Thursday, November 27, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my good Star Trek collecting friends everywhere. This is a day to give thanks. And so I want to give thanks for all of my friends who I have made over the past 8 years in this hobby. From my very first friend in the hobby, Dana Hammontree, to my most recent, David McLaughlin, it has been a wild ride and lots of fun.
I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving!
Alec
Friday, October 31, 2014
These Are The Voyages Season 3 on Kickstarter!
Finally! The long awaited final volume in the definitive account of
the making of the original Star Trek TV Series is ready to go to the
printer. And you can help by getting your copy on Kickstarter and help
the Axanar film project at the same time.
If you don't know of These Are The Voyages,
it is a series of three books detailing the making of Star Trek: The
Original Series. The first two volumes have been released over the last
two years, and the third volume is waiting to go to print. And you can
make that happen and get a copy by Christmas!
Season 3
is 754 pages long and includes 456 photographs. However, Jacobs Brown
Press has decided to delay publication until sometime in 2015 to allow
more fans to discover Season One and Season Two. Author Marc Cushman wants it out sooner, and so do many who have already read Season One and Season Two. So we are launching this Kickstarter to get Season Three published this year. And you can get your copy before anyone, as well as get discounted copies of the first two volumes.

OK,
why dawdle here when you can go over to Kickstarter and find out all
the info, see a video from author Marc Cushman and find out why every TOS fan must have these books!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/194429923/these-are-the-voyages-volume-3
And help get Star Trek history printed!
Alec
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Profiles Auction 65 - Star Trek Preview
Profiles Auction # 65 has some impressive items. And despite following the Prop Store Auction and happening a month before the Screen Used Auction, the Profiles quality stands out as always.
After hopping around to 3 different auction sites over 4 years, Profiles is finally back to Live Auctioneers. Thank God, I was tired of registering for a new auction site every other auction they did. Live Auctioneers remains the gold standard for online auction providers. Having worked with them at Propworx, I can tell you their system is rock solid. You can find the online auction for Profiles here.
There are 43 items in total, with a lot being paperwork.
After hopping around to 3 different auction sites over 4 years, Profiles is finally back to Live Auctioneers. Thank God, I was tired of registering for a new auction site every other auction they did. Live Auctioneers remains the gold standard for online auction providers. Having worked with them at Propworx, I can tell you their system is rock solid. You can find the online auction for Profiles here.
There are 43 items in total, with a lot being paperwork.
The auction starts off with Lot # 1288, an original script for "The Cage". Starting at $ 2,000 may seem steep for a script, but heck, this is The Cage so I think that a price in the $ 3,000 - 5,000 range is not inappropriate.
Plus it is signed by both Director Robert Butler (a TV legend) and Leonard Nimoy.
If you are a fan of Star Trek: The Animated Series, then Lot # 1293, the TAS storyboard lot, is for you. Very cool stuff we haven't seen before. A low opening bid, means this could be a good deal.
Lot # 1296 is a pair of Ceti Eels. One has lost a bunch of pieces (included), the other looks pretty good. Remember, these are foam latex, so will continue to deteriorate. There are already 2 bidders and an opening bid of $ 2,000.
Lot # 1299 is the Khan costume. And at an opening bid of $30,000, with an estimate of $30,000-50,000, the Khan costume is clearly the best Star Trek item in this auction. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly the centerpiece of a collection.
Lot # 1300 is the Galileo model from Star Trek V is nice, but not a screen used piece. The hull was production made, and the rest added on later and the model finished. So this won't be appealing to the very hard core model collector, but it is nice none the less.
The Picard costume is an awesome Season One example and the last one of these went in Profiles for $ 13,000, so this might go high. However, the one piece jumpsuit is not as desirable as the two piece that came later. Comes with screen used pips and a replica badge.
Jonathan Frakes is selling his Star Trek collection. He has two great costumes offered here. Lot #1311 is his traditional red and black command costume. It has an original comm badge and a rather high $8,000 opening bid. So with BP, this is almost $ 10,000, a price unheard here. I say pass.
