Deckard Wallet Update

Click here for the project outline.
Click here for the display system page.

UPDATES

9/2/2011

The Deckard Wallet Project is once again available to the public. This time, however, no nondisclosure agreement is required. Only 10 complete units will be made and sold to close out the run. The price is $1150 per complete shipped set.

9/27/2006

Due to increased interest, the project has been extended to a possible 75 units.

2/4/2006

The wallet set will be limited to a run of 50 units.

Everything can be purchased at once for $1140, or on an installment plan during which clients can purchase each component one at a time.

4/2/2005

The display system is shipping. Several have already gone out. Those who purchased all of the components are being contacted once their box is ready to go out.

Items in the premium set have been revised. Here's what's now included:

1. Shadow box display

2. Display plaque

3. Component placement/'beauty' photo of original prop set

4. Display setup instruction sheet

5. Special gift

6. Padding and red satin material for shadow box

7. Complete Deckard wallet set COA

8. Shipping box and packing material

3/2/2005

All of the creation work is finished. We're now preparing individual units for shipping:

1. Shadow box display

2. Display plaque

3. Component placement/'beauty' photo of original prop set (this will be combined into one)

4. Special gift

5. Shipping box and packing material

6. Padding and red satin material for shadow box

7. Complete Deckard wallet set COA

Here are photos of the finished display:

1/24/2005

Here's the latest list of completed items in the premium list:

1. Shadow box display

2. Display plaque

3. Component placement/'beauty' photo of original prop set (this will be combined into one)

4. Special gift

5. Shipping box and packing material

Remaining to be completed:

1. Padding and felt material for shadow box

2. Complete Deckard wallet set COA

Tentatively, we plan to make available the finished premium package in the second half of February.

11/10/2004

These tasks have been completed:

1. The plaques have been received.

2. Over 20 "special gift" units have been completed.

3. The premium shipping boxes have been received.

Here are photos of the display frames in their shipping boxes; plus a few images of the frames in various stages of preparation; and a sneak peek at the display plaque:

These tasks remain:

1. Finish the "complete set" COA.

2. Finish the location diagram for the components within the wallet.

3. Purchase the backing material for the foam filler in the display. Unless customers tell us otherwise, we intend to employ a red felt or velvet as for the backing.

4. Output final photos of the original complete wallet set to glossy paper.

9/10/2004

1. The shadowbox display frames have been ordered and received from the supplier.

2. The display plaques have been ordered. We are currently waiting to hear word of their completion.

3. A template needed to complete the "surprise gift" has been finished. We will begin assembling the gift over the coming days.

4. Photos have been taken and edited of the complete wallet set. The best photo will be output from a color LaserJet onto glossy paper, and included with the other premiums.

5. Boxes have been sourced for the shipping of the display system and all of the premiums. These will be ordered next week.

7/7/2004

The Vid-Phon cards are finally done and ready.

Additionally, we have opened a wholesale account with the company that manufactures the shadow box frame that will make up the display premium. This item will be ordered shortly.

Sometime next week, the plaque artwork will go to the artisan who will be making them.

In parallel, a special shipping box and packing material will be purchased to make sure that the display system can be confidently shipped worldwide without fear of damage. Domestic and international shipping rates will also be assessed.

Furthermore, a "beauty photo" of the entire original wallet set will be taken over the coming weeks, a new "complete set" COA is currently in development, and a display placement diagram is being created.

Finally, the "special gift" is also currently under preparation.

5/28/2004

The Vid-Phon graphic proofs were approved yesterday. The output looks superb.

Also, it has been decided that the snake scale will not be included in the set. Therefore, the Vid-Phon card will represent the last part of the wallet.

4/27/2004

Well, the project continues, and the end is almost in sight, or is it...

My sponsor recently acquired the snake scale and plastic bag used in the production of the film. Although I have yet to inspect the prop, and evaluate it for reproduction, we are seriously considering including it in the project. Please respond to this email with your feelings on the matter, and we will take action based on your input.

The Vid-Phon card graphics have been completed, and the special foil tape to be applied on the rear of the prop has arrived. The printer will be contacted sometime this week. As soon as the Vid-Phon cards are ready, the standard notification email will be sent.

