Staff of Ra headpiece, what's screen accurate?

[jason1976]

I bout an awful resin headpiece replica off ebay a few months ago, and I really regretted it, when I saw some of the great metal ones in person. I'm cheep, so I started looking for the cheapest metal one I could find, but after further consideration, I decide to see what was screen accurate, before I make up my mind on what to buy, so that I don't repeat the mistake I made with the resin one.

So, I've seen the really good pics in that star wars/Indy book, but I want to know from the people who really know, What is it made of. Is it really bronze? Gold plated? Brass? well painted resin? (Ok, I doubt that one) But really, what was the real one made of.

Also, was the crystal on the real one see through, or was it mirror backed?

Jason

 

[MattMunson]

I can tell you from years of experience in this hobby (and in general) that you will get what you pay for.

There exists no high quality, super accurate version of the staff of Ra headpiece. If it was high quality and accurate, it would cost more. There seems to be a glut of "I deserve high quality at low price" around today, not only in the hobby, but in the country. It's just not the case, and your experience reflects this.

But, there's hope!!! The other necessary factor of the above equation is "I want it now". It's sort of implicit to the equation. So here's my advice: take some time, save up, and buy a great one. buy the best you can get your hands on. I'll tell you why. Because you'll never be unhappy with high quality.

For my money, I'd say the ACME magic one is the best. I don't think it's 100% screen accurate, ie, cast from an original. But it's DARN nice. Looks great, feels great, and EVERYONE who has seen Raiders knows what it is. For me, it's worth the money just for the heft. AFAIK, there's no reliable, good castings from a screen used piece. All of the castings I've seen out there are of dubious origins, or have questionable provenance.

Here's my ACME piece:

And here's a 40 dollar junk heap:

You decide.

 

[jason1976]

I can tell you from years of experience in this hobby (and in general) that you will get what you pay for.

There exists no high quality, super accurate version of the staff of Ra headpiece. If it was high quality and accurate, it would cost more. There seems to be a glut of "I deserve high quality at low price" around today, not only in the hobby, but in the country. It's just not the case, and your experience reflects this.

But, there's hope!!! The other necessary factor of the above equation is "I want it now". It's sort of implicit to the equation. So here's my advice: take some time, save up, and buy a great one. buy the best you can get your hands on. I'll tell you why. Because you'll never be unhappy with high quality.

For my money, I'd say the ACME magic one is the best. I don't think it's 100% screen accurate, ie, cast from an original. But it's DARN nice. Looks great, feels great, and EVERYONE who has seen Raiders knows what it is. For me, it's worth the money just for the heft. AFAIK, there's no reliable, good castings from a screen used piece. All of the castings I've seen out there are of dubious origins, or have questionable provenance.

Here's my ACME piece:

And here's a 40 dollar junk heap:

You decide.

No offence (really), but I don't actually agree about the hole value thing. More, and more, the stuff I save up for, often ends up being as big of a disappointment, as the cheep stuff, and you rarely get what it's "worth" if you end up selling it later. I've almost never got my "moneys worth", even out of the high end stuff. Some folks around here act like money grows on trees, and it's nothing to drop 100's, and 100's, (if not 1000's, and 1000's) on something that sets on a shelf, and does nothing (except collect dust), and call it a bargain. If I'm not willing to spend top dollar for my favorite lightsaber (which I'm serious about) then I'm probably not going to spend top dollar on something that isn't at the top of my prop list, like this.


Anyways, that's not really what this is about, I already have my eye on a few very nice replicas of this prop, that I like. I just need to know what the real one was made of, and if you could see through the crystal.

Jason

 

[Jedi2016]

Well, the movie answered both questions, one of which very well. The crystal was obviously clear, because light shone through it during the scene in the map room (not counting the "sunbeam" effect that highlighted the Well of Souls).

Indy also mentions that the medallion is bronze when he asks Marion about it in Nepal. Whether the original prop was actually cast in bronze is unknown, though.

Careful analysis of the prop on DVD would probably be of the most benefit. Bronze has certain color tones and behaves in certain ways based on the lighting (reflectivity, etc). And if the crystal is clear, I'm sure that would be easy enough to spot on-screen in any scene taking place during the day.

