Saturday, 9 April 2011

Screen-used McCoy hat and scarf -
FOR SALE!

FOR SALE!
This hat is now SOLD!!

I am putting on offer an ORIGINAL screen-used panama hat worn by Sylvester McCoy in Doctor Who!

Originally sold as Lot 91 at the big Doctor Who auction held on February 24th 2010,  it consists of the Hat, a Red Hanky, a very rare Brown Hanky and part of the Purple/Burgundy Scarf briefly worn by Sylvester during his Costume Transition Scene in Time And The Rani.

Monday, 28 March 2011

Even Dafter Who

Earlier this month saw the release by Forbidden Planet of a couple of comical t-shirts based on the costumes of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors.

Well, they seem to have been popular as next month they are issuing two more – one of the Sixth Doctor and one of the Seventh! (see left).

I’m not quite sure how they produced the shirts, but they seem to have been imaged from either original photographs or from access to the original costumes, and are very screen accurate!

The other shirts are still available (see below) and they make for quite an amusing collection.


Saturday, 19 February 2011

Doctor Who Experience -
Seventh Doctor incarnation

This weekend (Sunday 20th February) sees the official opening of the Doctor Who Experience exhibition at London’s Olympia.

Amongst the displays is a definitive collection of costumes worn by The Doctor through his regeneration (see left and right). Some out of necessity are replicas, but many are original and screen-used.

On Thursday I went to the first of the paid previews, following on from a couple of weeks of tester days to iron out teething troubles. While I was there I took a good set of photographs of all the costumes on show.

I have already written a Full Review of the exhibition itself, but here is a more targeted write-up focusing on the items of interest to a Seventh Doctor fan and giving them a more detailed look.

As I don’t run a blog for the Eighth Doctor, I’m including him here - after all, he picked up the baton from the Seventh.

Saturday, 29 January 2011

Radio Times - Who’s longer than Who?

It’s been a bit quite in the Radio Times of late regarding classic Doctor Who features.

Today though there was a small article relating to an episode of The Million Pound Drop from last year that caused some controversy at the time.
I won’t go into the details as you can read it for yourself below.

It is accompanied by a photo of Sylvester McCoy in Colin Baker’s costume – not the best picture to use!

Monday, 3 January 2011

McCoy Hat Bandana -
Limited Edition and screen-accurate!

These hankies are now
SOLD OUT!
Please refer to the replicas I have made
if you require a red hanky
Over the past year or so I have been striving to make as good a replica of the McCoy Hatband Hanky as I possibly can using Spoonflower.
I’ve gone through three versions to date, each getting better than the previous.

But what would be the ultimate would be to track down a supply just like the originals that were bought for the series by costume design Ken Trew.

Well, it just so happens I had a tip-off from a client of mine who pointed me towards a stockist who had them for sale!!!!!

I contacted them and found that although they had it in stock, they only had a limited number and would not be restocking as they no longer dealt with that supplier.

Not wanting to waste an opportunity, I snapped up their entire stock – well, the few they had – and can now offer them for sale!

Friday, 24 December 2010

Seventh Doctor costume transition

This week I’ve been taking a little look at an area of The Doctor’s costume that sometimes gets overlooked: The Costume Transition Scene!
I’m taking about that moment in the first episode of a new Doctor where the old skin is finally shaken off and a re-designed costume helps define the start of a new era in Doctor Who history.

When William Hartnell became Patrick Troughton, it wasn’t just his face that changed – his costume miraculously regenerated at the same time.

Later, when Jon Pertwee took over, his new clothes were more realistically introduced by having The Doctor lift them from the changing room of the hospital where he is taken at the start of Spearhead From Space.

But it was Tom Baker’s transition scene that was the first to make some play on the anticipation of what The Doctor would be wearing.

Looking through the list of regenerations, I have realised there seems to be two dominant scenarios for these scenes:

The Hospital Changing Room scenario
The Third Doctor steals the clothes of a hospital consultant before stealing his car as well; after the Eighth Doctor emerges from the morgue, he takes the clothes of a surgeon, who is going to a fancy dress party; the latest regeneration sees the Eleventh Doctor lifting a the parts of his costume from the hospital locker room as he strides through.