Within the next few weeks, we will contact the plaque maker and commission the work to be done. For those who have missed the plaque design, it can be seen here (or below):

http://www.steinschneider.com/bladerunner/deckard_wallet/wallet_plaque_01.jpg

Tentatively, the display case will be comprised of a shadow box. All of the wallet components will fit in this unit, and will be held in place with a foam backing covered with dark red velvet. Although we will suggest a display layout, the final arrangement will be left up to the discretion of the client.

Here is our current take on distribution of the components in the display:

Click on the image above to see a larger version.

Although progress has been slow at times, we hope you agree that the results so far have been well worth the wait.

1/27/2004

A fellow client brought up an interesting question: What is going on with the Vid-Phon card? It wasn’t mentioned in the last update email.

Well, here’s the answer: My sponsor has indeed acquired the original Vid-Phon card for $7000. In fact, I have it with me right now. The prop has been scanned and the graphics work will begin shortly. Although very similar to the other copies currently available, our replica will feature the following advantages:

1. Like the Deckard apartment card, our reproduction will flawlessly reproduce the look and feel of the original prop. Without access to the real piece, no one could guess how to duplicate the surface texture, colors, and other subtle details.

2. The thickness of our reproduction will be exactly like the original. No one knows the correct dimension.

3. The rear details on our copy will be exactly like the screen-used prop. Very few people have ever seen the rear of the prop before.

In other words, the reproduction we submit to clients of the Deckard wallet project will be the most authentic recreation ever offered. We’re certain everyone will be pleased.

The Vid-Phon card will be the final offering in the wallet set. The asking price will be in the range of $125-$175.

1/25/2004

We apologize for the long silence, but the project moves forward even when you do not hear from us. Here are the latest developments:

1. Nearly 20 Deckard picture badges have been assembled.

As mentioned before, they are made of cold-cast brass that has been hand-polished employing steel wool and jeweler’s rouge. The finished badge looks well polished, but aged--exactly like the original. In fact, my sponsor thinks the badge reproduction looks better than the original.

The Deckard photo, which has been printed on a special acid-free and indestructible sort of ph-balanced plastic paper, is cut to shape and placed in the badge’s photo recess. A custom-made laser-cut acrylic lens is then fitted and hand-pressed over the photo.

Finally, Renaissance microcrystalline wax is applied over the badge, which is then polished one last time. This wax is the same material used by museums worldwide to preserve their artifacts. The wax resists moisture, fingerprints, and anything else that might oxidize the brass badge. If and when needed, the badge should be polished with a soft cloth. In the future, if more wax needs to be applied, it can be purchased here:

http://amos.catalogcity.com/cc.class/cc?main=catalog&pcd=5908426&prd=8441218&ccsyn=22

The overall result is an amazing little prop.

2. Once the first wave of badges is complete, they’ll be permanently affixed inside the wallet--exactly like the original.

3. The tentative delivery announcement date will be sometime next week--probably around the 31st of January.

4. Tentatively, the price of the prop will be $300 (shipped). Of all the props we’ve made so far, this has been the most complex, expensive, and time-consuming.

12/4/2003

I apologize for the long delay in providing updates on the Deckard wallet. Nevertheless, things have been progressing nicely as we reach the end of the project. Here's where we stand in regards to the wallet and badge:

1. 50 of the 100-unit run of badges have been produced in cold-cast brass. The raw casting is first polished with steel wool, and then fine polished with a jeweler's rouge applied on a Dremel tool buffing wheel. The polished badge looks identical to the original--and even a little better (if I say so myself). It holds its shine very well.

2. A special type of non-tear, acid-free, archival paper has just been delivered, which will be used to output the Deckard photo. The image will be mounted in the center of the wallet badge.

3. I am currently debating whether to press fit a laser-cut acrylic lens on top of the Deckard photo, or pour UV-stable clear resin into the badge cavity and cure it under pressure. I've located a source for the acrylic lens, and will send him a frame sample to work with by this weekend.

On the other hand, I will pour and cure a test piece using the clear resin method. Since I'm violently allergic to the Smooth-On Crystal Clear plastic, I've been resisting this option. Now that my source for the laser-cut plastic has returned from a trip, I'm focusing on that approach.

By this weekend or the next, a decision on the final lens production method will be reached.

