Monday, February 26, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 11 Preview

Week 11 Preview

OK, this week is pretty lame. It is the worst week yet as far as selection of good items goes, and there are no hero costumes. Only a few good items at all, but some bargains to be had in main actor stunt and civilian costumes as well as guest costumes. Now, I am not complaining. I need some time off. My Satan's Robot and Admiral Janeway costumes arrived Saturday. Both beautiful, but they were not cheap, and so breathing room is most welcome.

There are only a few costumes of note this week. The highest priced costume right now is the Star Trek III Vulcan musician's costume, which is actually quiet nice. One like it sold a few weeks ago for $ 1,325. I think it is a good piece that will display well, and at a reasonable price. I think overall, the good values in these auctions are in the $ 1,000 - $ 1,500 price range, where you can pick up nice costumes that will display well, and hold their value.

I think the best costume in the lot is the Star Trek: TMP female cadet jumpsuit. I really like these, and they display very well. I have two on display, my Kirk and my Decker. I think this is well worth $ 1,000 -$ 1,200 if you can get it at that price.


The Admiral Jameson costume was another that did not hit reserve when it was on auction a few weeks ago. It failed to hit reserve at $ 725 and so is up again. At least It's a Wrap has started to use reserves sparingly. My guess, based on the previous high bid, and the Admiral top that went for $ 600 a few weeks ago, is that this is about the price this one will go for. Without pants, I don't think it is as attractive. If I were to win a piece like this, I think it would be best to either find the pants, or have some made to go with it, then I think it will look sharp.

The Trip Tucker costume is pretty boring and already over $ 500. Not sure about that one. Yeah it is Trip, but pretty boring. I think much higher and it is a bad deal.

The Picard Racquetball costume is pretty fascinating. I think any Picard costume will be attractive. This is the type of costume that will look best on a mannequin.

Where are the bargains in the costume selection?

Look at the Enterprise Klingon Costume, which I think could be a steal. Basically this is the predecessor to the Klingon costumes we all have come to love. A nice item which will probably go well under $ 1,000, so very affordable.

The Klingon Augment costume is a beautiful piece! It is made of a leather look material with beautiful accents. If I didn't have so many costumes to display already I might go for it. I think this is a great deal in the $ 600-800 range

How about the Harry Kim baby costume from "The Thaw"? Kinda cute, and if you have a kid you can dress him up for his or her first Hallwoeen in a real Star Trek costume!

As far as props go:

The high item now is the Enterprise Medical Supply Containers from Phlox's sick bay. These are already over $ 400, but I like them. I think they make a cool display with the Star Fleet graphics on them.

The Half an Enterprise Missle, actually a Torpedo, is quite nice. The last one went for $ 1,503 the first week of January. I think it would look great mounted on a wall.

The
Voyager Ping Pong Set is pretty cool. How about playing Ping Pong with an actual Star Trek prop! Right now it is less than $ 200.

As I said last week, this is a good week for bargains I think. Pay attention to the items currently under $200, especially the costumes. This is the week for you collectors on a budget (or with a wife!), as you can get some beautiful costumes at reasonable prices I think.


Good hunting!

Alec

Sunday, February 25, 2007

More Great Star Trek items on eBay that are not from It's a Wrap!

I have posted another set of items by a great guy who worked on the set of both Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. He was given a number of items over the years by the staff and by the construction crews and wants to sell some of them on eBay. I offered to help him out (I am not making any money on this), so I have listed 7 of them on eBay now and you can bid on them here.

Here is a brief synopsis of them:


Star Trek Enterprise DANGER AIRLOCK OPENS TO SPACE prop
“DANGER AIRLOCK OPENS TO SPACE” Decal 2 ½ inches H x 6 ½ inches L.


Star Trek Enterprise DANGER HIGH TEMP PLASMA FLOW Decal

“DANGER HIGH TEMP PLASMA FLOW” Decal 2 ½ inches H x 6 ½ inches L.


Star Trek Enterprise NX-01 CARGO genuine prop decal
“NX-01” CARGO Decals, with ENTERPRISE Logo on it. 3 inches high, 6.5 inches long.


Star Trek ENTERPRISE HARDBACK STORAGE SIGN genuine prop HARDBACK ENTERPRISE Storage Sign with Ship Logo 3 ½ inches H x 5 ¼ inches L.


Star Trek ENTERPRISE BRIDGE I.C.data storage chip prop

ENTERPRISE BRIDGE I.C.data storage chip. “SIGNAL PROCESSING” Set used on Enterprise Bridge. Given to the owner by the set dressing crew during the show strike. 3 inches long and 2 ¾ inches high.


Star Trek ENTERPRISE STARFLEET COMMAND prop Sticker

STARFLEET COMMAND Logo Sticker. 4 inches High.


Star Trek Enterprise Set Used Prop Sign Cold Station 12

This is a genuine Star Trek: Enterprise “AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY” Hardback sign. It was Set used on Enterprise episodes featuring Cold Station 12. 5.75 inches high by 6.5 L. Rescued by construction crew when set was torn down. It comes from a well known staff member who worked on both Star Trek:Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise.

Friday, February 23, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 10 Results


Week 10

A new record for an item on the It's a Wrap auctions was set when the Spock Space Suit from Star Trek: TMP sold for $ 10,100.03. This is almost $ 4,000 more than the Captain Kirk Commando uniform from Star Trek V that sold for $ 6,253 two weeks ago. The down side was if you read the description carefully, there was a hole cut in the helmet. This also may have been re-used by Paul Winfield in Star Trek II. Of course that one had a handle in the front, and this one does not. Also, I really hate that it has no boots. I would get some repros for sure.


