Pao Ssu costume

Another addition to my collection is this beautiful costume worn by Pao Ssu played by Marie Matiko in “Purity” from season 5.

 

Pao Ssu character was Lao Ma’s evil daughter and sister of Ming T'ien and twin sister of Kao H'sin. She tried to utilize her mother's powers to take control of Chin.

 

Pao Ssu costume is almost a complete wardrobe, only missing her shoes, includes: red fabric corset, pants, intertwined leather strips shorts, gauntlets and leg pads. It comes with It’s a Wrap! COA. Particulary this costume has written inside the corset the name of the actress, probably the stunt double costume was cut off to make the Rittenhouse costume cards.

The fabric corset is my favorite piece. The fabric is a red floral silk with oriental details in it, the corset boning helps to helps maintain its rigidity and look streamlined. It is interesting that the corset has attached interlaced leather armbands with a metal armband at the end.

 

The corset lacing was a funny nightmare, the costume is really small, definitely Marie Matiko is a tiny girl.

The gauntlets, knee guards and underpants are made of interlaced golden leather and rivets. Pants are made embroidered mesh black fabric.

It's a Wrap! Certificate of Authenticity.

Photos for reference:

Xena's costume components

A recent addition to my collection are these screen-used Xena’s costume components that includes a pair of metal zig-zag hammered copper shoulder guards pieces and a leather skirt petals strap, the strap leather petals have specific rivets that were used for Xena’s leathers.

These elements came with a PropStore certificate of authenticity, the seller sold one of the leather strap before so the lot is incomplete.

Zig-zag copper metal shoulder piece

Leather petals strap close-up.

Hades costume

 Here is recent addition to my collection, Hades’s costume worn by Stephen Lovatt on the episode “Looking Death in the eye” from season 5. 

This costume includes a red velvet long sleeves robe, studded gloves, metal necklace, metal crown, studded boots and an original written tag of the character costume pieces.

Hades character changed his robe during season 5. However the crown, metal necklace, boots and gloves were worn in all his appearances.

This costume was sold on April 2021 on eBay. A few weeks before this costume and others arrived to the seller from the trading card company that made the card sets for this show, they were sent these direct from the shows to cut up and use for trading cards, but these never got cut up. Sadly, I guess the black leather top and trousers were cut up for trading cards.

Last photo is from the It’s A Wrap! Auction held in 2001 via Yahoo auction, the second biggest official Xena internet-based public sale focused on Xena props, costumes and memorabilia.

 

Gloves and boots.

Here is a photo of Hades costume and accesories from It's A Wrap! Auction.

Photos for reference:

Varia's stunt double costume

 Probably one of my favorite costume of the whole series. I recently got the chance to acquire a complete Varia’s costume worn by Varia’s stunt double and body double actresses. 

Do you know that Tsianina Joelson did an audition for Brunhilda character and she didn’t get the role, but the Xena’s series directive liked her so much and decided to write an specific character for her that appeared in about 4 episodes, instead of Brunhilda that was only seen in one. 

Varia’s character finally appeared in the episode “Coming home”, “Dangerous prey”, “Path of vegeance” and “To Helicon and back” from season 6.

The costume includes a leather beaded top tagged as body double, amazing leather belt, two leather skirts (one stunt double and the other stunt double harness one), two leather undershorts, 2 pairs of deer skin gauntlets, bone spike armband, leg beaded band, deer skin shoulder piece, deer skin boot toppers, head band and a incredible Amazon queen shell necklace.

  

 

Amazon queen necklace close-up.

 

Varia's costume version without shoulder piece.

 

Two different suede skirts.

I already have some Varia’s costume set used pieces like the top, skirt or stunt double boots, so I can definitely complete my Varia’s costume and I almost have a second incomplete one. 

Undershorts and back part.

  

I guess that not more than 4 Varia’s costumes were made, the other 2 are the one worn by Tsianina Joelson herself and the one worn by Lucy Lawless, both are in known private collections.

Belt details and boots with boot toppers.

Varia's stunt double hanger named Sheree and Varia's Flashback double hanger.

The lot also includes an original tag with all the costume components.

Photos for reference: