Tuesday, April 12, 2016

About arms

Unique weaponry can be discovered throughout film, television and literature, from Thor's powerful hammer, Mjolnir, to Luke Skywalker's signature lightsaber. James Bond alone boasts a veritable arsenal of gadgets and weaponry. Some characters prefer bows or blades (i.e., Legolas of "The Lord of the Rings" and Beatrix Kiddo from "Kill Bill"), while others lean toward firearms and artillery (such as Marvel's Punisher and James Bond himself). Over the years, collectors have been treated to an array of prop replicas based on some of these special weapons, while other tools aching for the prop-replica treatment have been shunned. Here's a look at three of our favorite prop replicas currently available (though, admittedly, expensive) and three we would love to see produced, with a special focus on sharp edges.

Inigo Montoya's sword, "The Princess Bride"

Inigo Montoya's sword, "The Princess Bride"
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Produced by Factory Entertainment, this beautiful replica of Inigo's prized sword is to scale (31"), limited to 750 pieces and was copied directly from the original movie prop. The sword can be displayed on its accompanying Princess Bride-themed wooden plaque, which reminds us that "True Love Conquers All." This collectible was recently featured on an episode of AMC's "Comic Book Men" with Kevin Smith.

Sting, "The Lord of the Rings"

Sting, "The Lord of the Rings"
United Cutlery produced a wealth of high-quality prop replicas based on Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" films, including Gandalf's staff and Aragorn's sword. We'll focus on this replica of Sting, the Elven-made blade wielded by both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. At 22" overall (15" blade), Sting displays beautifully while not hogging the spotlight in an entire room. Sting also includes an attractive wooden plaque for display.

Longclaw, "Game of Thrones"

Longclaw, "Game of Thrones"
This gorgeous rendition of Jon Snow's wolf-handled sword, Longclaw, is an officially licensed collectible from HBO. Produced by Jalic Blades, Longclaw is 45" overall (35" blade) and is made of stainless steel with a leather hilt. The wood plaque for display features the oath of the Night's Watch. While "the night is dark and full of terrors," it will be less intimidating with this impressive replica on your wall.

And here are a few film-based weapons we would love to see as limited edition prop replicas, ideally with their own unique wood plaques for display:

The Glaive, "Krull" (1983)

Ken Marshall in "Krull"
Prince Colwyn's boomerang-esque signature weapon from the 1983 sci-fi flick "Krull" would make for a gorgeous prop replica, a collectible that's, frankly, long overdue.

Sword of Perseus, "Clash of the Titans" (1981)

Harry Hamlin in "Clash of the Titans"
One of several items left to Perseus by the Gods, this simple and elegant blade would make for an excellent prop replica and display piece.

Bombaata's mace, "Conan the Destroyer"

Wilt Chamberlain in "Conan the Destroyer"
Wielded by the towering Wilt Chamberlain, this bladed mace is cool-looking and packs a punch. As a prop replica, this unique weapon would be a sure-fire conversation starter.


What film-, television- or literature-based weapons would you like to see produced as prop replicas? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section, and come back to CollecTwins for more insights, ideas and observations.

2 comments:

  1. Does this mean you are selling a replica of the sword of Inigo Montoya? If you are selling it, please contact me ASAP... seriously... like last year!

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  2. Hi Sam, thanks for your message! Unfortunately we don't sell any of the collectibles we discuss on the blog (yet), but keep your eye out on eBay for the Inigo Montoya sword (they did a replica of the Dread Pirate Roberts sword, too). You can also check out the Factory Entertainment website -- http://www.factoryent.com/ -- which produced both replica swords from The Princess Bride.

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