 

[agent5]

Well, your $40 'junk heap' is the screen accurate one and is (I'm almost positive) cast from the original. There are some tells if you just match it up with the one from the archives book. The original was 3 1/2" and I'll be willing to bet yours is closer to 3", right?

The Acme is definitely a quality piece, but pay close attention to how thin the neck is compared to your resin piece. Acme is missing a bit of girth. The inside edge on the Acme is also is not flat as should be. There are some wavy areas, especially the front/top right where there is a fairly large dip.

It looks like the casting on your resin piece is slighly poor, although much better than what you usually find on Evilbay.

The Map Room headpiece is different than the two versions shown here so there is no sure way to know if it had a clear crystal or not. The version you have had the crystal painted over for some reason. Perhaps for color consistancy between the two different props, one made at ILM, the other at Elstree.

Both of the original props were vacuum metalized, not gold plated as many think it was, just as the Idol was, the Ark and C-3PO. The last profiles auction stated the version they had at auction was metal although they may have done up some resin versions for the film.

In all, both have a good amount of detail. Some of the recasts on the resin versions have lost some of the feather detail and especially the detail at the ends of the tail. I'd say neither of your versions are bad at all.

Here's my gold plated/metal Acme.

Here's my resin version which was cast off an original.

 

[jason1976]

Well, your $40 'junk heap' is the screen accurate one and is (I'm almost positive) cast from the original. There are some tells if you just match it up with the one from the archives book. The original was 3 1/2" and I'll be willing to bet yours is closer to 3", right?

The Acme is definitely a quality piece, but pay close attention to how thin the neck is compared to your resin piece. Acme is missing a bit of girth. The inside edge on the Acme is also is not flat as should be. There are some wavy areas, especially the front/top right where there is a fairly large dip.

It looks like the casting on your resin piece is slighly poor, although much better than what you usually find on Evilbay.

The Map Room headpiece is different than the two versions shown here so there is no sure way to know if it had a clear crystal or not. The version you have had the crystal painted over for some reason. Perhaps for color consistancy between the two different props, one made at ILM, the other at Elstree.

Both of the original props were vacuum metalized, not gold plated as many think it was, just as the Idol was, the Ark and C-3PO. The last profiles auction stated the version they had at auction was metal although they may have done up some resin versions for the film.

In all, both have a good amount of detail. Some of the recasts on the resin versions have lost some of the feather detail and especially the detail at the ends of the tail. I'd say neither of your versions are bad at all.

Here's my gold plated/metal Acme.

Here's my resin version which was cast off an original.

Well, the person I'm considering buying from, offers them in aged brass blating (over metal), gold plated (over metal), and solid Bronze.(listed from cheapest to most expensive) I was tempted to go all out, and get the bronze, because that's how it's described in the movie. However, it's always kind of looked gold on screen. (IMO) From what you say, I assume it was vacuum metalized in a gold color? So, then gold plated would look the closed to the one on screen, as fair as color goes, correct?

 

[agent5]

Yes. Gold plated will work. I had an Acme gold metal/gold painted and it lacked the detail of the gold plated version he did. In fact, there were a few recasts of his painted version. All poor in my opinion.

Many people want the bronze simply because Indy said it was bronze, but I think he was saying that, hoping to pull one over on Marion to get the piece from her, making her think it wasn't as special as it was.

None of the bronze pieces I've come across have the luster of the screen used version, nomatter how much you polish it. I'd say go with the gold.

 

[gnrlotto]

There seems to be a glut of "I deserve high quality at low price" around today, not only in the hobby, but in the country.

Funny how that whole "capitalism" thing works, huh?

Otherwise, the piece wasn't actually bronze/bronze plated. Bronze, being part copper, has a redder shine than gold.

 

[agent5]

This is the one from the Profiles auction. You can see the metal showing through. Notice the tells. They're not too hard to spot. Doesn't look bronze to me at all. I would think that for the sake of realism, an artifact of this importance would have been made of gold back in the day had the headpiece been real. They did an awful lot of research into Raiders so I'd place my bets on gold.

