Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Gabrielle's Metal Katana -FIN



This may be my favorite prop weapon of all time. This is the metal katana used by Gabrielle in the series finale, Friend in Need. I also have a resin version, but this metal sword is a true testament to the amazing craftsmanship of the prop department. Check out the detail etched into the blade! Gab draws this sword for her closeup in the scene when she defends Xena from the Ghost Killer, who she thinks at that time is an enemy.

There has been some confusion over some of the militia swords sold after the show ended. Most of them went to the Turner sale, but Gab's did not. Gab's katana is very easily distinguishable from the Higuchi Militia katanas even though they had some blue on them. Gab's were all sold through IAW (online Yahoo auction), and all have the blue cloth tied to them. The other militia katanas are bluish for the Higuchi warriors, yellow for the bad guys :-). Gabrielle's sword accents were also a slightly different shade.

The IAW COA for this one states that it is Gabrielle's metal militia katana from the Final Episodes. Lovely (and functional) sword!




Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Varia/Livia Sword and Sheath




This is a wonderful, medium-weight resin prop sword with lovely detail on the hilt. This gold-handled sword was seen used by Livia and also by Varia in Path of Vengeance when it was revealed that Ares gave her the sword. The sheath is an Amazon-style sheath that Varia carries the sword in and can be clearly seen in many parts of the episode, especially near the end when she walks away after choosing not to kill Xena. Screencaps to follow.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Xena FIN Metal Higuchi Militia Katana





All I can say is...WOW. What a beautiful sword! This was obtained at the IAW online sale and is a metal version of the Higuchi militia katanas. The blade is not sharp but is very shiny and has a lovely intricate design etched into the blade. The sheath is separate and has its own detailed dragon-themed design. There is a slight blue tinge to the metal accents. This sword is exceptionally heavy. There were many different katanas used in FIN. The blue tinged versions were carried by the Higuchi Militia, of which Gabrielle was the leader after Xena went after Miromoto. Gab's sword is a Higuchi Militia sword but the propmasters used a blue cloth on her katana to distinguish it from the rest of the army's weapons. In some cases the blue cloth is glued on so as to not come off. If you have a sword without the blue cloth (only a handful were made), it is not a Gab sword but a Higuchi Militia sword. I have a resin version of Gabrielle's katana also in this section but it does not have the same detail as the metal versions. Check out Barbie's blog; she has Gab's metal katana from the IAW sale. The craftsmanship on them both is simply stunning.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

FIN Red and Black Stunt Katanas




Stunt katanas from the series finale, Friend in Need. These are sooooo cool...hard to describe just how great they look in person! Each one is made of a heavy resin material with leather wrapped handles. The end where the blade would be is "sealed," so these were most likely used in the sheaths and were not designed to be removed. Great craftsmanship!Since the ends are deliberately “sealed,” we suspect they were not meant to be drawn or wielded. It is possible that they were used by the drum beaters right before Xena is first attacked by Yodoshi’s army arrows coming at her but it is not definite that this is where they were used. They do look to be the same style and size but this is merely a guess.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Xena's Cut-Off Sword!




Here is a lovely and treasured item! This is a broken (cut-off) version of Xena's signature sword, originally purchased from the IAW online Yahoo sales back in 2001. The COA from IAW states this sword to be "Xena's Longer Broken Sword." There were a few episodes in which Xena's sword was broken, and I'm not sure exactly which one this particular sword was used in. It is made of a very hard resin and is fairly heavy for only being a partial sword. The paua shells and details are all intact. Gorgeous prop!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Xena "The Way" Special Effects (FX) Dagger




A rare FX prop, as most of them can be dubbed. I love finding the special effects items! We believe this is the dagger used in the Way when Xena (as Kali) gets it "pushed" through her hand. This was obtained in NZ from a friend who got it directly from a crew member. It is made of hard resin and the FX part is metal. Sweet!

Queen Varia Spear






This is such a lovely and well-detailed prop that I know my photos cannot do it justice! This is the spear (or one of them) carried by Queen Varia as she addresses the Amazon council in Path of Vengeance. There were usually more than one of a prop made in case of breakage, which is why one-off props are so rare. This prop is made of polished wood and heavy resin, with a lovely resin "jewel" in the spearhead and wooden beads as accents. Truly one of the crowning pieces in my collection! This spear is broken in the center and the very end of the spear is missing. I was told it was thrown out by the crew member who owned it because they thought nobody would want to save the broken end! We believe this is the spear that was broken by Gabrielle (over her knee) in her challenge to Varia as the onscreen scene shows it broken in the same exact place. If so, then the fact that it is broken only adds to its "value" in the eyes of this collector. Enjoy!