Lot #1312 is Riker's Voyager style jumpsuit from "Generations". At an opening bid of $6,000, meaning with BP this is over $ 7,000, this is also pretty high. I just don't see this worth more than $ 5,000 since it isnt his main uniform we saw him in for years. But hey, there are plenty of Riker fans out there.
Lot # 1322 is a Mark X Static Tricorder. I think the problems with these Tricorders is that Michael Moore of HMS, who made most of these for Star Trek, and who authenticates these for Profiles, can't be trusted. He has been passing off replicas as real for years and is simply not reliable. See here. And at a rather high opening bid of $ 2,000, unless this can be screen matched, I pass.
Lot # 1324, the Ferengi D’kora class Marauder ship master model is interesting. It isn't a screen used model, but the master that the molds were made from. That being said, I think this is a bit strong at $6-8,000, but not unreasonable. It will take a certain type to want this.
Lot # 1326 is a nose cast of the Phoenix from "First Contact". It is interesting, though not screen used. There are a few of these out there. A very fair $ 1,000 opening bid make this attractive.
I used to own Lot # 1327, which is Captain Picard's desktop monitor from "Insurrection". I love this piece and think it is worth $ 2-3,000. It is solid metal. This is the non-light up static version seen from behind.
Lot # 1328 is the Cousteau Captain's Yacht plaque. A low opening bid is nice. I want to know the provenance though as there are a ton of dedication plaques out there. If interested, contact Brian at Profiles who will tell you what he knows.
FInally is Lot # 1330, the Type 2 Dolphin Phaser from Nemesis. Again, I want to know provenance, but this is a cool prop, which I own an example of myself. I wouldn't go higher than $ 1,500 on this as these have been out there and the new phasers don't get much beyond $2,000.
OK, well, those are my thoughts. As always, I am available to chat with anyone who wants my insight, and Iw ill be at Profiles tomorrow.
Good hunting!
Alec
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Prop Store Tricorder a Replica
Thanks to David on the Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Forum, we just heard from Ed Miarecki that the Tricorder offered in the Prop Store Auction, Lot # 290, is in fact a replica.
Posted Today, 08:14 AM
Be advised, the Prop Store of London
Is NOT screen used. From Ed Miarecki himself;
Hi David,
Good to hear from you again...Well, I can definitely give you a bombshell to drop on this item.
Yes, I did indeed make this prop...but NOT for the TNG series. This prop was custom made for a Star Trek display in Edinburgh Scotland, (you can probably research that). The evidence is the power supply and jack on the back side. I purposely made it that way at the request from Herman Zimmerman (producer), so that it could run constantly during the event. In all other aspects, it was made very similar to the props made for the series, but is definitely NOT screen-used.
I am very curious as to how this auction house acquired it. Please keep me informed...and thanks, for bringing this to my attention.
I am quite disappointed as Prop Store told me they authenticated this item. So the question is who they had authenticate it, as they clearly don't have the expertise to be authenticating these items.
I have contacted Stephen, Brandon and Tim with this info and asked them to make this note when the item comes up for bid today.
Thanks to David for his great work here.
Alec
Lot 290 of 378:
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (1987-1994) - Light-Up Mark VII TricorderIs NOT screen used. From Ed Miarecki himself;
Hi David,
Good to hear from you again...Well, I can definitely give you a bombshell to drop on this item.
Yes, I did indeed make this prop...but NOT for the TNG series. This prop was custom made for a Star Trek display in Edinburgh Scotland, (you can probably research that). The evidence is the power supply and jack on the back side. I purposely made it that way at the request from Herman Zimmerman (producer), so that it could run constantly during the event. In all other aspects, it was made very similar to the props made for the series, but is definitely NOT screen-used.
I am very curious as to how this auction house acquired it. Please keep me informed...and thanks, for bringing this to my attention.
I am quite disappointed as Prop Store told me they authenticated this item. So the question is who they had authenticate it, as they clearly don't have the expertise to be authenticating these items.
I have contacted Stephen, Brandon and Tim with this info and asked them to make this note when the item comes up for bid today.
Thanks to David for his great work here.
Alec
Monday, October 13, 2014
Prop Store Auction - Star Trek Preview
Thursday,
October 16th, Prop Store is having its first ever auction. There are
378 lots, 13 of which are Star Trek lots. However, there are a lot of
issues a collector needs to deal with before buying in this auction.