This week's total was $67,605.53 up from the dismal previous week total of $ 45,155.99. I am sure It's a Wrap was hoping for some mention in the Star Trek special, but unfortunately (or fortunately for us bidders) it didn't get mentioned. If it had gotten mentioned, it would have meant a big influx of bidders and higher prices. 17 items sold for over $ 1,000, but 64 items went for under $ 500. That is a big disparity and reflects an overall poor product mix. Last week was a poor week as well, and next week the auctions look down right awful.

I think the absolute worse buy I have seen so far was the Warp
Plasma Regulator for $ 3,050. This means TWO people thought this was worth over $ 3,000! Give me a break! It is a hunk of metal and not even a significant prop. The winner was a relative newbie to these auctions too.

The female Off Duty Tunic and Pants was also a surprise at $ 3,000. It is similar to the Lt. Ilia costume in Star Trek:TMP and may have been made for Star Trek: Phase Two. However, it has no rank insignia or Starfleet badge. I think it is way over priced at this level.

The Chekov Uniform Jumpsuit went for $2,700. It is a nice piece but it seems it may not have gotten on screen. If anyone can find a screen cap, let me know. None the less, a nice piece. I really think the better ST:TMP costumes are WAY underrated.

The Star Trek: TMP Security Armor was a great piece at a good price. It will be interesting to see if another pops up. The Sulu Class C uniform from ST:TMP went for $2,551 which was considerably more than the $ 1,600 it went for at Christie's. In addition, the Christie's version had the built in boots, which this version did not.


So here are some awards for the week:


Best Item of the Week: Spock Space Suit - yeah it cost $ 10,000, but kind of iconic.

Best Buy of the week: The Star Trek:TMP Security Uniform at $1,533 is a great deal.

Worst Buy of the week: Warp Engine Plasma Regulator at $3,050 for a simple prop is INSANE.

Sleeper of the Week: 24th Century Style hand Lamp at $ 860. A beautiful prop at a reasonable price.


And here are some prices realized:


5 HIGHEST PRICED ITEMS THAT SOLD

Spock Space Suit $10,100

Warp Plasma Regulator $3,050

Star Trek I Female Off Duty Tunic and Pants $3,000

Star Trek VIII Enterprise B Science Uniform $2,950

Star Trek I Chekov Uniform Jumpsuit $2,700


Special thanks to Aaron Carlson, who every week, compiles all the stats on that week's auctions.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

The Star Trek History Channel Special

Well, if you had a chance to see the History Channel Star Trek special it was well worth it. Sure, the first half was a lot of the same "why Star Trek has endured" stuff we have heard time and again. But the second half, when they really got into the auction, was truly fascinating. Here are my thoughts:

1) WOW! Did you see that warehouse? It was like something from the end of Indiana Jones! It was HUGE! I keep telling you there is a ton of stuff! 6 months of auctions from It's a Warp? NO WAY. Think 18 months. That warehouse was enormous. Did you see how many costumes they had?

2) Thanks Mike and Denise Okuda! They were awesome. We were so lucky that they did the Christie's auction. Their knowledge and passion made it the great event it was.

3) Yeah that was me in the yellow sweater. You see me a couple time congratulating my buddies. One when Andy wins the Reliant (good shot of my back) and another later as I am shaking Bill's hand (for winning the Kirk costume). My British buddies Andy, Bill, Stephen and Adrian all got great air time. They deserve it too. Congrats mates!

4) Where were Scott Bakula and William Shatner? Why no interviews with them? I especially wanted to see Bakula as he never seems to give interviews.

5) They are supposedly releasing this on DVD. Make sure you pick up a copy. It is very well done and the history of the Christie's Auction is something worth seeing a few times.


Check out the schedule and TiVo this for sure!

Alec

Monday, February 19, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 10 Preview

Week 10 Preview

Week 10 of the It's a Wrap auctions on eBay is a major Star Trek: The Motion Picture week, and features a good number of hero items from that movie. A Spock, Chekov, Sulu and a Decker are all here. And best of all is the fantastic Spock Space Suit from that movie.
It looks great, but sadly does not have the boots. This item is a gem and someone will have a great piece of movie history in their home. This will certainly set a record for these auctions. I find it hard to believe it will go less than $8,000 and could easily hit $10,000

The first "Monster Maroon" Star Fleet Officer's jacket to be auctioned complete is up this week and it is Jeanette Goldstein's jacket from Star Trek: Generations. While you may know her best as "Vasquez" from "Aliens", Jeanette played the science officer of the Enterprise "B". These jackets are the Holy Grail of many Star Trek collector and rarely come up for auction. They are truly beautiful in person as they are made of a heavy weight wool gabardine that displays beautifully. This item will certainly be a huge seller, and I think will go over $4,000 easy.


The Starfleet Security Armor is a unique and truly fantastic costume. We saw this item in The Motion Picture and this costume has the helmet as well.

Sulu's Class "C" costume from The Motion Picture is kind of unique and rather interesting. It is unlike any other costume we saw in that movie and has a cool Starfleet badge as a clasp.

I think there could be some good bargains on the Starfleet female Class A uniform, from ST: The Motion Picture, which I think is quite nice, as well as the Starbase Personnel Uniform Jumpsuit which is a darker color than any jumpsuit you usually see. I like these costumes, and having the Kirk Jumpsuit like these, I can tell you they display great.

On the prop front, I like the 24th Century Hand Lamp, which was featured in DS9/Voyager. Quite a nice prop and rather inexpensive right now. Should go well under $ 1,000. but don't bid too high as I bet there are plenty of these!

The "Azan - collective Borg Costume" is quite nice and seems to display really well. For a Borg fan a great piece I think as it was for the children that Voyager rescued from the Borg Collective and who became part of their crew. You will need a mannequin to display this well, but I think it looks great.



This is a good week for bargains I think. Pay attention to the items currently under $200. You can find some quality items, but don't over pay. As always, be patient as there is a ton of stuff in those warehouses!


Good hunting!

