Star Trek at the Smithsonian

Doug Drexler, who writes his own fantastic blog, wrote this blog article that is a must read for Star Trek prop fans. It is reprinted here with his blessing!

Way back in the dim dark days of fandom, we created Trek’s first mainstream magazine: The Star Trek Giant Poster Book. We published 12 issues of this little gem before moving on.

It was the first publication of it’s type, predating Starlog. All of the content came from our personal collections. We were running the Federation Trading Post on 57th Street in midtown Manhattan, and Fiona Press was right across the street. Somehow they ended up with Trek publishing rights. What did they know about Star Trek? Nothing! In those days if you wanted Trek info we were the only game in town and they fell right into our gravity well. The next thing we knew, we had our own magazine!

My single favorite issue is this one…” The Smithsonian Report – A Pictorial Inspection of Star Trek’s Miniatures Today”. The Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. let us in before the doors opened, and even gave us a ladder to get up close and personal with the TOS Enterprise filming miniature. I was in heaven. I climbed the ladder with anticipation, and planted one on the leading edge of the saucer.

So here it is, Poster Book issue 10 – ” The Smithsonian Report”. I’ve scanned it at extra hi rez, give it a click and enjoy the slingshot!

Note that you can click on these images and see close ups so you can read them. Also, this issue of the Poster Book is readily available on eBay with a BIN of about $ 15. I just bought one myself.

Alec