I got to be honest, having this auction in the UK is not a good decision for bidders. Prop Store should have one this auction out of their US office. I can only think they believe they have more EU customers than US customers.
So before we dive into reviewing those items, a few notes on the auction.
1) It is happening in the UK. Meaning the auction happens 7 hours ahead of Pacific Time.
2) The prices are all in UK Pounds. So pay attention to that. Currently £1 GBP = $ 1.61.
3) There is a 20% Buyer's Premium, PLUS 3% for bidding online, PLUS 2% for credit cards.
If you are in the EU you will also have to pay 20% VAT PLUS 20% VAT on the Buyer's Premium!
If you are outside of the EU you will still be responsible for 20% VAT on the Buyer's Premium for lots with a dagger or omega next to them.
OK, got all, that? I have to say that a lot of collectors have expressed that they will not be partaking in this auction due to the high costs. Plus, the day AFTER this auction, Profiles starts its 4 day auction. So I think that unless you really want something, passing is not a bad idea. I wish this auction was in the US as I think it would have been much more interesting and affordable!
So let's start the review.
Lot # 282, 283 Star Trek II Scripts
I think these are both nice items, which are not a bad deal at less than $ 500. Note the estimate is £200-300 each. That is $ 320-480 and so keep in the that range and even with a 25% Buyer's Premium, and VAT you are OK.
Lot # 284 USS Excelsior Bridge Concept Art
An interesting item though I am not sure what this will bring. I have found Star Trek concept art all over the board, but rarely very expensive. Does this item sing to you? If so, go for it. But don't go overboard.
Lot # 285 Vulcan Planet Concept Art
Much more interesting and very recognizable. I happen to like this piece so I think at the estimate of £400 - 600 or roughly $ 650 - $ 1,000 it is not a bad deal. Note the size. It is small at 8" x 14".
Lot # 286 Bird of Prey Landing Concept Art
A beautiful piece, but is it worth £2,000 - 3,000, or $3,200 - 4,800 PLUS Buyer's Premium PLUS VAT? I think this is just way too high. But again, Star trek concept art is all over the place but I dont think this is worth that much. Again, note the size of 8" x 14".
Lot # 287 Captain Kirk Costume
This Kirk costume is nice, and relatively complete. This was lot # 850 at Christie's and sold there for $ 9,600 with premium. (Christie's sale results for the Star Trek auction are here)So here Prop Store thinks it is worth $ 16,000 - $ 19,000.
I doubt it. This simply isn't a very desirable Kirk costume. It isn't a Starfleet uniform, but it was his costume in Star Trek III/IV. This costume really hasn't gone up in value IMHO since Christie's in 2006. I think it would be strong at $ 10,000. Where Prop Store is looking I say pass.
I doubt it. This simply isn't a very desirable Kirk costume. It isn't a Starfleet uniform, but it was his costume in Star Trek III/IV. This costume really hasn't gone up in value IMHO since Christie's in 2006. I think it would be strong at $ 10,000. Where Prop Store is looking I say pass.
Lot # 288 is a beautiful Ralph McQuarrie Starfleet HQ study painting. While stunning, it is a very small 8" x 10" and I don't think this is worth anywhere close to £3-5,000, which translates to roughly $ 5,000 - 8,000.
My guess is this piece won't sell. I think it is a $ 2,000 piece because of its small size. If it was large, I might say their estimate is right. But it is tiny.
Lot 289 is the Assassin's Boots from Star Trek VI and there are at least two US collectors who I know will go after these as they have helmets. Listed with an estimate of £1,500 - 2,000, these will go in the £2,000 - 3,000 range is my guess. That is roughly $3,000 - 5,000.
Lot 290, the Tricorder, lacks provenance. Where is this from? Who authenticated it? Without these questions answered I think it is problematic. So if you are interested, call Prop Store and find out. If it is real, then I think their estimate of £2-2,500, or $ 3,200 - 4,000 is pretty fair.
Lot # 291 "Lessons" keyboard.
