Can anyone place this Star Trek prop?

rkpetersen

Well-Known Member
I picked this up recently from Profiles. I bid on it because it's unusual looking and a light-up hero. It was sold as a Cardassian tricorder from DS9, with no further information. Can anyone identify which episode it was actually seen in, and by which character/actor? I haven't watched DS9 in awhile, and before going through the entire series looking for it, I figured I'd ask here first. (The last obscure Trek prop that I asked about was identified amazingly fast by RPF member YenChih Lin.)

Thanks in advance.

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And yet me again!
I've seen that one… it is a tricorder/scanner type… late DS9. I guess Garak used it to look for something. I can't put my finger on it, unfortunately. Give me some time.
 
This style tricorder was seen in season 4's, "Indiscretion", and season 7's, "What You Leave Behind".

It was originally sold at PIH's Hollywood Auction 30. The estimate was $1,000-$1200 and it sold for $1,300.

Getting screen grabs now to post.
 
As always, you can always ask Jorg Hildrbrand for identifications. I even introduced him to Profiles and they now use him to ID items.

Alec
 
I also think there were 3 different Cardassian "Tricorders" though not all called that. I have a "Data Slate" and I think there is a small Cardassian Tricorder.
 
Actually, on closer inspection and after some Netflix viewing, this prop doesn't match the item used in either of those episodes. Electronics and other details are just wrong, in both instances; not even close. Now I'm beginning to understand why the Profiles' listing didn't explicitly state where the prop was used onscreen - because it probably wasn't. Sure, it may still have been made for production, but that's not quite the same, is it? This hobby is just ridiculous.
 
To me it looks like it could be the one in "What you leave behind" but that one is missing the "screen" and you can see the LED that is for lighting it up.
 
Actually, on closer inspection and after some Netflix viewing, this prop doesn't match the item used in either of those episodes...in both instances; not even close. Sure, it may still have been made for production

I hope you didn't think I was suggesting it was the same one as seen in either episode.

It appeared similar in style to the tricorder seen in the episode(s) on Netflix. More so for season 7's WYLB.

After reading your original post, I watched many DS9 episodes (on Netflix) trying to help identify its possible use, and the two I mentioned were as close as I could locate. Sometimes props made for production are filmed and cut out, not filmed, are used in the background, modified later on, etc. They are still considered production made. You mentioned the auction listing did not specify an episode correct ?

For me, the general shape seems close to the one seen in season 7's, "What You Leave Behind".

Regarding season 4's "Indiscretion". At first glance it looks to have a few similarities, but upon checking further, it appears to have additional lights as well as a blockier shape.

I am not that familiar with the DS9 series, but I am sure you can contact the prop house that created these for possible additional information.

Good luck.
 
I hope you didn't think I was suggesting it was the same one as seen in either episode.
No, I wasn't thinking that at all. I appreciated the leads, went to have a look at both episodes hoping it would be a match, and found that it didn't match either.

As pointed out, the prop in Indiscretion had an extra rounded protrusion at the top (as held by Marc Alaimo in that episode), and the lights are quite different.

The prop in WYLB at first looked promising, but it had a bank of green LEDs located where there are none at all on this prop, and the main display was recessed where this one has additional lights under a translucent graphic.

Details like an incorrect display graphic and wrong placement of paper or foil decals don't bother me, as those items are easy to change between episodes; it could still be the same prop. But different electronics? I doubt very much that those were often changed after the props were built. So what I have appears to be a (possibly unused) backup. Or possibly used but not present in the final cut of some other episode. That would be ok, but as I mentioned, 'production-made' is not the equivalent of 'screen-used'. At least, not to me.

Of course, the real concern with items like this is that, if not identifiable on screen, who's to say that it isn't just a very nice replica that found its way into the screenused food chain? Either by accident or more likely intentionally. Wouldn't be the first time, especially with Trek props. The RPF thread from 2006 clearly demonstrates that this prop has been recast so presumably some have been built up into replicas. And electronics like this aren't hard to do, for anyone with the skills. I know a couple of people right off who could do this without difficulty.

I may have to send the piece to Mike Moore and see if he's able to tell one way or the other. Luckily, Mike's a great guy and has always been willing to help with questions like this.

The bigger question, though, is whether I should have to have these concerns at all, and specifically whether or not companies like Profiles have a responsibility to fully research and accurately describe the items in their catalogs. I believe that they do, but unfortunately, this has been shown not to be the case, time after time after time, by people with far far more prop knowledge and experience than myself. It is at best a sloppy practice, at times veering into territory that could charitably be described as willful neglect; if you would rather not find bad news, the easiest approach is just not to look for it too closely.
 
Hi Guys,
This is a Cardassian Tricorder. I made the master patterns as well as the first hero. There were a few non working ones made when I made the first hero. That was back at Prop'er Effects. After I had left Prop'er they made more of them for back ground and 2 more heros that did not match my hero this is one of the 2. I have looked at this one. These two heros also did not have the eye loop. As did my first hero.

HMS Mike
 
And it's your Link Alan :lol

:lol



THEY. ARE. SCREEN. USED.


star-trek-prop-authority-pl.jpeg-104972d1343234027



On a serious note, it's so true.

Unless something is screen-matched, IMO, there can almost never be any 100% guarantee of anything one buys from these auctions etc.

While reputation certainly plays a major role, it is always reduced when incidents show an item has been misrepresented.

I suspect, however, that the vast, vast majority of buyers over all the years are not members of this board or others, and as such do not have the 'luxary' of knowledge.

They probably couldn't care less either.

Regarding this particular piece, if I understood correctly, Mike has identified it as being a reincarnation of his original, but made by the trek prop suppliers nonetheless. Profiles sold it merely as "a Cardassian tricorder from DS9, with no further information."

So its all good with this particular piece (?).

Unlike that horrendous case of the Monty Python helmet in a another thread in this sub-forum.

Point is, what can you trust or not in such matters ?

If I personally were into production made items, I'd buy my stuff mainly from the Prop Store. Being active forum members, they answer very quickly to doubts that are raised.

I don't think my charge-back facility on Visa can beat that guarantee, with a board of sharks like this looking on :lol

Maybe an insular view (in fact, yes, it is :lol), but that is why for garage replicas, one feels 'safer' to buy from sellers in the JY with a history of making good for any mistakes they may make.

Same can be said for Qmx, Efx, FE, etc etc etc where more expensive replicas are concerned.
 
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Hi Guys,
This is a Cardassian Tricorder. I made the master patterns as well as the first hero. There were a few non working ones made when I made the first hero. That was back at Prop'er Effects. After I had left Prop'er they made more of them for back ground and 2 more heros that did not match my hero this is one of the 2. I have looked at this one. These two heros also did not have the eye loop. As did my first hero.

HMS Mike

Thanks Mike for confirming that the piece was indeed made for production. Was it ever seen onscreen? At this point, it seems doubtful.

If I personally were into production made items, I'd buy my stuff mainly from the Prop Store.
Certainly a reasonable approach, except that the Prop Store's selection is limited, and their most highly desirable pieces are typically gone within minutes of listing (or even before they've been listed!)

Again, the bigger question is: Are there really only a few major prop dealers/auctioneers, such as the Prop Store and ScreenUsed, that are fully trustworthy and can be counted on to deliver what they claim? And if so, what does that say about the hobby in general? Collecting screenused props seems like a pretty shifty shady affair much of the time; misrepresentations, little cliques of who-knows-who, private deals kept on the down-low, and all the rest of it. I guess it's not surprising, considering that the whole thing seems to have started with the widespread theft of studio property by collectors (before the studios knew the value of what they had).
 
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