Alec




It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 9 Results


Week 9

The lack of really great items in week 9 of It's a Wrap Star Trek auctions on eBay this past week is shown in the fact that the week's total was only $ 45,155.99, down from last week's total of $70,503.19. Most collectors agreed it was a poor week, and some have speculated that It's a Wrap is saving e bunch of good items to list the week after this week's Star Trek special on the History Channel, which is supposed to mention the IAW auctions on eBay.

The 7 of 9 costume was the best item of the week. It went for a very reasonable $3,605, far less than the $5,032.99 a month ago when it failed to hit reserve. Just another example of why reserves are a bad idea in general. The costume didn't have the corset that goes underneath, but that is probably because there are less of those than the actual costumes. The hardest part of these costumes

The Nemesis Phaser Rifle brought $2,370. It was a nice example of this weapon and went for a decent price. The winner got a good deal there on a hallmark item. I think this will also help IAW realize that the prices on their web site for hero weapons are a bit out of line.

The Grand Nagus Zek costume lot brought in $1,700, which is high for a guest costume. I think that the Zek and Quark costumes were some of the most elaborate and well designed costumes of any series and they will display very well. Plus, Zek is one of those lovable recurring characters and was played to perfection by Wallace Shawn of "Princess Bride" fame. Remember though that there are multiples of these characters and so be patient!

The Star Trek III Security Uniform was well worth the $1,625 it brought. One of only two that probably exist, it was a nice example of a rare movie costume and came with a hat, which you never see Starfleet in! This gets my vote for Best Buy of the week.

The Romulan Senate Stools brought in $1,125. They are pretty cool and went for considerably less than the roughly $ 800 a piece they went for at Christie's. The buyer did have to pick them up though and I am sure that depressed the price.


This week's awards:

Best Item of the Week: 7 of 9 costume. A good price on a prized costume.

Best Buy of the week: The Star Trek III Security Uniform at $1,625 is hard to beat. Very rare and a beautiful piece.

Worst Buy of the week: Engineering Junction Console. There are a ton of these, they are undistinguished and will not hold their value.

Sleeper of the Week: Insurrection Son'a Shotgun Weapon. A Star Trek gun prop for less than $ 400? Well done!


And here are some prices realized:


5 HIGHEST PRICED ITEMS THAT SOLD

Star Trek Voyager 7 of 9 costume $3,605

Star Trek Nemesis Phaser Rifle $2,370

DS9 "Zek" costume lot $1,700

Star Trek III Security Costume $1,625

Star Trek: Nemesis Romulan Senate Stools $1,125


Special thanks to Aaron Carlson, who every week, compiles all the stats on that week's auctions.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

You can't escape Star Trek!



I play paintball with Atlanta's best military scenario paintball team, Team Omega, and this past weekend my team and I travelled to the Army MOUT (Military Operations on Urban Terrain) training facility in Starke, Florida. 1200 paintballers took over this facility and we spent 24 hours hurling paintballs at each other in a replica of a small town. It was an absolute blast and I am exhausted, but it was the best paintball event we ever went to. (And our team won).

Of course you would think I was as far away from Star Trek as possible, but of course, Star Trek is omnipresent it seems. David, the buddy of the team next to us who cooked for both teams all weekend, had his 13 week old Black Lab puppy with him, and it was adorable. Just as cute and sweet as can be. Well, turns out the puppy was named Sisko after my favorite Starfleet Captain. We all chuckled at that, as I was getting ribbed all weekend about my love for Star Trek after a few of the team members saw my Star Trek costume and prop collection. When they heard the dog was named after the captain, they rolled their eyes. :-).

Star Trek is everywhere!


Friday, February 16, 2007

Week 10 Sneek Peak!


Here's a sneek peak at Week 10 of the It's a Wrap auctions! I can say for sure, this week makes up for last week, and will be all about Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Two items of note are the first "Monster Maroon" Star Fleet Officer's jacket that is complete. This item will certainly be a huge seller, and I think over $ 4,000 easy.

Also, and more impressive, is the Star Trek:The Motion Picture Spock Space Suit! This item is a gem and someone will have a great piece of movie history in their home.

I am off to play paintball for the weekend at the US Army's Camp Blanding Urban Warfare Center in Florida, and will have my Week 9 review up Sunday night!

Good luck all in this week's bidding!

Alec

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Great Star Trek items on eBay and not by It's a Wrap!

Well, I was recently introduced to a great guy who worked on the set of both Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. He was given a number of items over the years by the staff and by the construction crews and wants to sell some of them on eBay. I offered to help him out (I am not making any money on this), so I have listed 7 of them on eBay now and you can bid on them here.

Here is a brief synopsis of them:

Star Trek Enterprise AIRLOCK ACCESS prop decal w/COA


A genuine unused, production made Star Trek: Enterprise “AIRLOCK ACCESS” decal 2.5 high by 6.5 inches long.


Star Trek Enterprise Set Used Prop Sign "Biohazard"

“BIOHAZARD AND HAZMAT PROTOCOLS”. Hardback sign. Set used on Enterprise eps
Cold Station 12. 5.75inches high by 6.56 inches long. Rescued by construction crew when set was torn down.


Star Trek Enterprise Cold Station 12 Prop Decal w/ COA

COLD STATION 12 Logo Decal. It measures 3 ½ inches high. This is unused and still on its backer.


Star Trek Enterprise NX-01 prop control panel w/ COA

5 button control panel from the bridge of the Enterprise NX-01. This is a gray graphic on black plexi. The piece is 5.5 inches long and 1.5 inches high. Saved when the set was taken down.


Star Trek Enterprise Cold Station 12 prop sign w/ COA

HARD BACK SIGN. “Emergency Evacuation Procedures.” Set used on Cold Station 12. Was
Rescued by construction crew when set was torn down.



Star Trek ENTERPRISE ship prop Logo Decal w/ COA

ENTERPRISE SHIP Logo Decal (Large size) 3 inches high. Production made, but unused.


