Authentic Whip at Christies Auction with Ford Note

stuwil · Post by **stuwil** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:21 am

Does anyone know anything about the whip coming up at auction at Christies in NY?

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/Sear ... ID=4518588

They say it is from "Temple of Doom"

Stuart

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:28 am

I really wish they'd get someone at these auction houses to do more homework on their items....they've matched a Raiders 8x10 photo with a TofD whip that has supposed provinance TO that movie. They still just run all 3 movies together in their auctions.

Regards! Michaelson

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:29 am

That whip looks brand new. It says it was used in TOD, but I don't know; maybe they changed the fall and the popper.

Maybe it was used for very light duty. Anyway, it has a signed note from Harrison, so that is good enough for me.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:36 am

I agree. Though it certainly is the right kind of whip, and it looks like it is a DM -not that I am an expert.

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed May 25, 2005 1:53 pm

Sign it, stick it in the classified section and see what happens!

Regards! Michaelson

Feraud · Post by **Feraud** » Wed May 25, 2005 2:20 pm

Michaelson wrote:I really wish they'd get someone at these auction houses to do more homework on their items....they've matched a Raiders 8x10 photo with a TofD whip that has supposed provinance TO that movie. They still just run all 3 movies together in their auctions. Regards! Michaelson

This is near me and I will be going there to view it and take a couple of photos.
Michaelson, I agree and will speak to their promotions department.

Seriously!

Feraud · Post by **Feraud** » Wed May 25, 2005 2:27 pm

If I could afford(which I cannot) spending $12k on a prop, that could be it. The charity angle is a good one too.

Whipcrack · Post by **Whipcrack** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:34 am

While the whip shows very little use, its providence is without question. How many whips come with a note from Harry Ford himself attesting to its pedigree? From a source like Christies (not Pagey).....

Look at the length of the handle, its right on and a 10 footer to boot!!!!!!

What do you think of it Sergei?

I'll tell you if I was not writing college tuition checks right now I would be all over it from $8,000 to $12,000 and maybe even a little more.

I would prefer a Raiders or LC whip however, wiping away bugs is not the proper use of a whip. IMO spiders and rats are better.

Thanks for the intel Stuwil, it will be interesting to see what it goes for.
Bill Walton

Whipcrack · Post by **Whipcrack** » Thu May 26, 2005 11:31 am

Now I can't get this baby off my mind.......

If I knew I could get it for <$10k I would sell somthing and buy it. Or I could ask my wife for the money............. No I think I would sell somthing.

I can here my wife now............. "$10,000 for a whip????????? Are you crazy?" Kind of like Elsa in the Venice speed boats "Go between them????? Are you crazy?????????"

It is not a pleasant thought.

Bill

DavieM · Post by **DavieM** » Thu May 26, 2005 3:54 pm

Hi all
I'm new to the forum but have been "lurking" in the background for a little while now.
That is a great looking whip although I do tend to agree that it does look a little on the new side. Still, if I had $12k to play with then I might just consider it...

Dave

Whipcrack · Post by **Whipcrack** » Thu May 26, 2005 4:13 pm

Welcome DavieM, as my grandfather always said "we have champagne tastes and beer pocketbook”.

Bill

Shawnkara · Post by **Shawnkara** » Fri May 27, 2005 4:26 am

I really don't know if you could ever prove it was from ToD, even with Ford's letter. That letter is dated Jan. 28 of this year. Could he really remeber one particular whip AND exactly which movie it was used in? I don't doubt it's screen used, I'm sure Christie's extensively researches these things. But as Michaelson pointed out they don't seem to make too much distinction between the three films. It probably came from the archives and presented to Ford by a reputable person. He may have been told it was from ToD and had no reason to doubt that's when he used it. I know the color of the whips in ToD varied a lot more than in the other two films but it seems to have much more of the Raiders coloration. Most of the ToD whips were much darker.

JAN · Post by **JAN** » Fri May 27, 2005 5:15 am

I was wondering...

Would a prop like that be a good investment. I mean, would the
price go higher in, lets say, 5 years, or will the "Indy-hype" had
burned out to a degree that noone would pay that kind of money
for a prop?

All You Wall-Street-guys, chime in...

Best regards

JAN

DavieM · Post by **DavieM** » Fri May 27, 2005 7:04 am

You are right, I have just looked through some of the whip scenes in TOD and the whip in each case does look to be a darker color than in Riaders.
Dave

Whipcrack · Post by **Whipcrack** » Fri May 27, 2005 9:13 am

With anything this one of a kind I would only buy it for my own enjoyment, with no intent in treating it as an investment. The demand for items such as this is very unpredictable. It will be interesting to see what the whip sells for at Christies. I have seen lots sell for several times the high estimate and similar items at other times sell for far less. It depends on what bidders are there and their hunger for the item.

