Xena's costume photoshoot

Yesterday I was testing my new phone camera and I took a few photos of my Xena's costume display with natural light. The leather and copper combination looked awesome. 

Callisto's metal dagger

My lastest acquisition is a Callisto’s metal dagger replica from Todd Coyle. I never thought I was going to be able to find this dagger, but it happened. 

Probably is the rarest replica from this company, I have just seen a few of them in the last 15 years. I had several conversations with Todd in the last weeks and he confirmed that he made a mold of a resin casting from the show, the set used dagger he owned was rough, so he took time to clean up the sculpture and cast it in metal.

This one is numbered #87. There weren’t sold no more than 100/200 units. The dagger is made of solid aluminum and leather wrapped in the handle.

The dagger was sold originally with a leather sheath and a certificate of authenticity from Davis Merchandising Corp 2006©️. A very rare replica that completed my Callisto’s costume.

 

Xena & Gabrielle display

Last weekend I took a few photos of my favorite costumes of my collection. 

In the right side is Xena's costume: the armour is set used stunt double piece, made of moduled fiber glass and leather, except of the copper shoulderguards pieces replicas that are screen accurate and were forged by @xenawarriorreplicas. Xena's leathers are a screen accurate replica with a copper medallion forged by the New Zealand blacksmiths from the series and a set used chakram hook. The gauntlets and armbands are made of copper and are Creation Entertainment replicas. Kneeguards are set used and the pair of boots are my lastest acquisition used in the series too.

In the middle, Gabrielle's  Amazon Queen costume worn by Renée O'Connor in season 5 and 6. The costume includes an Amazon Queen necklace too, iconic! It includes the leather bra, skirt, undershorts, belt, necklace, a pair of leather gauntlets, a pair of armbands and the shoulder piece.

In the left side, Gabrielle's hero signature costume from season 6 worn by Renée O'Connor. The costume includes the velvet bra, skirt, undershorts, boots, sai straps and the leaf pedant necklace. The silver cuffs were bought from the same company that provided them to the series.

Behind the costumes are three shadow boxes with: Xena's original chakram, yin yang chakram and a Gabrielle's sais from Creation Entertainment.

Happy 29th Anniversary!

September 4, 1995. Last week was the anniversary from my favorite series ever. A series that changed my life, helped to create my identity and my way of living. 

The first season of the television series Xena: Warrior Princess commenced airing in the United States and Canada on September 4, 1995, concluded on July 29, 1996, and contained 24 episodes.

Happy 29th anniversary xenites, to my beloved warrior pricness from Amphipolis and her battling bard from Potedaia.

On the right side: Xena's hero metal sword, Xena's hero leather scabbard, Xena's hero resin chakram and Xena's stunt boot dagger prop. On the left side: Gabrielle's stunt resin sais, Gabrielle's leather purse and Gabrielle's Creation Ent staff prop replica with a woven set used fabric.

Morloch's sword

My last acquisition is this Morloch style resin sword prop used by Morloch’s men and by himself in the episode “Dangerous Prey” from season 6. 

It is not the first prop I have bought from this seller: Orbital Surplus is a company that is selling several Xena's props on eBay in the last few years. As I know, Global Effects Inc. company based in the USA had traded several Xena's props from New Zealand many years ago and they had been stored since then. Global Effects continues to supply props and costumes to the entertainment industry, but is doing some "house cleaning", so they have been selling some of their Xena's stored props from the folks at Orbital Surplus. 

In this case, the sword is made of solid resin with a metal rod inside to prevent for bending as an internal structure. The “triangle” detail in the cross guard identifies this sword from this specific episode as it was a symbol of Morloch’s men. 

I already have a stunt foam sword same style as this, clearly having both swords, I can compare them and check the differences between hero resin sword and a stunt foam one.

The solid resin hero swords were used by the main characters on screen as it is more detailed and robust than the stunt foam ones.

Cross guard close-up.

Screencaptures:

Tira's set used headpiece

A few weeks ago I received the Tira's headpiece that completes the Tira's costume I have purchased a few months ago. Tira was the Artemis Priesstess seen in the episode "Eternal Bonds" from season 5, played by Natalie Duggan.

This awesome headpiece is made of dark brown leather, copper pieces and rivets. Probably, it was attached to the actress's hair braids with hairpins, because it does not have any type of support inside.

 

I feel satisfaction after having the possibility of putting together two pieces that were separated after the series ended. In this case, the main costume pieces were acquired by a costume rental store in New Zealand and after I purchased it.

The headpiece was auctioned separately in the Turners Auction in 2001 after the show ended, and the owner sold it a few years ago in eBay to another collector, and ended in my hands a few weeks ago. 

As a curiosity, the Tira's hero copper bra was acquired by the company Shed 11 Costume House and sold in eBay about 10 years ago. Nowadays, I don't know where it is.

The headpiece has a metal charm attached  in the front of the headpiece.

Xena's hero props

 Here are 4 of my screen used favorites pieces used by Xena played by Lucy Lawless herself.

Xena´s hero scabbard is made of genuine cow leather over a moduled foam structure, it has three golden medallions with paua shells.

Xena's hero resin sword (circa season 2&3). This particulary sword was signed by Lucy Lawless in a Xena Con many years ago. The handle is wrapped in real black leather, and it has the 7 paua shells intact in their position. It has signs of wear and scratches in the blade as result of the fighting scenes.

Xena's trademark signature hero breastplate worn by Xena's stunt. It is made of moduled plastic, real leather and rivets. The inner part is covered of leather to avoid hurting the stunt doubles during the scenes.

Xena's hero resin chakram used during season 1 to 4. This chakram was made over a steel armature for reinforment. The chakram is in mint condition, however, the wear seen was occurred during the production of the series. It has 9 paua shells on each side in mint condition.