Prop Store, one of the leading companies that deals in production made and screen used television and movie props and costumes, is currently auctioning over 1,000 props and costumes in their 2023 Los Angeles Online Entertainment Memorabilia Auction. Each of the lots, which includes 78 Star Trek specific items, are open for bidding now, and will close throughout the day on Tuesday, February 28.
Prop Store’s online auctions are designed to showcase pieces that may have more affordable price points than some of the items that can sell for thousands of dollars in their live auctions that take place in the summer and fall of each year. But you’ll still want to have your wallets handy if you want to own a piece of Star Trek history – bidding is expected to be competitive!
Head on over to Prop Store’s website to view all the Star Trek items up for auction this time. In addition to picking out some of the more interesting pieces, we also had the opportunity to interview Sandy Fries, who was a staff writer during the early years of Star Trek: The Next Generation and has several very cool lots from the first season episode “Coming of Age” included in this auction.
Here are some of the highlights of this month’s auction:
Lot # 699 — STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
Hand-Painted Klingon Bird-of-Prey Concept Artwork
I am personally a huge fan of cool Star Trek art, and this nice hand-painted production piece shows the three Klingon battlecruisers from the opening scene of Star Trek: The Motion Picture as they battle with V’Ger. It’s production art, it’s hand painted, and it depicts an iconic scene from a Star Trek’s first outing on the big screen.
Lot # 715 — STAR TREK: NEMESIS
Pair of Romulan Senate Stools
If your living room or dining room area are in need of a couple of good chairs, consider adding this pair of Romulan Senate stools from Star Trek: Nemesis to your house. Genuine Star Trek set dressing and furniture can be rare – oftentimes they were thrown out or destroyed rather than being stored and eventually auctioned – and so if you’re in the market for a bigger piece of Star Trek history, this would be a good choice.
Beware, though, that they’ll probably require freight shipping which is more expensive, so factor that into your bidding.
Lot # 716 — STAR TREK (2009)
Starfleet Insignia Badge of the U.S.S. Kelvin
From the opening scene of Star Trek (2009), the USS Kelvin Starfleet insignia badge is pretty unique for its simple design. Technically a Prime Timeline badge — because the events on the Kelvin preceded the timeline split when it encountered the Narada — this is the first insignia badge from the USS Kelvin that’s been auctioned as an individual lot.
Several badges have previously sold, but they were attached to Kelvin costumes. Bidding has already started picking up on this badge, and I expect insignia collectors will be salivating.
Lot # 734 — STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Stunt Mark VI Medical Tricorder
Props from early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation are very rare, and this cool stunt version of the Mark VI medical tricorder — from the show’s first season — is no exception. This would have been made to slot into the stunt actor’s holster so that they could do stunts without damaging the valuable electronics in the hero props.
These days, stunt items are made from rubber, but during The Next Generation’s first season they were made from lightweight balsa wood. This will display very nicely, and is sure to be much more affordable than the non-stunt version of the medical tricorder.
Lot # 742 — STAR TREK: VOYAGER
Captain Kathryn Janeway’s Fair Haven Costume
You too can “delete the wife” by owning Kathryn Janeway’s (or is that Katie O’Clare?) costume from the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Spirit Folk.” Captain costumes, even those from the holodeck, are relatively rare, and the standard uniforms can sell for thousands of dollars. So if you are looking to add a Janeway to your collection, this could be a more affordable choice.
It’s up to you to decide whether it’s stylish or not, though. And “Kate Mulgrew” tags in the costume pieces indicates this is the exact costume worn by Mulgrew on screen, and not a stunt version.
Lot # 750 — STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE
Light-Up PADD
Anything that lights up is fun! And PADDs from Star Trek: Enterprise do not come up for auction very often. This is a really nice example of an Enterprise PADD, though it’s a bit of a shame the consignor or Prop Store were not able to provide information about which episode it was used in, given it has quite a unique design.
Lot # 752: STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE
Trip Tucker’s Operations Divisions Uniform
Trip Tucker fans, start your engines. The Enterprise jumpsuits are among some of the coolest, most well made, and intricate Starfleet uniforms in all of Star Trek, and display exceptionally well. What could be better than pairing a great style of costume with the fact that it was worn by a fan favorite character?
This Trip costume is particularly cool because you can tell it was used in the series finale “These Are the Voyages…” in that it has the Starfleet Command patch on the right arm and also comes with the “C. Tucker” name patch from that episode. It also includes the rank pins, which are also hard to come by. It would be your choice whether you wanted to (carefully) remove the Starfleet patch to return the costume to its season 1-4 look, or re-add the name tag to complete the “These Are the Voyages…” costume.
