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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Star Trek TOS Klingon Disruptor Pistol Set Signature Edition Plaques



Those plaques were part of a special offer !!! 

People who ordered one of Icons Star Trek authentic miniature (Classic D7 Klingon Battle Cruiser) or prop replicas (Klingon Disruptor Set) or both before April 30th of 1998, were suposed to receive a complimentary Klingon Commander Commemorative plaque personally autographed by William Campbell who portrayed the Klingon Koloth in "Trouble with Tribbles" and Trelane in "The Squire of Gothos", Michael Ansara who portrayed Kang in "Day of the Dove" and John Colicos who portrayed Kor in "Errand of Mercy" !!!

I don't know if any of those plaques were ever finished, signed and sent to buyers but I never saw one of them before.

It seems that finally, only William Campbell and Michael Ansara signatures were planned....

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Icons Batman Forever Panther Batarang Prototype



10 of these Batarangs were made. Only 1 had the Batcave case (see photos). 9 were stolen in 2000 at Timeless. They were painted by Dave Heilman....a very special color : luminescent black !!!






Saturday, December 7, 2013

Icons Excalibur Mordred Battle Helmet Prototype


Here's an incredible, life size, hand-crafted fiberglass Mordred Battle Helmet replica, finished to appear as if it was made of Gold metal. Based on the one seen on screen, in the classic Fantasy Film "Excalibur".

This piece was acquired by James Latta from a contracted Hollywood SPFX Artisan to utilize as the Study Model in Icons efforts to secure the licensing for Excalibur from Warner Bros. Studios in 1997.

As impressive in person as it is in the photos depicted here. Beautifully designed, made and finished.


Unknown to most collectors, Icons Authentic Replicas was in contract negotiations for Excalibur in 1997-98. And was actually issued an Excalibur Prop and Wardrobe replica licensing agreement in 1998 (and for numerous Warner Bros. licenses), prior to the company closing its doors forever. Another unrealized dream for the pioneering replica company. This piece has never been shown before.


As most Prop collectors know, issue #2 of the Icons "Vault" Collectors magazine / catalog featured an in-depth interview with Icons dear friend Terry English, the master armorer for Excalibur, who also built the Colonial Space Marines armor for the movies "Aliens", the armor for "Gladiator" and "The 13th Warrior" just to name a few.
Although Terry fabricated the body-armor for the Mordred character in Excalibur, he did not make the original Mordred helmet, so he did not work on this piece or stamp it with his Armorer mark "TE".

However, although planned, none of the Excalibur replica product-line were produced prior to Icons closure in 2000.

The molds of this piece were NEVER utilized again !! So this is a one-of-a-kind prototype.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Icons Master Plaque Art Binder




That's the master artwork / proofs rendered mostly by Daren Dochterman and Matt Hierly.



This binder was archived at Icons as reference for Director of Product Development (Rob Klein) to archive, in the event plaque art was needed. Whether for reference use for another plaque, a variation on an existing plaque or in the event that the plaque manufacturer lost the plaque art, or Icons possibly switched plaque manufacturing companies (which never occurred).



These were used to produce sheets of plaques to test when they are shown together. Was cost effective. And Icons might have needed a few if there was a problem during the proto process.



The art plaque was the master. It would be taken to an engraving company. They would load it into their computer and print out large embossed sheets of plaques. Then Icons would cut them.



There is a section for each Studio. Much more than shown.



Really interesting to see some artwork for replicas that were never made (Jaws "Bruce", ROTLA "Chachapoyan" Warrior Idol...).

 
Here is a picture of some Icons Skywalker Lightsaber plaques at the stamping unit !!! Not a common thing to see...
 


Saturday, June 22, 2013

Icons Men in Black Neuralyzer Prototype


These are the rare components for the un-produced Men in Black Icons Neuralyzer prototype.
 
Icons never completed that prototype. As you can see, it was “almost” made. Came very close. It is really interesting in person.
 
