The Jem'Hadar model, lot # 1487, as offered by Profiles in History is not the screen used model that was sold by Christie's in the 2006 Star Trek sale. It is most likely not production made either. Here is what I can tell you for sure.
When I visited Profiles in History to view the Star Trek lots, I got to see the Jem Hadar model . Joe Madalena was there and said it was the one from Christie's. I inquired about that as I knew it was a model I had been offered in 2007, but he insisted. Now I knew the telltale was that the Profiles one has wires, and the real screen used version, sold at Christie's, didn't have wires. SFX models never do. That are mounted on poles or motion control rigs.
In the Profiles picture above, where you can see the wire in the front nose of the ship sticking up. In the photos below you can see the wires very clearly.
I can say positively that the Profiles version is it is not from Christie's. It is unclear if this was even production made, though it supposedly was made by the effects house that made the screen used one that Christie's sold. The owner got the model from the effects shop around 1999. It may have been made at the same time as the one delivered to Paramount, but never delivered to production.
How we know this is not the Christie's Model
First of all, the collector who offered it to me said it wasn't when I contacted him Saturday. He was just the broker at the time, but he is very solid and represented the seller.
Second, the Profiles version doesn't match the image from Christie's. There are a number of tells, most notably that the Profiles version has wires for hanging the model. The Christie's version had no such wires. Joe Madalena claimed that the wires were for hanging the model for effects shot, something stated in the description:
Star Trek never hung models like this, they were mounted on a pole for motion control and filming.Here is an image of the real model that Christie's sold being filmed for DS9. (courtesy of Doug Drexler). Note the ship is mounted upside down so they could shoot the bottom of the ship, which is the angle we most often saw.
Not only does the real model not have wires, but there were a lot of white marks on the leading edges of the wings on the Profiles model (seen on the left wing in the Profile photo above, but very noticeable in person). The colors seem very different, but that might be the lighting in the photos.
Also, the Christie's version was lighted and this one is not. There is no question these are two different models.
Here is the real, screen used model, sold by Christie's:
The photos below are of the model in the Profiles auction, taken by the owner and sent to me when the owner was trying to sell the model in 2007. You can clearly see the wires.
What is this model?
This model was not found at Paramount they way every other Star Trek model was. While props and costumes went out from the studio (some through the front door, some through the back door), models were closely guarded and every major model was accounted for either in the Christies or IAW auctions, or are still property of CBS and on the Star Trek Tour. All were crated and put in storage. There is no way a model like this, if it was delivered to Paramount, wasn't kept there. And never were there two of the same size model made. They didn't make "Back-ups". Star Trek never ordered two of the same ship model. In fact, look back at the Christie's auction and all the other models and there were only one of each size made. (There were 3 Enterprise "D", all of different sizes for different shots.)
This model was bought by the owner directly from the effects shop around 1999, which is when Deep Space Nine finished filming. It is highly doubtful that if the model was made for the production, that they would have sold it. That is asking for a major lawsuit and would be theft. But, if the shop made it for their own use, then that would be no problem.
The photo below show the ship as it hung in the effects shop that built it.
Conclusion
This model is not a screen used piece. It most likely wasn't made for Paramount either, but instead made by the model shop for their own display purposes.
I assume Profiles claimed this was from Christie's because the consignor told them it was. That bothers me a great deal. Why would someone lie about this?
Well, if you answer that question, you will understand the inherent problem with this hobby.
Alec
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