Collecting 101: Hollywood Props & Costumes

There is endless discussion possible about tips and advice for those considering going into this collecting area and those who are new to it. But I wanted to share some general thoughts and experiences about collecting original props, costumes and other production assets from film and television as I am just launching this new website and brand.
I spent years covering these topics and ideas on my website which I started in 2007, the Original Prop Blog, and the following content guide from that website provides links to a wealth of information, though some of this may be outdated today: Original Prop Blog Content Guide

What Are Original Props & Costumes?

The cornerstone of this hobby is collecting original props and costumes from film and television productions. So what are they?

These are the actual assets made for and/or deployed in the making of movies and TV shows. They are not replicas. The key distinction is that these are the actual things that were made for use in these productions, and in many cases (even better), actually used in filming and ultimately seen on screen in the final product (some items can be film and not seen due to multiples being made and used and/or scenes being cut or otherwise unused).

How Can You Know What Is “Real”?

This is the most challenging aspect of this collecting field. There are a number of ways to determine authenticity and genuineness of an item, but in many cases it is simply not possible.

Some items are sold into the marketplace in an official capacity (such as with the recent auction of assets from Game of Thrones by Heritage Auctions). This was an “official” auction with items coming from the studio to the auction house and offered for the very first time. This is very optimal for collectors because there is no issue or concerns about these items being actual assets from the production.

Having said that, actual use during the production and type of use and which items were used and seen on screen is another question (which oftentimes can be answered definitively), but there are layers of considerations with any production asset, many of which ultimately affect market value (which is about context, use, rarity, and other factors).

Some items come into the marketplace from principal members of a production – maybe a prop master, a producer, an actor. Again, these are often positive sources though also require some verifications.

However, having said all of that, there are of course risks involved and doing research and due diligence is always paramount. There are replicas passed off as authentic, “extras” made by members of productions for the explicit purpose of selling as production used (which can be identical to and otherwise indistinguishable from the assets actually used), so there is a lot of risk involved in buying items in this marketplace.

Where Can I Buy Items?

Props and costumes are offered for sale in a variety of ways, including auctions, websites, eBay and direct (private) sales. Each involves their own positives and negatives.

Auctions are very common and positives include a level of public vetting, as these auction events are announced usually weeks to a month or so in advance with details and photos of items being put online and in catalogs. Because of this, the hobbyists at large sometimes talk about and call out problematic lots in these sales in advance. But not always. Additionally, items offered at auction typically bring top dollar because of the public nature of the sales as well as the advance notice and competition among bidders/prospective buyers. There are also additional fees involved, from a “Buyer’s Premium” (an additional fee on top of the “Hammer Price” ranging from usually 10%-30%) as well as other fees like “Online Service Fees” (another 3% on average for bidding online vs in person or by phone) and credit card fees, sales tax, packing and shipping fees and sometimes other fees (import/VAT if buying from an overseas auction). Examples of auction houses that sell original props and costumes include Prop Store, Heritage Auctions and others.

Another marketplace option are websites that offer things for sale at fixed prices. Dealers in this space have varying reputations with regards to authenticity, customer service, length of time in business, value of COAs (Certificates of Authenticity) if any at all, etc. Examples of companies that offer memorabilia at fixed prices include Propmasters, The Prop Gallery and others.

How Do I Learn More About Collecting?

The best resource available to new collectors are other collectors. The most fundamental task that anyone interested in this collecting fields should take on is making time to meet and become acquainted with other collectors. It is truly critical and will not only make the hobby more enjoyable but potentially save you from making mistakes and being taken advantage of with fraud and fake props.

There was, once upon a time, one central forum which was an amazing resource for networking (this was pre-Facebook).

Over time, much of the discussion forums have shut down and most of this activity takes place across a number of different groups across Facebook. The largest and most frequented in the Movie Props group on Facebook.

I will be building more discussion and networking resources myself over time.

Additional Considerations

There are many, but I wanted to make a short and concise primer here to start and over time I will build out additional content with new posts, pages and of course videos on my YouTube channel.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions and suggestions.

Jason