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Sci-Fi Memorabilia To Ogle And / Or Buy

bluegreenone writes "While I was nerding it up and looking for some original Battlestar Galactica insiqnias on Google I came across an enormous auction of classic sci-fi props and costumes being held July 31. I'm a little surprised they are getting rid of some of this stuff. Highlights include a piece of the original Deathstar, Scotty's original uniform, and the Terminator's first jacket. How would you like to own Twiki from Buck Rogers, or even better one of Erin Gray's hot spandex pantsuits from the show? You can have your own Cylon, Commander Adama's uniform, or a Colonial Warrior helmet from the never-filmed second season of BG. There's E.T.'s head, Cyclop's visor from X-men, and even the alien hand switch from Total Recall. And who wouldn't want their own cute cuddly face-hugger from Aliens? There are a ton of items but be prepared, most prices start around $500 and go up to $40,000."

28 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. What do you mean... by PakProtector · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...a 'peice' of the Death Star? Haven't they started reconstructing it yet?!

    --

    Edward@Tomato - /home/Edward/ man woman
    man: no entry for woman in the manual.
    "Qua!?"

    1. Re:What do you mean... by caudron · · Score: 5, Funny

      Haven't they started reconstructing it yet?!

      Yeah, but like any good mechanic, they have parts left over.

      -Tom

      --
      -Tom
  2. Uhm yeah....... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Now why does this post sound like a carefully crafted sales pitch? Your auction or just shilling on the side?

  3. Slashdotting prices by BenjyD · · Score: 5, Funny

    There are a ton of items but be prepared, most prices start around $500 and go up to $40,000

    And that's before the Slashdot effect hits the prices.

  4. Ooh by Sir+Haxalot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Erin Gray's hot spandex pantsuits from the show?
    I'd pay $40000 for CowboyNeal's hoy spandex pantsuits!

    --
    I have over 70 freaks, do you?
  5. Reality Checkpoint! Please Slow Down. by Jonsey · · Score: 5, Funny

    While I'd love to have my own foam-rubber/prop/whaterver facehugger from Alien(s)... Could you really sleep, I mean really really sleep well, knowing that thing was in your house?

    And don't even get me started about Scottie's Suit.

    --
    I assert that my comment is only my opinion, not that of any employer, past, present or future.
  6. Forget these, I'm saving my money for... by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...a lifesize working duplicate of Seven of Nine, Trinity, the TX or a Vanessa Kensington fembot. Yeah, baby!

    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  7. Anyone have this item? by flea69 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I am looking for a mint condition Harrison Ford bowel movement from the original Star Wars...1 of 220 available.

    1. Re:Anyone have this item? by WebfishUK · · Score: 5, Funny

      It would be worth a mint if you could prove he said "I have a bad feeling about this" just before it popped out!

      --
      -- "Can't sleep, clowns will eat me!"
    2. Re:Anyone have this item? by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ahh, so that's what he meant when he was talking about fast Kessel runs!

      --

      "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  8. from the breast-and-wig dept. by mandalayx · · Score: 4, Informative

    For those curious as to what was meant by the subtitle

    from the breast-and-wig dept.

    I think the editors were busy ogling "Breast appliances and wig" worn by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos in X-Men. More about the item for those not feeling like checking out a link for breast appliances:

    Blue latex breast appliances (each signed on the inside in gold by the actress), and a short-haired red wig, worn by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Mystique. $500 - $1,000 [estimated sale price]

    I guess that's perfect for that semi-stalkerish yet absolutely cool amongst geeks feeling.

  9. Auction Prices and the Average Geek by Baron_Yam · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Is it just me, or is it only the hard-core sci-fi geek loner with no money who would willingly pay $US 15K for a Cylon costume? I would think that anyone able to afford this would wouldn't be willing to pay that much for it.

    I mean, I think it'd be neat... for a few hundred maybe.

  10. Nice Advertisement! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How much do I have to pay to get a "Slash-vertisement" for the collection of useless shit I'm selling on Ebay?

  11. Uhm... by acehole · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll buy the face hugger and keep it in a easily escapable cage. As is the tradition with such things...

    --
    Be you Admins? nay, we are but lusers!
  12. What will you tell Seven? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Resistance is futile. You will be inseminated."

    1. Re:What will you tell Seven? by tgd · · Score: 4, Funny

      You've been waiting for years to use that joke on here, haven't you?

  13. Too bad they aren't sold as a collection by bluegreenone · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In some ways it's too bad they are selling these items piecemeal. Having a collection of many related items raises the value and relevance of rare pieces. It would be great if some rich fan out there just bought every single item for some of these shows, it looks like Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers have the most items at this auction. Then they could make a collection out of the whole lot, or even better open a Buck Rogers museum. Of course maybe there are some die-hard fans out there for whom a chance to own a piece of their favorite show for $600 is a dream come true.

