Giant Paramount Auction of Star Trek Items

Alien54 writes "The first official studio auction of memorabilia from all five 'Star Trek' television series and 10 movie spinoffs, to be held from October 5 to 7 in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the original 'Star Trek' series, was announced by Christie's on Thursday. CBS Paramount Television Studios is cleaning out its vaults for the sale, comprising more than 1,000 lots totaling some 4,000 items. Items to hit the block include props, weapons, prosthetics and set dressings unearthed from five Paramount warehouses, as well as many special and spectacular items highlighted in the various shows." Update: 05/21/2006 14:57 GMT by SM Several users have provided us with the direct link to the auction site for easy viewing.

The nicest prop

[Rosco P. Coltrane (209368)]

I want Shatner's toupee.

Re:The nicest prop

[HTTP Error 403 403.9 (628865)]

I want Shatner's toupee.

Over.....my.....dead...........body.......Spock.

Best Part of Star Trek Cannot Be Bought

[reporter (666905)]

I am a lifelong fan of "Star Trek".

However, I am not a fan of Star-Trek conventions. 99% of the content of a typical convention is whoring (a.k.a. selling) memorabilia: photos with the aging actors, cards, spacecraft models, etc. The entire convention is lined with booths hawking memorabilia.

Yet, the best part of "Star Trek" cannot be bought. It is a story about how humankind transcends the suffering and limitations of life in the 20th century and 21st century. The Enterprise's entering warp is a metaphor for our breaking the bonds of our limitations as we soar to a greater, better future.

The best part of "Star Trek" is the message of hope. (I have read the profiles of many felony convicts and have yet to come across one who is a Trekkie.)

Hope is not what Christie's auction will sell. This auction is a bigger, more expensive version of a typical convention.

Re:Best Part of Star Trek Cannot Be Bought

[Atario (673917)]

The best part of "Star Trek" is the message of hope. (I have read the profiles of many felony convicts and have yet to come across one who is a Trekkie.)

Not to politicize the discussion, but I'd be fascinated(, Captain,) to see how what percentage of Republicans and what percentage of Democrats (and of the other parties too) are Trekkies.

I want

[dasheiff (261577)]

7 of 9's cat suit. :-)

Re:I want

[AuMatar (183847)]

I just want 7 of 9, sans suit. I haven't seen anything creative out of her in a while, she might go for it.

Re:I want

[MobileTatsu-NJG (946591)]

"I haven't seen anything creative out of her in a while, she might go for it."

Well I don't know about 'creative', but Jeri Ryan was on the finale of Boston Legal. That must have been fun for Shatner. "Your motivation is that you're lusting after her. Just keep looking at her wantingly. Good. We got all we need. ... Cut! CUT!! I said CUT!"

Re:I want

[Ohreally_factor (593551)]

I think so. I saw a picture of one once.

Dibs!

[payndz (589033)]

I call dibs on the Enterprise!

I know what I'd buy

[From A Far Away Land (930780)]

A warp core. No wait, a transporter. These things are in working condition right?

I want to go...

[Bieeanda (961632)]

Just to see the time-travelling aliens bid furiously on the tox'utat, or however it's spelled.

ahh the smell...

[DilbertLand (863654)]

Can anyone else imagine the smell in the auction room with lots of nervous Star Trek fans?

boneheads

[by Anonymous Coward]

There must be something about joining an **AA, lowers IQ or something. This is a pretty valuable collection. Sell it once,you get one pay day. Open a museum, add the props, have movie showings, interactive kiosks, etc, host conferences, what-ever, and have 365 paydays a year, for a *long* time.

Re:boneheads

[Detritus (11846)]

I think you overestimate the general public's interest in Star Trek. Most museums are doing well if they can pay their bills. They aren't money machines.

Why Kirk is Better Than Picard

[R3d M3rcury (871886)]

FTFA:

Fans and collectors will have a chance to acquire "Star Trek" artifacts [...] Capt. James Kirk's uniform or Capt. Jean-Luc Picard's jumpsuit [...]

See? Kirk wore a uniform. Picard wore a jumpsuit.

'nuff said. :^)

At least Picard

[Rhinobird (151521)]

At least Picard boldy went where no-one in pajama's has went before.
When I'm in my pajamas, I don't want to step out my front door.
Kirk had a spiffy uniform. If I had a spiffy uniform, I'd go places too.

Transparent Aluminum

[[HeMaN] (35302)]

I sure could use some of that for a new garage door :-)

-H

You can look at the catalog online

[Beryllium Sphere(tm) (193358)]

http://www.christies.com/special_sites/startrek/ov erview.asp [christies.com]

Tragically it is in Flash.

I wonder if they have the dilithium crystals from "Mudd's Women"? If you ever need a dilithium crystal there's really no substitute.

Probably no real good stuff

[Mike Peel (885855)]

Hopefully, this is a sale of all of the useless bits of junk accumulated over the years - no real good stuff. The equivalent of a garage sale, where you're selling odd bits you no longer want, but keeping the useful/valuable stuff in the house.

I say this because Star Trek seems to have become an important heritage nowadays, and they seem to keep doing exhibitions etc. about it. Exhibitions would be rather difficult, and not very good, if all the interesting stuff was in the hands of a few thousand fans.

Of course, if it is decent stuff, I guess a single person / group could try to buy as much as possible, and open up a mini Star Trek museum, or something. That could be interesting.

Ressikan Flute

[by Anonymous Coward]

I have a feeling that the Ressikan flute, estimated to sell for $300, will sell for much, much more. That particular episode struck a very large emotional chord from a lot of people, and that flute was the symbol representing the episode. If only I could go. :-(

Re:Ressikan Flute

[cpt kangarooski (3773)]

You know, they usually take telephone bids. You don't have to be there in person. But you're right, that flute is going to go for way more than they think.

Oh man...

[by Anonymous Coward]

President Bush got word of this... It seems he now wants to purchase 20,000 shield generators to protect the mexican border, "some of those shuttle thingies" for NASA, and by presidential decree, NO ONE is to sell Dick a phaser.

-JDS

What's better than an Aeron chair in your office?

[Wiseleo (15092)]

A Klingon Captain's chair.

I think it'll work marvelously in my office. :-)

These won't look like what you think they will.

[blair1q (305137)]

Anyone buying one of these things remotely will be rather surprised, maybe sorely disappointed, when they receive them in the mail.

They're very shoddily built. Almost laughably unartistic. Nothing like the realism and solidity and quality they seem on the television.

An acquaintance of mine, who worked for a company building props for ST:TNG, explained the illusion this way:

Seeing something on TV is like catching it out of the corner of your eye going 60 mph in a rainstorm.

So, since time is their least resource, they don't bother with fine detail that would just disappear, and they don't care about alignment, overspray, or fit, which you can't measure or even apprehend, nor durability, since almost everything is used for a very short time in a zero-stress environment by someone whose standing orders are "don't break the props".

Much of the "metal" will be painted foam or extruded plastic. Controls won't operate. The costumes will appear cobbled together from the cheapest possible fabric and will have strange and coarse alterations, plus any damage that's accumulated since it became junk. Literally all the value left in these items is bragging rights, sentimentality, and ego boost.

Which is going to have to do.

Because I want a pair of Spock's ears. Bad.

Re:I want

[unitron (5733)]

"
I want...The big angry black thing that killed Tasha Yar."

Sorry, Cheney's soul is already spoken for. Some guy with a contract printed on asbestos.