Fetthunter
Sr Member
Today I added the newest addition to my Blade Runner prop collection. It's a found item, which makes it even better. 
Spurred-on by Gabe's thread, I started my search for a "duck" Opium weight, much like his. I could find them all day long on eBay and in antique shops, but none came close to the screen-used "duck" Opium weight.
I threw myself into the world of Opium weights and Far-East antiques, and spent all of my "free time" for about 2 weeks learning about the weights, where they were made, when they were made, how they were certified by the government, etc.
I then learned something very important. Though the screen-used weight resembles a "duck" Opium weight (which do exist), the weight that was used is really not a "duck" at all. :confused
It's a mythical animal called a "Hintha bird". It's used in religion and culture in the area where the weights are made, and consequently, was eventually made into a weight (along with elephants, ducks, horses, etc.).
Armed with the knowledge of knowing what the animal really is, I went searching. I was able to locate one in the UK, and this morning I bought it... :cheers
Here's a pic of the weight a I bought, followed by a side-by-side comparison to the BR weight:
Whatcha think? Close enough?
Many thanks to Gabe for finding out that it was an "Opium weight" to begin with and starting me on my search. :thumbsup
J
Spurred-on by Gabe's thread, I started my search for a "duck" Opium weight, much like his. I could find them all day long on eBay and in antique shops, but none came close to the screen-used "duck" Opium weight.
I threw myself into the world of Opium weights and Far-East antiques, and spent all of my "free time" for about 2 weeks learning about the weights, where they were made, when they were made, how they were certified by the government, etc.
I then learned something very important. Though the screen-used weight resembles a "duck" Opium weight (which do exist), the weight that was used is really not a "duck" at all. :confused
It's a mythical animal called a "Hintha bird". It's used in religion and culture in the area where the weights are made, and consequently, was eventually made into a weight (along with elephants, ducks, horses, etc.).
Armed with the knowledge of knowing what the animal really is, I went searching. I was able to locate one in the UK, and this morning I bought it... :cheers
Here's a pic of the weight a I bought, followed by a side-by-side comparison to the BR weight:
Whatcha think? Close enough?
Many thanks to Gabe for finding out that it was an "Opium weight" to begin with and starting me on my search. :thumbsup
J
