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The prop: before & after restoration. Recreating the missing eye to match the original, aged eye was a challenge
This movie prop was initially cracked, dry & fragile. Steps were taken to both repair & strengthen the piece.
"The Engineer" from Hellraiser. Large foam latex movie prop puppet restored by artists Tom Spina and Mike Thomas
BEFORE: original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Leonardo costume w/many dry, cracked & brittle areas
AFTER restoration: Neck, crotch, inner shell & other areas have been rebuilt & blended. Peeling paint & many cracks addressed
At the client's request, the snout was repainted and blended to improve work that had been done prior to its arrival at TSD
BEFORE: An original Sir Didymus puppet from Labyrinth, movie prop sent to us for restoration.
AFTER restoration: Lip and eyelids were rebuilt and the teeth, snout and nose repaired.
Care was taken to keep the piece as original as possible and make all repairs visually consistent with the age of the piece
A Lord of the Rings, Return of the King Orc mask, prior to our work. It had been torn during removal from the actor.
The back splits were patched internally, several smaller cracks repaired and the ears reattached and blended.
With some light paint touch up, original teeth and our Deluxe Display Stand (available in the SHOP) this piece shines!
Gremlins Movie Props Restoration
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PREMIUM CUSTOM SERVICES: | Custom Sculpture and Theming | Movie Prop Restoration | Mannequins and Displays
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We've restored a variety of
pieces from many films!
The Star Wars Films
Gremlins and Gremlins 2
An American Werewolf
In London
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Dark Crystal
Labyrinth
Hellraiser
Army of Darkness
Critters
Lord of the Rings
Restoring and preserving screen used original television and movie props as well as foam latex masks and costumes is a painstaking process.
Our approach emphasizes maintaining the integrity of the original and wherever possible preserving the original "feel" of the piece and evidence of age and use in a production.
The goal is not a result that looks "brand new" (the way a replica might look) but to gently bring a piece of history back to life... to make it look "great for its age."
We have several other Restoration Galleries featuring many more pics and projects!
We have years of experience in the field of restoration and stabilization of movie props and masks, specializing in foam latex restoration such as screen used pieces that have deteriorated with the passing of time.
Each restoration has its own challenges, so please contact us to discuss potential projects or inquire about availability for on-site work.
We constantly research new techniques and materials in order to enhance the archival qualities of the work we do.
We strive to only use materials that are safe for the long term.
Wherever possible, our solutions are flexible, non-tacky when dry, non-yellowing and acid-free.
We take a great deal of time to discuss these projects
with our clients.
Based on the their desires and the specific condition of the original, we arrive at the proper techniques and style of restoration that is right for each particular piece of film history which we work to preserve.
Many collectors won't trust
their cherished and valuable film props to anyone else!
Only the repaired areas were repainted, leaving as much of the original paint work intact as possible.
We worked very hard to maintain the "feel" of the original sculpt and paint by the extremely talented Chiodo Brothers.
An original prop Critter puppet from the 1986 film Critters, seen before and after our restoration work
With the client's input, we designed a custom acrylic base & plaque to beautifully display this original movie prop.
Film wardrobe from Dune. Initially crumpled & stuck to itself, great care was taken in mounting it to a customized form
Missing bits were rebuilt & each quilted panel was emptied of deteriorated foam, filled with a more stable material & reglued.
"Evil Ash" foam latex mask used in the film Army of Darkness. Half of the face was severely damaged & caved in.
In addition to repairing the deteriorated face, the client also asked us to create custom eyes to complete the piece.
Rebuilding was a challenge as the piece was extremely inflexible & permanently stuck on a styrofoam head.
BEFORE: Screen-used "Barbie" mask from Hellraiser III. Condition was very brittle and large sections had crumbled.
AFTER restoration: Large areas were rebuilt and the mask was permanently mounted to a foam head and sealed.
As always, care was taken not to make the repairs "too new" so that they'd blend in with this vintage prop
Painting of the restored areas was carefully matched to the existing colors and pearlescent look of the original work.
AFTER restoration: Face was rebuilt and many details had to be sculpted from scratch. Much of the neck is fresh material.
BEFORE: Landstrider from The Dark Crystal. Condition was very poor & fragile. Large sections missing or crumbling.
Foam latex Maniac Cop 3 mask, before & after restoration & the addition of a custom eye insert to enhance the final display
A "Scarran" foam latex mask from the Farscape TV Movie. Several areas were gouged & the mohawk had torn loose
The client requested a custom head form &glass eye insert to help display his mask on a mannequin w/the original wardrobe
A screen used "Deadite" from the film Army of Darkness before & after restoration of the face and "bib"
The restoration of the face: areas of exposed orange foam were rebuilt, paint matched & missing teeth recreated
BEFORE & AFTER rare latex head casting from Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein. Brought in for repair, finish & display
The client requested a finished piece. Thin spots & holes were repaired & the piece was painted & haired in a "vintage" style.
Be sure to see our FULL GALLERIES of Star Wars, Gremlins and American Werewolf restorations on the Movie Prop Restoration link in the top navigation bar!
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Website, products and photos © Tom Spina Designs, your source for custom sculpture, mannequins, statues, busts, theme props, home theater art furniture, foam latex mask restoration and movie props displays. Other photos used by permission. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are for reference purposes only.