First, I'd like to say that the VP is a fantastic faceplate - congrats to everyone who was able to snatch one from the limited run.
Secondly, thanks a ton for this information. This is basically the same story that I have been told a little more than a year ago by Paul H. from Elstree Props, who was so kind to forward me some original emails from JN regarding the "fourth pull". Please see my comments and questions to JN's emails below:
HAL9000 wrote:
Hi,
I don't know if this helps anyone but it is some information that
I uncovered after contacting several characters whilst
trying to 'authenticate' a vader I acquired.
It mentions the ANH > ESB changes....
Here is email no.1
Hi there, Too busy till now to get back to you.
Several telltales denote an original Vader pull.
This looks like a copy from a copy of an original ANH pull. There are several of these floating around.
Is he referring to the VP faceplate here?
HAL9000 wrote:
When renowned sculptor Jim Leonard started working in my department he was blown away by how crude the original Vader was. He asked and obtained permission to rework the original. A set was cast in England from the original molds to aid with this, but it took so long to get to the states that Leonard had already made an armature and was nearly done with the new helmet. (it is that 4th original cast set that is being auctioned this Fall by Elstree).
I am absolutely no fan of this "fourth pull" theory. It might be possible that the original molds were already destroyed when the pull was ordered by DPS. Nevertheless, the set that has been delivered to Elstree (the supposedly "fourth pull") bares little resemblance to the screen-used Vader we all know, but much more to the GH/Jeff-type of ANH Vader helmets. I had a conversation with Paul H. about this, telling him he should compare the faceplate of the original ANH Vader which they show on their webpage (and which they say is still in their possession, stored in a bank safe - but no one I know has ever seen this faceplate in person). He knew exactly what I was talking about, but he was also surprised that JN was so sure about the authenticity of the fourth pull. IF the fourth pull is INDEED an original pull from the original ANH faceplate mother mold, then the screen-used faceplates must have been altered AFTER they came of the original mold. Otherwise, there is no explanation for the differences between the "fourth pull" and the screen-used faceplate.
HAL9000 wrote:
Leonard's second generation Vader is the one used to base all subsequent versions on as it was almost machine perfect in its symmetry and balance.
I highly doubt that this is true.
HAL9000 wrote:
Question
[i]
Do you mean that Jim Leonards re-tooled Vader was then the source helmet for "the Empire Strikes Back" and eventually "Return of the Jedi" Vader helmets?
Answer:
The alterations that Jim made, although subtle were done to make all subsequent castings and products more manufacturable. The original design required 5-piece molds to create because of the multi-planar design, whereas the slightly simplified design was more elegant and a lot more doable in volume. So, yes his sculpture / rework became the standard for the Vader's that followed.
JN
I don't believe that Jim's version of the Vader helmet EVER made it to the big screen. What I do believe is that this helmet was intended as a master for a DPS replica Vader helmet - a pure merchandise product, which didn't hit the marked due to unknown reasons.
Tom