The Turners Auction (II)

Hello everybody!

How are you? I've been meaning to share something with you for a time: all the different photos that I've been "recollecting" from the Internet of the Turners Auction over the years.

As I mentioned on my previous post about it, the Turners Auction was a huge prop sale that took place in New Zealand in 2001. It was the first official Xena auction ever organized, and it also included props from other Renaissance Pictures shows, such as Hercules, Young Hercules, Cleopatra 2525 and Jack of All Trades.

Unlike the Yahoo / It's a Wrap! auction, I've never seen official photos of the pieces one by one. Only by lots, filling every corner of several warehouses. This is the map:

Anyhow, without further delay, here are the photos that I've been able to scavenge (most courtesy of New Xenaland). I hope you like them!

First come all the photos concerning props and atrezzo elements:

Top Left: Can you spot the sais?

Amazon swords (left) and Gab staffs (right) 

Bottom Right: Xena's coffin, before it was cut in pieces!

Bottom right: Katanas from AFIN

Is that a huge Ares head?

Now let's take a look at all the costumes:

Bottom Left: Look how many roman costumes!

Bottom Left: Are those Hercules pants?

Top Left: Valkyrie costumes!

That's all I've got --but if you happen to have other photos from the Turners Auction and feel like sharing, it'll be great to take a look at them!

Happy week!

For Sale: Amanda's Collection

Hey girls and boys!

Amanda, a fellow Xenite, has asked me to share the news that she's letting go some items from her collection. Let's take a look at what she's selling:

- XENA CLONING SUITCASE PROP

First of all, Amanda's offering this one-of-a-kind piece: Xena's Cloning Suitcase, as seen in the S6 episodes "Send In The Clones" and "Soul Possession". This piece comes with its It's a Wrap! COA.

The suitcase has two compartments: one for the rusty modern-day chakram (not included), and another with 2 vials containing Gabrielle and Xena's hair! These are the samples that Alti and her scientist use to clone Xena and Gabrielle in the episode --and in theory come from Lucy Lawless and Renée O'Connor themselves!

The suitcase was also used in the episode "Soul Possession", when present-day Gabrielle and Xena (in Joxer's body) come back from their honeymoon. You can see Joxer grab it from the car with all the tags on it.

- CHAKRAM TOY PROTOTYPE

Next in the list is this unique item: the prototype used to create the short-lived (and sought after) toy line of Xena's chakram!

This prototype is a hard plastic casting that has been tested and show some wear. Size is 9 7/8 in diameter. Plus, Amanda tells me that it was used for promotional purposes, and that it was also taken to conferences and meetings when promoting the line.

- BLUE RESIN KATANA PROP

Finally, we have a very rare production used prop from the finale episodes of Xena: a Higuchi milicia katana, similar to Gabrielle's dragon katana.

This piece is made of hard resin and real blue fabric, and shows signs of wear and use. Amanda tells me she acquired it from the well-known collector Xenasbard, and that it has always been displayed with care, preserved exactly as she received it.

***

If interested, get in touch with Amanda at:

onesweetangel89@hotmail.com

Stay well people!

PODCAST - Xena at the Te Papa Museum

Hello friends!

I just came across this very interesting podcast, done by the Te Papa Museum in New Zealand. It's all about their amazing Xena costume, and most importantly, counts with the collaboration of N'gila Dickson: the main mind behind the awesome costumes of XWP, and Xena's in particular.

N'gila also designed all the costumes from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and won an Oscar for her work. She's no doubt incredibly talented!

I leave you the podcast link below:

https://soundcloud.com/te_papa/ours-ep-15-xena-costume-web-version

It's only 6 min long, so you'll hear it in a jiffy!

Battle on!

Xena at the Smithsonian (part III)

Hello everyone!

I hope you're doing ok during these weird times! In the meantime, here in confinement, I wanted to share these images that I found online, courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1299828

Just look at ALL those awesome details!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Cheers! :)

For Sale: Glen's Prop Axe from S2 "The Price"

Hello Xena collectors!

Today I present you Glen's prop axe, as seen in the hands of the Horde (aka the Pomira) in S2's "The Price".

The axe is made of resin, measures 50 cm long, and was purchased back in the late 90s / early 2000s in the Turner's Auction.

Overall, as you can see, this is a VERY well preserved prop. Glen tells me that it was on display for about a month after its purchase, and then it was packed up in a hard shell case in a closet ever since (away from sunlight and in a smoke-free home, which is great!).

Glen's axe is exactly as the one(s) seen here.

Glen wants to sell this beauty for the very reasonable price of $200 US plus shipping. The item will be shipped from Ontario (Canada), with insurance and tracking number.

If you're interested, feel free to contact Glen directly:
gwstorrie@distributel.net

This is a great opportunity to get your hands on a real prop, just in time for the upcoming 25th Anniversary Con!

EDIT: I'm happy to announce that the item has been SOLD! Thanks to the buyer and to everyone who saw and shared this entry. Battle on!

For Sale: Mike's Model boat from S5 "Antony & Cleopatra"

Hey there friends!