The TARDIS Dressing-up Room scenario
Although we don’t see the dressing-up room, the Fourth Doctor keep popping out of the TARDIS dressed in unsuitable costumes; the Fifth Doctor finds his new clothes in the TARDIS, almost as if he was supposed to; the Sixth Doctor is the first to be seen in the dressing-up room to choose his new clothes; followed by the Seventh Doctor who goes through a similar selection; finally the Tenth Doctor makes his choice from a re-imagined dressing-up room, courtesy of The Mill’s special effects gurus!

Friday, 17 December 2010

Merry Christmas to all my readers!

I can’t believe a year has flown by since I last wished everyone a Happy Christmas.


Looking back though, a lot has happened and I’ve completed or started a number of amazing projects.

From updating my Tennant Coat; making a Five Coat or two; starting a replica Tennant suit jacket using original GAP Trousers; making a couple of Inverness Capes (must get round to writing that up!); as well as some smaller item such as Five Hatbands, Six Cravats and Seven Hankies.
However, I think the most exciting has been starting work on a replica Six Frock Coat, which I am so looking forward to getting done next year.

I hope you’ll join me in the following months as it starts to come together.

Wednesday, 10 November 2010

Bonhams costume sales - previous auctions

As well as the auctions I have been to over the past couple of years, I have done a little digging back and found some further Seventh Doctor items from three sales from 2005 to 2007.



Lot 611
'Dr. Who': The Master's 'tissue compression eliminator' (miniaturising gun), the prop in black-painted brass with electric wiring, as used by Anthony Ainley throughout the 1980s in his portrayal of The Doctor's nemesis, 23cm (9in) long.

Sold for £1,440

Lot 613
'Dr. Who': a prop scanning device,
battery-operated, as used in the 1987 episode 'Time And The Rani' by both Sylvester McCoy and Kate O'Mara, 17cm (6½in) long

Sold for £120

Lot 621
'Dr. Who': a model of The Rani's Tardis,
of painted foam, as made for the 1993 Children In Need episode, 'Dimensions In Time', 30.5cm (12in) high

Sold for £240

Lot 622
'Dr. Who': a Tardis roundel,
fibreglass, with traces of black and grey paint, indicating use in the Tardis of both The Doctor and The Master, believed to be the last surviving example from the original Tardis, 55cm (21½in) diameter

Estimate: £500 - 700
Unsold


Lot 623
'Dr. Who': a Haemovore concept model,
painted plaster, as made for 'The Curse Of Fenric', 1989, 41cm (16in) high

Estimate: £400 - 500
Unsold

Thursday, 4 November 2010

Revenge of the Invasion of the Aussies

Had a great day today, meeting up with a couple of forum members who were in the UK from Australia.

I’ve previosuly met up with Bob Mitsch, Ian Cummins, Jonathan from Paris. This time it was the turn of Mark Ferris, who last year did a run of replica five and Six Shirts, and is known as linxthesontaran. He has also made a SUPERB replica Dalek ala The Chase (see below).


He is currently half-way through a one-year trip to the UK, and has been living and working in Harrogate in Yorkshire. We had been hoping to meet up sooner, but travelling costs down to london and back can be prohibitive, especially on a tight budget.

Tuesday, 14 September 2010

A little (big) experiment

While working on the new brown hanky, something occurred to me.

The screen-used ones were actually cut from a much larger scarf, and only represented a quarter of their full size (see right).

I wonder what it would be like to have a full, uncut version?

Well, since I had a Spoonflower order going through, I thought I’d have a go at making one - just to see how big it really was.

It was actually an easy job to create the un-cropped version, as the Photoshop file I created actual had the entire artwork (see left), since I needed to crop it just over a quarter area. It simply had been on a reduced canvas area.

The full area is almost a yard square, so the order covered a yard, just for the single scarf.

Anyway, the order arrived this week, and now I have trimmed and hemmed the edges, here is the result (see below).
I’ve photographed it with my panama hat so you can get an idea of how big it really is!


If you’re interested in getting one of these, drop me a line. I’m happy to make them to order as one-offs.

