Props featured in new Entertainment Weekly photo issue

[MikeyX]

That pic of the Han ESB stopped me in my tracks reading the article - glad to see from other posts I wasn't alone.

Great to see finds still surfacing from time to time - strange that this one wasn't available earlier though as it seems like it's been in the archives all along.

 

[PHArchivist]

Well it seems that, according to the experts here, that Han blaster is an original...What I want to know is, why would Lucasfilm give EW a good pic of the oposite side of the gun, but yet let MR struggle to figure out these details.

??

DS

Protection from counterfeit?
Photo was "discovered" after the MR was completed?
It's not the hero prop MR was replicating?

Just some guesses... Probably all wrong!

 

[PHArchivist]

the captions are quotes from an LFL archivist that I know.

Time for some additional research!

 

[Jedifyfe]

What about the Indy idol? Since I've been a memeber here, I've always heard that the turned down mouth was not accurate at all. Plus, the idol in that shot looks awfully bright and shiny. Could it be a repro thats made its way into the archives?

I have heard that the "Turned Down Mouth" idol was the stunt idol.

 

[lonepigeon]

Protection from counterfeit?
Photo was "discovered" after the MR was completed?
It's not the hero prop MR was replicating?

Just some guesses... Probably all wrong!

Lucasfilm never told MR To change details or anything to protect from counterfeit.

The photos are new, probably shot for Entertainment Weekly judging by the unified look of them all.

It's definitely the Hero 'Han' prop MR was going for. I know the reference they used and I discussed it with them several times.


My guess is the archives didn't really know what they had. They're archivists, not fans - that's why things are mislabeled at the exhibits sometimes. I've assisted and talked with several people from the archives on different occasions. I know they've been struggling to figure out what to display since they are spread so thin right now with the different exhibits. That is why the SWC4 exhibit was so unusual. I think they've probably been digging for stuff that hasn't been seen yet by fans and uncovered that blaster. To them it's probably junky compared to the nice ROTJ ones, but all the ROTJ's are out on display. EW probably asked for a Han blaster to shoot pics of and the best they had was this piece of "junk" they found recently in a box (this is all guesswork based on my experiences with the archives).

As for the Indy idol... I have several WILD guesses (I have no knowledge of it's origins):
- A real one?
- A cleaned up one for display (was there one at Comic-Con?) similar to some of the 'real' props in SW exhibits
- a prototype licensed replica?
- A new background prop seen in Indy 5?

Time for some additional research!

Already on it.

 

[PHArchivist]

It's not the hero prop MR was replicating?

Poorly worded... My apologies...

Should read, "The blaster in the photo is not the same hero prop that MR was attempting replicate."

Still -- incorrect theory anyway! :wacko

 

[OldKen]

My guess is the archives didn't really know what they had. They're archivists, not fans

We all know this is true, which leads to the question...

Why?

I wouldnt hire Carrol Shelby to build my house, or Emeril to build me a car or better for this anowlogy inventory car parts...

Ive never understood Lucas's mentality on this... or MANY other issues. :wacko

 

[mgoob]

MR attached the scope bracket to the pistol using 3 pins so it wouldn't rotate about the center pin.

It looks to me like the prop makers used 3 phillips screws to secure the scope bracket to the pistol so it wouldn't spin (brass scope is heavy), and covered it with a cap to hide the screws, which is now missing.

 

[lonepigeon]

MR attached the scope bracket to the pistol using 3 pins so it wouldn't rotate about the center pin.

It looks to me like the prop makers used 3 phillips screws to secure the scope bracket to the pistol so it wouldn't spin (brass scope is heavy), and covered it with a cap to hide the screws, which is now missing.

I was thinking a cap in the center of the three screws based on the pic, but it could have been a cap over the whole thing. MR's mounting piece was much smaller though.
Luke's uses a smaller mounting knob. I built my replica with a steel pin hidden underneath the screw-on knob to keep it from rotating.

 

[Reel Fakes]

Here are some more scans I did for ya'll:

Enjoy!

 

[gnrlotto]

Can somebody do Mary Poppins's hat? Juno told me about it an email, but when I went to get my EW, it had been thrown out.

 

[Exodus]

I've always wanted a Maltese Falcon replica, or the real thing...

 

[Boba Debt]

The mount looks like it's held on with a HW scope adjustment knob. I have seen a variation of the HW scopes that have 3 flush slotted screws in the same positions as that one.

It looks like they replaced them with allen bolts.