TOS props- close up!

[plynch]

I had a little sony color tv, black with silver trim, looked like Wah Ming Chang designed it. Then I notice transistor radios big and small from same era, many black with silver. Radio grill cloth now! And TOS used some off the shelf dinnerware, etc. The future was very midcentury modern.

Which is why I wonder when people say a show like, say, Discovery looks more futuristic. It really just looks more contemporary to our time. Like the Apple Store Kelvin bridge did 10 years ago. We have no idea what the design ethos of 300 years' elapsed time will be.

 

[Redfern]

We have no idea what the design ethos of 300 years' elapsed time will be.

Yep, for all we know, the control interfaces may be...inserted...rectally.

 

[FormerLurker]

Now, now, as long as both parties are consenting adults, we shall not judge.

 

[Redfern]

Now, now, as long as both parties are consenting adults, we shall not judge.

Crewperson looks at the duty station and asks, "Will you respect me in the morning?"

 

[uniderth]

Oops! Sorry, I missed the qualifying noun.

Given Wah Chang designed both the comm' and the tricorder (the production run phaser was Jefferies' concept), he did try to maintain a certain unifying motif between the field gear props. Here's the "sub-page" about the tricorder, but it is nowhere near as comprehensive as the communicator pages.

http://herocomm.com/SurvivingProps/Tricorders.htm

The unit in the museum is apparently not one of the "hero" props as it seemingly has simple "push pins" instead of the craft jewel "indicators", so it's quite possible the grille is indeed "straw matting". The museum prop is referenced on the page linked.

It's interesting seeing something other than the hero props. I didn't even know that other Enterprise model still existed.

 

[drt]

It's interesting seeing something other than the hero props. I didn't even know that other Enterprise model still existed.

I'm curious of the provenance of that piece, honestly, it seems like something that should have ended up in the garbage, but I guess someone could have taken it home.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I'm curious of the provenance of that piece, honestly, it seems like something that should have ended up in the garbage, but I guess someone could have taken it home.

I wasn't going to say anything, but there are such things as forgeries in the "screen-used" prop business. There was a guy named Marc English, if I recall, who specialized in creating supposedly original phasers and communicators. Part of his forger's art was to "age" them in various ways. For instance, his communicators had horribly stained and tarnished metal lids. His comms looked far worse than the verified real ones now known to exist.

I can't recall the specifics, but I've seen photos of obvious fakes being displayed as original TOS props in some science fiction museum or other. As with Rembrandt paintings, there are a lot of forgeries out there for every genuine item. So I hope we're looking at verified items in this thread, and not wildly over-aged new creations.

 

[Spock_1989]

Excellent photos! Really interesting seeing that Enterprise model and the nacelle droop.

 

[mos6507]

I find this look to be more enduring than the Trek stuff from the 80s and 90s.

Or Discovery will be down the road, IMHO.

 

[starbuck]

Very nice pics great to see

 

[Phaser Two]

There was a guy named Marc English, if I recall, who specialized in creating supposedly original phasers and communicators. Part of his forger's art

What is it with guys named Marc???