Additionally, there are several new developments currently taking place: First, the sponsor of the project will very likely be purchasing the wallet from the original owner, which will provide me even better ongoing access to the screen-used props. This will give me a chance to properly photograph the entire original set, and provide this image as one of the premiums to those who are buying all of the components.

Second, unbeknownst to everyone, the Vid-Phon card was on the verge of being dropped from the project, as the cost of acquiring the piece from a second collector was prohibitive ($7000). Now, however, it appears likely that the Vid-Phon prop will also be acquired by my sponsor, and reunited with the wallet for the first time in over 20 years.

The display system is still in development, but I'm leaning towards a Riker case (a glass-framed, hinged top box with side closures), which will allow the prop to be shown in its component parts. The display plaque will be positioned at the lower right-hand corner, sandwiched between the glass and velvet-covered foam padding.

Tentatively, the first set of wallet and badges should be available for delivery at the end of the month. Since I'm not certain of the final costs yet, I’m guessing the price of the set will run between $250 and $300.

Finally, thank you very much for your patience. Although this has been a time-consuming project, the results have hopefully met or exceeded everyone's expectations.

10/16/2003

The photos and banknotes have been completed. An announcement will be sent to all clients later this evening.

Here is the COA for the photo and money component:

Various display cases have been procured. They are being configured and tested to see which provides the nicest appearance.

A display plaque has finally been designed. It will be submitted for production very shortly:

9/28/2003

The 10 photos included in the next component set have been output. The next step is the trimming of each image and assembling the photo groups.

Each original image from the screen-used prop was scanned at ultra-high resolution (1200 dpi), and then brought into Photoshop 7.0 for artifact cleaning. Additionally, due to the yellowing of the photographic paper over time, the images were “re-colored” to approximate their original condition. Some of the photos are black and white, others are sepia-toned, and one is color.

The final images were output on glossy 50 lb. stock (glossy on one side) to approximate the look-and-feel of the originals. Overall, the output is virtually identical to the screen-used photographs.

Although the money remains to be printed, all of the rendering work has been completed. The hardest component of the Chinese money was the recreation of the special stamps applied on each note. Additionally, one of the notes has handwritten Chinese characters on it (which will be recreated on the reproduction).

Each banknote is unique, with markings that differentiate one from the others. All of the subtle details of the originals are being transferred to the reproductions. Hence, the delay in completing this phase of the wallet project.

Here are the elements that will be included with the next set (Deckard Photos & Money):

10 small photographs (various sizes and orientations)
3 1-denomination banknotes
4 5-denomination banknotes
1 COA

The tentative release date is later this week or early the next.

8/15/2003

The Deckard apartment card is shipping. Everyone who has turned in an NDA should have received a notification email by now.

8/2/2003

For those who have already received the Deckard credit card, it has recently come to light that a message is embedded in the numeric values of the credit card numbers. Ridley Scott specifically asked for the code to be put there. The message is somewhat misleading, so don't be confused by the misdirection, as the message is definitely there. This is not something I conjured up. The coded message was placed there by Ridley himself.

And to those who haven't purchased the credit card yet: What are you waiting for?

The first person to send me the solution to the Deckard credit card code will receive 10% off the apartment card, whose availability will be announced on or around August 11.

Happy decoding to the lucky owners of the Deckard credit card.

7/6/2003

Here's a teaser shot of the wallet:

Only a few more Deckard credit cards to prepare. An ordering email for the credit card will go out tomorrow night.

7/2/2003

The project continues to move along. In the next couple of days, the Deckard credit card will be ready to ship. A COA has already been created for this second installment of the wallet set.

Also:

1. The Deckard badge molds have been completed. The final badge will be made of cold-cast brass that has been burnished to a dull sheen (it will look identical to the original). A sepia-tone photo of Deckard will be set in the center with a pressure fit piece of laser-cut acrylic on top.

2. Work will begin on the apartment cards as soon as first batch of credit cards have been completed. Fifty apartment base cards have already been cast. At this point, the castings need to be cleaned up and polished, the overlay applied, holes punched in the appropriate places, and metal foil applied in the correct places on the back of the prop. A COA needs to be authored, but will be easy to create.

3. We promise to provide teaser photos of the wallet by this weekend. Last week got too busy.

6/10/2003

1. 16 Deckard IDs have been shipped.

