"Errand of Mercy" Chair found!

Jason White is one of the top prop & costume collectors in the country, who I met at the Christie's Star Trek auction along with his brother.  He is also a big Star Trek fan and a Star Trek Prop Forum member.  He recently acquired a piece of Star Trek history and wrote about it on the forum.  I asked him to publish it here.

From Jason:

A genuine antique hand carved throne chair used in numerous historic films and TV shows, the main one I was interested in was of course Star Trek. We also found it in an 1940 Karloff/Lugosi/Lorre movie so that was exciting. Who knows where else it will show up.

With numerous studio markings underneath from all the different prop houses it came from, started off in the RKO prop house, when the decline of RKO began in 1948 it was bought out by eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes, who eventually sold it to a tire company. It was soon purchased by Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz in 1957, who made it part of their "Desilu Studios." Eventually, the RKO/Desilu property was swallowed up by its massive neighbor, Paramount Studios. 

STAR TREK - THE ORIGINAL SERIES (1966-1969)
Errand Of Mercy ( Season One )
Used by John Abbott who played "Ayelborne" the leader of the Organians
When Kirk and Spock visited their world in 2266

YOU'LL FIND OUT (1940)
Starring Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Peter Lorre
The only pairing of these legendary actors
Puppets from King Kong and the un-finished Creation also appear in this film

CITIZEN KANE (1941)
Starring Orson Wells, Joseph Cotten and Agnes Moorehead

THE SPANISH MAIN (1945)
Starring Maureen O'Hara and Paul Henreid

AT SWORD'S POINT (1952)
Starring Maureen O'Hara and Cornel Wilde

THE UNTOUCHABLES (1959-1963)

I-SPY (1965-1968)
Return To Glory (Season One)
Starring Robert Culp, Bill Cosby and Dolores Del Rio

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (1966-1973)

The search continues...

This was originally sold by Paramount when they liquidated some furniture at one of the top auction houses, the auction didn't get much press as the auction house weren't allowed to use the studio's name which is why a lot of collectors missed the auction.
 

Didn't make sense to me but bargains could be had if you did your homework.  There were a lot of TOS Trek pieces sold at that auction as they used props from the old RKO prophouse. The goal is to track these treasures down. Most pieces have been scattered all over the world, mostly to antique shops as most of these items were rare one of a kind antiques.
 

There was another matching chair sold at the time which has been screen matched to an old episode of the 50's Superman show. This chair here has been screen matched to the Trek episode.
 

You can see 2 chairs on screen at the same time in Citizen Kane and At Sword's Point.

Thanks to Jason for the great information!

Khan Mask to be sold at Profiles Auction

Profiles in History will be offering what is claimed to be the mask Ricardo Montablan wore in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  The display is nice, but as always, what is the provenance on this piece? 

Profiles will be having a number of Star Trek items in their May Hollywood Auction 44, but so far, this is the only significant piece in the auction.

More reviews of the other items they have shortly.

Alec

QMX releases Star Trek Phaser replica

Having seen the prototype of this at San Diego Comic Con, I can tell you this is a great deal for a high quality replica.  QMX, like EFX, does great work and I highley Reccomend this!

From the QMX Press Release:

The Best Diplomat: A Fully Activated Phaser Bank

Got pesky Romulans lurking in the shadows? Or Klingons off the starboard bow? All you need to ward them off is this gleaming 1:1 scale, screen-accurate replica of the stunt phaser used in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek.

Our replica has been cast from a first-generation master of the screen-used phaser. Its solid polystone core is precision metal-plated in several finishes – steel, gunmetal, aluminum block and chrome – to create an exact match of the actual hero phaser used in the movie.

The QMx Enterprise Metal-Plated Phaser Replica measures 10.5" long x 7" high (grip included) and weighs more than one pound. It comes with a custom-designed display stand in smoke-colored lucite and includes a brass name plaque.

All this for just $49.95.

USS Enterprise model from Sci Fi Museum not what it claims.

The 6' Enterprise model that has been on display at the Sci Fi Museum, allegedly from "Trials and Tribbleations" sold for $ 10,000 on eBay.  However, it is pretty clear this model was never used in the episode.  