Sunday, 15 August 2010

What a waste of time

Well, today was the first Bonhams Entertainment Sale at Goodwood, and I’m sorta pleased I didn’t bother to go down to see how the precious four Doctor Who items got on.

Both the two Daleks had been withdrawn from sale before the day; the Dalek statuettes (which weren’t even labelled as Daleks in the catalogue) went unsold; and the only item that did sell was a Tom baker doll and TARDIS from the late 1970s! (see below)

So all in all a bit of a waste of time :(

Friday, 23 July 2010

Bonham: 15th August 2010 -
Auction Of The Daleks

When I went to the recent Bonhams Auction, they made mention of an addition to their calendar of memorabilia sales, by including Goodwood!

Their plan is to have the viewing at their Bond Street showroom, which I will go along to, but I doubt I will go to the sale itself, as now they have released the catalogue I can’t see anything I want to bid for.

Here are the few Doctor Who items on offer.


Lot No: 111W
This lot has been withdrawn
Part believed to be from Revelation of the Daleks, 1985 to Remembrance Of The Daleks, 1988, A Dalek, refurbished and re-used throughout 1980’s and 1990’s, all parts made by the BBC Visual Effects Department, during the series, of wood, metal, fibreglass and plastic construction, painted grey with black details including; hemispheres, slats, plunger and gun, the dome lifting to reveal interior mechanism and seat, on wheeled base, height 66 inches, width 25 inches and depth 44 inches
Footnote:
The vendor states that this Dalek has been altered and parts refurbished, reused and replaced throughout its existence. The eye stalk was used in Rembrance of The Daleks, 1988. The dome piece of this lot was used during the 1970s/ early 1980s.

Estimate: £10,000 - 15,000

Lot No: 112W
This lot has been withdrawn
Part believed to be from the 1970’s to Remembrance Of The Daleks, 1988, A Dalek, repainted, re-furbished and reused on numerous occasions, of fibreglass, wood, metal and plastic construction, painted black with gold hemispheres, slats (7 slats missing), plunger arm and eye-stalk, dome lifting to reveal interior with wiring, mechanism and seat, on wheeled base, height 65 inches, width 25 inches and length 44 inches.
Footnote:
The vendor states that: “The top of the dome from Resurrection of the Daleks filmed September 1983 and transmitted 1984. Present owner worked in workshop, on location and in studio during production of this episode.
The replacement eye stalk and shoulder section from Remembrance of the Daleks filmed and transmitted 1988. Present owner also in attendance on film location for this storyline.”
This particular Dalek has also featured in many Doctor Who exhibitions and books, with a final major refurbishment for an on-screen appearance at The Children's Royal Variety Show 1994 in front of Princess Margaret, in aid of NSPCC.

Estimate: £10,000 - 15,000

Lot No: 265AR
Clive Barker (British, born 1940) ‘The Emperor and His Wife’, 1999 stamped and numbered 9/9, polished aluminium and polished bronze 21.5cm.

Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000
Unsold
I love the way theis item makes no reference in the text to it being a pair of Daleks!
Earlier on in the sale is one item of Doctor Who toys.

Lot No: 68
Tom Baker Doctor Who Doll and TARDIS
Boxed Dr Who doll complete with sonic screwdriver, scarf and hat, made by Harbert of Italy 1979, 23.5cm (9 1/4in) tall, boxed Tardis with opening doors and rotating inner to make the Doctor disappear and reappear, made by Dennis Fisher 1976, 34cm (13 1/2in) high (very good condition and in very good condition boxes) (2)

Estimate: £200 - 300
Sold for £240

Saturday, 5 June 2010

7 hankies - new versions

I been real busy with a number of projects recently, but at long last I have gotten around to making up some new, improved hankies.

As I outlined previously, I now have produced much better artwork for the classic red hanky, as well as the much rarer brown one.

When I did my first run of hankies I used a lightweight fabric from Spoonflower which was a Bamboo/Cotton mix. It had a silky feel and was just the right weight for a hanky.
Since getting access to the screen-used versions, I’ve found it was on a much thinner fabric.

