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Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 3rd, 2020, 11:00 am
by ghostfan003
A bit of Hollywood, and Ghostbusters, history will soon close its doors.

Modern Props will be closing its doors after 42 years in the industry. As some of you know, the PKE Meter was a rented item from Modern Props and is seen in a few more movies than GB1 and GB2. Modern Props was a tour de force in the industry, supplying mostly in the sci-fi genre:

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-a ... -its-doors

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 8th, 2020, 1:10 pm
by Peter Venkman Jr.
Sorry to hear that their closing their business for good. 42 years is a good run for a prop company, I would imagine.

I wonder if this means that the PKE Meter will show up at an auction in the near future. From my time here on the message boards, I have seen quite a few Ghostbusters related props and costumes come up for auction. I

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 8th, 2020, 1:31 pm
by Kingpin
Peter Venkman Jr. wrote: January 8th, 2020, 1:10 pmI wonder if this means that the PKE Meter will show up at an auction in the near future. From my time here on the message boards, I have seen quite a few Ghostbusters related props and costumes come up for auction. I
It depends on how many props of the device we know as the P.K.E. Meter props were made. One's currently on the registry of stolen art after it went missing a number of years back.

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 9th, 2020, 11:01 am
by Peter Venkman Jr.
@Kingpin, Thanks for reminding me I had totally forgotten about the PKE Meter having been stolen a while back.
Still I would think that like most movie props, they would had a backup for filming on both Ghostbusters movies.

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 9th, 2020, 8:48 pm
by ghostfan003
Kingpin wrote:
Peter Venkman Jr. wrote: January 8th, 2020, 1:10 pmI wonder if this means that the PKE Meter will show up at an auction in the near future. From my time here on the message boards, I have seen quite a few Ghostbusters related props and costumes come up for auction. I
It depends on how many props of the device we know as the P.K.E. Meter props were made. One's currently on the registry of stolen art after it went missing a number of years back.
I'm shocked to barely hear about the PKE theft. I thought I read about the PKE being in the possession of the builder until his death and it was eventually sold and went in the hands of a private collector. Am I crazy?

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 10th, 2020, 1:24 am
by Kingpin
I honestly can't recall whether I heard something to that effect or not, so much of our knowledge about these props is second-hand or anecdotal, and not kept in one central, easily-researchable location.

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 10th, 2020, 1:03 pm
by d_osborn
There are people more in the know on this than I am, but from what I understand, there were two PKEs originally built. One was stolen, the other was sold to a private collector. That private collector also has a/the Giga.

MP was also the source for the tripod traps and (?) the thing Venkman carries in the GB2 montage. The name escapes me. Both are also in private collections.

Another fun factoid-- Cyland Props (or whatever he goes by now) was busted renting the remaining GB inventory for replica research from MP under the guise of a "film production". Tsk, tsk!

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: January 11th, 2020, 1:26 am
by Kingpin
d_osborn wrote: January 10th, 2020, 1:03 pmAnother fun factoid-- Cyland Props (or whatever he goes by now) was busted renting the remaining GB inventory for replica research from MP under the guise of a "film production". Tsk, tsk!
Shocked. I am absolutely shocked. :eyeroll:

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: February 2nd, 2020, 4:41 am
by ghostfan003
d_osborn wrote:There are people more in the know on this than I am, but from what I understand, there were two PKEs originally built. One was stolen, the other was sold to a private collector. That private collector also has a/the Giga.

MP was also the source for the tripod traps and (?) the thing Venkman carries in the GB2 montage. The name escapes me. Both are also in private collections.

Another fun factoid-- Cyland Props (or whatever he goes by now) was busted renting the remaining GB inventory for replica research from MP under the guise of a "film production". Tsk, tsk!
Whoa! Tell me more of Cyland’s misadventures! Lol

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: February 2nd, 2020, 2:59 pm
by Kingpin
ghostfan003 wrote: February 2nd, 2020, 4:41 amWhoa! Tell me more of Cyland’s misadventures! Lol
There isn't a huge amount to tell. There was the odd occasion he would brag about the inside knowledge he claimed to have about some of the props used in the movies, but would never provide proof to back up what he said.

He had video (and I believe photos) of the P.K.E. Meter prop which he kept to himself (while it was his right, it was against the grain of the community spirit), and he threw a massive tantrum when we wouldn't use his name for the Tripod Traps.

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: February 2nd, 2020, 8:51 pm
by Demon Vice Commander
Kingpin wrote: February 2nd, 2020, 2:59 pm...and he threw a massive tantrum when we wouldn't use his name for the Tripod Traps.
You mean the Psychic Disturbance Neutralizers... ;)

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: February 12th, 2020, 1:10 pm
by Lowberg
I know this is getting a little off topic, but one of the PKE's is owned (In 2016 anyways) by collector Dan Lanigan.
He is also the one who purchased the Spengler pack from Profiles in history.

One day I was watching an Adam Savage video with him on Blade Runner props where I saw a shot of the spengler pack in his collection:
(1:20 Mark in this video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITiJkdL5QEQ

I then found this guy's website, which on this page has a photo of the Spengler pack as well as one of the PKEs he owns.
http://raiderofthelostprops.com/contact/

Image
Image

Re: Modern Props Will Close for Good

Posted: February 12th, 2020, 3:12 pm
by Kingpin
Lowberg wrote: February 12th, 2020, 1:10 pm I know this is getting a little off topic, but one of the PKE's is owned (In 2016 anyways) by collector Dan Lanigan.
He is also the one who purchased the Spengler pack from Profiles in history.
I'm not going to complain about new reference material. :)