  14. Who buys this? by Penguin2212 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Leela: Why Buys this crap?

    Bender: Idiots, who like to buy crap for other idiots.

  15. Re:Well... by $rtbl_this · · Score: 4, Funny

    Looking at the uniform, it'd take more than the jaws of life to get him in there.

    "The stitching canna take it, captain!"

    --
    "Are you being weird, or sarcastic?" said Emma. I said I didn't know because I get the two feelings mixed up.
  16. Buyer's Premium by cdrudge · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I noticed that some (all?) of the auctions had an 18% "Buyer's Premium" that goes to the seller, paid in addition to the winning bid amount. Is this normal for auctions? It seems like it is just another way to suck even more money out of the buyer. I wonder why we don't start seeing Best Buy, Amazon, etc start charging a 18% "Buyer's Fee" when we buy stuff online for the convenience.

    1. Re:Buyer's Premium by Bushcat · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yes, many "traditional" auction houses charge both a buyer's and a seller's premium, plus quite large storage and shipping charges if you cannot immediately walk out with the item (which you can't, if you bid via phone or the internet. The buyer pays quite a lot more than expected, and the seller gets a lot less.

  17. Surprised? by sumiciu · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I'm a little surprised they are getting rid of some of this stuff.
    Are you really surprised? Come on, people grow, I'm now 34 and sometimes wonder how the hell could I spend money in things I bought 15 years ago.

    And, really, once you're married (yes, even people reading Slashdot gets married), it's better to get rid of some memorabilia than to listen all the time complaints about "all the shit you have in this room".

  18. Re:$40000!!! by panurge · · Score: 4, Interesting
    No one will read this...but the best CEO I ever worked with defined happiness as having enough cash in the bank to walk in off the street and buy a top of the range Mercedes with a personal check...and not do it, so when you're stuck in traffic next to the guy in the 600SEL you can think "You're going just as slowly as I am, and you're paying through the nose for it." Do I need to tell you he was British (PhD University of Cambridge)?

    If he's reading this thread, he may be thinking the same thing about paying $$$$$ for what is, in the end, theatrical tat.

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
  19. So what you're saying is by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Funny

    These aren't the hot spandex pantsuits you're looking for.

  20. Yes, but is the piece of the Deathstar by vudufixit · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Fully Operational?"

  21. Re:Reality Checkpoint! Please Slow Down. by krs-one · · Score: 4, Funny

    "...female vulva/vagina..."

    As opposed to the male vulva/vagina? ;)

    -Vic

  22. Obligatory by gwydi0n · · Score: 5, Funny

    "... That's no moon!"

  23. rambling tips for movie prop buyers. by Artifex · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Of course maybe there are some die-hard fans out there for whom a chance to own a piece of their favorite show for $600 is a dream come true.


    Something important to keep in mind is that, rare as these are, most of these items are not the absolute only instances of their kind. When a film or tv show goes into production, they usually make several copies of things like outfits and any props that the actors may actually touch.

    In my opinion, buying one outfit or prop isn't enough, you need to get a representative sampling of several. That's where you start to get the feelings you had when watching the show, and that's where you can start to see things like how the costumers and set designers did their real magic.

    Also, please consider making an overall budget when you visit an auction like this, not only so that you don't go overboard, but so that you think more about how much further your money goes if you buy multiple smaller items you like, and not blow it all on the big ones.

    Decide whether something being "screenworn" matters to you, before you start bidding. If you're all excited about getting Buck Rogers tights, for example, but you want a really nice pair, you may want to get a backup pair that weren't actually needed. On the other hand, don't be surprised if you decide you have to get a nifty blaster used on set, and it arrives with bits missing or glued back on, because it's not a toy, it's a handmade prop meant to be used briefly. Prop and costume designers are very hard workers, and very creative, but they rarely have the budget or the time to make things with the intent of them lasting beyond the length of the scenes in which they're used. That's why everyone sells these items with the disclaimers they do.

    If you buy these, buy them because you want them and plan to have them until you die, not because they'll impress other people (good for about 5 minutes cumulative maybe) or because you think you can flip them later. Few props will actually increase in value over time, and even if the appraised value increases, getting someone to pay that much later, especially if you don't have a variety of items together, could be extremely difficult.

    Above all, even if you have money to burn left over from a dot-com you sold years ago, don't get caught up in the bidding, and suddenly realise that you could have bought a car, taken an around-the-world vacation, or built a school in a third world country for the price of those Cylon and Twiki suits I know you're eyeing. You could also invest the money and approach the current buyer in about 3 years, when he's in debt, if you still want it. I think in those 3 years you'll be glad you didn't waste the money, however.
    --
    Get off my launchpad!