Production-Made (?) ALIEN Nostromo Jacket - Up for Auction on PropStore $3000-5000

[NostromoCrew]

Hi everyone,

I have an obsessive tendency to notice small details. On the recent upcoming PropStore live auction, there is a "Lot # 5: ALIEN (1979) - Women's USCSS Nostromo Crew Jacket Prototype", I did get very excited at first, newly surfaced Alien costume, even if it is a prototype!

Lot # 5: ALIEN (1979) - Women's USCSS Nostromo Crew Jacket Prototype

It took me exactly 26 seconds to realize that something is "off" and I am going to go out on a limb and say that I doubt this jacket was part of the films production in 1978.

The wings are way off
- Non of the production samples I have seen so far had merrowed edges.
- All production patches were glued on not sewn.
- The design is way, way off from anything used in production. Not even close.
Frankly this looks like an ebay patch sewn on backwards, in order to conceal the front.

Definitely not a production patch:

Looks like this ebay knock off:

A production patch, verified by many different sources:

The shoulder patch is also way way off.
Same faults as the wings...

Definitely not an original patch,(maybe a thinking cap patch?)

An original patch, again confirmed by many multiple sources:

In my mind this is clear cut. This is not a production made jacket. I don't know how the people at PropStore did not notice this... or can claim with confidence that this is a production-made jacket.

 

[Moviefreak]

Message Prop Store with your concerns and your evidence. They may like to know ASAP.

 

[NostromoCrew]

PropStoreMatt ?

 

[rickhoward]

I also think it looks like a match for a weathered Thinking Cap Co. patch. Someone found a correct vintage MK3 and sold their scruples with the jacket. OR a fan-made jacket that has been mis-identified as something developed but unused for the film. That still makes it a fake, of course. And regardless of any absence of malicious intent, The Prop Store should take it down or update the listing accordingly.

 

[PropStoreMatt]

Hey everyone! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We appreciate the work that's been done so far and are investigating further. We will post findings as soon as we can.

 

[rickhoward]

Much appreciated, PropStoreMatt! There are some great items in the current auction. I hope the jacket's provenance sorts out.

 

[NostromoCrew]

Hey everyone! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We appreciate the work that's been done so far and are investigating further. We will post findings as soon as we can.

Thank you PropStoreMatt, the PropStore did and does a lot for conservation and documentation of movie props.

I was just mad that someone, a fan(?), would deceive you or potential bidders...

 

[joberg]

All of your observations (and those of other members) confirms my suspicions about the jacket also...not the real deal

 

[BAlinger15]

Hi all,

We have consulted with several other collectors of original ALIEN material and we stand behind the original description of the jacket as a production piece. Here are several relevant points:

• There were two distinctly different styles of shoulder patches created for production. The style seen most commonly in the film (perhaps always in the film) has a much smaller blue border, especially at the bottom. However, the version with the thicker blue border was also created during production. There are examples of these that have been sourced directly with ALIEN production crew members, and examples in John Mollo's archives. It is believed that the Thinking Cap company copied one of these for their patches, which is why their patches have the thick borders
• The shoulder patches on the auction jacket are looser in their construction than the Thinking Cap company patches. Look closely at the embroidery especially in the rainbow area, you will see much more consistent linework with the Thinking Cap patches.
• A number of different versions of the "wings" patch were also created for production, and are seen on different costumes. There are versions with different color embroidery, etc.
• The wings patch on this jacket had fallen off (the glue became loose over the years) and unfortunately when it was re-installed, it was re-installed backwards. The auction photos show the patch with the backside facing out.
• Please note the last photo in the auction photo set, the thin band that says Nostromo on it. John Mollo's production notes indicate they were designing "Plastic Nametag Bracelets" for the Nostromo crew and it is believed that this is a prototype of that bracelet.
• The current owner of this piece has had it since the late 1990s, when they purchased it from a U.K. prop dealer

Best,
Brandon

 

[Bacta]

The wings patch on this jacket had fallen off (the glue became loose over the years) and unfortunately when it was re-installed, it was re-installed backwards. The auction photos show the patch with the backside facing out.

How, what!??

 

[SG-RB]

I'm curious if other production patches have merrowed edges as shown in the auction photos. It seems to me that most if not all the examples prior to this were non-merrowed with the resulting fraying of the backing material. Just my personal opinion and observations.

Randy in San Diego

 

[Octipig]

View attachment 1463271
Looks like this ebay knock off:

Nobody recreating the Nostromo jacket resorts to this insignia anymore as there are multiple options with greater accuracy. I hope no one gwts taken by this fraud.

 

[NostromoCrew]

Nobody recreating the Nostromo jacket resorts to this insignia anymore as there are multiple options with greater accuracy. I hope no one gwts taken by this fraud.

Now I actually think that the person who built this jacket used the 'The Thinking Cap Co.' portfolio patches released in June 1980, that is AFTER, production on the film has ended and the film was released. in that case it is beyond me how could this jacket be considered a "Production made" item.