Star Trek ENTERPRISE NX-01 RARE Visual Effects hat

NX-01 Visual Effects black ball cap. Small number made for the Enterprise visual effects Department. Visual Effects under NX-01 logo on the front and Enterprise Season One on the back.


Tuesday, February 13, 2007

History Channel Star Trek Special

OK, next week is the big Star Trek special on History Channel. The History Channel broadcast the whole Christie's auction on the Web live, and has done a ton of interviews, including many of my prop collecting friends for this 40th anniversary Star Trek show. This should be an amazing special!

Check out times here:

http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=205724

Set your TiVos!

Alec

Monday, February 12, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 9 Preview

Week 9 Preview

All I can say this week is YUCK! As the auctions were unfolding this past Friday, all my friends and I could talk about is how bad the selection is this week. But it makes sense, as this coming Monday is the Star Trek special on The History Channel. Word is that It's a Wrap is saving some of the best stuff for after this auction as they expect to get a big upsurge in bidders then. Not a bad strategy actually.

That being said, as of Monday night, only three items were above $1,000.

The Seven of Nine costume which previously failed to hit reserve at $5,032.99, is just over $2,500. The Star Trek Phaser Rifle from Nemesis which previously didn't hit reserve at $2,025 is already at $2,125. And the Star Fleet Security costume from Star Trek III, which previously didn't hit reserve at $1,026.89 is already over $1,500. What this shows is how bad an idea reserves are. They have worked against It's a Wrap so far and these are the perfect examples of why. Two of three items that had reserves are already above where they finished previously.


Now, after these three items, there aren't a lot of great items. Only three more are even above $ 500! The Enterprise Engineering Console is currently at $ 770. The "Zek" costume is at $ 760, and the Compression Phaser Rifle is at $ 522. Now I don't particularly like the Engineering Console, and I think people pay way too much for props like these, but to each his own. The Zek costume is a gem, as I love DS9 and this was a great character. These Ferengi costumes are really beautiful. The Compression Phaser Rifle is rubber, and I hate rubber props because the crack and look crappy after a few years.

So where are the deals to be had? I like the Vulcan Robes. They are truly beautiful. Some of Bob Blackman's work is truly outstanding (I mean it is all beautiful, but this is the best of the best). Like the Ferengi costumes, the fabric is amazing. (Ok, sorry to get all metro-sexual on you guys!).

Data's costume from First Contact is awesome as well. Here is one of those rare, non-Starfleet Data costumes. It is seen prominantly in the movie and is pretty sharp. It is low right now, and could easily go under $ 1,000, which would be a steal.

The Klingon masks have gone for $ 5-600, and there is another one on now. I think these are great if you plan on buying a Klingon costume. Put your costume on a mannequin with one of these and it will make a great display.

The Tolian Soran costume is kinda cool. This is the guy who killed Kirk! The costume has a hole in it, which kind of detracts from it, but maybe a steal if it goes low.

The Excelsior Sleep Wear is a unique item. Not sure that I would want to display some PJs even if they are from the Excelsior though!

I also love the Borg Assimilation Device! A very cool prop. Who doesn't love the Borg? It is pretty low right now. This will probably go higher, but worth a crack.


OVERVIEW

This isn't a great week. But that means there are bargains to be had. Don't overspend on things that aren't core to your collection, but look for those bargains. I think there are some great deals to be had in the $ 400-800 range.

Good hunting!

Alec

Fake Phlox on eBay - UPDATED

UPDATE:

After I reported that this auction was fake, eBay pulled the auction and suspended the seller! I got an email to this effect from eBay this morning (2/13).

**********************

The Phlox Enterprise Space Suit that was being sold by It's a Wrap on eBay the week ending January 9th has appeared on eBay again, most likely in an attempt at fraud by the seller. The original ad can be seen here. The new ad can be seen here.


The Phlox Space Suit never hit reserve, reaching $ 5,600. According to a source who knows, the costume was sold by IAW to the high bidder (Willie_Bath) outside of eBay. I have tried to contact both IAW and Willie Bath (who I have had contact with before) to confirm the above. If so, then eBay will be forced to take the ad down and suspend the seller. (I will also send Guido over to break his legs!).

Why do we know this is a fake auction?

1) Who is this seller? IAW either sold the Space Suit to the high bidder or didn't sell it. They didn't sell it to a third party (especially for less than the high bid).

2) The seller is asking for less than what the high bid was on IAW. If for some reason he actually did get it from IAW, why would they sell it at a Buy It Now for LESS than what the high bidder was willing to pay?

3) The photos are those from the IAW auction. Show me some original photos (preferably with today's newspaper!).

4) The seller wants to do the auction outside of eBay. VERY suspicious.

5) The seller doesn't want anyone to bid unless he vets you first. What?

6) The seller says if you bid he will cancel your bid and leave negative feedback. Well, it is obvious this guy doesn't sell on eBay or he would know you can't leave negative feedback on a bidder, only on an actual buyer.

So STAY AWAY. This is obviously a fake auction. Don't get scammed!


A.

Where are all the early key Star Trek props?

Gary Emerald is one of the foremost experts on Star Trek props and costumes and has even written for Star Trek: The Magazine on the subject. He recently posted some interesting insight into the history of Star Trek props and costumes on the big Movie Prop Forum message board. Here is what he has to say:


"There was a ton of Star Trek stuff released to a certain collector in the mid 90s, and I mean so much stuff it was offensive, mainly from ST: TNG. This collector had KEY ST: TNG stuff, he was connected with high ups at Paramount. A lot of what showed up in the Profiles in History auctions over the years from ST: TNG were from his collection including the Khan.

