Sunday 1 July 2018

The horga'hn, and other prop replicas from Roddenberry

The Roddenberry Shop has continued to expand its offering of Star Trek prop replicas with suitably summery release, the Risan horga'hn; the iconic fertility of symbol of the pleasure planet. Curiously this is the second horga'hn release just this year, with ThinkGeek also offering a candle holder version. Roddenberry are going for the high end replica take on the prop though, as they describe in their blurb:
In 1991, twenty-five copies of the Horga’hn were produced for use in the episode “Captain’s Holiday”. The studio which crafted the original props, created this 1:1 scale replica based on that work. Constructed from durable cast resin, this 55-ounce example is uniquely hand-finished to recreate what appeared on screen. No two are alike.  
The Roddenberry horga'hn, which is about eleven inches tall, will ship from July, and like all the Roddenberry prop replicas comes with a certificate of authenticity. Continue below to check out more images, and for a look at some of Roddenberry's other recent props.




If you like your TNG props, then Roddenberry have had a lot to offer you recently. Last year they release the first two items in what they promise is a three piece Captain Picard ready room desk collection.

The series started with the rather odd desk crystal, which despite being in seventy-eight TNG episodes, apparently, I can honestly say I never noticed before! Roddenberry have gone to town to produce the perfect replica of this obscure/omnipresent prop:
Our re-creation is made of high-end lead crystal: a special blend of optical-grade borosilicate glass with an extremely high refractive index, clear enough for use in lenses, prisms, and other optics. Its impressive heft makes it suitable for use as a paperweight, and it's just the right size to be waved about in one’s hand for oratorical emphasis, as its prismatic properties glimmer and sparkle in the light. The crystals are each meticulously formed, wet-ground, and polished by hand at a company that specializes in fine crystal glassware and chandeliers.

The 3D geometry of the crystal was obsessively reconstructed using digital 3D modeling software, referencing and reconciling hundreds of film frames of the crystal’s appearances across the seasons of TNG. We spoke to crew members and vendors involved in the original production of the show and went through approximately 30 physical prototypes before we were confident we had gotten the sizing, along with the number of facets and their orientation, as accurate as possible with with all available reference materials.



The second item in this series is Picard's set of  isolinear circuits, which includes two isolinear boards, and a rack to stack them on.
Our meticulously accurate re-creation consists of three pieces of machined acrylic: the two circuits themselves and a holding rack. The circuits are made using the same studio graphics and screen-printing process as the originals, but we have enhanced the production method by employing a special solvent-based ink that fuses directly into the plastic, making these graphics more resistant to abrasion than the original props (the graphics were prone to scratching off easily). The edges of the circuits are radiused like the originals, using a delicate vapor-polishing process to render the edges clear after machining. The same vapor polishing process is used to make the outer surfaces of the display rack optically clear.


The third item has yet to be revealed, but one imagines it must surely be Picard's desk monitor, which would be a rather large piece if so!

But if you're looking for more Picard-focused items, Roddenberry have yet more to offer, as last year they also released a replica of the Kataan probe pendant, from the episode The Inner Light. This particular replica has been cast in materials more likely in-universe than those used for the original prop, with the pendant itself made of bronze, and the chain from silver.


Surely the Picard collection will also need a Ressikan flute at some point? But we've not got that yet. But there is something for Worf fans, as last year Roddenberry also released a replica Mek'leth. The eighteen inch blade is made from aluminium, with a leather grip, and it comes with a display stand mirror the styling of Roddenberry's previously released bat'leth replica.




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