Are these Planet of the Apes wardrobe pieces worth anything?

[bladefans]

So I was wondering what you guys thought about background items, like props and wardrobe that you would never find onscreen but obviously have a COA or comes from a prop house etc. Are they worth more than their actual cost just because they were used by someone associated with a certain movie? Maybe the answer to this question is an obvious "OF COURSE!!!" but maybe not, so I would like to hear your opinions.

The reason I thought of this is because I was looking through my stuff and I forgot that I own two shirts that were worn by human children from Planet of the Apes (2001). They look like rags and wouldn't be recognizable to anyone who has seen the movie if they were on display so I have no reason to hold onto them. But then at the same time, if I can't sell them for any good amount of money, I might as well keep them just for the novelty of saying that it's screen-used, right? This obviously isn't a 'for sale' thread (not sure if I have to add that as a disclaimer)

 

[Ttaskmaster]

I think they'd be worth naff-all, TBH.
A lot of this stuff is - It's only worth a small fortune if it's a signature piece, uniquely identifiable and featured prominently.

I'd never pay £50 for the cup used for 2 seconds on screen in Aliens, or the pen used for 5 in Lethal Weapon. They're random throwaway items nabbed by the prop department at the last minute and should be treated as such.

See this...
This screw is the exact same 'screen-used' one in the left side of the frame of the bunk beds of the children of the character played by The Rock in XYZ movie....
Comes with COA and everything - £40.


I don't mean to devalue anything for anyone, but there is a market being created for a desire that doesn't really exist. People will buy it because it's there... But if it wasn't there, would anyone ever bother even looking for it?

Vader's original helmet? SURE!
The D-Ring off the Lightsabre of Jedi #17? Probably not...

 

[propologist]

that's the difference in " hero" and everything else. I have several background props and I enjoy them. I wouldn't never pay crazy prices for hero items unless I truly knew they where used.

 

[Scapey]

I have some of the screen-used trays, cups and paper bags from Mooby's in Clerks 2.
OK, I paid slightly more for them than I would have gotten them for from the manufacturer... A fast-food tray's a fast-food tray, right?
The bags and cups are printed but the tray's a tray.

But I know it was onscreen in one of my favourite films, so that in itself makes it worth a little more to me.
Not MUCH more, but a bit

 

[Guardian Devil]

I've got quite a few items like that, most of which I've not even bothered to put onto my site and a lot of them certainly aren't worth bothering to display!

I think at the end of the day, background items, bits and pieces held by extras or used as set-dressing will never really be worth anything at all, but for items with a value that is considerably less than a lot of replicas, it certainly is fun to have something that was actually used in your favourite movies.

 

[bladefans]

You have made good points, and I forgot to make one myself. In order to almost make myself a hypocrite, I will admit that I buy anything and everything from the movie Unbreakable because it's my favorite movie. I suppose that might be a huge exception for myself and people like the Reverend with Clerks. So if I did sell my PotA wardrobe, I would probably have to find someone who isn't a prop collector per se, but just has a sentimental connection with the movie.

 

[Spooky1]

I totally agree with the "sentimental connection". I found myself completely overpaying for an unspecified character (background) wardrobe piece from The Matrix Reloaded / Revolutions. I was somehow able to justify it to myself because A) It was still pretty recognizable ( a few characters wore the same style garment ), B) It's probably the closest I'll get to an actual screen worn Matrix item and C) well, it was The Matrix!!!

I think if a movie holds a special place in one's heart, as a collector, the self justification (be it over price or importance) becomes totally irrelevant when we get the warm fuzzies knowing we will actually have a piece of that movie of our very own. Isn't that how we got hooked on this crazy hobby in the first place?
-Chris