There were items that were stolen over the years and were placed on a list that Paramount was looking for, and if these items showed up at a high profile auction, convention or anywhere they would have been pulled, so the Khan that was sold was not one of these costumes that Paramount was looking for. This individual had the Trek stuff openly displayed and had this stuff not supposed to been released it would have been confiscated. There was no secret where it was and who owned it.

My friend bought the Khan, I built the display for it. There were two other Khans at the studio, one clean and the other distressed. I am assuming these were cherry picked by the top brass, at some point cause Christie's did not offer Khan at their sale. If Paramount still had it, Christies are idiots for not offering it.

I have heard many individuals who were involved with the series did get to select a few mementos from Trek , and of coarse I would assume they did not pick back-ground first and second season jumpsuits.

I know that most Trek fans on this board seem to like ST: TNG and beyond. I focus on the 60s series, and literally almost every 60s costume has been accounted for. One collector I know, involved with Trek's production has at least 4 60s Kirk tunics. I can also state that most of the key props from the Trek feature films TMP, ST WOK, ST III, ST IV have been in collections for years. Also key working ST: TNG props are long gone as well.

Wonder why Picard's chair was not offered at the Christies sale over the summer? It was sitting in the hot sun in a parking lot as recently as July of 2006, thrashed. Not everything gets saved either."


I hope that offers some insight on the history of where some of the stuff is. Gary is always a great source of info on the subject and is well respected in prop collecting circles.

Alec

Sunday, February 11, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 8 Results

Week 8

Week 8 of the Star Trek auctions on eBay from It's a Wrap Hollywood was the first week where every item sold. I am not sure if there were in fact ANY items that had a reserve (I do not think so), but if so, they all hit reserve. Hopefully this means It's a Wrap has learned that reserves don't help its sales, but in fact hurt them. The total for the week was $ 70,503.19, which is the second best week so far, behind the first week total of $ 71,917.50.

The prize item of the week was Captain Kirk's Commando costume. As I noted in my Week 8 preview, this had the wrong undershirt, no belt and no boots. Surprisingly, it went for $ 6,253. At Christie's this costume (without the undershirt) went for $ 3,000 before Buyer's Premium. The fact that it was the first Kirk item to sell on the IAW auctions was surely significant. I think the price was a bit high, but always factors such as who is bidding, is it to complete a collection etc., skew those issues.


The Kirk climbing costume is a similar item. The one at Christie's had both climbing boots and the talc bag. It went for $ 3,000. Here, a less complete one, without boots or the bag, went for $ 3,366.

The Spock Camping costume was very nice (all that was needed was Spock's rocket boots!) and went for $ 3,405. The same bidder won the McCoy Commando costume at $ 3,363 (and the Sybok robes!). I happen to know that this bidder has both the Kirk and Spock Commando costumes already and is something of a Star Trek V geek! Well, there had to be ONE is the entire galaxy! :-)

I like the Dr. Crusher Naval costume from Star Trek: Generations (a very under-rated movie). I think this went on the high side compared to what these went for at Christie's, but none the less, it is a good deal as it will make a beautiful display.

The Captain Picard "Tapestry" distressed uniform deserves special mention as that is simply one of the best TNG episodes. Picard gets to relieve the fateful days at the academy when he got in a fight that left him with an artificial heart. He learns s very valuable lesson and changes for it. If you don't learn to not have any regrets in your life after watching this episode, you need to get your head examined! A nice costume that has deep meaning. I gave this my buy of the week.


I also like Ensign Ro's jumpsuit at $ 1,820.83. I bid on this, but had to stay within a budget and so I let it go. A very nice costume for one of my favorite characters. It should look great on display as that red looks great in person.

Starfleet uniform jumpsuits from TNG settled into the $ 7-800 range. I think they are good buys for the average Star Trek fan/collector. You are getting a real piece of Star Trek history at a great price. Shopping for bargains is getting easier as people realize how much stuff there is and prices fall. 57 items went for under $ 400 this week, including Kyle Riker's Anbo-Jyutsu uniform at $ 395 and the Traveler's costume at $ 232! These are memorable costumes at bargain prices!

This week's Awards:

Best Item of the Week: Captain Picard "Tapestry" Jacket (The Kirk was incomplete and with the wrong shirt, this item is from one of the best TNG episodes)

Best Buy of the week:
Uhura Commando Costume $ 999.89 This was complete with boots which are hard to find. A steal!


Worst Buy of the week:
Counselor Troi Casual Costume $ 3,005. Way too much for a basic costume.


Sleeper of the Week:
Vice Admiral top $ 610 A rare piece at a great price.



5 HIGHEST PRICED ITEMS THAT SOLD

Star Trek V Kirk Field Duty Uniform $ 6,253


Star Trek V Spock Camping Costume $ 3,405


Star Trek V Kirk Climbing Costume $ 3,366


Star Trek V McCoy Commando Costume $ 3,363


TNG Dr. Crusher Uniform and Lab Coat $ 3,250



Special thanks to Aaron Carlson, who every week, compiles all the stats on that week's auctions.


And what did I win this week?

Well, first the Uhura Commando outfit. Yeah, I gave myself an award for this, but it was a steal! I will post a photo when I get this to show off the boots.
I also won the Star Trek III Special Services Costume, which is truly beautiful and VERY rare (and has the first belt we have seen on these costumes).

As always, good hunting!

Alec

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Robert Blackman Interview


The following are excerpts from a web chat with Robert Blackman, who was Start Trek costume designer from Year 3 of Next Generation through Enterprise. I have edited the interview as it is quite long, highlighting parts that I think are relevant to collecting and the current It's a Wrap auctions. Note the answer to one question that foreshadows the Christie's and IAW auctions; and this was 1999!


The full chat transcript is on Star Trek.com here:


08.26.1999

Bob Blackman is here with us today to answer your questions about costume design and wardrobe on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. Mr. Blackman has been designing "other-worldly" garb since the third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation back in 1990.


