Marco Enterprises
| Name: | Marco Enterprises |
| Date(s): | 1980-2015 approximately |
| Profit/Nonprofit: | profit |
| Country based in: | United States |
| Focus: | |
| External Links: | The Copycats - Star Trek TOS Prop Replica Reference Guide |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Marco Enterprises was a fan-owned, for-profit company created and run by John Marco.
It sold prop replicas for Star Trek: TOS, Star Wars, and other science fiction shows and films. "Marco of course made the earliest costumes and prop repos in any quality back in the day." [1]
A 1984 Description
From a 1983 ad in Green Harvest #2: "AUTHENTICALLY DETAILED MODELS of Star Wars and Science Fiction weapons and costume hardware: lightsabers, blasters, helmets, futuristic guns, etc. Also posters, and Kenner toys available. Send $1.00 for catalog to: Marco Enterprises, 293 Spruce Drive, Anaheim, California 92805."
About
[Marco Enterprises was a ] [c]ompany started by former muffler automotive shop owner Marco in 1980 and primarily specialized In Star Wars prop replicas. He advertised regularly in Starlog Magazine. Starting in approximately 1982. He branched out to include just about every prop replica from every conceivable franchise in the realm of Science Fiction movies and TV shows, becoming the "Walmart" of the prop replica hobby. He regularly put out catalogs for over 35 years. He does occasionally still sell what’s left of his catalog on e-commerce sites, selling under “selling my private collection”, obviously to avoid any licensing issues. [2]
A 1982 Catalog Sample
sample page from the June 1982 catalog (photocopy)
sample page from the June 1982 catalog (photocopy) - "A mean looking Blaster with it's [sic] two deadly functions. It will guarantee you plenty of drinking room at any crowded space port bar.")
sample page from the June 1982 catalog (photocopy)
sample page from the June 1982 catalog (photocopy)
Fan Comments
2021
Hello everyone, so as a child of the 90's with heavy nostalgia. I was surprised to see Marco Enterprises back in action selling off his old stock.
So I don't know a ton about him, but apparently these props were the best, unauthorized star wars props at the time. Sure, not everything was accurate, and it was mostly vacuformed plastic, but his soft good were excellent.
[...]
...it appears like Marco Enterprises stock has been sitting in a storage container for about 35 years, so all of his stuff is limited as he is just liquidating his collection. My guess is 2020 hit him hard and he realized that he could sell his old stock. There are some gems in the mess, at the very least it's a great nostalgia piece and part of the History of the hobby. Marco's Boba Fett helmet is not great by today's standards but has its place in the lineage of prop replicas. I'm surprised that Art doesn't have one lol. It's not cast from anything screen used, rather it's a completely original take, but it has a metal range finder and some other unique features.
[...]
Marco Enterprises old stock is being sold on eBay. However a bit unconventional. You buy his catalogue for 5 bucks, he sends that and that has contact info as well as full color (albeit a bit blurry) photos of said stock. I like it, I miss old school catalogs![3]