The Sandy Fries Collection
Television writer Sandy Fries, who worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation in its first season and wrote the episode “Coming of Age” also has several lots included in this auction. The provenance for these items is rock solid – if you win these pieces, you know you’re getting something straight from production and directly from the sets of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987.
Fries is auctioning the following lots through Prop Store:
Lot # 726: STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Relva VII LCARS Transparency and Slide of Jean-Luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) Enterprise Painting
Lot # 727: STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Set of Starfleet Signs
Lot # 728: STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Handwritten “Coming of Age” Script, Production Notes, Memos, and Emmy Award Submission Form
Lot # 737: STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Set of Season 1 Production Paperwork and Crew Badge
We had the opportunity to ask Fries a few questions about the pieces he is auctioning and his memories of working on Star Trek.
TREKCORE: What was your experience like working on Star Trek: The Next Generation? How was it to work with Gene Roddenberry?
SANDY FRIES: My experience working with Gene was fantastic. He was always kind and always interesting. Gene used to take me on treks in his golf cart. We went all around the Paramount lot in his golf cart… at top golf cart speeds! We both thought it was funny when Gene zoomed his golf cart at somebody then veered away at the last second — nobody was ever hurt, though, and nobody complained because it was GENE RODDENBERRY!
TREKCORE: What was the original pitch for “Coming of Age”? What was the experience like of writing that episode? If a bidder wins the handwritten script, what kind of changes will they expect to see between your first draft and the finished episode?
FRIES: The pitch was one sentence: “Wesley tries to get into Starfleet Academy.” Gene Roddenberry pitched that to me and asked if I wanted to do it. I immediately said yes because I could see all the visual possibilities for an episode like that, and that was enough to sell me. I also thought it would be cool if Wesley failed to get into the Academy this go around, because his character was far too perfect at that point in time, and needed to be put through the wringer to be more fallible and human, so that fans could connect with him better.
The episode was originally called “Starfleet Academy” but it was later changed to “Coming of Age.” Things you will find in my original, first draft handwritten script that you will not see in the final episode: I invented Siri! Really! There’s a scene where Wesley is interacting with a device that is Siri in function but also has additional futuristic Siri functions that will probably be available to us in about ten years!
The handwritten script also has an augmented reality scene — Wesley’s psych test — that’s the first time I have ever seen it used. The scene was too expensive to be produced so it was changed from augmented reality to actual reality. Personally, I think reality is overrated, but that’s the realities of television.
My handwritten first draft script also had a description of the Benzite character, which was very different from the alien who appeared in the final episode. Very different. The Benzites have been used in many Star Trek series since “Coming of Age”, even the current animated series. I created the Benzite alien race in the first draft, handwritten script now being auctioned online until February 28… it was cool to contribute to Star Trek history like that!
“Coming of Age” also had a lot of Wil Wheaton scenes. When I came to the set the first day of shooting the episode, I saw Wil Wheaton coughing loudly, wheezing and looking very, very sick. My first thought was, “Oh hell, there goes my episode!” My second thought was, “Sandy, what are you doing! Wil is feeling terrible and all you can think about is that it might hurt your script.” Amazingly, when the cameras rolled, Wil had great self control and did a stellar job!
TREKCORE: Did you get to visit the set during production of “Coming of Age”? Is that how you ended up with the set used items? Can you share any memories from what it was like during the filming of this episode and the history behind the graphics and signs that are being auctioned?
FRIES: I spent every day and night of the shoot on the set, hanging out with Will Wheaton, Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart. Hanging out with fascinating people is the fun part of the job. Mike Okuda designed and made Starfleet Academy signs that were used on the sets and seen in the episode.
Those very cool Mike Okuda designed Starfleet Academy signs are one of four lots available in the current Prop Store auction. Mike also designed a big, fantastic LCARS transparency that was seen in the episode and is also being auctioned. Mike is a great designer and a great person.
TREKCORE: If you could revisit this time in your life when you were working on Star Trek: The Next Generation, is there anything you would want to do differently?
FRIES: Take more pictures! Mike Okuda took photos of me on the Bridge set and the shuttle craft set, but I should have taken photos of me with Gene, Mike and the actors when we were all youngsters. I also should have eaten more often in the Paramount Studios commissary because there were always such amazing people there to meet — Kirstie Alley, other actors and writers. The food in the Paramount commissary was far less amazing than the people who ate there, though!
TREKCORE: Why are you parting with your Star Trek treasures now?
FRIES: These items that I am auctioning are an important, tangible part of my life. Since it’s highly likely that I will be dropping dead within the next twenty years — I want the auction lots to go to someone who cares about the Star Trek universe.
The February 2023 Prop Store Online Entertainment Auction runs through Tuesday, February 28.