►► Jkno's Imperial collection ◄◄

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Nice! great collection

That is very cool jkno.

Thank you very much

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

My small Star Wars, Star Trek, Terminator, anime etc. book and art art book collection:

 

[Patriot666]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

That's cool jkno. I like books but I never seem to get them out off the shelf. They just sit there. Do you get yours out to look at them at all?

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

That's cool jkno. I like books but I never seem to get them out off the shelf. They just sit there. Do you get yours out to look at them at all?

Not as often as I used to alas. One of the few good things about the old times communism era here, was that since we had little TV available, we read a lot. At least I did. And we had translated most authors worldwide, so we had access to almost everything in terms of books. Heck my family has a library of more than 2500 volumes of classic and modern world literature. But SW art books are also a different animal, they are great to read, but also to look at photos.

 

[Patriot666]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Not as often as I used to alas. One of the few good things about the old times communism era here, was that since we had little TV available, we read a lot. At least I did. And we had translated most authors worldwide, so we had access to almost everything in terms of books. Heck my family has a library of more than 2500 volumes of classic and modern world literature. But SW art books are also a different animal, they are great to read, but also to look at photos.

That's very interesting to hear. I've basically grown up on TV like most Americans. I'm actually reading my first novel in probably about 10 years. Trying to get back into reading.

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

That's very interesting to hear. I've basically grown up on TV like most Americans. I'm actually reading my first novel in probably about 10 years. Trying to get back into reading.

Read tons of books in my childhood and later on. Loved sci-fi even back then - Wells, Verne, Asimov, Clarke, Van Vogt, Bradbury etc. made my time be well spent. What I couldn't get through TV (though I've watched some new TV series and Hollywood movies back then on the Yugoslavian and Hungarian TV) I got through books.

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Something for the prop guys here: both versions of the Imperial Code Cylinders (original Radiation Dosimeters) used in Star Wars by the Imperial officers. The blue cap version used by Grand Moff Tarkin, Cmdr. Praji and other officers, and the non-blue cap (the rarest one) used by Chief Bast and General Tagge. Finally I have 2 of each type - in fact I have 3 blue caps (maybe I'll sell my extra some day) and 2 others.

In the 1960’s a company by the name of RA Stephen & Company Ltd, England, UK, made Radiation Dosimeters, that would end up being the props used in Star Wars for the Imperial Officers. The ones used in Star Wars are called direct reading pocket ionization dosimeters. They were typically the size and shape of a fountain pin at that time.

Each dosimeter contains a small ionization chamber (approximately two milliliters). Inside each chamber is a central wire anode. Attached to the anode is a metal coated quartz fiber. These units can be positively charged so that the quartz fiber is attracted to the anode. When the unit encounters radiation, ionization occurs inside the chamber producing electrons.

These electrons are attracted to a positively charged anode, which reduces the net positive charge, allowing the quartz fiber to return to it’s original position. This movement can be calculated and is directly proportional to the amount of ionization (radiation).

 

[Patriot666]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Now that I know what those are lol...very cool jkno!

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Thank you I love the ingenuity and creativity of the talented crew working for Star Wars in the prop department. Using parts from every day life (or close in this case) to make the iconic props we see in the movies: lightsabers, blasters, communicators, various greeblies and parts etc. No statue or figure is closer to the screen used stuff than the props made with original parts (and not just for Star Wars)

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

I finally got an original and mint full metal MGC (Model Gun Corporation - Japan) Stormtrooper blaster, and it is one of the best conversions I've seen. These are the E-11 blasters used by Stormtroopers in ROTJ (together with Pugman resin versions). True prop collectors know how rare these things are, especially good conversions. It still misses a small greeblie, but I will get that separately and add it myself.

The Stormtrooper blaster comes with:

• Aluminum scope rail
• Accurate Weaver Scope Ring
• Aluminum Scope with separate glass lens (from Boba Debt's last run)
• Aluminum Barrel Rails
• Accurate Mr. Sparkle Hammer Greeblies
• Real RO72 Sight
• Lightly weathered

And it also came with the original MGC cardboard box from the 80's, which is insanely cool. Now to make some plaques and a cool metal stand.

 

[Patriot666]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Like I said in the other thread....had no idea those were sub machine guns, very cool. Congrats my friend!

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Like I said in the other thread....had no idea those were sub machine guns, very cool. Congrats my friend!

Thanks man. The MGC Sterling is not a working submachine gun, it is a copy of the Canadian C1 Sterling - the history of MGC company. But the MGC Sterling can still fire blanks as seen in this awesome video:

 

[dmpsk8]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

That is a top-notch acquisition. Much respect.