It just so happens that Spoonflower have had supply problems with the bamboo/cotton, so have been forced to discontinue it and replace it with a Cotton Lawn, which is a much thinner, gauze-like fabric, and a much better match to the real thing.
I have therefore had my new hankies printed on the Cotton Lawn instead.

The first batch of printed fabric arrived a couple of weeks back, and I now have a good half-dozen red and a few brown hankies ready for dispatch if anyone is interested!

The Red Hanky
The classic red hanky has come out pretty well, considering. Spoonflower does have some colour-density issues, especially with reds, but that aside they have come out good.

Below is a comparison between the pattern detail on the screen-used hanky (below, left); the first version I did last year (below, centre); and the new improved version (below, right). click to see a super-sized version.



The Brown Hanky
After offering a next-best option last year (a brown colourway of the existing red design - see right) it is really satisfying to present a much more screen-accurate version for the first time.

As I explained before, the size and area I have reproduced has been a compromise, but what I have done makes for a practical, useable cosplay prop.

Below is a comparison between the screen-used hanky (below, left); and the new replica version (below, right). click to see a super-sized version.


If you want to get you hands on these new improved hankies, they are priced at GB£20 each, or GB£35 for both.
Hat NOT included with any orders!
Email me at tennantcoat@me.com 
and I can send you full details.

Monday, 31 May 2010

Bonhams auction - 23rd June 2010

When I was at the last Bonhams auction, one of the auctioneers made mention of a further sale in June, where Doctor Who items would be available.

I think I was expecting another full-on sale of ex-BBC items, but what it appears to be is a general Memorabilia sale, with a hand full of Who related lots.

There are seventeen items in total, and you need to real carefully what they are. The repeated use of the phrase “built for exhibition purposes” is a bit disappointing.

I’ll go to the viewing, but I can’t see myself bidding on anything.


As usual I have separated the items by Doctor era, and you can see the rest of the items here:

Here are just the lots relating to the Seventh Doctor era
Lot No: 137
Husk
A replica costume created for exhibition purposes, the costume comprising head and hand pieces of moulded plastic and foam latex, the headpiece in the form of a fly with protruding teeth, with tuxedo jacket and matching trousers, of black wool, a white waffle shirt, a blue velvet bow tie, grey socks and pair of slip on grey shoes, on mannequin and base, height 60 inches

Estimate: £250 - 350
Sold for £540

Footnote:
The head and hand pieces were cast from the original screen used costume, and this piece was created by the effects workshop.

Sunday, 23 May 2010

Cameo Auction - 23rd May 2010

We seem to have had a number of sales of costumes form the Angels Costumier vaults, and yet another is planned for today, Sunday 23rd May 2010 at Cameo Fine Art Auctioneers in Midgham, Berkshire.

There are a good 230 plus items on offer, from a wide variety of productions such as Raiders Of The Lost Ark, The Fifth Element, the Star Wars prequels and  number of the Bond films.


Hidden in there are half a dozen lots from Doctor Who dating back as far as 1964, but here are just the ones covering the Seventh Doctor’s era.

Lot 146
Battlefield, 1989.
A Blue shimmering full length dress worn by Jean Marsh as Morgaine.
Estimate: £400 - 500





Lot 148
Delta and the Bannermen, 1987. 
A yellow striped holiday camp style jacket unnamed.
Estimate: £150 - 200


While search back though some old autions of the Cameo website, I came across a sale in March 2010 which I didn’t know about!

Again, here are just the ones from the Seventh Doctor era.


Lot 139
Doctor Who Time and the Rani 1987
A Camera script for specific shots in the episode and seven Doctor Who annuals and The Dalek Pocket Book.

Estimate: £50-80
Lot 219
An entertaining space costume worn by Sylvester McCoy as The Doctor.

Estimate: £400-500
Lot 244
Doctor Who The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 1988
A Gypsy style skirt used in the episode.

Estimate: £350-400
Lot 291
Doctor Who 1987. Delta and the Bannermen
Jacket used by the Holiday Camp usher's

Estimate: £200-300

Lot 293
Doctor Who The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 1988
A Distressed Faux Leather Jacket detailed used in the episode.

Estimate: £250-350