Gabrielle's chinese costume

Here a special entry about my last discovery. Gabrielle’s Chinese costume worn by Gabrielle played by Reneé O’Connor in the episodes “Purity” and “Back in the bottle” from season 5.

The costume includes a traditional Qipao dress tunic, wide leg pants and a pair of wrist gauntlets. The costume is very detailed and it is in same condition that left the set. The green fabric has a beautiful intricate lush brocade with floral motifs and black fabric brocade combines the floral theme with dragons and birds, it has a red braid trim all around. The wrist gauntlets were made with the same black fabric.

This costume was auctioned after the series ended in the “It’s a Wrap” auction in 2001. I found the original photograph of this specific wardrobe from the auction.

 

 The costume includes the original label of the costume elements and the It’s a Wrap! COA.

It's a Wrap! auction original photo published. I was able to screen match this costume with the one shown in the photo and I can confirm that is the same costume. 

Photos for reference:

Gabrielle's season 6 costume

Finally I got the chance to take some new photos on my Gabrielle’s season 6 hero costume worn by Renée O’Connor in season 6. 

The costume includes mostly set used pieces: red velvet top, red velvet skirt, orange undershorts, boots, sai straps and necklace. The silver cuffs were purchased from the same company that provided the ones seen in the series. The belt is made of dark brown leather and silver screen matched buckles.

The sai in the mannequin hand is a electroplated prop version and the ones in the boots are foam stunt sais.

 The first appearance of this wardrobe was in “Heart of darkness” and the last one was in “A friend in need part I”

Gabrielle's costume & sai hero prop.

 

 Gabrielle's sai close-up.

Other close-ups.

Gabrielle's silver metal cuffs.

  

Back & boots with sai straps and foam sais.

Gabrielle's hero sai

A recent addition to my collection: Gabrielle’s screen-used sai used by Gabrielle played by Renée O’Connor during season 5 & 6. Probably one of the rarest props I have ever seen.

Front and back

This sai is an electroplated hero version made of hard resin with a metal rod inside as an armature reinforcement. 

The shinny surface is electroplated, a chemical process of plating is used for many years to deposit a metallic coating to a surface to have a light-weight weapon with a metallic shine for close-ups scenes. Just the hero version of the sai can be seen the distressed marks on the blade clearly.

It is pretty interesting to compare the differences bewteen my Gabrielle's stunt sais made of soft foam for fighting scenes to prevent foand the detailed prop. The sai comes with COA from It’s A Wrap! auction in 2001.

Photos for reference:

Gabrielle's staff fabric

“Uh. How much for this piece of scrap?”. 

“That finely-woven Egyptian prayer scarf is five dinars…”. - Gabrielle (Blind Faith, season 2).

Today’s arrival is this woven fabric used for Gabrielle’s staff middle section intertwined with rope. Gabrielle’s first weapon was a battle staff after meeting the amazons that she carried during the Xena’s golden years, circa seasons 2-4.

This piece of fabric is very recognizable, it appeared on the episode “Blind Faith” from season 2 at the beginning on the market sequence and it was also seen on Gabrielle’s battle staff. It is woven, not like the Creation Entertainment staff replica that have a crude printed paper replica glued on. 

I decided to replace the printed fabric piece of my Creation staff for a piece of the woven fabric I adquired recently. I didn't want to alter the staff but obviously that fabric must be there.

Gabrielle´s staff replica distributed by Creation Entertainment with the woven fabric.