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Question Mark Umbrella

classicwho101

classicwho101

Active member
I was planning a build of this prop, but when I checked the Prop Tree I realised we don't actually have a reference topic for this, so I gathered a few images from a Google search in the hopes that they may be useful to someone in the future.
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And from the looks of this next image, the umbrella handle was looking pretty worse for wear after a while - a lot of the paint has just chipped off!
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I hope these will be useful for gauging the size and shape of the handle.
Kind regards, The14thDr :D
 
If you've got the pennies to spare, Abbyshot has a licensed replica for just $34.99 (US).

It does say limited quantity, so who knows how long it will be available. Thinkgeek also has them, and are licensed, and they don't say limited quantity. So if Abbyshot sells out, there's always Thinkgeek to fall back on (and the price is the same).

Dino.
 
This is one of those rare and happy coincidences wherein the licensed prop is (as far as I can tell) accurate, reasonably priced and functional. You might be able to make/modify a handle yourself, but for that price? I'd save myself the time and effort.
 
I've made a good number of those umbrellas myself by heating up plastic rods in the oven and using wooden balls. They're fun builds, something a bit unusual and rather nice to tinker with. At one point I was going to make one in green, but I never got around to it. Annoyingly the one I was using up until last autumn was lost when a friend begged to borrow it on a rainy night. I was reluctant, and it turned out I was right to be so because he never used it and I haven't seen it since, think he just forgot all about giving it back. My replicas were generally slightly oversized and only an approximation. For the price, if you want an umbrella or a good replica, Abbyshot is perfect! Buuuuut, if you want to enjoy the challenge and make your own umbrella I wholeheartedly recommend this build!
 
Thanks guys! Looks like I'll be saving up for either the Abbyshot or Thinkgeek replicas for this one, unless of course I can work up the courage to try and scratch build my own handle. ;) One thing I have noticed is that the Thinkgeek version has question marks on the fabric of the umbrella; is this something that was part of the original prop?

superrichi1a, fivefingeredstyre - the DIY route does sound really fun, and I found this tutorial online that shows you how to modify an existing umbrella handle.
http://www.doodlecraftblog.com/2014/11/sylvester-mccoy-question-mark-umbrella.html?m=1

Hmm, this gives me an idea or two for my own build......

Kind regards, The14thDr :D
 
Looking at reviews/comments on the umbrella, that question-mark fabric seems to be a protective cover for it - the actual umbrella is plain.
 
The14thDr said:
Thanks guys! Looks like I'll be saving up for either the Abbyshot or Thinkgeek replicas for this one, unless of course I can work up the courage to try and scratch build my own handle. ;) One thing I have noticed is that the Thinkgeek version has question marks on the fabric of the umbrella; is this something that was part of the original prop?
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Fear not! That's a separate protective sleeve that fits over the furled umbrella. The actual umbrella fabric itself is plain black.

I'm happy to provide detailed measurements of mine if you wish but I can thoroughly recommend these replicas, they're good value and solidly built. Though I'd quite like to see a modified version where the dot of the question mark is part of the opening runner, so when you open the umbrella it rises up the shaft. As a child I was certain this would be the case and was quite disappointed when The Curse of Fenric showed it to be part of the handle.
 
Don't forget the strange variants.  I've built one, and am planning on building another:

1. Lungbarrow New Adventures umbrella.  Based on a photograph of an early Seven cosplayer from the Geocities days of the 90s (which was about the only online photo available between 1996 and 1999 - I know from experience!), the artist Fred Gambino copied the goofy off-center question mark off of a guess salesman promo umbrella.

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The original was a black handle, red ball, and a red-and-black fabric.

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I made a replica by dis-assembling a Guess umbrella, changing the fabric, modifying the shape of the body, and spraying the handle a cranberry to match the book cover and my New Adventures costume tie.

2016-05-05 21.12.48.jpg
 
Strange variant #2: Lee Sullivan illustrations for Death Comes to Time.

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Again, off-center handle in black with rounded edges and an exaggerated flare out to the fabric stalks.  I'm going to modify a second Guess umbrella to make one of these for a DCtT costume for the Gallifrey One 2018 convention.

