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Hollywood seal of approval for Fife vintage shop

Jun 19, 2023

An antiques shop in Fife has earned the Hollywood seal of approval, supplying props to some of the biggest blockbusters of recent years.

In the last few weeks alone, items from Scaramanga in Cupar have appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Fast X and The Little Mermaid.

Since opening in 2006, products from the shop have featured in 24 films and many TV shows.

Owner Carl Morenikeji said they caught the attention of a props buyer in 2012.

"We had a props buyer who was doing a Tim Burton film - Dark Shadows. She came to us and said I've been let down by someone at the last minute," Mr Morenikeji said.

"After that she's kind of stuck with us and every big film or production she does, she seems to come back to us and buys more items from us."

Since then, the family-run shop in a former blacksmiths has provided vintage props for movies like Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Paddington 2, Victoria & Abdul and Dumbo.

"I'm pleased every time we have a props buyer come to us and say they're looking for items and we help them out," Mr Morenikeji said.

"So many companies are paying huge amounts to appear in these films and here we are, a small vintage retailer in Fife and prop buyers are coming and buying items from us - I'm delighted."

In the new Indiana Jones film, which was filmed partly in Glasgow and premiered in London earlier this week, Harrison Ford carries a handmade leather satchel supplied by Scaramanga.

"It wasn't custom made, it was needed really quickly," Mr Morenikeji said.

"We had the same thing where a props buyer bought a bag that was used in a Tom Cruise film the Edge of Tomorrow.

"It wasn't actually used by Tom Cruise, though, because the bag was too big for him."

Fast X - two tins, one shaped like a car

Peter Pan & Wendy - two vintage suitcases and a trunk

The Little Mermaid - wooden pulleys

The Flash - handmade leather satchel, wooden pulleys and a vintage padlock

Dark Shadows - antique trunks and chests

The Hobbit - antique brass padlocks for Bilbo Baggins' house

Maleficent - more than 100 medieval style pieces including chests, trunks and homewares

Victoria & Abdul - vintage travel trunks for the picnic scene in the Scottish Highlands, authentic Indian boxes, tins and leather journals

Paddington 2 - vintage padlocks for the final train chase scene

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again - lanterns featured in the outdoor scene where Cher sings Fernando, vintage padlocks and door hasp and staple

Stan & Ollie - 1920s style leather suitcase

Dumbo - Victorian travel trunks, antique brass and iron padlocks and a donation to elephant sanctuary, Elephant Haven

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - vintage tins, chai tea and drinking glasses, a lassi glass holder and an old spice box

No Time To Die, Death on the Nile, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, and The Batman - vintage padlocks

The name of the shop was inspired by Mr Morenikeji's love of the James Bond films.

He said: "When it came to picking a name for the business I knew it had to be a memorable name so I thought about Scaramanga and 17 years later that's what we have now."

It was a full circle moment for the businessman when he was given the chance to be involved in the iconic franchise.

"I really love film myself and I'm amazed that 15 years after I set up a props buyer comes to us and says 'Can we have some padlocks?'," Mr Morenikeji recalled.

"And sure enough, it was to appear in a James Bond film. That was one of the massive highlights since opening up and running Scaramanga."

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