Do your screen used props have prop house ID on it?

soumakis

Member
How many of you own screen used items that have the prop house's inventory number on it? Does this add to the value to the piece in terms of adding further provenance that the piece was screen used?
 
Absolutely necessary for vintage pieces from the big studios, as they all marked their property with inventory alpha numeric systems. It does not prove screen use, per se, but that it was owned by them. You would still need to match peculiar aspects of it to prove screen use.

I would not purchase a piece in the open market that lacked these correct markings. If, I am getting it directly from the studio or an authorized sale, then there is paperwork.

rick
 
Absolutely necessary for vintage pieces from the big studios, as they all marked their property with inventory alpha numeric systems. It does not prove screen use, per se, but that it was owned by them. You would still need to match peculiar aspects of it to prove screen use.

I would not purchase a piece in the open market that lacked these correct markings. If, I am getting it directly from the studio or an authorized sale, then there is paperwork.

rick

After my post I thought of that....so - yea......that's cool as it's part of the history.
 
No inventory labels on any of my props. My BTTF Marty letter has a version number (or something) written on a back corner. I would imagine props that studios plan to use again in sequels or other movies would be more likely to get cataloged
 
Of all the props we have handled at Propworx, never once saw an inventory # or any marking. Now that is because we handled shows in the last 10 years. The TV studios simply dont do that. Never saw any on Marvel props from iron man or Iron Man 2 either.

Alec
 
I think it is the nature of the business now of so much being done away from Hollywood plus independent companies actually shooting the productions. But, I have also seen that when a TV show is shot at Universal, Paramount, FOX and WB, where they are on the same ground for the last 80 years, when they need an antique piece, it is usually something from classic films still sitting in the warehouse. One piece I have from RKO, from the 30s, is in Brando's last film done in 2002. A clock from THE ADDAMS FAMILY TV show was in a late 90s FRASIER episode. Other pieces were used in ST:TNG.

I realize they are the exceptions, but all are marked from their respective studios. Once, the majors embraced TV in the 1950s, things were reused over and over again.

Today, they use stickers with bar codes, as with any business, valuing assets is required for taxes and other purposes.

rick
 
All of mine have the wardrobe tags still on them. Although I bought all my stuff from the same Hollywood costume house so I assume that's just their way of keeping track of their inventory. Some, not all of mine are permanently marked.
 
Thanks everyone for the input. Say if the screen used has the prop house's marking on it but doesn't have official provenance, such as a letter of authenticity from the studio, was obtained through some source, would you gamble on contacting the prop house to verify the marking was made by them? If the prop was leaked out from the studio, does the prop house have any legal grounds to demand it back from you?
 
I have two wardrobe pieces with studio bar code labels in them. One from Disney/MGM and the other from Universal Studios. I think they add value to them to simply answer your question.
 
you have:
production asset - studio owned (usually stickered)
prop rental house - independent or studio prop house (usually engraved so they come back the same way they left, in theory)
 
Would someone be so kind as to post a pic of the house ID label for my noobishness?

I am oddly curious as to what one may look like. :ninja
 
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