Q: Of all the costumes that you designed for star trek, which one was your favorite?
Jadzia D

BB: It is impossible to decide which child you love best. They're all my favorites.


Q: I was impressed with the variety of Garak's wardrobe, which was in keeping with his role as tailor. Was it difficult to keep coming up with interesting ideas for his costumes?
wijdan

BB: No it was not difficult. Those particular kinds of items are the most fun and the easiest to come up with. The more difficult part is convincing the actor they'll look good in it. All of his clothes were lined with neoprene (wetsuit fabric)... not very comfortable to wear. Andy's a really good sport.


Q: I am just wondering how you think up the strange clothes that Neelix has to wear? Some of the fabrics look very cool!!
marbeo

BB: Neelix comes from the same spot in my brain that Garak, Quark, Moogie and Zek. The fabrics are obviously exotic, and it takes some searching to find. There are many bald sofas around town.


Q: I would like to know what all the costumes are made out of, meaning Cardassian, Borg, and Klingon, Jem Hadar, etc. They always look a lot like armor.
Julie

BB: Well... They are like armor. The Cardassians breast plates are made out of blown rubber. They weigh about 30 lbs each. The Borg, as we know them now are also made out of blown rubber and are a two piece jumpsuit. The Klingons are made out of jumbo spandex and leather. And lots of fake fur. The Jem H'adar out of neoprene covered in leather and stretch lycra.


Q: Is there anywhere a fan could just browse and buy some set costumes?
Jonathan

BB: There are rumors that some items from the original series, the movies, TNG and DS9 will be up for auction at yet undisclosed auction houses in LA and NY. Probably on EBay as well. That's about the only place you can get an authentic one.


Q: Was it you that changed the uniforms of Starfleet from the old span-dex type to the collared relaxed type?
darkcontact

BB: Yes. I was brought on for the 3rd season of TNG to do just that.


Q: What type of fabric are the uniforms made of? What do you normally use for alien clothing? Also, where on earth did you come up with the weird clothing for Neelix and the Cardassians?
StillShining

BB: The uniforms are made out of wool gabardine. Light weight. The t-shirts are made out of cotton-lycra... The greys and the colors are specially dyed and that's it.


Q: Good Evening Mr. Blackman! Did The TNG cast complain about the new uniforms because they were made of wool? Are they really very hot to work in?
Matt

BB: No, they did not complain about the fact that the uniforms were made of wool. They were complaining that the uniforms before me were made of spandex which doesn't breathe like wool, retains body odor unlike wool, and allows you never to eat again.


Q: Did you design the Borg costumes?
Katherine

BB: No. The original Borg were designed by Durinda Wood and the First Contact Borg were designed by Deborah Everton. The only Borg I have designed is Seven of Nine. And the Drone.


Q: Do you get the final say on what the costumes are to look like or do they have to be authorised by Rick Berman etc?
Ice_RSQ_10

BB: Yes and yes. Rick Berman and I confer on the final product. His hand reaches everywere and touches everything. And he has an extraordinary design sense.


Q: Do you have a personal gallery with some of the Star Trek costumes you have designed?
Stanley

BB: No. All garments produced in the Star Trek workroom are sole property of Paramount Pictures.


Q: How long does it normally take for a Starfleet uniform to be constructed?
Stanley

BB: The SF uniforms are deceptive. At least to me. They appear to be very simple. Kind of a 24th century version of a NASA jumpsuit. But in reality they are anything but simple. The simpler things look, for the most part, the harder they are to do. For the shirts and the uniforms to rest as smoothly as they do on the actors' bodies requires considerable inner structure. So now, we can still do a turnaround on these in about 48 hours, but it is a real push.


Q: Its gone 3am here in England so i will make this quick....do you have a budget to consider when desighning a new costume????
Richard

BB: Yes I do. Depending on many different things... One, is it a recurring character? Two, how big are the other budgets for the other areas on this episode? Three, and the number that are to be produced. If there is one, or if there is 20, the cost per character is the same. It's just how much they want to come up with.


Q: Okay, so what's the deal w/ the jackets that Capt. Picard and some other sr. staff kept having to pull down all the time?
Jovia

BB: That pulling down is referred to as "The Picard Maneuver". It started actually with the spandex suits. Patrick has a keen sense of close-up. He would grab the middle of his spandex suit as he sat in order to give it a tug so that as he was seated and they were pushing in for a close-up... so he would look picture-perfect. When the uniforms became two piece uniforms for comfort, he just naturally continued. And hence, the Picard Maneuver.


Q: Mr. Blackman, I wanted to ask you if you designed Kate Mulgrew's nightgown on Voyager, or, if you bought it from a lingere store. I am trying to find one just like it, but to no avail.
ST FAN

BB: Actually, I can't remember. If we bought it, we mucked around with it. If we made it, we made it. All purchases have our stamp on them.


Q: is Seven of nines costume as tight as it seems?
Ice_RSQ_10

BB: Yes. The understructure takes about 20 minutes to get into. The jumpsuit another 20.


Q: I was wondering whether your job is relatively easy, considering the regular crew where the same uniform every week?
Big O

BB: During the season we make 4-6 uniforms for each actor. So although it seems like we do nothing... we do a lot.


Q: How was Q's judge costume made? Was it hot for the actor to wear? Where did you get the necklace? Also, what did you do if either of the actresses playing the Borg Queen had to use the restroom?
fan from Austin, TX

BB: Q's judge outfit and necklace were rented by Bill Theiss. The Borg Queens are encouraged not to drink. Or eat. All else failing, we stop and take them out of it. Not an easy chore. But we are humane.


Q: What material is seven of nines costume?
Ice_RSQ_10

BB: It is made out of a 4 way stretch lycra with a metallic thread that runs through. We buy it off-white and dye it.


Q: Does Paramount allow actors and guest actors to keep their uniforms?
LB

BB: No.