I've been meaning to put together this entry for some time now. Mike, a fellow collector, has a very rare piece for sale: the model boat used for filming some naval sequences in S5's "Antony & Cleopatra".

As you can see, this is a very intricate, one-of-a-kind piece. Mike tells me that the model "was damaged a couple of years ago, when it was in storage". Nevertheless, he's fixed it, although some parts are missing.

Here a screen-capture of the model in the episode:

And a link to the episode. Mike tells me the ship's scenes are near the end of the episode:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6i9mv9

The price is $1500. If you want more info, please let me know and I'll put you in contact with Mike. Now enjoy some more photos of the model!

For Sale: Heather's Collection

Hello everyone!

I briefly come back from "retirement" to bring you the awesome prop and replica of a fellow Xenite, Heather. Heather sadly has to let go most of her collection to help with medical expenses --but we're confident that her treasures at least will find new loving homes!

Let's see what Heather has to offer, folks!

- XENA'S GOLDEN LYRE FROM S5  "LYRE, LYRE, HEARTS ON FIRE"

First we have the totally astonishing guitar-weapon that Xena brandishes during S5 "Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire". As you can see from the pictures, this lyre it's quite the masterpiece --full of intricate details as seen on its medallion and its mosaic-like sound hole.

This piece is perfectly preserved and comes with a "It's a Wrap!" COA. As far as Heather knows, it's one of a kind.

She's asking $3,000 plus shipping for it.

- GABRIELLE'S RESIN SAIS S5/S6

The second lot is a pair of resin (stunt) sais --Gabrielle's trademark weapons during Seasons 5 and 6. I don't think these pieces need much introduction!

These sais are original and screen-used, and also come with a COA from the "It's a Wrap!" US auction. Rennée O'Connor herself (and not only her doubles) used sais such as this in action sequences. Remember that the metal ones were rarely used on set.

Heather's asking $3,000 plus shipping for them.

- TODD'S COSTUMES SAIS REPLICA

Apart from the screen-used sais set that you just saw, Heather's also offering a pair of replica sais from Todd's Costumes. These include Gabrielle's leg leather straps (also a replica made by Todd's Costumes, that for some reason hasn't been on stock for many years).

Let me tell you, both the sais and the leg straps are VERY fine replicas --which I'm pretty sure date back to the days when Todd Coyle produced his first (and high quality) unlicensed replicas.

For these, Heather's asking $400 plus shipping.

- LIVIA/CALLISTO'S PROP LATTICE DAGGER

I'm pretty sure you all will also recognize this piece. Now not to? This dagger was seen all the time during the series, for example during S3 "The Debt" (when Xena comes out of the water). Additionally, both Callisto and later Livia (Xena's daughter) used it many times too.

Heather tells me that one edge is sharp (rare!). Described as "Narrow Lattice Dagger", it also comes with a "It's a Wrap!" COA.

- SCROLL PROP FROM S3 "THE QUILL IS MIGHTIER"

Now, this is a rare treasure! For those scroll-lovers out there, Heather brings us this beautiful scroll. As the most experts amongst you will notice, it's one of Gabrielle's trademark scrolls (which we can always tell thanks to its distinctive end caps / golden ornaments).

Also, as you can see, there's some "modern" writing that reads "Xena Rules!" and "Gabrielle was here". Who knows? Maybe Rennée O'Connor herself scribbled these sentences during one of the many scenes in which she had to pretend to be writing.

This scroll has no COA. Heather's letting it go for only $500 plus shipping.

- GABRIELLE'S S6 NECKLACE (SCREEN-USED PROP)

Another of Heather's treasure is this necklace --a screen-used piece, seen around Gabrielle's neck during the whole S6. As far as we know, there's only another original necklace prop out there. This one in particular was sold by "Shed 11 Costume House" some years ago.

The necklace doesn't have the COA, but it comes in the original "Shed11Costume House" box. The price to this piece is something to discuss with Heather directly.

- CREATION ENT. YIN YANG CHAKRAM REPLICA

Next is a very nice Y&Y chakram replica. It comes without its shadowbox or COA, but it's clearly a Creation Entertainment replica.

The price for this well-preserved chakram is $500 plus shipping.

- TODD'S COSTUMES XENA ARMBANDS & GAUNTLETS REPLICAS

Last but not least, we have these replica armbands and gauntlets, manufactured by Todd's Costumes.

From the quality of the making, I'd venture to say that these are also early replicas --which had a considerably higher quality than his later versions.

Heather's asking $250 plus shipping for them (which trust me, is a MUCH better bargain than what you'll find at Todd's Costumes right now).

***

This is it! If you're interested, please write Heather an e-mail at:

hmryan71@gmail.com

Please, don't hesitate to let her know if some of the pricier props catch your eye but are a bit out of your budget. Heather's open to all SERIOUS offers.

Have a great day, and... until next time?

For Sale: Sabrina's Collection (Part 2)

Hello everyone!

Remember Sabrina, whose collection I told you about some months ago? Well, she wants to sell some new pieces, and I think many of you will be interested. They are quite cool, so let's take a look, shall we?

