’ (Kane Hodder) Stunt Mask – Lot# 272 Estimate: £6,000 – £8,000
I am a fan of the original Friday the 13th movie and a couple of the follow up movies. I chose this one for the horror fans as it is very recognizable. I mean what horror fan doesn’t want a Jason hockey mask in there collection!
From the Prop Store description – Jason Vorhees’ (Kane Hodder) stunt mask from James Isaac’s horror sequel Jason X. After 400 years in cryosleep, the masked killer Jason returned to hunt students on a spaceship. Jason wore his traditional hockey mask in numerous scenes, until a heavily armed Kay-Em 14 (Lisa Ryder) blew up his head. This mask was made for the scene in which Kay-Em 14 blows up Jason’s head, although as the shot was accomplished in the first take, there was no need to blow up additional masks. Accompanying the mask is a letter of authenticity from effects supervisor Bob Hall.
#2 Transformers (2007) Frenzy Lighting Stand-In – Lot# 555 Estimate: £10,000 – £15,000
Now this one is really cool to me, I love love love Transformers. Being a kid growing up in the 1980’s and watching the original cartoon series “The Tranformers” is beyond memorable to me. I love all things Transformers and when the first movie came out in 2007 I saw it in the theater 6 times! This Frenzy even though its a stand in is crazy cool I tip my hat to the one who takes this baby home. There are also a few other transformers lots in this auction that are just as cool.
From the Prop Store description – A Frenzy robot lighting stand-in from Michael Bay’s sci-fi adventure film Transformers. He first appeared when infiltrating Air Force One, hacking the US military mainframe to locate the leader of the evil Decepticons, Megatron. After Mikaela (Megan Fox) decapitated him with an electric saw, he regenerated using the power of the AllSpark and released Megatron from his imprisonment in the ice. The robots in the movie were brought to life using a combination of CGI and practical props, including this life-size model of Frenzy, created by the talented team at KNB EFX, most likely for use as a lighting stand-in. The components are constructed from hard rubber and resin with a metal internal armature. The model is decorated in assorted metallic shades of paint. There is evidence of repairs to the robot using hot glue, and it comes supported on a custom-made display stand.
#1 Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Han Solo’s (Harrison Ford) Jacket – Lot# 463 Estimate: £500,000 – £1,000,000
I chose the Han Solo Jacket from Empire Strikes Back for really one reason. That reason is the story of how this was discovered. It’s something that is Iconic, not use an overused word but it is really that. This particular jacket would have been lost had it not been discovered by the Prop Store. I find the story of how this was found to be a story of pure luck like finding an oil field or gold mine in your back yard. This Harrison Ford Screen Matched Han Solo Jacket is just as cool as the story on how it was found. I have posted the Prop Store YouTube video above on that story of how this was found featuring Stephen Lane and Brandon Alinger.
Well that about sums it up, my favorite picks from the upcoming Prop Store LIVE Auction 2018. To be honest I could have went to 20 or 50 favorite lots from this upcoming auction as there is so much being offered. Go to the Prop Store website to view, register, bid and even watch a live feed of the auction. Thank you for reading my blog I hope you enjoyed my selections.
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