MattMunson
Master Member
Over the past couple of weeks, I've received two different blade runner wallets. both of them beautiful, but unique in their execution and design.
In no particular order, here they are:
First up is what I'm calling the "WorldCon Wallet", because it features a deckard ID that was painstakingly reproduced from the awesome reference material that the now legendary Karl provided from WorldCon.
The set comes with the deckard ID card, shield, and gold leaf vid-phon card. The vid phon card is a thing of beauty on its own. Beautifully executed, this looks like something the phone company would actually sell out of a vending machine. When I first started collecting BR props, the state of the art was a hand laminated print out from an inkjet printer! The artwork was sound, as good reference was available, but BOY have we come a long way.
The badge also looks like something LAPD hands out to officers, with a bubble free silicone dome protecting Deckards mug shot.
Then of course, there's the ID itself. Beautiful. Perfect in it's recreation of the worldcon ID. The only point of inaccuracy is that the picture of deckard is not a trimmed polaroid. I can live with that
Still, it is a separate element that is held together inside the lamination. Just plain awesome. As far as I am concerned, THIS is the last word on the deckard ID. that is, until someone can find the actual photo that was used on his card, and prove that its correct
The cash and photo were tossed in as extras, and are great. Love the cash!
Next up is the Eltee custom "concept" wallet that is just mind blowing in it's attention to detail. I've known Eltee for some time now, and have always been absolutely fascinated, impressed, and boggled by his investments of attention into his projects. He doesn't just replicate something he saw on screen. he goes the extra mile, no the extra TEN miles to make a project stunning.
This project was an interpretive "what if" wallet, intended to represent deckards credentials and carry-arounds prior to the events of Blade Runner. That meant retro-ing a number of details, and taking a stylistic step backwards from the worldcon pieces and other known BR artifacts. The results are just mind blowing.
Probably my favorite part of the set is the essay that comes with it. Eltee originally called it an instruction manual, but it's so much more than that. In it, he documents each of the decisions he made in the creation process, and walks you through the things that influenced him. Personally, as readers of my website and blogs will know, I am a HUGE fan of documentation, and this essay takes it to a level I am happy to see. Pictures and prose! That's the way to go.
The set of course includes a wallet, with a custom made "Force" badge, hand sculpted based on worldcon reference. a metal "police 995" crest accompanies it. The ID is again an interpretive piece based on the worldcon, but with extra flourishes added, and details retro-styled to more accurately fit the creators vision of what the LAPD would have been like. I suppose Eltee's extensive history in law enforcement came in handy for this effort.
Also a great vid-phon card, a beautiful apartment card, and some paper props to help fill out the wallet. All beautifully executed, and well designed.
I was on the fence about the eltee wallet, as it's more of a "fantasy" prop than a reproduction, but MAN am I glad I got it. It's just so darn well made and thought through. A stunning piece that I'm proud to add to my collection.
Thanks for reading!
In no particular order, here they are:
First up is what I'm calling the "WorldCon Wallet", because it features a deckard ID that was painstakingly reproduced from the awesome reference material that the now legendary Karl provided from WorldCon.
The set comes with the deckard ID card, shield, and gold leaf vid-phon card. The vid phon card is a thing of beauty on its own. Beautifully executed, this looks like something the phone company would actually sell out of a vending machine. When I first started collecting BR props, the state of the art was a hand laminated print out from an inkjet printer! The artwork was sound, as good reference was available, but BOY have we come a long way.
The badge also looks like something LAPD hands out to officers, with a bubble free silicone dome protecting Deckards mug shot.
Then of course, there's the ID itself. Beautiful. Perfect in it's recreation of the worldcon ID. The only point of inaccuracy is that the picture of deckard is not a trimmed polaroid. I can live with that
Still, it is a separate element that is held together inside the lamination. Just plain awesome. As far as I am concerned, THIS is the last word on the deckard ID. that is, until someone can find the actual photo that was used on his card, and prove that its correct The cash and photo were tossed in as extras, and are great. Love the cash!
Next up is the Eltee custom "concept" wallet that is just mind blowing in it's attention to detail. I've known Eltee for some time now, and have always been absolutely fascinated, impressed, and boggled by his investments of attention into his projects. He doesn't just replicate something he saw on screen. he goes the extra mile, no the extra TEN miles to make a project stunning.
This project was an interpretive "what if" wallet, intended to represent deckards credentials and carry-arounds prior to the events of Blade Runner. That meant retro-ing a number of details, and taking a stylistic step backwards from the worldcon pieces and other known BR artifacts. The results are just mind blowing.
Probably my favorite part of the set is the essay that comes with it. Eltee originally called it an instruction manual, but it's so much more than that. In it, he documents each of the decisions he made in the creation process, and walks you through the things that influenced him. Personally, as readers of my website and blogs will know, I am a HUGE fan of documentation, and this essay takes it to a level I am happy to see. Pictures and prose! That's the way to go.
The set of course includes a wallet, with a custom made "Force" badge, hand sculpted based on worldcon reference. a metal "police 995" crest accompanies it. The ID is again an interpretive piece based on the worldcon, but with extra flourishes added, and details retro-styled to more accurately fit the creators vision of what the LAPD would have been like. I suppose Eltee's extensive history in law enforcement came in handy for this effort.
Also a great vid-phon card, a beautiful apartment card, and some paper props to help fill out the wallet. All beautifully executed, and well designed.
I was on the fence about the eltee wallet, as it's more of a "fantasy" prop than a reproduction, but MAN am I glad I got it. It's just so darn well made and thought through. A stunning piece that I'm proud to add to my collection.
Thanks for reading!