A very cool prop, that is sadly deteriorating badly. I think the estimate is probably a bit high at £2-2,500, or $ 3,200 - 4,000. I see this as a $2,000 - $2,500 piece, unless someone really has a strong feeling for the episode. Remember, you have to add 25% if bidding online and paying with a credit card PLUS a 20% tax on the Buyer's Premium.
Lot # 292 Star Trek (2009) Starfleet Cadet Uniform
I know this costume well. My two friends passed this between them back and forth for $1,500 for a few years. So at the listed £2,000 - 3,000, or $3,200 - 4,800 PLUS Buyer's Premium PLUS VAT, I think this is just way too high. Plus, there were hundreds of these made. And eventually they will all get out.
Lot # 293 Romulan Costume
This has an estimate of £1,500 - 2,000. Remember that is POUNDS. Meaning that is $2,400 - 3,200. Add BP plus VAT and I think this is just too expensive. I don't think this is more than a $ 2,000 costume.
Lot # 294 Romulan Disruptor Rifle
As with the above pieces, this is from the original Julien's auction where a bunch of Star Trek 2009 items were auctioned off for JJ Abrahms. It also has an estimate of £1,500 - 2,000. Probably worth $ 2,000 - 3,000 max. Again, the addition of the Buyer's Premium, VAT and shipping makes this OK at the low end, but expensive at the high end of the estimate.
Well, those are my thoughts. Understand these are merely my opinions based on my involvement in this hobby since 2006 and studying these items at length. I am generally pretty accurate as to my valuations, which I base on past market results and a general understanding on the state of the market. I think the Star Trek market is not particularly strong. Certainly don't buy any of these for an investment. Buy only what you love and then pay only what you can afford.
Alec
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Doug Drexler Previews The Gary Hutzel Collection
From Doug Drexler:
Happy Sunday morning! Grab a cuppa whatever, and get ready to take a time trip with old Doug!
When you work on a television show for many years, especially one like
Star Trek, and particularly at the time that we did, you end up with all
kinds of stuff that would otherwise have been thrown away. I know a
statement like that... "stuff that would have otherwise been thrown
away"... usually starts a firestorm of criticism of the studio. You
don't need to say that today. Looky, you
know what a geek I am about this stuff, yet I understand that the
studio cannot save everything from all of their productions. Also
remember that at the time, auctions where fans could own a piece of the
show were non-existent. Storing stuff was not economically feasible.
Sometimes just building a crate to store something costs more than the
model did! Not to mention renting a place to keep it all. Star Trek at
it's peak had huge storage north of LA. That adds up. Not everything
could be saved. Thankfully, peeps like Gary couldn't bear to see stuff
go into the crusher. So into personal storage it would go, and some of
it not to see the light of day again for over twenty years.
There is a certain point where you realize that you need to shake it
all out, and get it into the hands of people who will take care of it
for another generation. I went through it a couple of years ago myself.
My friend, Alec Peters, and his Propworx company, organized an auction
in conjunction with Paramount. I'm very happy knowing that all of my
precious toys are in the hands of people who will cherish and take care
them. A lot of it is culturally significant. Of course, at the time,
most folks didn't know that. I knew it, the Okudas did, Gary did. So
here we are. I gave Alec a call, and we met up a Gary's storage space,
just an hour north of the city, in the high desert.
It's a strange experience. An archeological dig. But not just that. It's like excavating a slice of your life. For years we met up with Gary at Image G, and watched the models on a stick, all twinkly and bright, being orbited by motion control cameras. The heightened sensations that you experienced came from being a big geeky fan, but also the sense that this was not just goofing around for fun. It had to get done, on time, on schedule, and on budget. There was an immovable airdate. You mess with that, and you could mess up you career. A lot of adrenaline makes for vivid memories.
I always carry my Canon Rebel, and so you are there! Boxes of artifacts that hadn't seen the light of day since the world was new! We were back with Gary and the toys, but at the other end of the time tunnel. A great time for reflection, and to also think about all of the adventures that Gary and I, and all of us have had since the 1990s, and still... right up to the present day.
The complete photo album is on Facebook here.
All of the above items plus a whole ton more will be available in the Propworx Star Trek auction.
