Authentic Screen used Lost in Space pistol?

There seems to be an abnormal number of low-post-count posters in this thread... The most curious, an ID that was set up nine months ago whose first, second and third posts are all within three minutes of each other tonight, None of which had any substance.

There are many things that are appearing to stink about this, most notably, the elongated back of this gun.

Can anyone find an episode or vintage publicity shot that depicts a gun with this feature? (Don't bother citing the one Profiles in History sold! :lol)

Chris
 
@CJP u took the words out of my mouth and Im guessin ur thinkin the same thing I am.

Onigiri, I'm thinking "plot foiled".

Interesting that the 09-04-2010, 10:02 PM post by "Eugene613" was deleted after I shined a light on it.

Why?

Here it is from my email notification:
Dear CJP,

Eugene613 has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Authentic Screen used Lost in Space pistol? - in the Screen Used Movie Props and Wardrobe forum of Replica Prop Forum.

This thread is located at:
Authentic Screen used Lost in Space pistol?

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
Very cool props and pictures
***************
Eugene613 has made a few more "That's cool posts". Here's a screen shot:

eugene613.jpg


Why go into the detail here? I thought that the post was suspicious to begin with, and even more so now that it has been deleted.

What's going on here?

Chris
 
I'm kind of lost as to where this thread is heading. I assume I'm not being referenced to anything here?

Chris, did you talk to the owner of this gun?
 
I'm kind of lost as to where this thread is heading. I assume I'm not being referenced to anything here?

Chris, did you talk to the owner of this gun?
Jeff, yes, I spoke with the owner and I'm not satisfied that the gun is authentic. When I questioned authenticity, i.e., the shape of the back and the fact that a purported stunt gun had sights, an "apple corer" and light dome, authenticating evidence presented was:
1:) It's a hybrid.
2:) It might of had to be modified to look like a hero pistol for a specific group scene in which they needed more hero-looking guns.
3:) This style laser pistol was used in Season 1, but also in several Season 2 and/or 3 episodes as guns handled by aliens.
4:) The prop guy was readying the gun for a future episode, which was never filmed.
In addition, further "evidence" was a friend of his "who has knowledge of gluing agents, analyze[d] the glue holding the dome in place" and deemed it to be "old".

He also said that he found "it very difficult to believe some one would go thru all the trouble of faking a LIS laser pistol since interest in the show was limited". He added that Mark Goddard said at a convention 15 years ago that it looked authentic.

My reply in part:

...some independent evidence of authenticity shows up, namely a screen shot or publicity still of a gun with a back end that matches the one you have.

As you state in this email, there are many things that are hand crafted regarding props and there will be variations. However, the logic of such doesn’t hold up as reasoning as to why the back of your gun doesn’t look like any other on-screen original. The fact that the one sold by Profiles in History is misshapen in the same way just means that they either came from the same mold, or one was molded and cast from the other. The fact that they showed up at about the same time doesn’t help either.

You also state that you “find it very difficult to believe some one would go thru all the trouble of faking a LIS laser pistol ”, but then state, “After all, $4,000 is a lot of money.” Therein you would find motive.

You also say that you never really questioned the gun's authenticity, which you probably should have.

Regarding comments by Mark Goddard and/or Marta Kristen, even if one of them said it looked right, or even said that it was right, anyone could understand that an actor that had brief interludes with a piece of resin 30 years before cannot be relied upon for expert testimony. That testimony must be left to photographic evidence.

Regarding your possible explanations that it was a hybrid, or modified to look like a hero, an alien gun, or a 4th season modification:

  • That it is a hybrid is not explanatory.
  • That it was modified to look like a hero does not make sense since they were already using stunt guns in close-up.
  • That it was an alien gun is not explanatory since when any guns were reused for aliens, they were painted or redressed so they would not look like a Robinson gun.
  • That it was modified for a pending 4th season is not plausible as why would they go back to the look of the first season gun once it was retired?