2. The credit cards are being prepared and will be made available by the second part of this month.

3. I have been given permission to post teaser photos of the wallet. These will be added to this thread sometime late next week.

5/26/2003

The first 7 Deckard IDs have shipped.

5/22/2003

Ordering instructions for the Deckard ID are going out tonight.

5/6/2003

1. The Deckard IDs have come back from the printer. Of course, the process was not without its stops and starts. Nevertheless, the IDs have arrived and have all been combined (the overlay has been applied to the black wedged plastic base card). The foil accents are now being manually added to the back of the cards. Each card takes about 10-20 minutes to complete.

The first production card was completed yesterday. The ID looks stunning, even if I say so myself.

2. A COA is being prepared which will be delivered with each wallet component. The document will state that the reproduction was recreated using the original screen-used prop and is a certain number out of one hundred units produced.

For those who would like to receive components with matching COAs, a database will be maintained so that matching numbered COAs can be issued as the components become available and are purchased.

3. The proofs for the apartment and credit card have been sent by the printers. They should arrive today or tomorrow. Hopefully, final approval will come soon afterwards, and the run of those components will commence.

4. Subsequently, the components will likely be released at a rate of about one per month.

5. Because of the complexity of the apartment card, it will fall into third place on the release list. The credit card will become the second item released. Tentatively, the credit card will be available for $125-$150.

6. Those who purchase the entire wallet contents will now not only receive a free plaque, stand, and display case, but a very unique surprise gift that was produced during the development of the Deckard ID...No, I'm not telling.

5/5/2003

The Deckard IDs are in. The final foil accents are being applied this week. Shipments should begin by the end of this week or sometime the next.

More details on the other wallet components will be posted later today. A formal update email will also go out to everyone on the project list in the next day or two.

If you've received an NDA and haven't sent it back, please do so as soon as possible.

4/17/2003

1. Cumulatively, about $21,000 has been spent on this project so far. With the purchase of the Vid-Phon card for $8,000; $4,000 in printing costs; and $10,000 upfront money paid to the original owner of the wallet due to the extra time it has taken to get the prop to market, my partner and I now have a major investment in this project.

2. The Deckard ID is expected back from the printers this week or next.

3. The credit card and apartment card graphics have been sent to the printers. We're currently waiting for proofs.

4. An apartment card prototype has been created, which looks amazingly good.

5. 50 apartment card base cards have been cast.

6. We are aggressively sourcing 1" flat round lenses to be used in the police badge picture window. Plastic watch crystals are being looked at and might be sufficient, but a thick flat lens would be ideal. Email me at phil@steinschneider.com if you have any ideas.

7. Output of the wallet photos will begin this weekend.

8. Brushed aluminum foil has been purchased for use on the back of the ID, apartment, and credit cards. Bright gold foil has been purchased for use on the back of the Vid-Phon card.

4/1/2003

1. My wallet contact has acquired the original, screen-used Vid-Phon card, which will be offered as part of the wallet set. Although the copies currently on the market are excellent, no one has the back right. Our reproduction will be exactly like the original. The estimated cost of this card will be about $100-$150. This will make the wallet set complete.

The wallet and Vid-Phon card have been apart for the last 20 years. My wallet contact spent $8000 to get this original piece. That brings the total investment in the original wallet to $48,000!

2. The Deckard ID will be finished in the next week or so. As soon as it's available for shipping, everyone will be notified. The price remains at $300. This was a very expensive reproduction to have made. Exactly 100 units are being produced.

3. The apartment card graphics have been completed and will be submitted to the printers this week. Three apartment card molds have been created and we output about three to six base units a day in preparation for the adhesive graphics.

4. The credit card graphics have been completed and will be submitted to the printers this week.

5. The Chinese money has been reproduced on a test basis and looks amazing. Although real money is printed on 20 lb. paper with a content of 75% cotton and 25% linen from Crane & Co., our money will be printed on thesis paper from Southworth that is 100% cotton and acid free. Nevertheless, the Chinese notes are just like the originals and feel like real currency.

6. The Deckard ID badge has been end-milled in the center and is ready to be fitted with Deckard’s photo and a clear one-inch lens. The lens is currently being sourced. We are also looking for a source to reproduce the Deckard badge in gold-plated metal.

