Vader faceplate on ebay

[voice in the crowd]

What is with the forehead scab? Is that something seen before?

No I think it is just poor casting or an attempt to make it look more weathered.

The quality of the eyes between the lenses and the mask looks dreadful as well. Is this possibly a poor attempt to try to replicate the marks seen on the VP and SL in that area?

Is it just me or have the tabs been reworked as well? They look too clean and intact to me.

If you look at the sellers previous auctions looks like he has sold a ANH Vader before and if I am not mistaken it looks like a TM ANH dome as well.

Cheers Chris

 

[voice in the crowd]

I know the pics aren't great but this helmet is more than a bit weird.

It appears to have all the big hitter items that are easy to see - the tabs, mouth grill, lenses and C scar but looks like all the minor details are gone - scratches, dings, paint runs.

Whatever it is it looks very contrived.

Possibly it is just down to the quality of the pics and the primer coat on the mask.

Chris

 

[retfield]

hmm interesting... is that possible to be talking about another completely different source? just wondering....

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Looks like you can see the other screw holes in the middle of the tabs too.

 

[SithLord]

I'm able to confirm that this is a copy of a DS 20th Century, not a TM recast.

And just to show I've done my homework...

The grill is the same, inside lower edges of eyebrows on the bottom are the same. Noseslots the same type (yes the TM noseslots are of a particular type). Tube ends similar. Eyebrow contours/front surfaces/corners similar. Even the triangle on the inside Vader's left tooth gap upper portion is just like the DS 20th.

 

[SithLord]

And it is no surprise after a huge C-scar thread that someone adds a fake one to a DS 20th C.

Now do you all understand why Vader people are so tight-lipped about revealing details? This is a perfect example of what comes out of it.

 

[retfield]

great!, thanks Thomas :thumbsup

 

[SithLord]

Just an example of a few of the details I mentioned.

Boxed is the triangle inside the tooth gap. One can also see the same grill, and it is actually the identical grill to the DS 20th. For example the TD ANH and DS 20th have slight differences in the filler material condition in the grill area. So it is the DS 20th C grill. And there was no grill on the TM ESB because the tooth gaps had to be filled in. There is also the flat portion on the U-shaped part of the nose that is more pronounced on a DS 20th C than on the TM (indicated by the angled bar above that flattened portion).

The C-scar is not accurate. It is finely made, however with attention to detail in the curvature but he messed up in two places. He reworked the tabs as well that's why the screws look new. The DS 20th screws are in poor shape so that would have been necessary.

 

[vader71]

And it is no surprise after a huge C-scar thread that someone adds a fake one to a DS 20th C.

Now do you all understand why Vader people are so tight-lipped about revealing details? This is a perfect example of what comes out of it.

Even with all the detail shared execution of a perfect replication is nearly impossible. My view is everyone should know the details and what to look for, that education is invaluable.



Recasters SUCK.

 

[SithLord]

Sure, that is true, and don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to justify withholding information, just that it does provide an example of why some are cautious about revealing details. A well replicated C-scar made people think it was a TM recast. The position of the scar is very good, just other things indicated it isn't a TM. As recasters get better at replicating details it makes it more difficult to ascertain the lineage or source, but of course not impossible. But when you have blurry ebay images, who is to tell? It is hard enough to determine the authenticity of genuine castings sometimes, let alone faked ones...

 

[sskunky]

I got this from the seller.....

When it was 1st bought, it was repainted and new lenses were put in.
I couldnt find the right size lenses so I had to add filler inside the eye sockets to accept normal type sunglasses which is what you see. I was just about to shave off those little what cha mcallits off the top and trim the neck as it seemed kinda long at the time.
The vendor explained it to come from a overseas studio mold. I didnt know much about vader then but did think it looked pretty close to what i seen onscreen. Its been in storage and alittle abused by the little ones but in decent shape I could of cleaned it more before having it molded.... The shots dont show that, oh well. The casts came out well as you can see.

 

[RBJ]

Gotta love the back stories on these.."just sitting in the garage for ages"..

Nice catch Thomas..I did a DS 20th century ANH conversion, but I cant find any pics of just the face alone..

 

[Ghost Host]

And even the 'average Joe' is a mold maker now, it seems...