STAR WARS e-11 sells for over 38k!

[jkno]

Do we have ironclad proof THIS particular blaster was used in SW?

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

In the interest of assisting those poor souls to have an E-11, I've got one that I'd consider selling them for only $15,000.    

Not a Bapty though....

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

during the re creation of the bapty. there are several differences

so bapty actually has several different types of guns used in different films. that is what bapty does... they make guns for use in film

 

with the sterling in star wars the metal billet had to be made to send the guns to tunisia.(or anywhere with gun import laws prohibiting import.)  these cast aluminum billets would not be needed in england.  as they can simply use real firing weapons.

 

the purpose of the bapty e-11 with it's distinctive sight rail and alluminum billet makes the STAR WARS sterlings stand out in the bapty collection.

of the guns found... about 21 of them they had the alluminum billet and new trigger group. they were sans sight rail and other parts.

 

the collectors who purchased these incomplete bapty guns have been restoring them to their original SW condition

 

part of the identification process includes paint missing where the sight rail WAS. and signs of sticky tape on the barrel. in addition to the aluminum billet.

 

no other sterlings in a gun prop shop would need these mods in an english location. as they would simply use real guns.  as in "the spy who loved me" and other british films using this weapon.

 

The Zardoz sterlings shown are indeed bapty modified Sterlings.  it was said that rodger christian and carl S of bapty found these sterlings in the shop

and rodger and george and carl worked on making up the E-11 in the shop at bapty  this is where the sight rail and scope, and other parts were realized for the prop we all now know and love.

Edited November 20, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[usaeatt2]

I'm always amazed at the stories behind these props - Where do you learn this stuff, Vern? 

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

look at my databank.

has stuff about serial numbers and lot's of stuff.

 

eventually I'll have every part of documented e-11 stuff I can get my hands on.

 

sure would be fun to just sit down and talk to roger christian about props in films.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

Seems it is the old Bapty from Prop Store:

 

 

if you look closely at the counter, this one I mentioned before is quite different.

 

Edited November 20, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[jkno]

if you look closely at the counter, this one I mentioned before is quite different.

 

 

 

It looks a lot like the new one. Just different weathering, who knows by being cleaned up or rubbed off. The same scope too. Same MR T-tracks.

 

Prop Store blaster:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2014 by jkno

[jkno]

sorry, double post

Edited November 20, 2014 by jkno

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

that's cool sergiu.  if you look at the scope and counter they are different ones.

 

the weathering is not paint, it is actual weathering.  looking at the counter on the one I've posted it's clearly a different

make of the hengstler 400  look closely at the eagle, and look closely at the position of the cap and screw.

the cap's on counters do not wiggle around, and you can clearly see that the eagle is different, and the screw positions on the

face of the counter are indeed different.

 

the T Tracks on most Bapty rebuilds are in fact GINO track. each tip is tapered into a V shape at the ends, and they look exactly like

MR T Tracks... but the rebuilders of Bapty weapons did not take any parts from Master Replica's (it does not make financial sense)

[jkno]

They seem different from certain perspectives and seem the same from the others - cocking handles are different indeed - especially the screw on top of them. I looked here for more Propstore pics: http://www.propstore.com/product/star-wars-ep-iv-a-new-hope/star-wars-original-stormtrooper-blaster/ and here is another one: http://www.propstore.com/cms/the-prop-store-collection/star-wars-a-new-hope/stormtrooper-blaster/

 

Very interesting how they found the same no. 7 scope for all 2-3 of them. The Hengstler seems like a copy, though they say it is original, but maybe they simply painted over the counter part, where the numbers are shown.

 

Still not convinced on the T-tracks. Not sure if you own a MR E-11, I have a MR blaster in front of my eyes, and used to have an extra set of MR T-tracks (sold them some time ago), they have that idealized appearance with longer tapered ends that go deep in the body of the blaster, just like real T-tracks (but more perfect). And when you sell a piece for $20000-38000, to buy a MR E-11 blaster (maybe loose and cheap - I got my loose ones for the price of 2 Gino T-tracks) makes total sense.

