movie props

DEDFX · Post by **DEDFX** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:17 pm

how do you know if an online store is selling the ACTUAL movie prop? Like if its the real thing from the movie.

rep22 · Post by **rep22** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:52 pm

Ask Epsilon! lol

stevenhunt03 · Post by **stevenhunt03** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:29 pm

they should contain a certificate of authenticity and make sure that they have a good history

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:06 pm

Well... considering I'm in the business myself... hehe

The problem is; YOU DON'T KNOW! There is a lot of trust involved in the hobby. I'm part of the United Movie Collectors Guild and we've busted a number of frauds on eBay and online stores. SURE they have their own COAs and it's looks authentic and even provide a history.

The cool thing is we know, god knows how, many contacts in the prop business. We'll call up Disney studios or certain artists to clarify if an item was ever in their possesion, if we do not know! You can trust me, that's for sure! I'm getting stuff direct from studios at times. I could tell you exactly from whom my items were derived and you could Call Them Up to confirm it! I keep receipts and all history!

For example, I saw a nice fellow selling prop rifles and bayonets and machine guns used in We Were Soldiers. By god, he had a nice long history for every item. Were they real??? Well, I personally know the prop distributors that still possess EVERY bayonet from the production, against the studio policy for release. I have even contacted Mel Gibson's office due to the fact his studio still has every firearm and here this fellow was selling machine guns as props used. Not to mention he had the wrong COAs from companies that didn't auction those items off, nor did his story even match the production history. Things like that. Granted he made a good few dollars and fooled some 80 people online before we got the studios to bust him. He's persistant enough to try again, so I'm afraid he's trying to get the FBI involved. Scandal!

Usually, those you can always trust are the collectors that have a big name in the business or have been holding this job for 15 years. I know a few guys that have even owned original lightsabers, and what money is involved!

Check out www.epropauctions.com I'm working with other collectors in making this fabulous new auction site just for movie memoribilia. Yes, we're the same group of UMCG guys, there won't be frauds! Go ahead and join, it's free. If not to buy anything, at least see some of the cool props listed!

Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it's a fake!

ct_bullet · Post by **ct_bullet** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:26 pm

how do you get into a business like that, do you have friends or family who can get you hooked up, or did you just go out of your way and researched??

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:42 pm

Well for one, I just started collecting. Eventually, I talked with more and more people in the business and became interested in the entire hobby. One thing led to another, and suddenly I have a garage full of movie props! Frankly, my family thinks I'm nuts! But if I want to prop a movie myself, or help out some friends, we can reuse them! It's fun in many ways. Most of it is war surplus, so it can be reused for our own movies without worrying about ruining it. But some things are delicate, made of foam, or whatnot, so there is a collectability to much of it! Many items are purely unique!