Gnrlotto, looks like our avatars outta be hanging out together. :lol

 

[gnrlotto]

Gnrlotto, looks like our avatars outta be hanging out together. :lol

They're both trying to figure out the third guy's tells.:lol

 

[TridCloudwalker]

This project is still a ways off, but I'm going to be producing a metal Ra piece within the year. It'll be an original sculpt using photos of a screen used piece. It'll only be 99.9% accurate, but it'll be sharp, unlike the Nth generation recasting of the screenused ones. The crystal will most likely be clear (non-mirrored), but I'm toying around with the idea of having real crystals cut. The headpiece will be cast in fine pewter and plated in your choice of gold or bronze if you so desire.

But like I said, this is still a ways off. We're putting the finishing touches on Battlestar Galactica (new series) cubits, and then doing an Auryn from The Neverending Story (again, all will be plated metal). Interest/sale threads will eventually go up in the Junkyard, so keep your eyes on the lookout, but if you come across a great deal in the meantime, by all means, snatch it up. However, I can tell you right now, I won't be charging the prices metal ones have been going for. Minus the electroplating, all the production equipment is in house, and thus I don't have to pay an outside source.

Didn't mean to derail the thread, just trying to help the OP out.

 

[temponaut]

Any opinions from those familiar with the Indy Magnoli headpiece replica? I've been considering getting one for a while.

 

[jason1976]

It's funny, when you look at a lot of the still pics of the headpiece it doesn't look shiny at all, but in the movie it looks crazy shiny. I'm a photographer, so I know who that happens, but I'm used to see bad photo work out there, so I would think there would be at least a few bad pics, of it all shiny, and what not.

Looking at the still pics always makes me lean towards bronze, or a less reflective metal, plus gold plating can look so cheap, and way to yellowie. However, when you look at it on screen it does look like gold to me. So, yeah, I guess gold is the way to go. (Plus, it's $100. cheaper, then the solid bronze. )

The real one looks a tinny bit weathered, or dirty, in the ILM book, but not so much to make it not shine. Is there a way to slightly weather gold plating, without ruining the gold plating?

Jason

 

[SFPROPS]

What was the provenance of the Profiles one?

I don't know myself, but do know they've sold replicas as real.

 

[jason1976]

Any opinions from those familiar with the Indy Magnoli headpiece replica? I've been considering getting one for a while.

To be honest, that's the person I'm thinking of getting mine from. He not only offers the piece in 3 finishes, but he offers the top, and bottom piece for the staff, and the chain. (all with extra priecing.)

I'm now thinking of getting a gold plated one, with at lest the top, piece of the staff, for display.

Plus, his crystal is real, and you can see through it.

Jason

 

[TridCloudwalker]

The real one looks a tinny bit weathered, or dirty, in the ILM book, but not so much to make it not shine. Is there a way to slightly weather gold plating, without ruining the gold plating?

zap it lightly with a mist of burnt sienna enamel, and immediately wipe it with a rag. If you want to remove it later, you can q-tip it out with thinner or turps.

 

[agent5]

What I find easier is watercolor paint. Do the same as written above but with not too watered down watercolor and you can always just wash it off with a wet rag if you're not happy with it.

 

[WinstonWolf359]

Yeah, I also used really watered down acrylic paint just to fill in and "dirty up" the nooks and crannys of the headpiece. I agree that bronze looks too dark but plain gold plating looks too fake. A little bit of a dark wash helps bring out the details and makes the piece seem more "real," for lack of a better way of describing it.

 

[temponaut]

Still hoping for an expert opinion of one or all of the Magnoli headpieces.

P.S. Cool avatar, WinstonWolf!

 

[agent5]

Most of the metal headpieces lack the detail of the Acme, which despite it's shortcomings, is still considered to be the best. He just doesn't make them anymore.

I consider Tony a friend and hesitate to say anything negative about his product, but the truth is it's not as good as the Acme. Then again, you can't get an Acme anymore. I'd say the Magnoli is a safe bet. It'll be just as good if not better than anything else available that you'll come across. Just talk to him and see what he says. Very nice gent.