Alec
It's a strange experience. An archeological dig. But not just that. It's like excavating a slice of your life. For years we met up with Gary at Image G, and watched the models on a stick, all twinkly and bright, being orbited by motion control cameras. The heightened sensations that you experienced came from being a big geeky fan, but also the sense that this was not just goofing around for fun. It had to get done, on time, on schedule, and on budget. There was an immovable airdate. You mess with that, and you could mess up you career. A lot of adrenaline makes for vivid memories.
I always carry my Canon Rebel, and so you are there! Boxes of artifacts that hadn't seen the light of day since the world was new! We were back with Gary and the toys, but at the other end of the time tunnel. A great time for reflection, and to also think about all of the adventures that Gary and I, and all of us have had since the 1990s, and still... right up to the present day.
The complete photo album is on Facebook here.
Future Enterprise additional nacelle from "All Good Things".
All of the above items plus a whole ton more will be available in the Propworx Star Trek auction.
Alec
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Trek Core Interviews NASM Curator
A hearty congratulations to the crew over at Trekcore for nabbing an impressive interview with the curator of the National Air & Space Museum about the coming restoration of the USS Enterprise model from TOS. If you are a serious Star Trek prop & costume collector, You know the value of TrekCore, but this time they have gone above and beyond! Make sure you check out their site and support Trekcore!
TREKCORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Enterprise Model Curator, Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
We reported back in April that as part of a large overhaul of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the original Constitution-class Enterprise filming model will undergo a full evaluation and restoration, and then return to the main museum hall.
This is the first restoration for the Enterprise model in nearly twenty-five years, and to make sure we got the most insightful information about this new undertaking, we went right to the source -- Dr. Margaret Weitekamp, curator of the Air and Space Museum's spaceflight collection, who will be overseeing the Enterprise project over the next two years.
TREKCORE: Tell us about the new Milestones of Flight hall – how was the Enterprise model was chosen to be included in the primary museum exhibit?
Dr Margaret Weitekamp |
When we started looking at that space and thinking about what we
wanted to do with it, we decided that most of the artifacts there will
remain the same. The museum has added a lot to that hall after almost
forty years, but while it’s never featured ALL of the milestones, it’s
been one of the places that the museum has featured the fastest, the
firsts, and the things that have gone the furthest.
The main theme in the revised Boeing Milestones of Flight hall is
going to be more about how aviation and spaceflight has transformed the
world, from the availability of being able to travel across long
distances easily but also all of the revolutions in satellite technology
and what that has done of what we know about ourselves, our planet, and
our universe.
Photo: Eric Long, NASM |
One of the things we wanted to add to the hall was an ‘imagination’
portion – the museum had always had in its collection things that
reflect popular culture interests and the ways that spaceflight has been
imagined, because there’s a rich relationship between the ways people
have imagined what it would be like to live and work in space, and the
things that people have actually been able to do in space.
If there’s any one piece in the hall that tells the broader cultural
story of imagination and inspiration, I couldn't think of anything
better than the original Enterprise studio model.
TREKCORE: It’s a lovely coincidence that the model will be added to this featured exhibit in 2016, the year of the Star Trek franchise’s fiftieth anniversary.
WEITEKAMP: Yes, it works out very nicely! As the curator for the Enterprise
model, I had been looking for several years for an opportunity to give
the model some refurbishment and to take a good look at its condition.
The model hasn't actively been worked on since 1991; I wanted another
look at the paint, another look at the structure.
It’s in pretty good shape for being almost fifty years old, but
studio models are notoriously built exactly as cheaply as possible to
get the shots the film crews want. It was not built to be a museum
piece, but for a specific function within the television world.
It had always been designed to be on a floor-mounted stand; that’s
how it was used during the television production. When the museum
received it in 1974, the team at the time arranged it to hang on
display, and it hung for almost twenty years until we were able to have
the custom display case we built in 2000.
There’s always a challenge when you convert things that were not
built for a long life into museum pieces which are meant to last for
years.
TREKCORE: You mentioned the model’s paint scheme – as you’re likely aware, the paint changes made by the 1991 restoration team have been a point of fairly serious debate among fans ever since it debuted.
Will you be using the various reference material that has become available since then – like Blu-ray screencaps and restored production photography – in the new project?
