Studio Auctions TOS Uhura Phaser

[ghostryder]

 

[Captain Dunsel]

View attachment 1882965

 

[Sparklejinx]

So, this is the one that sold last year for $60,000, and with buyers premium, just sold for more than $115,000.

Hasn’t there been a lot of speculation that this was a forgery?

 

[Captain Dunsel]

So, this is the one that sold last year for $60,000, and with buyers premium, just sold for more than $115,000.

Hasn’t there been a lot of speculation that this was a forgery?
View attachment 1883272

View attachment 1883273

 

[ghostryder]

So, this is the one that sold last year for $60,000, and with buyers premium, just sold for more than $115,000.

Hasn’t there been a lot of speculation that this was a forgery?

Where was that 2023 picture from?

 

[Sparklejinx]

apologies, working on a small screen while traveling, I mistakenly thought they were similar photos and copied from the wrong page. Updated.

 

[Gregatron]

 

[ghostryder]

Is there more on this ones history in another thread?

 

[MichaelK]

So... I'm not incredibly well-versed in the history of these props, but the shape of the situation is approximately as follows, right?

There is written proof (receipts, memos, other contemporaneous documentation) that something like five or six phasers were actually built during TOS, but there have been, what, a dozen or so of these sorts of auctions...?

 

[Gregatron]

So... I'm not incredibly well-versed in the history of these props, but the shape of the situation is approximately as follows, right?

There is written proof (receipts, memos, other contemporaneous documentation) that something like five or six phasers were actually built during TOS, but there have been, what, a dozen or so of these sorts of auctions...?

Four heroes, and an unknown (but higher) number of midgrade dummies.

Which is why we've seen only one prominent hero forgery, recently (especially now that two of the heroes have been located and authenticated), but a bunch of midgrade forgeries.

 

[ghostryder]

Four heroes, and an unknown (but higher) number of midgrade dummies.

Which is why we've seen only one prominent hero forgery, recently (especially now that two of the heroes have been located and authenticated), but a bunch of midgrade forgeries.

This Uhura one is classified as a midgrade, correct?

 

[Gregatron]

This Uhura one is classified as a midgrade, correct?

Yes. The midgrades were static props made late in the first season to serve as lightweight, no-worries workhorse props, in place of the more fragile, working-parts heroes and the low-quality, vacuformed “crapazoids” used in earlier episodes.

The midgrades have certain obvious differences from the heroes—P1 hand phaser permanently attached, P1 side rails painted on, simplified handle, simplified tenturn knob, engraved P2 rear fins (as on the early, black-and-white heroes) instead of the metal clip holding the P2 body together, etc.

 

[ghostryder]

Yes. The midgrades were static props made late in the first season to serve as lightweight, no-worries workhorse props, in place of the more fragile, working-parts heroes and the low-quality, vacuformed “crapazoids” used in earlier episodes.

The midgrades have certain obvious differences from the heroes—P1 hand phaser permanently attached, P1 side rails painted on, simplified handle, simplified tenturn knob, engraved P2 rear fins (as on the early, black-and-white heroes) instead of the metal clip holding the P2 body together, etc.

Ahh, cool, cool - gotcha - thanks for the info!

 

[AdmiralBaxter]

Yes. The midgrades were static props made late in the first season to serve as lightweight, no-worries workhorse props, in place of the more fragile, working-parts heroes and the low-quality, vacuformed “crapazoids” used in earlier episodes.

The midgrades have certain obvious differences from the heroes—P1 hand phaser permanently attached, P1 side rails painted on, simplified handle, simplified tenturn knob, engraved P2 rear fins (as on the early, black-and-white heroes) instead of the metal clip holding the P2 body together, etc.

Let's not forget that midgrades ended up being the hero phasers for the series.

Despite them being work horses there was no way they could ever get the wear and tear as seen on the forgeries over the years. Which IMO is probably the single largest give away

 

[Gregatron]

Let's not forget that midgrades ended up being the hero phasers for the series.

Despite them being work horses there was no way they could ever get the wear and tear as seen on the forgeries over the years. Which IMO is probably the single largest give away

Yes, many forgeries over the years have been OVER-weathered. Trying too hard to make them look decades old. Heavy paint-chipping, glue smears, dirt, etc.

 

[AdmiralBaxter]

Yes, many forgeries over the years have been OVER-weathered. Trying too hard to make them look decades old. Heavy paint-chipping, glue smears, dirt, etc.

Yup, they are overly weathered or overly pristine and that always gives them away