Saving Private Ryan Props & Wardrobe

Hello All! My name is Chris and I am new to this forum. I have been collecting props and wardrobe from Saving Private Ryan since the very beginning. And since I started collecting I have become quite an authority (and the only authority) on genuine pieces. On many occasions I have been contacted to authenticate SPR Props and Wardrobe. I collect because I love this film and not because I'm out to make a profit.

If you have any questions about SPR items I would love to answer them!

I was also just recently brought in to help dispose of the last of the WINDTALKERS & FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS props and wardrobe, which was never sold to the general public!

Check out my collection here at www.foxholeprops.com
http://www.freewebs.com/sprprops/

Some of the wardrobe left over from WINDTALKERS, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA

Nice collection! Its a good idea to focus on that.

NAZGÛL said:

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Nice collection! Its a good idea to focus on that.

Thank you very much! When you focus on one movie for as long as I have you become an expert on how to spot fakes.

Also be aware that there are plenty of fakes out there. For example there is a guy out in California trying to sell complete costumes from the film SPR. They are very good fakes, The Propstore of London even got duped!!

Can you elaborate on how Propstore got duped please?

Especially for us with items from them

tardis55 said:

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Can you elaborate on how Propstore got duped please?

Especially for us with items from them

Sure!

For starters the Captain Miller Hero Uniform that they want $15,000 for is NOT a 'complete' uniform worn by Tom Hanks.

In reality it is his helmet, jacket, and officers shirt! The only other items that have a CHANCE of being his are the t-shirt, leggings, and map case.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that the trousers, boots, shovel, liner, and belt with holster were NEVER worn by Tom Hanks in the film.

Someone at some point had a couple real pieces and though 'hey if I make a complete costume I'll get more money' so the pants (original to SPR) were then marked MILLER, the Vietnam shovel was added and marked MILLER, the liner (original SPR) was painted to be millers (and done badly!) and the dark green belt with holster was added as well.

I have NEVER in 14 years ever once seen a complete main cast costume from SPR, it just doesn't happen. The way the costumes were thrown in boxes and quickly sold off means that a complete costume isn't possible.

Also all the complete main cast costumes from SPR supposedly come with a letter of provenance from the costume coordinator for the film. Well it may come with the letter but he was NOT the costume coordinator, he was an UNCREDITED ASSISTANT. Now how does an uncredited assistant get complete costumes from all the main cast when souvenirs were not allowed after production!

Propstore has an Upham helmet for sale, is that a fake?

streetjudge79 said:

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Propstore has an Upham helmet for sale, is that a fake?

No that is the genuine article and a nice example at that. Not everything the Propstore has is fake, just a few of their SPR items are.
That being said, I have nothing against the Propstore as I have purchased items that have come from them and I have been very satisfied. The Propstore of London is a great resource for finding props, but even they can fall for a fake. Best to buy the props as soon as the film comes out to avoid fakes and after that point do lots and lots and lots of research.

SPR is one of my favorite films. I have a theatrical poster and a Tom hanks signed 8x10 and a speilberg on set signed 8x 10 all sitting in boxes somewhere. I wish I had the room to put them let alone props from the movie. Nice stuff.

Chris,

I have sincerely enjoyed your SPR thread, knowledge and photos on the US Militaria Forum and look forward to seeing how it develops here on the RPF. Welcome aboard!

Chief Bast said:

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Chris,

I have sincerely enjoyed your SPR thread, knowledge and photos on the US Militaria Forum and look forward to seeing how it develops here on the RPF. Welcome aboard!

Hey Jamie! Thank you for the welcome, it truly is a labor of love. I started this because I love this film and I believe that the knowledge I have gained over the years should be public so that others don't get burned.
One day I hope to have the space to properly display all the pieces I have collected.

I also need to post some more on the militaria forum LOL
-Chris

sprprops said:

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Hey Jamie! Thank you for the welcome, it truly is a labor of love. I started this because I love this film and I believe that the knowledge I have gained over the years should be public so that others don't get burned.
One day I hope to have the space to properly display all the pieces I have collected.

I also need to post some more on the militaria forum LOL
-Chris

Well said and I completely agree on all your points. Someday...we'll get that man-cave we've always dreamed of!

Thanks SPR props. I've known the propstore guys for a long time and have 100 percent faith in them, I know dealers get duped sometimes, but I just wanted to make sure on that piece.

I was involved in WWII re-enacting back when the movie came out. A vast majority of the uniforms for SPR were sold off to the re-enactment uniform suppliers which in turn were sold off to us re-enactors at events for a decent price.

You could get a jump uniform of jacket and pants pretty cheap. They also sold off the boots and field gear.

I kick myself for not buying a bunch of it, but compared to my uniform the movie uniforms were pretty cheap. Many were supplied by S.M. Wholesale which was not one of the better suppliers then.

I usually try and get something from my favorite movies and did pick up this pathfinder jacket from SPR back then. It is stamped








Me at a event.

TK765 said:

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I was involved in WWII re-enacting back when the movie came out. A vast majority of the uniforms for SPR were sold off to the re-enactment uniform suppliers which in turn were sold off to us re-enactors at events for a decent price.

You could get a jump uniform of jacket and pants pretty cheap. They also sold off the boots and field gear.

I kick myself for not buying a bunch of it, but compared to my uniform the movie uniforms were pretty cheap. Many were supplied by S.M. Wholesale which was not one of the better suppliers then.

I usually try and get something from my favorite movies and did pick up this pathfinder jacket from SPR back then. It is stamped

Thank you for sharing your pictures! Yes the majority of the stuff was made by S.M. Wholesale which is NOT good quality, they failed to set the dyes properly in the HBTs and they faded really badly. They also tried to cut corners by not sewing in the gas flaps in some of the uniforms!
The markets were flooded in the US and the UK with the stuff because there were thousands of these things. They were made cheap and sold cheap. Thats why I dont understand the absurd prices people want for this stuff. The folks in the UK want 6 times what its worth and most of the time its fake anyway.

Do you have any ' hero" pieces or mostly background pieces ?

-James

asemblyrequired said:

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Do you have any ' hero" pieces or mostly background pieces ?

-James

Hello James, I mostly have background pieces as when hero pieces are sold off people want stupid money for them. But I did accidentally buy Lt. Dewindt's helmet and Tom Hanks' Stunt double trousers.
-Chris

i understand , background uniforms are cheap and easy to get . Platoon is a favorite of mine , always wanted something hero from it.

-James

asemblyrequired said:

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i understand , background uniforms are cheap and easy to get . Platoon is a favorite of mine , always wanted something hero from it.

-James

Ya never know, just keep looking and a deal might pop up!

I will eventually have a bunch of hero items from OBA The Last Samurai and Windtalkers for sale, when I get enough posts to post in the junkyard.

This just came in today. German Stunt Helmet from Episode 5 of Band of Brothers has the stunt man's name inside too.

But Im not a big BOB collector so it may go for the right price or the right trade!

wow thanks for sharing!

Right after 'SPR' came out I remember gun companies in Shotgun News selling the prop M-1 Garands from the film for $50 a piece and they came with period slings on them. They had hundreds of them for sale.
I bought one and it was made of some type of foam rubber and painted to look real.
From a few feet away it did look very real except the barrel was severely warped. It looked like you could shoot around corners with it!
Anyway, I accidentally left it in my old apartment in Florida when I moved. Lost and gone forever.

I have a M1 ammo belt from the movie but I think it was just a background prop