What I’m getting from this is an unsubstantiated story about the origin that you heard second hand, that you thought the gun was authentic because you thought no one would go through the trouble to fake it and the recollections of an actor 30 years removed.

Since you are looking to sell this, it would probably prove fruitful if you could uncover a screen cap or publicity shot that shows the features that your gun has, or at the very least, the elongated back.


I haven't heard back.

Chris

-
 
Chris,
I believe he also told me that he had a season 3 LIS pistol, that was broken. His friend did a twirl with it and dropped it. Any mention of that one?


Jeff
 
Chris,
I believe he also told me that he had a season 3 LIS pistol, that was broken. His friend did a twirl with it and dropped it. Any mention of that one?


Jeff

No, but I'd like to hear the story (with pictures) on that one too! :lol

Chris
 
Chris,
I believe he also told me that he had a season 3 LIS pistol, that was broken. His friend did a twirl with it and dropped it. Any mention of that one?
Jeff

How do you twirl a pistol that doesn't have a trigger guard?

David.
 
@Robot just so we're clear and so you know what it is we're getting at (and Im not trying to type this rudely so please dont take it the wrong way). Youre new here and we have had in the past new folks show up and say,"OMG, look at this great deal I have to pass up maybe one of you want to snatch this up'. These sorts of things invariably turn out to be 'shills'. Add to that other new posters just showing up (and then deleting their comments which have been saved) to say,"Man that looks cool I wish I could get that". We also have scam artists that mine this place for info on how to make their fake 'screen used props' more accurate. They take the feedback from these threads as to what is wrong with the prop and try to make the next fake more convincing. The stories this guy is telling as to provenance are the same nebulous and hard to verify mumbo jumbo that every prop con artist out there has used so forgive us if we're a wee bit cautious :) The fact that several of keyed in on these points immediately will tell you just how pervasive this sort of thing is in the hobby and here in particular.
 
Just to be clear, and remove any speculation... Eugene613's post was simple removed for post padding. I have restored the original post (there have been no edits) so that everyone can see what it contained.
 
@Robot just so we're clear and so you know what it is we're getting at (and Im not trying to type this rudely so please dont take it the wrong way). Youre new here and we have had in the past new folks show up and say,"OMG, look at this great deal I have to pass up maybe one of you want to snatch this up'. These sorts of things invariably turn out to be 'shills'. Add to that other new posters just showing up (and then deleting their comments which have been saved) to say,"Man that looks cool I wish I could get that". We also have scam artists that mine this place for info on how to make their fake 'screen used props' more accurate. They take the feedback from these threads as to what is wrong with the prop and try to make the next fake more convincing. The stories this guy is telling as to provenance are the same nebulous and hard to verify mumbo jumbo that every prop con artist out there has used so forgive us if we're a wee bit cautious :) The fact that several of keyed in on these points immediately will tell you just how pervasive this sort of thing is in the hobby and here in particular.

It is completely understandable! First and foremost, I did just recently become a member here, and I wish I had known about it 5 years ago. I thought this would be a great place for someone in the know to help out.
As far as the gun goes, I was actually excited when I saw this thing for sale on craigslist in Ft Myers. AUTHENTIC LOST IN SPACE LASER PISTOL
I talked to the seller thru e-mail and later by phone. He seemed to be an older man (not that it is relevant) and was very convincing about his authentic collectibles. We conversed about the show and characters for some time, so I set up a day and time to go see the gun the following week. He stated he was in the process of moving to a smaller house down the street and we would meet up at one or the other. Later in the week he called from another phone number and told me he was also in the process of getting a new business line, so his previous number was no longer in service. He also told me his brother in Wisconsin was selling some of his other items on ebay for him. I later wondered why the heck you wouldn't put the best piece on ebay for world wide exposure, and reserve for craigslist in Ft Myers? So between these few reg flags, but primarily the comments from my wife, I did not go see the gun.

Jeff
 
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