[jkno]

According to Jason DeBord from Oiginal Prop Blog: http://www.originalprop.com/blog/movie-guns/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope/ there were "approximately 20 [sterlings] that were discovered at Bapty & Co. and purchased by The Prop Store of London circa 2004-2005".

 

Also it ways about that particular blaster shown on OPB:

 

"In that this piece was found stripped, it has undergone a careful and easily reversible restoration to appear as it did in the original film.

This included the addition of:

• Replica “T-track†strips along the barrel, made of plastic and attached with double-sided tape
• Replica cylinders attached to the top of the magazine well with double-sided tape
• A replica Hengstler counter box affixed to one side via a discreet bracket screwed into the scope rail
• A custom-made scope rail of the correct thickness and width (based on a paint overspray “footprint†found on one of the two scopes found at Bapty), made of steel and bent to fit the front slot and custom hole in back, held down by a threaded screw for easy removal)"

 

The Hengstler was just a copy, which is quite cheap to consider, and they re-used the mold for more than one blaster I guess... It's interesting to read the story about the tank scope itself, seems they have 2 scopes (I guess one of them or both are the no.7):

 

"One element that makes this particular blaster unique is that it is one of two from those found that includes an original vintage scope obtained at Bapty.  This scope was obtained from Karl Schmitt, the Bapty armourer who produced these custom blasters for the film, and is of the variation that is most commonly seen in the film.  While there is good evidence this scope was used, I would characterize it as possible but not entirely conclusive.  However, the second of the two scopes is marked by a paint overspray “footprint†that reveals where the scope rail was (which was used to spec out the replica scope rails used to restore the pieces)."

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

The above is correct aside from the use of replica counters on most collector restored bapty's.

The Lee malone bapty was a re-created version, as well the one his friend owns that has a distinctive cut out on the front of the barrel

 

both the distinctive cut out and Lee's "short T Track" can be screen matched features.  when lee first examined his purchased blaster

there were features on the main tube, and on his inner barrel placement. as well as remains of T Track glue.

weathering matches were done by lee malone. and the distinctive cut out can clearly be seen in screencaps.

 

  when you factor in the baptys in the lucasfilm archives and the remaining stock

left in bapty. I put the number over 20.( jason mentions 20 as an aproximate )

 

both jason's prop blog, and the london prop store were used as sources in my e-11 databank, as well as statements from lee malone

and other in depth correlations   you're doing a great job of examining the situation I discovered by using those sources.

my e-11 databank was given permission from both jason, and Prop store London, and prop store Los Angeles.

 

as you can see you found the quote describing the process used at bapty to correlate a star wars sterling vs a standard non star wars version.

 

"However, the second of the two scopes is marked by a paint overspray “footprint†that reveals where the scope rail was (which was used to spec out the replica scope rails used to restore the pieces).""

 

if you factor in the malone restoration into the entire bapty situation the overspray and other features make the bapty versions stand out.

the malone and friend bapty restoration is using real counters, scopes and manufactured sight rails. The T Tracks were purchased by Lee from GINO.

Lee made his own sight rail and mounted parts to create his bapty restoration.

 

none of the remaining bapty's in collect ever had T Tracks, sight rails or machine counters.  carl did happen to have an original scope on hand during some interviews.

 

 

as a model builder Lee is an expert and making very complex star wars and Sci Fi related models.

Edited November 21, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[jkno]

I like talking about blasters and Stormtroopers. I saved everything from PropStore and OriginalPropBlog long ago (I'm on their newsletter as well). In fact I have access to a pretty comprehensive private database too, some very rare imperial screen used items there (including E-11), just a few trusted friends had access to it as well. I have the pics of Lee's blaster too, he did a pretty cool job on his.