- LIVIA'S / VARIA'S RESIN SWORD AND SCABBARD

   > Character: Livia (Eve) and Varia, over S5 and S6.

   > Material: Heavy resin. Leather.

   > Price: $400 plus shipping

   > Opinion: An amazing piece. This sword was/is a work of art. Its design is very intricate and detailed, and it kind of reminds me of Callisto's sword. Which makes sense. Anyhow, although not the metal hero prop, but this is definitely a piece made to see up-close in the camera. The paint seems very well preserved, so that is good too. A very very nice piece!

- ARES SCROLL

   > Character: Unknown.

   > Material: Parchment / Scroll paper.

   > Price: $300 plus shipping

   > Opinion: Scrolls are very rare, and very sought after collector pieces. This one has the Ares emblem, and it's similar to at least another prop scroll I've seen before. It's very well preserved, but it comes without the rods. Also, Sabrina asked me to clarify the frame is not part of the deal. If you want the frame too then talk to her for a price quote.

- DRACO'S / IDES OF MARCH DAGGER

   > Character: Draco. Gabrielle. Others.

   > Material: Resin.

   > Price: $150 plus shipping

   > Opinion: This roman-style dagger is one of the most recognizable dagger models in the entire series! It was used dozens of times by many characters, most prominently by Draco in S1 "Sins of the Past" and Gabrielle in S4 "Ides of March". Painted to look like gold, leather and steel. I have seen a few examples of this style dagger and this one is in excellent condition. Sabrina also acquired it from long time Xena collector Xenasbard.

- PROP DAGGER

   > Character: Unknown.

   > Material: Resin. Fabric?

   > Price: $150 plus shipping

   > Opinion: I'm sure I've seen this dagger before, although I don't know where. If someone does please let me know. It was sold by It's a Wrap! and comes with all their paperwork.

***

And that's all, friends. Sabrina still has some of the pieces seen last time for sale, with reduced prices. So if you're interested don't doubt to let her know.

This is her mail address:

sthurlow@gmail.com

I heartily hope these pieces will soon find a caring home!

Cheers everyone!

Totara Peak Gallery - A Xena oasis at Omarama, NZ

Hello everybody!

Today I wanted to tell you about a very small and special place at Omarama, a small township near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin, in the South Island of New Zealand. There you can find Totara Peak Gallery, the only antique shop in the area and "an eclectic mix of antiques, rare books and new and old costume jewellery".

The shop is located on the road to Queenstown, Mt Cook, Christchurch and Oamaru - it's, in their own words, "in the middle of nowhere, but in fact it is in the center of everywhere". 

http://www.omaramaantiques.com/museum.html

But what's so special about this place? Well, somewhere in their labyrinth of curiosities and antiques Totara Peak Gallery holds a spectacular shrine of original Xena props and costumes, including a full Xena costume.

Yes, that's right. I've known this for years, but until recently I was unable to get good HQ pictures of the measures hold at Omarama. Luckily, photographer and amazing manaia artist M. Navarre recently arrived there by chance and has been very kind to share his photos with us.

So let's go and take a look! Warning: HEAVY pics ahead!

General overview 1

General overview 2

Now let's focus on the juicy stuff: the Xena costume. "Original Xena costumes purchased in Auckland surround the Xena centerpiece".

Xena costume 1

Xena costume 2

Xena costume 3

Xena costume close-up: knee-guards and boots.

Xena costume: Description.

As you can read, the body piece is leather, the armbands and gauntlets are copper and leather (Creation Ent. replicas), and the breastplate and other armor parts are resin (stunts). Nevertheless, the resin pieces are so finely made and so well taken care of that they look exactly like copper. Amazing! And what do you say about that shot with the knee-guards? I love it.

Alongside Xena's costume is Daphne's costume. Remember her from S5 "Little Problems"? She was a child whose body was briefly inhabited by Xena's spirit. The owners say: "The childs costume worn by New Zealand actress Rose McIver is special to us - Rose was our neighbor in Auckland and we still follow her career".

Other costumes of the collection are: a couple of armored soldiers, a man with a turban, an Amazon or similar, and many loose weapons and props.

Soldier 1

Soldier 2 - "Tazor"

Tazor description.

Amazon or similar.

It's not very clear in this shot, but at the right side of the "amazon" there's a baby carrier with a baby mannequin in full costume. The costume doesn't look like Eve's, but who knows...

In the next shot the baby is more visible in the background.

Copper? vase over statue.

Gabrielle's bombs description.

Ahhhh! The famous Gabrielle bombs seen in S5! Some of them lie around... Where exactly? Go back to the close-up of Xena's knee-guards and you'll see them, hidden behind the Xena mannequin. 

Stag banner.

Stag banner, shield, dragon, spears... 

Bone and stone clubs... from the Horde, perhaps?

Spears and what appears to be a Celtic banner.

And that's all! I hope you enjoyed seen these pictures as much as me.

Once again, thanks a thousand to M. Navarre for his photos, they're amazing!

Cheers people!