Third strange variant:  Question Mark umbrella seat stick from Mike Tucker's 'Storm Harvest', where he had fun adding seventh Doctor gadgets like the Geiger Counter he originally built for 'Ghost Light.'  No photos, just text - and no plans so far for me to make this version.

FYI I have both the Abbyshot version and a Bob Mitsch run umbrella which was originally molded from a bent acrylic handle I built in the 90s, then modified to match measurements off of an original in a private collection.  The diameter of the circle on the screen prop copied is much smaller than the Abbyshot.

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--Brian
 
too_many_cars said:
...question mark off of a guess salesman promo umbrella.
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Oh, Glob, I remember those! I used to see people with them all the time. I was stationed on Governors Island in NYC at the time, and once I saw that umbrella on the show, I finally worked up the nerve to ask someone where they got their umbrella. Now... I know I can be slow in the up-take at times, and these were no exceptions. People on public transport in "The City" are of few words - always reading business columns in the papers (late 1980s, no mobile devices to text with; everything was hard copy reading and they were business people; and having grown up in NYC and seen these people in action, I knew that most times they didn't want to be bothered, hence my trepidation of asking anyone a trivial question about where they got an umbrella they were carrying).

But one day I braved it and asked. The person simply replied, "Guess", and returned to his paper. Over the next few days I saw others with those umbrellas. I asked where they got them, and every reply was the same: one word, "Guess." I just figured no one was going to tell me and this was their way of telling me to get lost.

After a while I learned those were 'Guess' promo umbrellas and felt like a total arse! (Go on; laugh at me and call me names. I can hear you doing it already. Just, do it in private, please? ;D) And of course by that time, every store that had been selling them was sold out. (Talk about wanting to put your head through a plate glass window!)

About two years ago my wife surprised me with one of those Abbyshot ? umbrellas, and I can echo what everyone's said about them. They're well-made, they feel nice in the hand, and they are pretty accurate (and fracking cool!).

Dino.
 
I'd say the Abbyshot is about a 70% on accuracy (question mark size, ball doesn't cover pins, different type of pins, different stalk, point end is about twice as thick) - but since they molded it through in colored plastic the thing is definitely more durable than the original which you can see the red paint flaking off exposing the white resin/primer underneath in season 26! 

It's a no brainer for the price, and is perfect for a casual fan - but seeing that this is the reference board for the actual screen props the differences should be listed from the original props as there are quite a few.

--Brian
 
7th Doctor Costume References Including information on the Umbrella:

Seven Cosplay Costume Breakdown
http://dw-cosplay.livejournal.com/143161.html

Steve Ricks Blog
http://www.7thdoctorcostume.com/search/label/umbrella

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=1155

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=2959

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=2803

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=5813

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=4770

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=3393

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=3385

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=2833

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=1891

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=5610

We don't have to re-envent the wheel here. ;)

*Kingpin's Updating the Umbrella is particularly good read.
 
http://www.doctorwhoprops.com/props.php

Sylvester McCoy�s Umbrella

First seen in the season 24 story �Dragonfire� the question mark umbrella soon became a trade mark of the 7th Dr. This Umbrellas were made by renowned London maker T.Fox &Co, the handles were made from a very tough resin painted red this quite often used to chip off on set making the props look rather scruffy towards the end of season 25 hence this prop being made for season 26.
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umbrella_01.jpgumbrella_02.jpg
 
Fantastic images! Thanks for posting them over here warmcanofcoke (why didn't I think of checking the Doctor Who Props site? ::))
 
The14thDr said:
Fantastic images! Thanks for posting them over here warmcanofcoke (why didn't I think of checking the Doctor Who Props site? ::))
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This is how I feel about props; If there is a unique reference {Such as closeup pictures of the original prop} We need it over here. Websites notoriously de-materialise. We should sight the original source material when it is available, but sometimes these images are just things we have on our hard drives from years ago.... We need those website links, descriptions, and images. I issue an apology when I can't find them.

 
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