Alleged Screen Used Hero TOS Phaser up for auction (now the aftermath)

[USS Endeav]

Is it just me, or are the handles at different angles? I imagine getting the Hubble connector to fit right would account for some of that, but the whole are just seems... off. The trigger placement seems different, as well.

I thought so as well but it might just be the placement of one to the other and lighting.

To really compare that, you'd need a board with several dowels at key location in it.
Position each phaser so that the phaser butts up the dowels consistently.
Under the same lighting with a fixed overhead camera, take pictures that are then superimposed over one another.
From there, you can see if the angles and lines are the same.

 

[JMSupp]

Agreed on the placement and lighting. Camera angle can make things appear different, as can lens distortion. That's always a challenge when comparing things via photographs. It's hard not to read too much into it.

 

[Borg69]

Surely the manufacturing process and materials/spacing/stitching of Velcro has changed since the 60’s. Is there a way to tell if the Velcro is authentic 1960’s Velcro?

 

[Axlotl]

Why are they so sloppily painted?
Why weren't these things airbrushed?
It's really offending my artistic sensibility.

 

[USS Endeav]

I just had an even better idea to see if these two phasers line up.
They have those shipping foam packs. You crack the seal and the two agents release making the foam.
Take a foam mold of the auction phaser, then remove it and see if the real phaser fits in its place.

 

[WinstonWolf359]

Is it just me, or are the handles at different angles? I imagine getting the Hubble connector to fit right would account for some of that, but the whole area just seems... off. The trigger placement seems different, as well.

I agree, and I don't think it is camera angle. The auction phaser's trigger box area seems bigger, and at a different angle from the GJ phaser. The twist lock also seems to be set farther back from the trigger, which when coupled with the smaller handle, adds to the "off-ness" of that area.

 

[Gregatron]

I agree, and I don't think it is camera angle. The auction phaser's trigger box area seems bigger, and at a different angle from the GJ phaser. The twist lock also seems to be set farther back from the trigger, which when coupled with the smaller handle, adds to the "off-ness" of that area.

That’s part of what makes this sort of thing tricky, though. These are handmade items, and so only certainly structural elements, like the shells, can be measured and compared to each other. Even then, it depends on how the shells were sanded and trimmed. It’s entirely possible to install drop-in/internal parts at slightly different angles, etc.

 

[AJK001]

That’s part of what makes this sort of thing tricky, though. These are handmade items, and so only certainly structural elements, like the shells, can be measured and compared to each other. Even then, it depends on how the shells were sanded and trimmed. It’s entirely possible to install drop-in/internal parts at slightly different angles, etc.

I agree which is what makes the provenance even more important for an item like this. You need to have a clear path of how it got to this point and not just some stories that can't be proven or a COA from someone that we have never heard of or is now dead.

 

[USS Endeav]

just some stories that can't be proven or a COA from someone that we have never heard of or is now dead.

But that may very well be all that remains. That and for each person to decide for themselves if it is in fact genuine, or not.

 

[WinstonWolf359]

That’s part of what makes this sort of thing tricky, though. These are handmade items, and so only certainly structural elements, like the shells, can be measured and compared to each other. Even then, it depends on how the shells were sanded and trimmed. It’s entirely possible to install drop-in/internal parts at slightly different angles, etc.

I agree. I'm not saying the twist plug location is proof of anything other than it is different from the GJ phaser.

But if this phaser II was seen on screen, a handle that is shifted towards the back of the trigger box could be a tell that might be visible I would hope. So far the only other really unique feature is that slanted forehead tower, and I haven't seen any caps that show a hero phaser with that detail either.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Surely the manufacturing process and materials/spacing/stitching of Velcro has changed since the 60’s. Is there a way to tell if the Velcro is authentic 1960’s Velcro?

I am not as certain as I used to be that manufacturing of Velcro was all that different in the 1960’s, vs. today. I now think that it’s a matter of the particular type and brand of Velcro used on the show.

The Velcro used on the show is very unique with a very dense pattern and extremely low profile Velcro “hooks” on the bristle side of the Velcro that was glued onto the props.

Here are some examples of the
Velcro found on a couple of verified original midgrade phasers and a communicator.

In the past, I have used a modern “sewing” Velcro on my builds since it’s “closer” than industrial sticky-back Velcro but still, unfortunately, is not a match for TOS Velcro. The “hooks” on modern sewing Velcro are too tall and less dense than TOS Velcro with the “hooks” on the bristle side of the Velcro forming into neat columns along the longitudinal axis of the phaser. Many builders use the same stuff, right now.