Thank you very much, Bob, for taking the time to chat with us today. We're all looking forward to the upcoming season of Star Trek: Voyager.

BB: Thanks for having me. Keep watching and buy everything they advertise.

Thanks a lot. - Bob.

Sunday, February 4, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 8 Preview

Week 8 Preview

Week 8 of the It's a Warp Star Trek auctions is a good week, focusing on Star Trek: The Next Generation and costumes from Star Trek V (With a smattering of props from ST: Insurrection). This means the first Kirk, Spock and McCoy uniforms we have seen. Though not complete, they are nice, and you have to remember that costumes of the big 3 are very hard to come by.

As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, IAW is doing a nice job of the "themed" listings, listing groups of costumes and props from a specific show or shows. The movies tend to be listed with items from one of the shows. I think this gives people a nice rhythm as some weeks you are going after items from your favorite show, and then you may have a week or two off to gather your resources! Being a Star Trek fan just got a lot more expensive and this will last for months.

I think this week will see a huge dichotomy of items, as there are a dozen or so great hero pieces and then a lot of less desirable guest costumes from The Next Generation. As of Sunday, there were 74 out of 100 items UNDER $ 300. That is unusual, and I think it is because the product mix is very diverse and heavily weighted towards less desirable guest costumes and few props of great interest.

Captain Kirk Commando Costume

Kirk's Commando costume from Star Trek V is the top item so far. It will most likely stay that way. Incomplete as it has no belt or rank insignia, it is none the less a great piece and easily completed with replica parts. I think the attraction here is that it is a rare costume, and easily more affordable than a Kirk "Wrath of Khan" style red jacket and pants (which went for $ 24,000 at Christie's). There was one of these at Christie's which went for $ 3,000 without the white undershirt or belt and insignia, like this one.
This audience on eBay has not seen anything from Kirk yet and so this one could easily go over $ 4,000. Note that the white turtleneck undershirt is not correct for this costume, as the one in the movie had the notched front. This one may be a Shatner, but not for this costume.

Now there is also a Kirk Climbing outfit, the complete one having gone at Christie's, this one is lacking the boots, the belt and the talc bag. (climbers use Talc to add grip to their fingers). It is cheap right now, but it is a Kirk and this could be a steal. Worth a look.


Crusher Naval Costume from "Generations"


This costume from Star Trek: Generations is listed as "Gates # 2" and it should be noted that the complete version of this was sold in lot # 86 that had 5 of these from different characters. Of course Gates McFadden's character took a dip in the ocean courtesy of Data, and so would need more than one costume.

This is a beautiful costume, and should go over $ 3,000 easy. at Christie's this lot went for $ 6,600 for 5 of these that were complete with hats! That was one of the steals of that auction. This costume is already at $ 1,756 on Sunday.

Picard "Tapestry" distressed uniform

If "Tapestry" isn't one of your top 5 favorite Next Gen episodes, it should be! Why? because it is the Star Trek episode, that more than any other teaches a life lesson that we all should appreciate, and it is fun and interesting, and we see Picard make the biggest leap in his personal growth. I LOVE this episode. Along with "Inner Light" it is the bets written of all the Next Gen Episodes.

So this costume has a lot of meaning, and I am obviously not the only one to think so! Bidding is over $ 1,200 on Sunday. This is the costume Picard is wearing when we see him lying on the Med table at the beginning of the episode; his artificial heart damaged by a weapon's blast. I see this costume going over $ 3,000.

Spock Star Trek V Campfire Costume

OK, Star Trek V was weak. We all agree on that (except one of my friends who loves it - you know who you are!). But there were moments in that movie that were good, and I think the campfire scene at the end was one. This is Spock's costume from that scene. I mean Spock playing his Harp and roasting "Marsh Melons"! I love this outfit for how different it is than any other Spock costume. Now, that doesn't mean I am bidding on it, because it doesn't fit into my costume collection's theme. And I am not sure how much everyone else will love it, but this should go for between $ 1,500 and $ 2,500.


Other Great costumes

Well, there is a McCoy Commando and Uhura Commando from Star Trek V. Both nice, but needing belts. The McCoy also has the stunt man's pants, not DeForest Kelley's, so know that before bidding. If you win these, you can get the repro belts easily. There is a nice Ensign Ro, one of TNG's most interesting recurring characters. Also a La Forge, a Deanna Troi and a Crusher. All good costumes. You might get a reasonable price on these as the big money will be chasing the Kirk, Spock and McCoy as well as the Crusher.

Don't get me started on how much I hate the Anbo-Jyutsu costumes. Oh, the costumes are cool, but that whole scene is one of the WORST scenes in TNG and just showcased how bad the writing was at times in Season's one and two. Stop making up stupid future sports like "Paresi Squares". There hasn't been a new sport in the last 100 year's that means anything and there won't be some new stupid martial art in a future where 100 million people die in World War III unless one of the Eugenic supermen thinks it up while conquering half the world. (sorry...rant over)

And while I am on things I hate, there is the Wesley Crusher "Acting Ensign" uniform. That is another Gene Roddenberry-ism I hated. How many times will that kid save the Enterprise?
I finally liked him when he screwed up with red Squad in "First Duty". This costume is only the shirt, and it ISN'T his acting ensign costume as IAW claims, but the one he wore before Picard gave him his pseudo field commission. After that he wore a two-tone grey costume as "acting ensign".

So the high end of the costume selection is very heavy this week. This means there could be some good buys as there is only so much money out there. I think we are seeing that prices are coming down on less that the very best each week. So look for the good buys in the secondary characters.

The guest star costumes are interesting, but should all go cheap.


Props


The Star Trek: Insurrection PADD is the top prop in a week with few props of interest. it is a rarer lighted version and shows the "Briar Patch" from that movie. Very cool, and this could go close to $ 2,000.

