This ninth in a series of posts on Star Trek: The Exhibition; now open at the Detroit Science Center (http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org/) until Sept. 7, 2009; focuses on the Original Series Hand Props. Startrekpropauthority.blogspot.com was allowed to photograph the exhibition on Feb. 14th, 2009 and Feb. 21st, 2009 and is presenting posts on some of the exciting TOS-related components of this comprehensive collection - which features screen used costumes, props, starship filming models and set recreations that span all 5 Star Trek television series and 10 feature films. Many thanks to the staff of the Detroit Science Center for their kind assistance; with special recognition to Kelly Fulford, Kerri Budde, Amanda Jackson, and Todd Slisher for their outstanding support.
The introductory post on Star Trek: The Exhibition which provides a general overview of the event can be seen at: http://startrekpropauthority.blogspot.com/2009/02/star-trek-exhibition-beams-into-detroit.html
Some detailed photos of the TOS props on display are presented below. These are all replicas of the familiar Original Series designs, and not actual screen-used pieces from the '60s. It is possible that some might have been employed in episodes of the modern era series, such as the celebrated 1996 "Trials and Tribble-ations" show from Deep Space Nine (a 30th anniversary tribute to TOS), or the 2005 Star Trek: Enterprise "In a Mirror, Darkly" episodes that all featured TOS-era storylines.
As you will observe, these props are immaculately well crafted ...
The descriptive card below incorrectly credits Wah Chang, who built some of the Tricorders and Communicators for TOS, as also constructing the TOS phaser. It was actually designed and built by Matt and John Jefferies ...