This is from a verified long time collector who has one of these:

This "production made jacket" patch:

From what I'm seeing, the shoulder patch, wings and lapel pin match this release, no where could I find any one of these patches anywhere in production, not on screen used garments, and not on any prototype garment. But that's just me...

 

[Bacta]

From what I'm seeing, the shoulder patch, wings and lapel pin match this release, no where could I find any one of these patches anywhere in production, not on screen used garments, and not on any prototype garment. But that's just me...

Definitely looks like those patches.. Doubt there is any investigation going to happen. As it still is up in auction.

 

[Toa Quarax]

Now I actually think that the person who built this jacket used the 'The Thinking Cap Co.' portfolio patches released in June 1980, that is AFTER, production on the film has ended and the film was released. in that case it is beyond me how could this jacket be considered a "Production made" item.
View attachment 1466846View attachment 1466847

This is from a verified long time collector who has one of these:View attachment 1466851View attachment 1466848View attachment 1466850View attachment 1466849

This "production made jacket" patch:
View attachment 1466853


From what I'm seeing, the shoulder patch, wings and lapel pin match this release, no where could I find any one of these patches anywhere in production, not on screen used garments, and not on any prototype garment. But that's just me...

I don't think the patches on Prop Store's jacket are The Thinking Cap Company's patches that you have pictured there because they are constructed a little differently. The Prop Store patch has most of its "USCSS NOSTROMO" lettering attached to the central graphic via a small connecting thread found at the bottom of the letters, whereas that The Thinking Cap Co. patch only has "U", "S", "N", and "O" attached to the central graphic. Here's a different picture of the Prop Store patch from the updated auction listing's photos (which didn't have the bracelet at one point for some reason, but it's back now):

SKIN JOB 66 actually has a prototype Brett hat with a merrowed-edge patch, but that doesn't seem to perfectly match the Prop Store patch in construction either; the numbers don't appear to be connected by thread and the star seems to be a different size:



However, in the description for the PROPbay.com listing, he notes that the patch on the cap "closely matches another patch [he has] in [his] collection", so maybe that one is closer to the Prop Store patch. I also imagine these are some of the examples Brandon Alinger mentioned.

It's also worth noting that The Thinking Cap Company seems to have released different variants of the Nostromo patch. Here's the version included with The Authorized Portfolio of Crew Insignias from the United States Commercial Spaceship Nostromo that are pictured on The Harry Harris Aliens Collection & Archive and Speculative Identities (great article, BTW):




This version seems to be a pretty perfect match in construction to the patch seen on the Prop Store jacket. All of the connecting threads between letters/numbers appear to be in the same positions, but maybe the cloud on the right of the center graphic is a little straighter on The Thinking Co. patches. There's also this variant from a recent eBay listing of the portfolio that seems to have shinier thread and thinner letters/numbers, but has the larger yellow spot on the right planet that the Prop Store patch has:



This version from WorthPoint seems like it could just be the same as the last one, but possibly without the connecting thread between the numbers (hard to tell):



If those don't have connected numbers, then it would pretty much be a match for the patches pictured inside of the portfolio:



This version listed at PROPbay.com doesn't even have merrowed edges:



And then there's the patches that The Thinking Cap Co. used on their hats (which themselves varied in construction). While these seemed to vary in the thickness of the letters/numbers and shininess of thread used (and one even seems to be the correct light gray/blue color), the connecting threads seem to all be the same configuration (letters connect to center graphic; numbers aren't connected to each other):








In conclusion, I dunno, but it looks more like that first version of The Thinking Cap Company patch than the patch on the prototype that cap that SKIN JOB 66 owns.

Also, did they fix the wings patch?

Before:



After:

 

[SKIN JOB 66]

Hi guys,

Late to the party I know but I'd like to underscore a few things :
1- I'm at 100% with what BAlinger15 said.
2- believe it or not but not two but three versions of the shoulder patch were made during production, the third one being similar in design to the others but round and initially meant to be stuck on the back of the jackets. there's only one known patch of this kind and it has been sold many years ago through Bonhams.
3- I believe the jacket sold by Propstore was an early version of Dallas' or Kane's. I say that because these two initially had the same blue wings as the other crew members on their uniforms, but it was later decided to change that for silver and gold wings in order to put them apart as captain and second. The shoulder patches on that jacket are the first versions, they were replaced later during production by a second (wider) batch of patches, but these first versions are the ones that were replicated by Jeff Walker and his Thinking Cap team on their Nostromo cap replica and portfolio.
4- As a comparison, John Mollo made many more versions of the same patches on Outland than Alien ! You guys should be glad not to collect anything from that film as you could easily go mad, if I refer to your conversation (and doubts) on just two versions of the Nostromo patch made during production !

My two cents...

 

[joberg]

TFS with us these interesting facts Fred

 

[SKIN JOB 66]

You're very welcome JB, always glad to help when it comes to A L I E N !