VADER EXPERTS

[jimbobond]

I could understand all the fuss about this helmet if elstree where planning on doing an SDS and having a run of these, but my opion is that this a nest egg for them and if say it does go to christies they will have done there home work.

This helmet is worth mega bucks and I can't fault them for wanting to protect it.

Your not talking about some dodgy prop casters here, these guys live and breath Elstree and have always been honest about what they sell and do, well to me they where.

We had 20 guys from the UKGarrison there last week boogled eyed over there props and between us we know our stuff and I'm very confident about this being original.

Norman and Paul where gracious and great hosts and could talk for hours about there work.

There is no need for them to do a con trick or lie about any of there props.

The problem is we as collectors have all seen the dark side of our hobby and view the world with Grey coloured lenses :rolleyes (sorry about that)

 

[SithLord]

Those aren't original tabs but are they from the Elstree mask? If from that mask, yes they could have been added later on so that that by itself would not discount it as being original. If they are supposed to be original tabs that were added to the mask during the production, then I would say sorry that's not the case. Interesting tabs, however...they look home-made .

 

[SithLord]

<div class='quotetop'>(jimbobond @ Jun 22 2006, 05:27 PM) [snapback]1266136[/snapback]</div>

I could understand all the fuss about this helmet if elstree where planning on doing an SDS and having a run of these, but my opion is that this a nest egg for them and if say it does go to christies they will have done there home work.

This helmet is worth mega bucks and I can't fault them for wanting to protect it.

Your not talking about some dodgy prop casters here, these guys live and breath Elstree and have always been honest about what they sell and do, well to me they where.

We had 20 guys from the UKGarrison there last week boogled eyed over there props and between us we know our stuff and I'm very confident about this being original.

Norman and Paul where gracious and great hosts and could talk for hours about there work.

There is no need for them to do a con trick or lie about any of there props.

The problem is we as collectors have all seen the dark side of our hobby and view the world with Grey coloured lenses :rolleyes (sorry about that)
[/b]

Christies is not infallable.

I'm sorry, but unless this is yet another different helmet from what I heard Elstree refer to, this is not worth megabucks. Because it is not an original ANH.

Although 20 people visited Elstree, none of them saw the helmet, correct?

This is not the first time we've seen questionable claims coming from Elstree Studios. What about that "screen-used" ROTJ matt painting we saw on Ebay? The one with the view of the rebel hanger.

Norman and Paul I know are great guys and they do a lot for their community and for the public in preserving the heritage of Star Wars. But you guys asked for the reason and I gave it. Unless they have more than one original ANH Darth Vader helmet, and if this is their only original ANH Darth Vader helmet, then it is, in fact, not what they say it is.

I know they have a lot of history with Star Wars and some props....some definitely original, many replicas. I'm not trying to question the entire studio or it's history or anything like that. I don't care what they want to do with that helmet. I've only given what I know is a truthful assessment of what that helmet is.

 

[PantheraGem]

Those are just some tabs I have. I was just asking about them because someone was already talking about the tabs in this thread, and I didn't want to make a thread on just those. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[jimbobond]

<div class='quotetop'>(SithLord @ Jun 22 2006, 10:31 PM) [snapback]1266140[/snapback]</div>

Those aren't original tabs but are they from the Elstree mask? If from that mask, yes they could have been added later on so that that by itself would not discount it as being original. If they are supposed to be original tabs that were added to the mask during the production, then I would say sorry that's not the case. Interesting tabs, however...they look home-made .
[/b]

Could they have been different tabs on another mask, maybe it didn't work or they could have tryed something later on in filming? There is that out take where the dome falls off when doing the Obi vader fight scene. They could tryed a different fixing late on, I'm always messing aroung with different fixings for stuff.

My esb vader that I owned had the male female connector and was always sturdy but in esb when vader is on the platform in bespin the dome wobles around in the wind :unsure these guys must have trying new things every 5 minutes.

 

[RKW]

I'm getting a bit confused SL as to what your idea of original is? Just because they say it's original doesn't mean to me that it's the actual screen used helmet. It could mean that it's another casting made from the original mold.

You keep saying I know this as fact which should mean that you have the necessary evidence to post it here to back up what you're saying.

In regards to those tabs, they are not from the helmet but tabs that PnatheraGem discovered. The pattern is the same as the originals it's just the overall width that's different.

 

[cking]

Hi everyone,

I contacted Paul at Elstree and asked if he could let me know about this helmet. Here's his reply (posted with his permission)

"Hi Chris,
Dad got it from Arthur Muir, Brian's dad, and Nick had it in his private collection for many years. Nick was licenced by LucasFilm to store and preserve their props in the UK. He was the ONLY collector ever to receive such recognition, from other production companies too, like Fox, Paramount, Cinergie etc. It's not for sale, and dad won't release more pictures as that would solve the mystery of what the tabs are on top, and open the floodgates to copies. Brian and Linda the sculptors have never used an Apple computer by the way. Dad has it safely locked away in a vault. We will be selling the original C3PO head from ANH out of the landspeeder scenes this year, that will start the gossip flying .

I can't wait to see what the C3PO head sells for.

Chris

 

[Clutch]

So he's implying that those aren't apple computer tabs....

 

[cking]

Yes, he's saying that the tabs aren't apple computer tabs.

