8 year long Grail Diary project has come to an end.

Indiana Holt

New Member
Hello replica prop friends! :)

Some of you may allready know me form COW. I'm the grail diary nut that has had this hobby for over 20 years.

Its FINALLY time to reveal the project of my lifetime. Yes, 7 or 8 years used with the planning, research, sourcing, binding, replicating the drawings, the handwriting, sourcing new additional stuff.

So much time has gone into making this. The in depth research about the grail lore was a few years alone. Really, there is so much stuff going in this diary I would love to explain it all but I am just gonna show a few pages becasue there over a 100 photos. There are tons to be be found over at COW.

This is not gonna be a prop hero replica with all those repeated pages. I have done too many of in the past. some of them are posted here. No this is gonna be TRUE diary with all NEW additional pages 100% in style of the original pages.

Ok! Ever since I was a kid and when I first saw the diary in the 1912 scene I was hooked. And another scene when Henry flipps thru it on the Zepplin scenes looking for stuff. OMG!! Ha, Little did I know that this thing was gonna dominate my entire Indiana jones hobby until this very day. I allways wanted to make the diary as it should have been made. Or at least in my opinion. In my opinion it should not have a story line to follow with Henrys personal thoughts. It should be exactly what Indy says in the begining. ''A complete record of his search for the holy grail''... Meaning TOOL diary! And with 40 obsessive maniac years in it!!

There are some cool easter eggs in the diary from another movie. Read thru this thread to find more.

Let me also give a special thanks to Magnoli. My partner in diary crime! Thanks bud!

I also have a few cool and very rare items to go along with the diary. But more on that later on! Stay tuned!!

This project has been extremely fun but also very very draining at the same time. I am VERY picky about how I want the diary. The planing and research alone was like a quest of my own much like Hnery's. Ha! I'llbe honest and say that many times I gave up on this project and it all went straight out the window. Speaking of which, this brings me to a side of the diary process where it really took its toll on me. The Handwriting.

The handwiriting has allways been considered to be the NEMESIS of diary replicating around here... And it is!! Its REALLY hard to do. To me, replicating the handwiritng is THE most important thing to me becuase it makes all the difference and really sells it.

But here is the thing. There are about 5 styles of Henry handwiriting found in the diary. No wait! 6 if you count in the map of no names. And guess what? I wanted ALL of them in my diary. I had to summon the Henry spirit thru my Ouija board and let it enter my hand. I finaly have done it


Also, another thing that was really important to me was the weathering. It should look excactly like the hero prop and that was soooo much fun to do. I love weathering a diary.

Details.

Made covers from scratch.
Correct ivory cream paper
Original Marble paper
All handwritten.
Same spattered and smeary weathering. (3 stages)
Made new maps in the same style as the original.
Made new illustrations in the same style as the original.
Original french frank.
Timeline followed by dates and years on maps and inserts.
Changed out excisting text on some oirignal pages to a more fitting one.
Made the original Venice knight seen in 1912 (may he who illuminate this)
Connected another movie character to the Last Crusade. (Easter egg)

Now, about the Easter Eggs. Would be fun if you could pick it up. Youd have to be VERY much into films and have a VERY good eye. There are subtle details taken from another movie. This film means just as much to me as Indiana jones and in a way it is connected to the Indiana Jones franchise.

Thank you for reading! I hope you will like this and get inspired to make your own.

Now enuff chit chat! Drop the curtains and let the show begin! Enjoy!!


Let me start with the covers. These covers are made form scratch. The weathering is as close you get to the real thing without being original. So if you wonder how it really looks. Have a close look.

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The original Marble sheets. Again, staying as close to the original as possible with the exception of the original french franc in it and not a photcopied one like in the prop.
ioHCTJy.jpg



I am not much for photos in the diary but this father son photo was a no brainer. Ofc it should be in the diary. Also seen is the original Henry signature seen in the Tavel booklet.


UNDER CONSTRUCTION. NEW PICTURES ARE COMING


I hope you have enjoyed!
 
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Definitely belongs in a Museum, or on Indys Desk in Indy V ;)

As already said over at COW.... simply breathtaking and a pc. of art!
You put the "grail diary" to a new level! :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
 
What an amazing piece you've created! It must be so gratifying to have completed such an immense dream-project with such stellar results.
You've really made yourself a treasure!
Now that you've finished it, how will you display or store it; with other Indy props or alone?

Congrats on following it through to the end!
 
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8 Years, that is some commitment. I am hoping the one I am working on will not tkae so long. Great work by the way. Very impressive.
 

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