There is a Klingon Bat'leth, but it is made of foam rubber. If you have been reading my posts, you know I stay away from these due to their tendency to degrade over time.

After that there is nothing noteworthy, but a bunch of Son'a and Starfleet LCARS displays, which if you get them cheap, might be a good deal. They would look nice in a Star Trek display.

Don't overpay on props this week. Be patient as there is so much more to come.


OVERVIEW

The value is in the costumes this week. The auction is deep in good costumes. Bid wisely and focus on one or two costumes you really want. Hopefully you are being smart and bidding within your means. Remember, be patient, and you will get what you want at a good price.

Feel free to email me with questions or post a comment here! PLEASE include your email if you post a comment here if you want a response, as I don't always want to respond to individual questions on the Blog, but happy to do so if you email me.

Good hunting!

Alec

Saturday, February 3, 2007

It's a Wrap eBay auctions - Week 7 results

Week 7

Week 7 of the Star Trek auctions on eBay from It's a Wrap Hollywood ended with a record 96 of the 99 lots selling for a total of $61,374. The record low number of items that did not hit reserve
was due largely to It's a Wrap's judicious use of reserves this time. It seems that IAW is finally getting the message and reserves are becoming rarer each week. Some sources tell me there are only two overworked (and presumably underpaid!) workers in the warehouse who are doing ALL the work for these auctions. Not sure if that is true, but it would explain the delay many buyers seem to have to endure in getting their items, as well as the lack of a cohesive strategy and inefficient technology IAW is using. If this is true, my hats off to those two poor guys! Tell the boss to get you some 21st century technology! This past week saw a wonderful variety of uniforms, costumes and props from Deep Space Nine. I must congratulate It's a Wrap on these "themed" weeks as they offer the fan of a particular series a great variety of items. It is fun to see so many items of one show.

As far as what sold, this was a VERY strange week. The Sisko Commando style uniform should have been the top item in the sale. It was a uniform that could have gone over $4,000 with no problem, but it only fetched $ 3,100 to regular buyer filmwelt_Berlin. What is crazy is that this wasn't the highest selling item in the auction! That honor was reserved for Major Kira's Bajoran uniform, which went for an insane $ 3,601, which was 50% higher than the price these costumes realized at Christie's last October! That is the first time this has happened in the 7 weeks of these auctions. It should be noted that the buyer had zero feedback.


Garak's costume went for $3,250, which was well over where it should have sold. This was the final costume Andrew Robinson wore in "In the Pale Moonlight" one of the very best DS9 episodes, where Garak helps Sisko bring the Romulans into the Dominion War. The scene where Sisko knocks Garak across the table and then Garak tells Sisko how saving the Alpha Quadrant was worth his self respect, is one of the very best scenes in the entire run, and shows why Andrew Robinson did such a masterful job portraying the Cardassian spy. Still $ 3,250? That is WAY overpriced. This eBay member, has only won two oither items in a year and a half and one was an autographed photo of Andrew Robinson as Garak, so a true fan!

There were good buys out there as well. I really think this was the week when people looked for the second tier gems. I got the Nog Cadet uniform, which is one of my Star Trek holy grails. I was totally fired up about that one. At $1,075 it was a good deal. A friend of mine won the "Ishka" (Quark and Rom's Mom) and he was excited to have won at under $ 800 (with a Versace bag that was worth that by itself!). The Romulan Disruptor at $1,237 is a stunning prop. Made of resin, the detail photo in the ad showed how sharp this weapon is. The lot of two Quark green costumes was a good deal also at $1,348, coming out to $ 675 per costume.

Only three items didn't hit reserve this week. It was interesting that the first Jem H'dar costume went for $1,561, but the second didn't hit reserve at $566. Limited audience there I would guess. The Romulan Phaser didn't hit reserve at $400.25. Not surprising as it is a foam rubber one, and those are notorious for cracking and looking poor after a few years. The Jadzia Dax costume didn't have the grey undershirt, making this costume incomplete.

I think there are a lot of great alien costumes that are going in the $1-2,000 range that will look awesome on display. This week there was a nice Cardassian that sold just over $ 1235 and a female Klingon that went for $1,805. The Reman last week was another, as was the earlier Xindi. All went for less than $2,000. All will make someone very happy as they are quite striking.


Week 7 Awards:


Best Item of the Week: Captain Sisko "Commando" style uniform

Best Buy of the week: DS9/Voyager blue Sciences jumpsuit. Under $ 500? A steal!

Worst Buy of the week: Garak Costume $3,250. An INSANE price for a good costume.

Sleeper of the Week: Quark costume $1,035 A truly beautiful costume. Amazing details and fabrics.

And here are some prices realized and some sales that didn't close because of high reserves:


5 HIGHEST PRICED ITEMS THAT SOLD

Major Kira Bajoran Uniform $ 3,601

Garak Costume $ 3,250

Captain Sisko "Commando" style Uniform $ 3,100

Klingon Warrior Uniform $ 2,850

Chief O'Brien Uniform $ 2,050


TOP 5 ITEMS NOT HITTING RESERVE

Well, there were only 3 items that didn't sell this week!

Jadzia Dax Uniform Jumpsuit $ 598.88

Jem Had Military Uniform $ 566.00

Romulan Disruptor Rifle $ 400.25


Special thanks to Aaron Carlson, who every week, compiles all the stats on that week's auctions.


This week I won the Nog cadet uniform. I am a huge DS9 fan, it being my favorite of all Star Trek shows. Nog is a great character, and like many DS9 characters grew a great deal through the course of the show. I loved the episode where he had to convince Sisko that he wanted to join Starfleet. (Very "Officer and a Gentleman" at one point.). It was great seeing Nog finally get into the academy and then become a full fledged ensign. This costume has been one of my "holy grails" of Star Trek costumes. When it came up this week, I went full bore after it, and was happy to land it in my collection at the reasonable price of $ 1,075.

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