Here is the modern sewing Velcro on one of my builds:

After a lot of research, I have come across some modern equivalents that look closer to the type of Velcro used on the series. So, I think the type of Velcro used still exists, but it’s just not found at your local Joann’s Fabrics, ACE Hardware, Hobby Lobby, etc.

Here is a modern equivalent, that I have recently located, below. The modern equivalent is on the left and the original 1960’s Velcro on a communicator is on the right:

 

[Gregatron]

I agree. I'm not saying the twist plug location is proof of anything other than it is different from the GJ phaser.

But if this phaser II was seen on screen, a handle that is shifted towards the back of the trigger box could be a tell that might be visible I would hope. So far the only other really unique feature is that slanted forehead tower, and I haven't seen any caps that show a hero phaser with that detail either.

Good point!

 

[WinstonWolf359]

So here's a couple questions I've been mulling over:

Do we ever see more than two hero hand phasers with side rails on both sides in one single shot?

When they were black and white I'm pretty sure there were two with velcro on the side for wearing the pistol on the belt.

Is it within the realm of possibility that there were two velcro heroes after Wah refurbished them too?

The only time I can recall seeing all four hero pistols at once is in The Galileo Seven, when they are all in the phaser locker together. But we only see them all from the pretty side in that shot, so that really doesn't solve that. All of the forehead towers seem to match though, FWIW.

I've been looking over the screen caps I had handy for other multiple hero scenes but some of them are old and small from prior to the bluray releases and they're not much help.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

So here's a couple questions I've been mulling over:

Do we ever see more than two hero hand phasers with side rails on both sides in one single shot?

When they were black and white I'm pretty sure there were two with velcro on the side for wearing the pistol on the belt.

Is it within the realm of possibility that there were two velcro heroes after Wah refurbished them too?

The only time I can recall seeing all four hero pistols at once is in The Galileo Seven, when they are all in the phaser locker together. But we only see them all from the pretty side in that shot, so that really doesn't solve that. All of the forehead towers seem to match though, FWIW.

I've been looking over the screen caps I had handy for other multiple hero scenes but some of them are old and small from prior to the bluray releases and they're not much help.

I think the only episode that comes to mind, where two hero pistol phasers are definitely in the same scene, and may be seen velcroed to equipment belts, is in “The Man Trap” in the scenes where Spock and Kirk are hunting Crater. I would have to rewatch the episode.

 

[asalaw]

I think the only episode that comes to mind, where two hero pistol phasers are definitely in the same scene, and may be seen velcroed to equipment belts, is in “The Man Trap” in the scenes where Spock and Kirk are hunting Crater. I would have to rewatch the episode.

I've seen it recently. You're correct.

 

[WinstonWolf359]

I think the only episode that comes to mind, where two hero pistol phasers are definitely in the same scene, and may be seen velcroed to equipment belts, is in “The Man Trap” in the scenes where Spock and Kirk are hunting Crater. I would have to rewatch the episode.

Yep, that's the one I'm remembering too.

So initially there were two velcro heros, and two non-velcro heros. The current train of thought is that number went to three non-velcro and one velcro after Wah refurbished them, but can that be shown on screen? If three and one is correct, who made the decision to change the ratio, Wah or the studio, and why?

Honestly, status quo makes sense; two star actors, two beauty hero props and two wearable hero props. Considering the huge number of vacuform phasers they had and the fact we don't ever see very many hero props on screen at once makes me wonder if the three to one ratio is correct.

 

[Gregatron]

Two hero P2s were used together in "The Galileo Seven". Need to check and see if either/both had Velcro.

 

[USS Endeav]

So there was never a scene with more than two actors equipped with phasers attached to the waist? including background "red shirts"?
How were the midgrades attached to the costumes? were they only ever shown being held?

 

[Gregatron]

So there was never a scene with more than two actors equipped with phasers attached to the waist? including background "red shirts"?
How were the midgrades attached to the costumes? were they only ever shown being held?

The midgrade P1s and P2s absolutely had Velcro, but apparently not all the heroes did, which makes sense.

Need to start re-checking those first season hero screencaps, when I get time.

 

[USS Endeav]

Does all the midgrade Velcro match? of the examples that are around