Most of Icons replicas were based upon classic and cult prototypes, and not new properties at the time, except for the Film properties Men in Black, Starship Troopers and Independence Day (aka ID-4). And the Television property Xena. Although the company intended to focus on new films and TV shows as they were in production. Icons was granted the license for Men in Black and Starship Troopers by Sony, and Icons staff was thrilled and excited to be loaned an original MIB “Hero” Noisy Cricket and “Hero” Neuralyzer. You can view the Icons archival photos of the “Hero” Neuralyzer in this website entry, adjacent the un-assembled Neuralyzer. No Neuralyzer was completed at Icons up until the closure of the company, this is as far as the project got before Icons closed it's doors forever.
 

The components are made of cast resin (molded and cast directly off of the screen-used original(s) ) and machined aluminum, measured directly off of the screen-used original(s) metal components. Great care was put into the project to make sure the measurements on the aluminum components were as accurate as possible in comparing the replica to the “Hero” prop used in the film.

As everyone who reads the Icons Museum website knows, I am not only a kind of curator and archivist and a collector of Icons, but I have helped facilitate the restoration of numerous rare prototypes and done my best to track down and research what happened to rare pieces such as this one. Which to me, and obviously to others, are of historic value. Danny Simon of “The Licensing Group” has said that Icons was the pioneer in the field of high-end collectibles and influenced most companies that existed at the time of the company (1995-2000) and all of those that followed.

 
Those pics above are of the original screen-used prop that was loaned to Icons to disassemble and mold.

 
As I have continued my decade long quest to preserve Icons and legacy (in spite of all of the gossip and negativity) I have interestingly learned a significant amount about prop and replica prototyping, manufacturing and restoration. Learning about molding, casting, prep, sanding, painting, etc. This has come in handy when the occasional piece needed some touch up or parts restored. I've actually enjoyed this process, and in becoming an Icons “historian” and archivist, it has been a natural part of my progression. One that I have enjoyed.

 

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Icons Battlestar Galactica (Classic) Cylon Centurion Helmet Prototype

Here's a quite rare, original manufacturing prototype from the pioneering prop and miniature licensed replica company, Icons.
It's a prototype taken off a screen-used Cylon helmet, created at Icons' North Hollywood, California facility in 1998.


 The condition of the piece is exceptional. Plated in gleaming liquid chrome with copper undercoat, just like the Icons Endo Skull.
As you can see by the pictures depicted here of this historical piece, it is a true testament to Icons legendary emphasis quality, which set a new standard in the licensed entertainment collectible industry. Which still effects quality standards in the Hollywood memorabilia replica and Toy collectible business to this day.


 Icons staff consisted of numerous fans of the original cult classic Television series Battlestar Galactica. Who discovered, authenticated, archived and preserved numerous examples of some of the most scarce Galactica production artifacts ever found, including multiple, full-size Cylon robots from the TV series.

Icons was therefore provided rare access to an original Cylon costume, conducted extensive R&D and proceeded to mold and master an original Cylon helmet, to create its Universal Studios licensed 1:1 scale replica. Complete with electronic roving red-eye and a sound effects chip that was motion controlled, so the eye would turn on and a voice would say "By your command".


 The "paper temporary plaque" is the original Icons Battlestar Galactica Cylon Helmet Plaque Art !!!
Cut and mounted on cardboard. Must have been done by Rob Klein, 15 years ago !!!

To my knowledge, only 5 Cylon helmet prototypes were ever produced at Icons and only 3 of them were chrome-plated.

A historic collectible in its own right (at the time, Battlestar Galactica had not been revitalized yet. Long before the new, re-booted TV show).



The accompanying COAs for this helmet are also prototypes. Those are very early COAs, with the opening narration of the TV show.
You can read the bottom portion of the text, referring to the Icons Colonial Viper Fighter Miniature !!
Those COAs never got farther into development / revision.