This was a model made for sale at Star Trek: The Experience.  I have no idea how this seller claims this was used in Trials and Tribbleations.  It clearly was not.  Like the Jem Hadar Battleship that Profiles in History withdrew, this is not a screen-used model, but from the molds at best.  And most likely, since Greg Jein built the original for that episode, not even that.

An Enterprise model on sale at the Star Trek Experience

 The Enterprise on display at the SF Museum

The owner had Nichelle Nichols and George Takei sign the model.  Every collector who has ever seen this has cringed.  

 Copies of the seller's original receipts only prove it is a souvenir!

1)  Paramount didn't make the models for Star Trek.  These were always outsourced to different model or prop shops, or in the case of the actual "Trials and Tribbleations" Enterprise, Greg Jein.

2)  There is no proof this was in anyway used for "Trials and Tribbleations".

3)  No actual screen used models were sold at Star Trek: The Experience. Some of these models may have come from the original molds, but none were ever screen used.

4)  Paramount never let out models from Star Trek.  They were almost all sold at the Christie's auction.

The eBay auction ad can be found here.

From the eBay auction ad:

I am the first private owner of this genuine USS Enterprise (TOS) model that has been on display at the Seattle Science Fiction Museum for the part several years. The model was one of several built by Paramount Studios for the 1996 5th season Star Trek: DS9 episode "Trials and Tribble-ations"; which was produced as a 30th Anniversary tribute to TOS. It is approximately 6 feet long and three feet wide. It is not lighted. I personally had Leonard Nimoy and John Delancie sign the model in Las Vegas where I purchased it from the Star Trek Experience in 1999. I then had it signed by Nichelle Nichols and George Takei at the Science Fiction Museum. I am the person in the green shirt standing with them. I have included photos of the original receipt, the letter of loan and renewal and the insurance document from SFM. The model has always been professionally packed and will be shipped to the buyer in the packaging from the SFM - shipping will be via motor freight and will be billed at actual cost. There are minor scuffs in places, but overall it is in museum condition. This model was not used in the filming of the episode but was made at the same time in the same molds as the "hero" model that was lighted for the episode - that model is still in the possession of Paramount Studios.

It's truly a unique collectible for the Star Trek aficionado. This may be the only opportunity you have to own a NCC-1701 model made directly by Paramount.



Thanks to all on the Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Forum for their insight and thoughts!

Monster Maroon Guide

I found these two great images on Google and thought I would share them.  They are a good guide to teh Monster Maroon of Robert Fletcher.

Consignments Closing for the Propworx Star Trek Auction

This is the last week for consignments for the Propworx Star Trek auction, scheduled for May.  If you have any interest, please contact Jarrod@propworx.com.  Jarrod is my right hand man when it comes to Star Trek and is the point person for all Star Trek consignments.

Here are some of the great items in the auction, which will have about 200 items.

Celeste Yarnel's "Lt. Landon" Uniform from "The Apple" with boots!

Klingon Disruptor

Star Trek: First Contact Phaser Rifle

The Jem'Hadar Pistol

The Jem'hadar pistol was seen as an alien weapon as well (without the front cowl).  This one is from my collection.  I also got the Jem'Hadar rifle from Profiles as well at the same auction.

We see a lot of the Jem'Hadar pistol in "One Little Ship"

Used by both sides!

A close up of the pistol from "Tacking Into the Wind"

The last pistol was sold in Profiles in History Hollywood Auction 40, June 2010

Lot 1515. Hero Jem'Hadar Pistol from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. (Paramount-TV, 1993-99) Cast resin pistol with vacuum-formed hood, painted grey with color accents. First used in the episode, "The Jem'Hadar," and subsequently used throughout the series. Built by HMS Creative Creative Productions and measures 9 in. long.

Sale price $ 1,800


Per Star Trek guru Jorg Hillebrand:

The Jem'Hadar pistol, in this incarnation without any modifications, appeared in three more episodes. It was seen as a mirror universe weapon in "Through the looking glass" (used by Smiley O'Brien) and "Shattered mirror" (used by the Intendant).

In "Marauders", two dirty Jem'Hadar pistols were seen as nondescript alien weapons.