Is the prop worth the money?

Killercroc009

Hi.
I'm willing to buy a prop from the first harry potter movie.
It's an envelope of one of the Hogwarts acceptance letters thet were sent to harry in the scene that the owl were filling the Dursley's house with those letters...

It costs about 160$ (100 pounds)
Does it worth te price?
What do you say?

Lvbolts

Maybe if it was the actual one used if not you can get those on ebay for very very cheap. I have seen replicas of that for $10-20 bucks. I bought one for $15 and it was a dead image of the one on screen, be careful.

Killercroc009

Of course it is an actual screen used prop... I wouldnt pay 160$ for a replica even if it's an exact one...
and thanks for the help!

Guardian Devil

I think what Lvbolts is saying is be careful and make sure it actually is screen used.
There's a lot of people out there who are more than happy to just pretend things are screen used in order to sell them. Especially when they've got a big name attached like the Harry Potter series and when they're an easily replicated 'paper-prop' that would be indistinguishable from an original. Sometimes just trusting that the seller says something is screen used or that it has a "coa" isn't good enough.

With most screen used props it's what the prop is worth to you that really matters. Is it worth that much to you? is the evidence of it's use in the making of the film rock solid enough to hold it's value? Is the seller 100% reputable and reliable source of a prop of this kind? and where did they get it?
There's a lot of factors than can go in to valuing it.

Knightjar

If it's worth it to you, it's worth it.

Killercroc009

Thanks for the help... I know some sellers in the net are selling a fake prop but I'm going to buy it in an actual store, not from ebay or something like that... (and of course I'll check the prop personally before I buy it).

Thanks for the help, I really want this thing but.. I don't know.. really expensive and a lot of people say to me that that I'm spending my money for nothing.. but I tihnk I'll go for it.

.:MirrorminD:.

I own 2 versions of the envelope and 1 of the letter that are all screen used. A few things to keep in mind:

Is it just the letter, or is it the envelope and letter?
If it comes with an envelope then check the wax seal on the back. There were (2) kinds of envelopes. For close up shots they used real red wax on the back of it, they only made a handful of these. The second kind of envelope, the red wax was printed on the envelope and there were 100's of these made. Also on a few envelopes there were a coin in them to make them drop quicker during the shower of them.

As for the letter, it was printed on a slightly heavier paper stock than computer paper. So it would be harder to see through light but still bend enough when dropped. If I recall, the prop dept had a high school art department make a bunch of them along with some other people as well. I have seen variations in the letters that were both SU but to match it would be near impossible.

lukeforester1

Because there were literally ten's of thousands of letters printed and screen used is not that rare this is about the only HP SU prop you will EVER get for a reasonable price. And trust me that price is not bad for anything screen used in any movie. Having said that, you do need to be careful about reliability. Monster Collectibles is selling them for 90 pounds, which is a little better, I've never bought anything from them so I do not know for sure, but they seem like a legit seller.

apollo

If it is Screen-Used that's not that bad of a price

ave4uevoli

just don't expect to ever sell it again for the same price.
You wouldn't be so concerned about price if you thought that you were never going to sell it. It's like shopping at the grocery store, if you really want the "banana" and you think the banana is worth $0.50 to you, you buy it.
If you really want it, and think the prop is worth $160 to YOU, then go for it. Don't worry about what we all think. We are the prop forum, but everyone has their own interests and specialties. Some people may like paper props more so then others. So "worth" is subjective.

Lvbolts

Was just trying to help, did not mean to offend you. I have seen people get scamed was just trying to help you out, sorry if you took it the wrong way. Ill keep my thoughts to myself.

Killercroc009

Believe me I was not offended... And I'm really sorry if it seemed like that...
anyway, I'm not interested in replicas.....

And I'm very sorry if it sounded like I was offended...

Lvbolts

Ok cool. So to go into the direction of the prop, buy it because you like it and its what you want. I found that you enjoy the prop more if you spend the cash and it brings value to your collection for yourself, not the money aspect of it.

deck5

You can be sold a fake in a shop as readily as anywhere else. Don't trust in your own ability to distinguish a forgery from the real McCoy.

Norbert

That does seem like a good price. I would be careful and make sure it a real thing. If it has as something that say WB or Leavesden studios like on a sheet of paper then I would say it the really thing. SA props a lot of time will have "property of ..." studio name. some there small and out of sight. Just be careful. I would make sure it from WB and or Leavesden studios, before buying it

G17RDY

If you want it, you can afford it and you are comfortable / satisfied that the item is screen used, then yes buy it.

Owning something which is screen used makes you all warm and fuzzy!!

Killercroc009

Well thank you all, I'm probably going to buy the printed-seal version (the only one that is for sale) from The Monster Company because there is no sale of the wax seal vesion and the monster company has the best price and credibility I've seen yet.

williamwolswijk

I've got the same one from the same store. It is authentic so don't be afraid to buy it. But just to let you know something. You only get the envelope. There is no letter inside. Since the fact is that what they say, for close up they made envelopes with wax seals, in those they placed letters. In the other printed version the put in coins and in several letters and in other nothing. This way they could control the dropspeed into three speeds. Fast - Medium - Slow.

asemblyrequired

Listen to the good advise from these guys . Even the propstore that boasts a huge inventory has more " stand-by" props at times rather than " real hero " props. ( for sale I mean , not in their private collection)


-James

Guardian Devil

Do they have the best credibility? I'd love to have more confidence in some of the items they sell. I've always avoided them personally, I'm sure they have some good items, but a quick browse through their available items raised my eyebrow a few times - despite the fact they signed up the site [url=http://propstoreoflondon.co.uk[/url] (which just then links to The Monster Company) obviously hoping to leach of the Propstore's good name and reputation. That just seems to raise a red flag to me.

The CoA with it is one they're going to make themselves (as stated in it's description) - and they also offer the same CoA with the replica paper props from Harry Potter that they're making (see the Ron Weasely 'Screamer' letter)

Killercroc009

Yeah, I know that the store looks a bit suspicious (especially the fact that they are making their own CoA). But that is the best deal I can find - especially because I'm going to purchase the prop at the store itself and not at EBAY... So I will be able to examine the prop myself.. (And after all.. there are not many sellers of harry potter screen used props for sale anymore...)

lukeforester1

Considering everything that isn't either at leavesden or at the exhibit in the city (technically, including the gifts Dan, Rupert, and Emma were given) was stolen, I think it will be very hard/impossible to get a WB CoA, so you take what you can get.

Killercroc009

Pretty much.... though once there was an auction for the wax sealed envelope (I guess there was a letter inside too) with a WB CoA.

decat

I do recall reading once that they auctioned off a bunch of the letters, I think I've seen pictures before of letters witrh a coa certificate, too.

Guardian Devil

That's right, I'm sure I've seen them pop up on Hollywood History, Screen Used or Propstore a while back too. I forget which ones.
Just because something is hard to find (like any screen used prop - sometimes people spend years trying to find exactly the right item) doesn't mean you should 'take what you can get'
I'm afraid that doesn't make the "coa" any more reliable - it may aswell not have one, there's nothing to verify it's authenticity at all.
That's not to say it isn't real, but it doesn't say it is either.