An Ugnaught Mask from the Empire Strikes Back - Missing areas have been recreated and painstakingly color matched to the aged coloring of the mask.
Vintage on-set photos serve as excellent reference for the restoration and preservation work.
A screen used mask from the Empire Strikes Back. The bridge of the nose had torn, and several large areas were missing.
BEFORE: Original mask used in both the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - in need desperate need of care
DURING: the restoration in progress, salvaging pieces and patching the missing areas
AFTER: The restored piece, carefully revived and partially repainted to a subtle mix of 1982 & 2005.
A hero Ugnaught, as seen in Empire Strikes Back. When sent to TSD, the mask was in fragile & misshapen condition.
Focus was stabilization rather than restoration. Preservation of shape was achieved with a customized display head
Fabric holds formerly loose pieces in place & creates the impression of a complete mask while maintaining integrity.
Another original ugnaught used in The Empire Strikes Back, before and after a dramatic restoration.
Condition was very dry and discolored, with chunks rotted away or crumbling from poor storage.
Restoration was extensive, yet kept as much of the original intact as possible
An original foam latex Yoda hand, prior to restoration. Overall condition was good, but several areas needed attention.
a BEFORE and AFTER look at the hand. Repairs were made to the finger, thumb tip and wrist.
Two more AFTER pics: Care was taken to blend the repairs to the aged texture and color tones of the surrounding areas.
Star Wars Movie Prop and Mask Restoration
SERVICES
We've also restored a variety of
pieces from many other films!
Gremlins and Gremlins 2
An American Werewolf
In London
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Dark Crystal
Labyrinth
Star Trek
and more!
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 had the great honor to restore and/or preserve a number of original movie props and masks from the original Star Wars trilogy.
Some of our favorites are presented in this gallery.
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.
The tear in the top of the head and loose neck fur were repaired. Great care was taken to make all of our work blend seamlessly with the original, aged material.
Missing sections of the nose and lips were rebuilt. Teeth and eyes were secured in their proper place. The ears were stabilized and carefully reassembled so our work was invisible.
Another original Ewok mask from Star Wars, Return of the Jedi with tears and in extremely fragile condition, especially the ears, which were crumbling badly on arrival
Please visit the links in the top menu bar for more original movie prop and costume restorations like these!
An original Tauntaun creature face used in Star Wars, the Empire Strikes Back. We've set up a dedicated gallery to this complex Star Wars movie prop restoration.
As always, we kept our work as subtle as possible and only retouched paint on the areas where we worked, leaving the prop mask as original as possible
An original ewok mask from Return of the Jedi, shown here before and during our restoration. Subtle repairs were made to the lips, nose and ears, as well as structural repair to the dental pieces