WEITEKAMP: Well, we’ll certainly be going back into the museum’s own records on the model, and then also take a look at the best information we can find in order to figure out what needs to be done – and what we are able to do.
"We'll be doing a lot of research on the paint. I know the fans have been concerned about it."
The museum’s approach is one of conservation, so we’re treating the
model as a historic object – we don’t have carte blanche to just do
anything we want with it, just like every other piece in our collection.
The idea that you would want to add a modern glass canopy or something
to the Spirit of St. Louis is a neat idea, but that’s now how we treat these things.
What I want to do, really, is take a look at what we need to do to
make sure the model is stable and safe, and then to use the latest
science that we have through our conservation lab to figure out what we
can learn about the model in terms of its structural integrity and its
appearance.
We’ll be doing a lot of research on its appearance as part of this
project, and definitely looking at the paint as I know it’s something
the fans have been very concerned about. As a fan myself, I’m obviously
interested in seeing this object come back to its best possible
condition – understanding that it’s still going to look like a
fifty-year-old model. I’m not interested in making it all shiny!
Photo: Eleven foot model, courtesy startrekhistory.com |
Left: dorsal saucer 1974 restoration. Star Trek Giant Poster Book (1977) Right: 1991 Restoration (current look) Mark Avino NASM |
I would say, mainly, that we haven’t made any final decisions about
any of the structural or aesthetic issues at this point; we’re just now
getting into the lab and beginning to get a look at the model.
Our chief conservator is putting together a new report over the next
few weeks, so hopefully we can sit down this fall and really figure out
what the issues are that we have to deal – and what choices need to be
made about how to move forward.
TREKCORE: Obviously, it’s still early and you need to analyze the Enterprise model fully, but do you have an idea of a timeline for the project?
WEITEKAMP: Well, it’s really going to depend on what
needs to be done for the model – and in terms of it coming out back on
display, that’s going to have to depend on the rest of the Milestones of
Flight work.
The advantage of connecting this to the Milestones project is that it
will allow us to put the model in the main space just as visitors enter
the museum, but it also means that we have to coordinate the
installation of the new display with the rest of the work that’s being
done in that section of the building. There are a lot of moving parts to
think about between now and 2016.
"There are a lot of moving parts to think about between now and 2016"
TREKCORE: Can you give us some more details about the
conservation lab, and what kind of work the team may be facing when they
start examining the model?
WEITEKAMP: The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center,
out by Dulles Airport in Virginia, opened in 2003, and the space hanger
attached opened in 2004 – and just in the last few years, we were able
to open some additional behind-the-scenes facilities there as well,
which has given us some additional object storage, and allowed us to
move our restoration shop from a location in Maryland.
So the Enterprise model has been moved to the Emil Buehler
Conservation Laboratory. This lab gives our conservation team a place
where they can really use some of the latest science to take a look at
the model – things like using spectroscopy to look, chemically, at what
paints and exposes have been used on an aircraft or spacecraft or model,
in this case – and then be able to make judgments about what kinds of
treatments they want to use.
We have wonderfully talented people, and great artifacts, but this
facility gives us a more state-of-the-art space in which to do some of
this conservation work.
TREKCORE: It certainly makes a certain amount of sense for the Enterprise model to travel to the Udvar-Hazy Center, now that the space shuttle Enterprise is no longer parked in the McDonnell hanger!
WEITEKAMP: [laughs] It’s a name with a very rich history. We’ve always had more than one Enterprise in the Smithsonian collection – we also have a very good model of the Enterprise aircraft carrier – but it certainly makes things less confusing in our spaceflight staff meetings now that the space shuttle Discovery is here instead!
TREKCORE: Do you anticipate having to outsource any of the work that might be outside of the conservation lab’s capabilities?
WEITEKAMP: Our plan is to do everything at the Buehler lab, and I don’t anticipate taking it offsite again. Some of that, of course, will depend on what we find when we start taking a close look at the model.
"The Enterprise can't easily exist in gravity. At some point, things just start to sag."
We've been doing inspections over the years, and of course the fan
community keeps us aware of the condition of the model. We've been
seeing some aging and crazing in the paint, and I’m a little concerned
with some structural issues.
