Have you done your homework?

[Wes]

I just wanted to throw this out there to possibly help some of the newer collectors such as myself. Keep in mind I am in now way bashing Desi or Screenused. They covered all bases in their description and they are a top notch company to work with.

Below is a metal dagger from The Chronicles of Riddick being sold from Screenused. Now keep in mind the description specifies it was aquired for use during filming but was never seen in the film. Being a knife junkie and a Riddick junkie, this piece caught my eye because I knew I had seen it before.

After a quick look around I found the knife. It was a Fossil Hunter II blade by United Cutlery with a new coat of paint. I'm not sure how much the buyer is paying for this knife but I highly doubt it's under $40 like the many I found on the bay. But if you feel the price is justified because it came from the production company, more power to you.

My point of this entire post is to urge those of you who are new to the hobby of collecting film props to do your homework.

 

[Xenophon1]

After a quick look around I found the knife. It was a Fossil Hunter II blade by United Cutlery with a new coat of paint. I'm not sure how much the buyer is paying for this knife but I highly doubt it's under $40 like the many I found on the bay. But if you feel the price is justified because it came from the production company, more power to you.

My point of this entire post is to urge those of you who are new to the hobby of collecting film props to do your homework.

Nice find. :thumbsup

I used to frequently go looking for, and often find, the real-world knives and other "found objects" used in some of my favorite movies and TV shows back when I primarily collected reproductions and non-prop/wardrobe memorabilia. But after a while I started to realize that collecting reproductions and found objects just didn't do it for me personally--that I felt a lot more value in and connection to a lesser screen-used piece than I did with even the coolest reproduction or found object.

Even if it didn't make it to screen, a knife customized for the production can still be considered a part of the film or show's universe--in this case, the world of Riddick and the Necromongers. The United Cutlery knife it was made from will never be more than a replica in that context. So, count me in the camp who believe a higher price is more than justified because it came from the production. It's basically the same as the difference between an original and a replica--and would be even if the knife were an off-the-shelf United Cutlery item with no customization.

There are certainly a lot of people who'd rather have a $40 replica instead of spending $$$ on a production used piece, but as you point out there are also a lot of people who'd willingly pay more for the production used piece. In fact, I rather wish I'd done less homework on found weapons used as props when I was new to the hobby, because I wouldn't have gone through the phase I did where I questioned why I'd be willing to spend $300 for something from a production when I could get an identical off-the-shelf item for $30. I passed up many items that are now impossible to get at $1000 or more.

To each his own. It's a diverse hobby.

 

[rkpetersen]

See, this is why we're all different. As far as I'm concerned, a piece that was never seen onscreen is of no particular interest, even if it did come from the production. Worth maybe a bit more than a replica, but not much.

To their credit, ScreenUsed and other reputable prop dealers generally mention when their props aren't actually screen-seen. Saves some of us from having to do that particular bit of 'homework'.

 

[firstmark]

Off the shelf items bought for a production and not used hold little real value to me either. Now if its a custom made item it has value to me rather it was used or not be it a prototype, or unused backup. Still such value is only slightly more than a replica as the item was not actually used.

 

[Wes]

I agree with both sides. Personally, I'm just spoiled now and couldn't settle with a replica. Mainly I just wanted newer collectors to be aware of things like this.

As firstmark said, some pieces custom made for production I can deal with. I actually just got a production piece from Riddick that was never seen on film.

 

[Prince NEO]

See, this is why we're all different. As far as I'm concerned, a piece that was never seen onscreen is of no particular interest, even if it did come from the production. Worth maybe a bit more than a replica, but not much.

To their credit, ScreenUsed and other reputable prop dealers generally mention when their props aren't actually screen-seen. Saves some of us from having to do that particular bit of 'homework'.

I agree with all of this )

 

[Xenophon1]

See, this is why we're all different. As far as I'm concerned, a piece that was never seen onscreen is of no particular interest, even if it did come from the production. Worth maybe a bit more than a replica, but not much.

I think of them as three very different levels. Screen-used items are certainly far away at the top, but a production-used item that didn't make it onscreen is definitely at a level well above a replica IMHO. This is especially the case for items that are custom-made or modified and are similar to the screenused versions, rather than straightforward found objects. It's a little unfair to bring in a wardrobe example since there's no off-the-shelf identical equivalent (although the best replicas are almost identical), but as an illustration, I have an unfinished Star Trek uniform that was never worn by the actress it was intended for, and it's worth much less than a screen-used piece--but much more than a replica. Especially to me. But we do all have different standards, interests, and expectations. That's one of the neat things about this hobby.