7. The photographs that are included with the wallet have been scanned in ultra-high resolution. We are sourcing the best place to have them output.

3/2/2003

The wallet ID badge has been molded and the first test-casting pulled. The piece is quite interesting. We are currently debating the merits of casting the badge in metal and having it gold plated. The original appears to be gold-plated metal with a coat of gold paint and black wash applied over it.

The logistics of the Deckard ID have been resolved with the printer. Payment for the run will be made early next week. Exactly 100 IDs will be produced. The card should be ready in a few weeks, so get your checkbooks ready.

The apartment card graphics are moving towards completion. The base card has been molded, and one master produced. The new master needs to be molded and a slower curing resin procured in order to minimize any shrinkage. A black-tinted resin will be used on the base section of the apartment card, which perfectly matches the original.

I'll begin designing the display plaque this week.

Display cases are being sourced. I'm looking into the idea of using an acrylic box with a hardwood base and easel stand as the display system.

The project description below has been slightly modified.

2/22/2003

I saw the wallet with everything inside it together. Here's a rough description:

1. Black leather (not suede) tri-fold wallet with flip-out ID holder on left, oval badge holder section in the center, and vertical card holders on the right.

2. The right side card holder section of the wallet also contains a vertical pocket to the rear which holds several photos (7 I believe). The pictures appear to be from the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 60s (of the 20th century). The pictures are of a couple, a woman, children, and a graduation ceremony.

3. The left side card holder section contains the apartment key and a MasterCard-like credit card.

4. The wallet's money-holding pocket contains 7 (I think) Chinese bank notes in two denominations and sizes. One of the larger notes has some Chinese characters scribbled on it that apparently reads, "For a good time call..."

5. The Deckard ID is under the clear window on the left side section of the wallet. The ID is quite a bit smaller than the window.

6. The badge is glued into the center section of the wallet. It is a gold irregularly-shaped oval badge with a photo of Deckard in the center. The photo is the same one used on the ID.

Thought a few folks might be interested...

I now have the wallet and the badge (only). The badge will be molded over the coming days.

We reviewed the work that's been done on the apartment card and finalized the approach will be taken on the reproduction. The reproduction job done so far is superb (even if I say so myself).

I saw the reproduction wallets that have been purchased. The reproduction is PERFECT! It's EXACTLY like the original--only newer-looking, of course.

2/15/2003

After a refreshing two week vacation in Brazil, I'm back to work on this project. The following has been completed:

50 wallets have been made for us. They are perfect reproductions of the original, made for us by the company that purchased the dies from the company that made the wallet used in the film.

While traveling, I recreated the Deckard apartment card graphics. The work is about 90% completed.

A cleaned up casting of the molded original apartment card is almost ready to be molded multiple times. Since I'll be casting the card myself, I decided that a gang-mold process would speed up production.

Early next week we'll finalize the details of the Deckard ID production run.

1/23/2003

The Deckard apartment key has been molded. As soon as the resin and black tints arrive from Smooth-On, I'll do the first test pour.

I can't express my apprehension and fear at the moment I pulled the card out of the silicone. If the rubber had caused any damage, I would suddenly have found myself thousands of dollars poorer.

As I mentioned earlier, the screen-used Deckard apartment key was made from what appears to be the slide cover from the battery compartment of an electronic device that bears very unique markings and textures. Therefore, having the piece custom-made was out of the question. In order to maintain the integrity of the reproduction, a casting of the card was the only option.

Tentatively, the graphics will be printed on an archival-quality decal that will be applied to the cast card. On the other hand, if my printer is able to print directly onto the polyurethane casting (which they've said might be possible) the decal will be abandoned for that option.

As far as I'm concerned, the apartment card is as fascinating and enigmatic as the Deckard ID.

1/14/2003

We've matched the wallet exactly. Although the original manufacturer of the wallet went out of business, we found the company that purchased the assets. They still have the wallet pattern. They've agreed to make them custom for us--very exciting.

1/13/2003

All of the NDAs went out to the American customers today. The remaining ones will go to the international clients tomorrow. Send them back as soon as possible.

The estimates are back from the printers on the Deckard ID. I'm getting ready to send them hardcopies of the card for output reference.

I'm getting ready to mold the apartment card and reproduce the graphics.

A wallet identical to the original is being sourced.