The design of the Enterprise as a ship is that it looks like
it can’t easily exist in Earth’s gravity; I had a very good
conversation with Mike Okuda who was telling me that he’s never had a
model of the Enterprise that hasn't had some sort of similar issues due to gravity. At some point, things just start to sag.
There’s a little bit of separation in the nacelles that I’m concerned
about, and we’re going to take a look and how best that can be
addressed.
TREKCORE: Have you been in touch with anyone else from the Star Trek production team to assist with the project, to serve as franchise consultants?
WEITEKAMP: I have, and now that we finally have the
model off display, I can now formally get in touch with people and
request some of their assistance and support – so I don't have names I
can give out just yet. But yes, we're looking at doing that.
Photo: Eric Long, NASM |
TREKCORE: That sounds like a lot of good plans – and a lot of fans will surely be happy to see the model out of the basement.
WEITEKAMP: I think that this attempt to save it for
public access has just gotten misconstrued over time as a sign of
disrespect for this cultural icon.
Back in the 1990’s, this was an object that didn't really have a
home. It had been part of various displays, and then it was part of a
traveling Star Trek exhibit – at some point, when it came back,
there wasn't a permanent display place available. At eleven feet long,
it can’t easily be tucked into a corner!
Some of my predecessors were able to find a space in the gift shop –
and get that custom case built in the basement level – as a way to
ensure that it stayed on public display and out of an Indiana Jones-style storage facility. It would have been well preserved, of course, but it would have been out of the public view.
"The gift shop placement kept the Enterprise out of an Indiana Jones-type storage facility."
As the curator for this piece, my thoughts have always been that I
wasn't going to move it until I could get it – conservationally speaking
– into a situation as good as it had in the gift shop. It had a custom
case away from natural light and in a position where I didn't have to
worry about vibration or other things physically damaging the model.
I've been well aware that fans were interested in having it moved; to
see it more in the context of the other artifacts that we have in the
Smithsonian’s national collection. The opportunity we have now to bring
it into the Milestones space really sold me on doing this new work on
the model, to have a new custom case built, and to get it back in the
conversation with the other artifacts in the collection.
Anytime you move something this large and this delicate, there’s
always the danger of doing damage to it, so we try not to make these
types of decisions lightly. If we’re going to take on a project of this
scope and complexity, we want to make sure that we've got a clear sense
of where it’s going when it’s completed, and how it’s going to be
exhibited.
I'm very pleased with the opportunity to put it back into the collection in the Milestones gallery.
TREKCORE: So you don’t do it until you can do it right!
WEITEKAMP: Yes! [laughs] I've been working for this
for about three or four years, thinking about ways to put the pieces in
place to make it happen. I’m very happy with this, and I’m especially
happy that the Enterprise model has made it from the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to the conservation lab in Virginia.
Photo: Mark Avino NASM |
People thought I was going to be excited that it was moving, and I
told them that I’d be a lot more excited once it got there safely! It’s a
wonderful piece, and it’s a little nerve-wracking to stand there and
watch it hang from a crane!
TREKCORE: We know how early it is in the process – and
there’s a lot to figure out yet – but we’d really love to check in with
you and your team over the next several months to follow the process
moving forward.
WEITEKAMP: Oh, we’d be very interested in that.
We’re excited to take on this project – we’re fans of the show, fans of
the franchise, and obviously, fans of this model. I’m glad to be able to
do this work and share it with the fans.
Museum curators believe that all of our objects are alive – they all have lives before they arrive at the museum, and they continue to have
lives through their exhibit and their interaction with people who come
to see them.
It's very clear to me that the Enterprise model is
an object that has a very rich life and a lot of people are very
passionate about it. It definitely keeps the bar raised for making sure
that we do right by it.
TREKCORE: Thanks so much for your time, Dr. Weitekamp – we look forward to speaking with you again!
Dr. Margaret A. Weitekamp curates the Air and Space Museum's social and cultural dimensions of spaceflight collection, more than 4,000 artifacts that include space memorabilia and space science fiction objects. These everyday mementos of the space age – which include toys and games, clothing and stamps, medals and awards, buttons and pins, as well as comics and trading cards – complete the story about spaceflight told by the Museum's collection of space hardware and technologies.This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Once again, thanks to the group at Trekcore!
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