Chris

 

[HAL9000]

Nobody, not even Elstree Props themselves, should take the investigative tone here as hostile. We all know that the ANH Vader is probably one of, if not the, holy grails of prop collecting. It's bound to get the blood rising
and the back arched.

We'd all be liars if we said we don't covet it.

And I don't think I'm alone in saying that we all want to believe
that it would show up in a 'caring' place like Elstree Props.

But, this isn't the kind of item you can show in a small teasing way without inviting fierce
(informed) opinion.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Regarding the tabs, the only thing that strikes me as being odd is that the sculptors wouldn't be responsible for the tabs anyway.

 

[RKW]

<div class='quotetop'>(cking @ Jun 22 2006, 11:43 PM) [snapback]1266203[/snapback]</div>

Yes, he's saying that the tabs aren't apple computer tabs.

Chris
[/b]

Yes, but as PnatheraGem has shown the tabs used on the Apple computers are not specific to Apple. They appear to be a generic snap fastener used in many industries.

Why wouldn't the sculptor design the method of attaching the dome to faceplate?

 

[SithLord]

<div class='quotetop'>(jimbobond @ Jun 22 2006, 05:54 PM) [snapback]1266162[/snapback]</div>

Could they have been different tabs on another mask, maybe it didn't work or they could have tryed something later on in filming? There is that out take where the dome falls off when doing the Obi vader fight scene. They could tryed a different fixing late on, I'm always messing aroung with different fixings for stuff.
[/b]

There was only one mounting mechanism for ANH. Since the originals came out of the mold without tabs, yes the tab configuration could be different for the three helmets, but the type of tabs themselves would not be.

 

[SithLord]

<div class='quotetop'>(cking @ Jun 22 2006, 06:26 PM) [snapback]1266191[/snapback]</div>

Hi everyone,

I contacted Paul at Elstree and asked if he could let me know about this helmet. Here's his reply (posted with his permission)

"Hi Chris,
Dad got it from Arthur Muir, Brian's dad, and Nick had it in his private collection for many years. Nick was licenced by LucasFilm to store and preserve their props in the UK. He was the ONLY collector ever to receive such recognition, from other production companies too, like Fox, Paramount, Cinergie etc. It's not for sale, and dad won't release more pictures as that would solve the mystery of what the tabs are on top, and open the floodgates to copies. Brian and Linda the sculptors have never used an Apple computer by the way. Dad has it safely locked away in a vault. We will be selling the original C3PO head from ANH out of the landspeeder scenes this year, that will start the gossip flying .

I can't wait to see what the C3PO head sells for.

Chris
[/b]

Muir had nothing to do with the tabs. And the tabs on the original ANH are identical to the tabs found inside Apple computers from that time. Of course it's not implicit that the production team used tabs from Apple computers...they would have got them directly from the company that made them.

I really did not wish to get into this on a public forum. What I said about the fact that that is NOT an original helmet still stands. I already know the story from Paul. And it changed.

Who is Linda? Brian Muir and Liz Moore worked on Vader and C3PO.

 

[RKW]

Where's this talk of three helmets coming from. Last I read they believed two or three helmets were made but can't be 100% sure.

<div class='quotetop'>(SithLord @ Jun 23 2006, 01:16 AM) [snapback]1266266[/snapback]</div>

I really did not wish to get into this on a public forum. What I said about the fact that that is NOT an original helmet still stands. I already know the story from Paul. And it changed.
[/b]

Why not? If you have proof rather than speculation that Elstree is lying then it's in all our best interests that you explain yourself.

 

[SithLord]

<div class='quotetop'>(RKW @ Jun 22 2006, 08:21 PM) [snapback]1266267[/snapback]</div>

Where's this talk of three helmets coming from. Last I read they believed two or three helmets were made but can't be 100% sure.

<div class='quotetop'>(SithLord @ Jun 23 2006, 01:16 AM) [snapback]1266266[/snapback]

I really did not wish to get into this on a public forum. What I said about the fact that that is NOT an original helmet still stands. I already know the story from Paul. And it changed.
[/b]

Why not? If you have proof rather than speculation that Elstree is lying then it's in all our best interests that you explain yourself.
[/b][/quote]


You read correctly. But that number changed from "two or three", to "three". So start looking for them .

I'm generally one who likes to give someone the benefit of the doubt. I've stated what I know about the helmet and will leave it at that. I'm not interesting in pointing my finger at someone for this or that, especially someone who cannot speak for themselves on the forum. But if you want my opinion about a Vader helmet, I'll give it .

 

[lambotour]

I received word back from Paul earlier today as well and he pretty much stated the same as in Cking's response. Paul said the tabs are not from apple computers, but did say they are silver in color, hmmmm. Also he says they do have more pics of the faceplate.

 

[Boba Frett]

<div class='quotetop'></div>

Also he says they do have more pics of the faceplate. [/b]

Will they be releasing the pictures for everyone to see?

 

[Victorious-Jay]

I don't understand making a claim as bold as that about a prop as famous as that and then not wanting to show any good pics of the damn thing. If you are so certain that it's the real deal then the prop should stand up to any scrutiny. I say that they should show us some pics or put a sock in it.

I think next week I'm going to post a tiny picture of my 89 Batman cowl and claim that it was screen used. Sorry for the hostility but I guess I'm getting a little burned out on all the baloney.

-Jason M

 

[SithLord]

:lol