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

That is a top-notch acquisition. Much respect.

Thank you

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Since I'm quite sick of Made in China collectibles , is good to see a different thing from time to time - the MGC is made in Japan:

 

[Patriot666]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Since I'm quite sick of Made in China collectibles , is good to see a different thing from time to time - the MGC is made in Japan:

In terms of guitars at least, that typically means higher quality.

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

As I said before most of the custom made collectibles (especially props, studio scale, helmets, but statues or busts too) are more accurate than licensed ones. Licensed props have to deal with a few things. One of them is the fans. Many fans (most of them in fact) cannot truly understand, nor really care how the screen used props were made, and they indeed are happy with idealized symmetrical props, as long as they look "classy" displayed on a mirror stand. Heck, some people are even happy with Rubies armors and Mr.Potato Head toys LOL.

Some will go only for licensed and I have no problem with that, playing safe is a way of collecting, to each his own. I'll give you just a few examples: a real demilled Sterling converted as Stormtrooper blaster compared to MR E-11, SL Darth Vader compared to EFX Legend, real Graflex or MPP Microflash conversions compared to any Luke or Vader MR/EFX lightsaber, Boba Fett blaster made of real Webley flare gun compared to MR version, Han's blaster made form a genuine Mauser compared to MR, or Obi-Wan's WWI No. 3 Mk. 1 British rifle grenade conversion compared to MR lightsaber.

You can always add a nice custom stand or plaques, but the prop itself (the most important thing, since we are prop collectors, not stand, plaque or COA collectors) will always be less than the one made with genuine parts. EFX are saying a lot of things about their Legends, even some things that were proven not to be what claimed. Some customers easily closed their eyes, just because it was "licensed". And remember official stamp of approval was also put on the Rubies Stormtrooper ... I didn't even go in the studio scale realm to make comparisons between licensed and "fan made". Personally I would trade my Legend Vader instantly for a SL. I would trade/sell any MR saber for an unlicensed one made with real parts, just like the prop seen on screen, but no owner of a genuine MPP converted as Vader for example will trade it - maybe not even for all 3 MR Vader sabers together - I know I wouldn't.

In the end the fan made collectibles most of the times are made by talented professionals who care about the items they are creating and adding a bit of their soul in each prop (or collectible in general). The licensed ones are made in China, in factories where other things are made, and by people who have no idea, nor care about any of the things they are making. Most are simply workers in a paint factory who assemble something on a conveyor. Here is the big difference.

 

[galactiboy]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Well said JKNO... when I learned how "relatively" simple it was to make an ANH Luke Lightsaber I sold off the MR version and bought the necessary parts. Sadly the parts are still sitting in a bin waiting for assembly, but once it's done I'll have something nearly identical to the original prop and at about the same cost as the replica.

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Well said JKNO... when I learned how "relatively" simple it was to make an ANH Luke Lightsaber I sold off the MR version and bought the necessary parts. Sadly the parts are still sitting in a bin waiting for assembly, but once it's done I'll have something nearly identical to the original prop and at about the same cost as the replica.

It is harder indeed to assemble the prop than to buy a MR/EFX already made. But when you finish yours, it will sell in time for more than MR. And if you have also a cool display for it even more. Not to mention the feeling you'll have by holding an awesome prop that feels exactly like Mark Hamill's original lightsaber from ANH. MR are display pieces, conversions are true props - there is a huge difference, especially when you can compare them in hand - I was able to do this with Sterling E-11 vs. MR blaster.

In the past weeks 2 converted Graflex Luke sabers sold off on RPF. I was REALLY tempted, though it is way out of my focus. And the prices were so reasonable considering how iconic is the replica you get. Please show some pics of your "unfinished" Graflex!! It is always an impressive sight!

I still envy Odi-Wan on RPF for his huge real deal blaster collection, he has everything, all possible blasters from SW: all Imperials versions, Luke, Han, Leia, bounty hunters, rebels, you name it, all made from real genuine parts. He was an inspiration for completing my E-11 blaster collection

 

[jkno]

Re: ►► Jkno's Imperial collection from Transylvania ◄◄

Thanks to a blaster expert from RPF I'm the proud owner of the last piece I needed for my ROTJ E-11 blaster: the "door catch" greeblie. Though not 100% accurate, this will do for now, considering the original part hasn't been found so far, and most likely doesn't have anything to do with a door, in fact being a rifle part. I only attached it with double sided tape, in the event that maybe some day the true part will be found.

PS. The stand is just temporary