Icons Maltese Falcon "Master"

From 1995 until 2000, Icons Authentic Replicas was the world leader in the manufacture of 1:1 scale prop, miniature and wardrobe replicas based on classic and cult film and television properties. Maintaining licenses with each of the leading Hollywood Studios and selling its exclusive products through such retailers as The Sharper Image, QVC, HSN, F.A.O. Schwarz, The Smithsonian Institute, Disneyland, Universal Studios, etc.

With its incredible (and to this day still unrivaled) extensive catalog of best-selling Hollywood replicas, amazingly Icons still had numerous products in development that were never announced or exhibited.

After selling out of the best-selling Batman & Robin Batarang & Throwing Bird prop replicas, Icons submitted its master licensing proposal to Warner Bros. Studios. And contracts were issued by the Studio with blanket licensing agreements for 7 of the WB's top classic films. Including one obvious candidate for a 1:1 scale prop replica, The Maltese Falcon from the Noir Film of the same name, starring the one and only Humphrey Bogart. The other properties were Excalibur, Logan's Run, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Wizard of Oz, The Time Machine and Forbidden Planet.

Unlike the typical Maltese Falcon Prop replicas you see on eBay these days, this one is accurate. For one...check out the "feather issue". If you watch the movie, you can see that the feathers on the Falcon are cut inwards.....not sculpted outwards like an Owl. They are aligned and appear like arrow pointed patterns on the Falcon's chest area. Additionally, typical bootleg copies get the beak and head area and tail feathers all wrong.

Icons had access to extremely detailed photographs of one of the Warner Bros. "Hero" Prop birds, taken from 360 degrees and examination of the two "Hero" Maltese Falcons known to exist. A leading Film and Television artisan was commissioned by Icons to then execute this stunning Film-worthy prop replica sculpture. Unlike any other offered before. Only 2 of these were produced as prototypes for submittal to the WB. This being the "master".

The prototype #2 of this never before seen Icons replica is permanently on display at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. #1 is property of a private collector. Sadly, Icons never got the opportunity to produce this stunning and highly saught after fine-art collectible.

After Icons was not awarded the license, this piece was painted for display purposes only.