The scifi museum in Seattle, which has changed names a couple times to the EMP and now MoPOP, is basically a giant building where Paul Allen keeps his toys. I'm in town and went to check it out cause they do have some cool stuff.
There's a scifi Hall of Fame exhibit where Paul Allen's Graflex is on display, and there is currently a separate scifi traveling exhibit that had a Vader saber. I tried to get pics of both, and they are so so. Both exhibit halls were very dark and both sabers were behind glass.
First, the Graflex... definitely a legit Graflex as evidenced by the endcap. The profile of the t-track is pretty tall and they look metal, looks like they are adhered with epoxy. Seven grips, ANH style. Button arrangement is also ANH. It was positioned so I couldn't see the bezel of the eye. No clamp card. Clamp itself was almost chrome-- but is legit and had some lever rust.
The description was generic and didn't associate it with any one film. The d-ring is a scratch-made faux ESB Kobold style clip-- but as you can see it's really just a worked over aluminum bar. There's nothing really resembling an actual Kobold clamp/clip.
I think it's known that this was one of the "Kurtz" sabers, which we generally assume were Graflexes on set for ESB, but were not fully converted and were later kitted (likely by Don Bies) when Kurtz decided to sell them off.
The Vader saber was one of the Don Bies museum touring specials-- specifically the strobonar hybrid. Still cool to see up close-- saw a tiny screw on the shroud I had no idea was there... the grips were definitely metal and curved. The clamp band was some sort of rubber or foam and was cracked and aged.
When I get home I'll rehost these so there are in-post bigger images.
There's a scifi Hall of Fame exhibit where Paul Allen's Graflex is on display, and there is currently a separate scifi traveling exhibit that had a Vader saber. I tried to get pics of both, and they are so so. Both exhibit halls were very dark and both sabers were behind glass.
First, the Graflex... definitely a legit Graflex as evidenced by the endcap. The profile of the t-track is pretty tall and they look metal, looks like they are adhered with epoxy. Seven grips, ANH style. Button arrangement is also ANH. It was positioned so I couldn't see the bezel of the eye. No clamp card. Clamp itself was almost chrome-- but is legit and had some lever rust.
The description was generic and didn't associate it with any one film. The d-ring is a scratch-made faux ESB Kobold style clip-- but as you can see it's really just a worked over aluminum bar. There's nothing really resembling an actual Kobold clamp/clip.
I think it's known that this was one of the "Kurtz" sabers, which we generally assume were Graflexes on set for ESB, but were not fully converted and were later kitted (likely by Don Bies) when Kurtz decided to sell them off.
The Vader saber was one of the Don Bies museum touring specials-- specifically the strobonar hybrid. Still cool to see up close-- saw a tiny screw on the shroud I had no idea was there... the grips were definitely metal and curved. The clamp band was some sort of rubber or foam and was cracked and aged.
When I get home I'll rehost these so there are in-post bigger images.