Welcome! As part of its ongoing mission to document the Art and Production History of Star Trek, this site will present technical articles on Star Trek prop and costume authentication - focusing on The Original Series - with detailed photos and episode screenshots to complement the information presented; as well as feature pictorials to showcase Star Trek memorabilia in private & public collections, present rare Behind The Scenes TOS imagery & discuss other topics.
Gerald Gurian is a 40+ year collector of screen used Star Trek memorabilia and a passionate fan of TOS
     
- Star Trek TOS At Auction Part I - Gurian Collection Highlights - Greg Jein TOS Hero Type II Phaser
-Authenticating a TOS Communicator -6 Myths About Star Trek Prop Design -Star Trek 3rd Season Command Tunic
- Design Features of TOS Tricorders -Star Trek Props At National Air & Space - TOS Leatherette Tricorder
- TOS Federation Sciences Dress -Desilu Studio TOS Prop Fabrication - Unreleased Allen/Gurian Prop Photos
- The Beautiful Women of TOS Part I -TOS U.S.S. Enterprise 11' Filming Model - Captain Kirk's Chair from TOS
- Spock Ears -TOS Control Panels & Displays - Mr. Spock's Science Station
- TOS Soundstage at Desilu -TOS Shatner Romulan Pants - The Beautiful Women of TOS Pt. II
- TOS Galileo Shuttlecraft -Greg Jein TOS Cage Laser Pistol - TOS 3rd Season Midgrade Type II Phaser
- Dr. McCoy's Sickbay on TOS -TOS Balok Puppet Head - Captain Kirk "Mirror, Mirror" Tunic
- Greg Jein TOS Hero Tricorder -1992 Smithsonian TOS Cast Video - TOS 1st Season Command Tunic
- TOS "Where No Man" Silver Contact Lenses -TOS Special Effects: The Transporter - The Art of Matt Jefferies
- TOS "Space Seed" Gold Mesh Jumpsuit -Gorn Costume from "Arena" - Rare TOS Behind-the-Scenes Videos
- TOS Stunt Type II Phaser -1993 Bill Theiss Estate Auction - TOS Shatner Command Dress Tunic
- TOS Elasian Royal Guard Tunic -TOS Finnegan Silver "Shore Leave" Tunic - TOS Science Officer Tunic "The Cage"
- TOS Shatner Early 1st Season Command Tunic -William Shatner TOS Tunics At Auction - TOS Shatner Late 1st Season Command Tunic

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Star Trek Props on display at The National Air and Space Museum in 1992

From February, 1992 through January, 1993; a major exhibition of Star Trek: The Original Series props, costumes and model miniatures was held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. This exhibition was part of the 25th Anniversary celebration of TOS, and attracted over 880,000 visitors. It was the first time that the Smithsonian honored a fictional as opposed to scientific achievement; and the event, which was initially intended to last for 6 months – was extended to 11 months because of its overwhelming popularity with the public.

Some rare photos from the exhibition are presented below.

The centerpiece was the 11 foot U.S.S. Enterprise filming model that had been donated by Paramount to the Smithsonian in 1974 and which was displayed with its internal lighting systems active. The model had undergone a special restoration, performed by renowned Star Trek prop and model maker Ed Miarecki, in preparation for this exhibition…



Below, the Original Series 11 foot model is shown hanging next to the Enterprise A filming model from the feature films …

Some of the most elegant creations of Star Trek Costume Designer William Theiss were highlighted in the display. The famous Grecian style gown worn by Lt. Carolyn Palamas in the episode “Who Mourns for Adonais” is visible in the background on the right side of the following photo…

Here are some episode screenshots of it …

All of the major Federation duty uniform styles were displayed, as well as the rare environmental suit or biohazard suit (seen in “The Naked Time”) which was fabricated primarily from plastic orange shower curtains. These costumes appear in the background of the following photo, behind the famous Helm and Navigations console from the Bridge …

The Original Series Klingon Battle Cruise filming model was displayed alongside the larger filming model used in ST:TMP and Star Trek VI…



A display case dedicated to TOS weapons featured a Cage Laser, 2 hand phasers, a Black and White Type Phaser Pistol, a federation phaser power pack, a Klingon Disrupter Pistol and an Eminiar phaser …

Communicator, Tricorder, desk communicator, data discs, medical sensors and miscellaneous engineering equipment …

Tribbles, a flying parasite creature from “Operation: Annihilate!”, a cuboctahedral block from “By Any Other Name”, and scripts …

The Botany Bay filming model from “Space Seed” …

The Aurora spacecraft from “The Way To Eden” ...

And the Aurora seen alongside a Tholian vessel from “The Tholian Web” …

Mr. Spocks Vulcan Harp from "Charlie X" ...