If I were inclined I would feel confident bidding on an Indiana Jones whip sold at Christies, with a note from Harrison Ford. Whips don’t have serial numbers and IMO one can second guess its use until the cows come home, a whips providence doesn’t get any more clear than that. Again IMO anyone who doubts this whip would have doubts with ALL such items. My Morgan 10 is a great deal darker than that whip too and for that matter so is Pagey’s. That doesn’t mean they were from TOD.

Thanks, and have a great Memorial Day.
Bill Walton

Indiana Texas-girl · Post by **Indiana Texas-girl** » Fri May 27, 2005 8:57 pm

Whipcrack wrote:While the whip shows very little use, its providence is without question. How many whips come with a note from Harry Ford himself attesting to its pedigree? From a source like Christies (not Pagey).....

How many letters could be faked? Or How many people could switch out the whip with a more receent one? I'm not saying anyone did that, just realizing it could happen because there are dishonest people out there. Although Christie's does has a good reputation, I'm curious on how far they go to verify the authenticity of the goods.

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Mon May 30, 2005 12:25 pm

Whipcrack wrote:Look at the length of the handle, its right on and a 10 footer to boot!!!!!!

I think it's actually 13 feet. (according to their dimentions)

The previous auction history is pretty interesting/creepy/sad. Sold Sep. 10, 2001 and never picked up.

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Mon May 30, 2005 1:12 pm

Ah, ok. Being it has about 4 loops when coiled that makes sense.

Feraud · Post by **Feraud** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:57 pm

The Christie's TOD whip auction was today. Unfortunately, I was too busy this week to attend the viewing but bought the auction catalog last week.

A clay grail cup was up at auction also. The estimated price is $5-7,000.00.

I hope these items went to a good home.

Feraud · Post by **Feraud** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:00 am

Lot# 234, the TOD whip was estimated at $8-12k.
The lot sold for $66,000.00!

There was a clay grail cup at auction too. That lot was withdrawn.

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:43 am

Wow! Quite a bit more than the estamated value.

Were there pictures of the Clay Grail?

Feraud · Post by **Feraud** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:05 am

I do not think there is a picture of the grail on the website.
The auction catalog has a picture of it. It is a clay grail supposedly used in the scene when Ford gives his dad a drink from the cup to heal his gunshot wound.
I guess that makes it a "hero" prop.

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:28 am

Do you have a scanner to scan it if it's a decently big picture? We can always use good hero prop refernce photos.

Feraud · Post by **Feraud** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:38 am

Good point. I do not have a scanner but know someone who does. I will get it scanned and posted.

Sakis · Post by **Sakis** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:57 am

Hey Pagey your bullwip is it a 10 or a an footer?

Whipcrack · Post by **Whipcrack** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:04 pm

Feraud wrote:Lot# 234, the TOD whip was estimated at $8-12k.
The lot sold for $66,000.00!

There was a clay grail cup at auction too. That lot was withdrawn.

To me it looks like at least two people there thought a great deal more of that whip than some of the people here. IMO it would take some heavy bidding to get to $66,000 as the estimate for it was $8,000 to 12,000.

Thanks
Bill Walton

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:39 pm

Pagey wrote:It's a 10ft and I've just done something to it which might be viewed as heresy!

What did you do, spray paint it lime green?

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 2:59 am

Did anyone notice this comment about that whip, on the Christie's site?

This lot was originally sold in a charity auction Icons And Legends on behalf of Friends In Deed. The sale was held at Christie's on 10th September, 2001 and owing to the turn of events the following day in New York City, the lot was never collected by the purchaser.

Chilling. The Ghost Whip.

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:41 am

IndyDoc wrote:The previous auction history is pretty interesting/creepy/sad. Sold Sep. 10, 2001 and never picked up.

Yeah.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:45 am

Hmm. Missed that. Sorry, Doc. - J

P.S. I swear I wasn't skimming this time.

bodhidiver · Post by **bodhidiver** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:52 am

what is the most any indy whip has ever sold for at auction? Is 66 grand the highest?

Did you guys ever definativly find out how long the whips in the films were? I thought the raiders whip was an eight footer.

Was it 8 footer used for cracking and the 10 footer as the 'hero' whip?

Mulceber · Post by **Mulceber** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:00 am

Every length was used. Depending on what the situation was and what type of crack they needed to pull off, they may have used a six footer, 8 footer, 12 footer, etc. I think 10 foot was the standard, as it looked the best hanging from his belt. :junior: -IJ

jdebord · Post by **jdebord** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:29 pm

If you read this report on my blog - Guernsey’s Auction: “The Pugliese Collection” - it looks like the whip discussed here in this topic might be the same one offered in this upcoming auction. I found on more details about the whip on the Pugliese Company website.

Jason

ANZAC_1915 · Post by **ANZAC_1915** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:48 pm

Notice it also mentions the Grail cup.