When it comes to authenticity, the world of TV and film memorabilia is a special case.
Unlike a baseball jersey — which was either worn by the player or not — many of the most iconic props from cinematic history are far more complicated.
Movie props are rarely produced as a one-off. It's common for films such as "Castaway" to produce many examples of famous props, such as the film's iconic volleyball, Wilson, which has become a mainstay of the auction scene in recent years. Appearing at multiple auction houses, often multiple times per year, examples of Wilson come with varying degrees of documentation.
Given the proper disclosures, this wouldn't be an issue. But, for novice collectors, a reading of the lot description merely describes the prop as the one from the film, so they could reasonably assume it is the only example in existence. Of course, given the difference in value between owning a one-of-a-kind item and a one-of-many item, this can cause major issues.
A close viewing of the film will reveal the volleyball changes throughout the movie, not simply as star Tom Hanks converts it into a lifelike character, but even in smaller degrees in-between. Each of these changes could represent its own distinct prop, leaving room for dozens of authentic examples from the film, none more legitimate than the next.
The key for auction houses such as Propstore, as well as Julien's and Heritage, both of which have sold props (including Wilson) in the past with varying degrees of documentation, is how these items are presented at auction.
Ahead of its August auction, Propstore COO Brandon Alinger explained the nuances that determine authenticity for movie props (at least for Propstore’s specific guidelines).
When a prop is identified as original, it means it was made for or acquired for the production of the film.
Some, such as Wilson volleyballs, can be screen-matched utilizing a process which compares high-resolution images to stills from the film to identify unique details, indicating the prop is one and the same. That designation can add a hefty premium to an item, with screen-matched Wilson volleyballs selling for as much as $300,000.
However, plenty of props are not able to be matched in the same way, whether due to its use in a wide shot or a lack of detail in the prop itself that makes identification difficult. Post-production digital editing can make a match impossible.
“You do have all these different subtleties and nuances as we talk about authenticity. But the baseline that we're guaranteeing is: It is from the production of film,” Alinger said, adding Propstore utilizes research and provenance as essential tools to supplement the prop’s legitimacy, such as reaching out to prop masters and digging into the materials used to make the prop to ensure they match. The auction house also offers a guarantee to provide money back on any item it sells later that is found out to be fake.
Speaking to the difficulties of authentication in the industry, Alinger references an item in the auction house’s upcoming sale, an Imperial Scout Helmet from “Return of the Jedi.” These helmets are nearly impossible to screen-match he says, as they were almost exclusively seen in wide shots. In this case, the reliance on expertise comes in handy.
One method is comparing it to other known examples.
“There are ones that are in George Lucas's archive, which have been out on exhibition in the past that people have studied and photographed very carefully,” Alinger said. “And you can compare this example to those and see the construction, the materials, the paintwork, the handwritten markings and the interior.”
The industry has seen substantial growth in recent years, leading to Propstore running a third blockbuster auction in 2024 for the first time in its history.
It’s not only a matter of demand, says Alinger, but also increased supply, which comes in via consignment from past buyers looking for a return on their investment as well as industry types who have recognized the value of these items after seeing headline-grabbing sales.
In total, the auction is estimated to pull in around $10 million, highlighted by an 11-foot filming model ship from the film “Alien” (estimate: $250,000 to $500,000) and a screen-matched Batwing from Michael Keaton’s “Batman” (estimate: $250,000 to $500,000).
The catalog is diverse, a testament to the broad taste of collectors. The featured item is a screen-matched Ghostface costume from “Scream” that Alinger called “the very best in existence” (estimate: $50,000 to $100,000).
Something found in this auction that wouldn’t have been included a decade ago? Costumes from comedy movies, such as the screen-matched “Happy Gilmore” Boston Bruins jersey ($5,000 to $10,000). Despite the passion for many of the films, most lack the craftsmanship and intrigue in the props and costumes to make it interesting enough for collectors. But that’s seemingly changing.
“Everybody loves comedies, but they just weren't as collectible … I can't necessarily attribute that to any one specific thing. I think the interest in 1990s era titles, you could say, is just the passing of time,” Alinger said. “As people who grew up with those movies get a little bit older, have a little bit more disposable income, it makes sense that that's the type of content they would want to focus their collecting.”
As for Alinger himself? The star of the auction comes from “Ghostbusters,” one of his favorite films. The auction includes the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man’s Hat as well as a production-made “drinking” Slimer puppet.
With the auction set to take place starting Aug. 15 over the span of four days, Alinger says he believes this is arguably the best auction the house has put together, top-to-bottom.
“We really pride ourselves on unearthing great content, having great material and things that are going to get collectors excited,” Alinger said. “And by the way, not just at the top end, obviously we have some very exciting pieces, high-end pieces, but we want to have exciting content for collectors at all budgets.”
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.