E11 Blaster

[Tomo]

Afternoon everyone, I was recommended your forum to get some help in valuing my E11 Blaster, purchased from California it was previously owned by Gary Kurtz who sold it at a comicon whilst clearing out his house after a divorce. He sold this along with some Storm Trooper Armour, the guy I bought it from supplied me photos of his brother stood next to Gary & paperwork ascertaining that it was a replica built by MGC in 1977.
I'm not looking to sell it just gauge an accurate valuation for my insurance & wondered if anyone here knows of someone, ideally within GB to value it. I have had a prop dealer & SW collector look at the gun & the history file I have & their feeling is that it is genuine.
Any help much appreciated

 

[PrinceZip]

Can you share some photos, so we can see if it's real or not?

Gary Kurtz has a history of presenting not genuine or dubious at best props (ex: ESB Luke lightsaber)

Also, MGC being used in 1977 doesn't make sense because ANH E-11s were made using real Sterlings and resin copies.

For specific market valuation, you might wanna consult Prop Store if everything checks out.

 

[scottjua]

Pretty much what PrinceZip said... photos are the only way, as well as the problems with Kurtz items in the past.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Can you clarify your comment

You said...

...paperwork ascertaining that it was a replica built by MGC in 1977...

Are you saying it is a screen-used movie prop that is built on a replica British Sterling Machine-gun that was manufactured by MGC in 1977?

or

Are you saying an MGC was utilized to build a replica (not movie used) blaster in 1977?

 

[Tomo]

,

It

Thanks for response...The paperwork from Dept of The Treasury to Replica Models Inc. in Virginia, stamped Sep 1977 stating that this gun is a model scale replica with differing dimensions to an original, it also has no firing mechanism etc etc…so yes to your question I have been led to believe this to be the case that this was a replica Sterling sub machine gun used in ROTJ. Whether that is in fact what it was remains to be seen, the gun has the MGC stamp on its handle, made of steel so quite heavy, everything else looks/feels correct. I would of course like a more expert opinion.
I did read the thread in the past that the original ANH guns were all converted Sterlings from Canada I think & that the MGC guns were used in ROTJ, unsure if they used any in ESB or not as been a while since reading up on it.
The gun is all metal, the tank sight looks to be genuine (though fitted backwards), as mentioned the Props dealer & collector I have shown the gun to (the only people) both felt it to be genuine even with the date mystery.

 

[JoeG]

The shape of that scope looks really off. No idea if this is a genuine prop from ROTJ, but at the very least it seems like a genuine MGC which is still a nice score.

 

[Halliwax]

The t track is interesting

 

[JoeG]

I'm no expert, but I thought the t-track on the ROTJ E-11s were all made with u channel?

 

[Halliwax]

I'm no expert, but I thought the t-track on the ROTJ E-11s were all made with u channel?

Me too. And had a lot more greeblies on them.

I’m just really curious if the history of this track used

Like others have said, this is a really nice find either way

 

[thd9791]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, the scope is a really poor replica, it is shaped wrong in every way and made differently. It almost looks like an old Marco Enterprises scope, it's scratchbuilt

Also, the T track doesn't look anything like what we've seen from production. Can't find any other greeblies on it either. It all looks like a replica made about 20-30 years ago when the accuracy was not very good - I'm not sure what dealer and collectors you've have look at it but they are mistaken, my eye says it has nothing to do with production.

Now, MGC Sterlings are painfully rare, so there's that!

 

[thd9791]

This marco one has almost the same scope, and appears to be a resin cast
Imperial Blasters

 

[scottjua]

Unfortunately this is someones really poor attempt at making a replica, and also unfortunately duped you and whoever owned it before you. COAs and letters and photos of someone with someone don't mean diddly squat without a well known history or ability to be screen matched. The original props are well enough documented in construction that we can tell right off the bat that this isn't anything star wars related, except in spirit.

Its only value is in the MGC sterling base inherently. The rest is just useless.

 

[Johnnyb]

Those T-tracks look the same as the aluminum ones I had a on a demilled sterling I purchased on eBay a few years ago.

 

[timw1031]

That looks a lot like the Marco Enterprise replica I purchased back in the mid 80’s.

 

[Tomo]

Thanks all for the feedback!

 

[Tomo]

This marco one has almost the same scope, and appears to be a resin cast
Imperial Blasters

I just applied a magnet to the scope & this appears to be ferrous so reckon not resin, certainly looks all metal other than the grip.

 

[Tomo]

That looks a lot like the Marco Enterprise replica I purchased back in the mid 80’s.

View attachment 1318674View attachment 1318673View attachment 1318672View attachment 1318671View attachment 1318670View attachment 1318669

That is very interesting, the gun you have pictures of here is indeed very similar to what I have, I studied the scope & what appear to be casting marks are almost identical. What do you know about these Marco Enterprise replicas.

 

[Tomo]

Unfortunately this is someones really poor attempt at making a replica, and also unfortunately duped you and whoever owned it before you. COAs and letters and photos of someone with someone don't mean diddly squat without a well known history or ability to be screen matched. The original props are well enough documented in construction that we can tell right off the bat that this isn't anything star wars related, except in spirit.

Its only value is in the MGC sterling base inherently. The rest is just useless.

In your opinion then this is not an MGC gun? Where can you find the documentation on the original guns construction, that would be very helpful. Problem I see that any of these props at the time were usually cast aside without much information. Have you seen the skip photo at the studios where all the ST armour was binned. I have no issue if is not an original prop as I paid very little for it, the guy I bought it from certainly came across as genuine, he had no reason to lie to me as the gun was very cheap. To be fair it still resembles an E11 & unlike the MR guns that were available at the time this one was not only alot less money it was constructed of metal. It looks great on my armour!

 

[Tomo]

Those T-tracks look the same as the aluminum ones I had a on a demilled sterling I purchased on eBay a few years ago.

View attachment 1318661

Its similar except mine has two grub screws either end

 

[Tomo]

The shape of that scope looks really off. No idea if this is a genuine prop from ROTJ, but at the very least it seems like a genuine MGC which is still a nice score.

My understanding is that for ROTJ they used MGC guns. Do you know what this maybe worth if it turns out to be a genuine MGC gun?