LOST Auction: Razzle Dazzle!

I've always felt that Nikki and Paulo were the least understood and most under-appreciated characters on LOST.  I might even go so far as to say that they among my favourite characters on the show.  Their presence in the first half of season 3 helped propel the plot forward.  The writers provided crisp, thoughtful dialogue.  The actors showed both depth and range.  The Pikki-centric Exposé stands alongside The Constant and the pilot as LOST's greatest episodes.

And if you believe that, I have some prime real estate on The Island to sell you.  Some call it the Dark Territory, but don't let that scare you, it's actually quite nice.

But seriously, although most of Nikki and Paulo's time on-screen was useless if not annoying, I do thoroughly enjoy Exposé and feel that it (almost) redeems their stultifying screen time in earlier episodes.  Lot #526 of the official LOST auction contained several props from Exposé and when one of these, a chair back, appeared on eBay in 2011 I jumped at the chance to purchase it.

Unfortunately the item never arrived, and given an unresponsive seller I was forced to submit a claim to have my money refunded (which thankfully I was able to do).  Then in 2012 a second chair back became available from a different seller.  Yet again my purchase didn't arrive.  The curse of Nikki and Paolo had struck again! Fortunately this time it turned out to be an honest mistake on the seller's part and shortly afterward my mailbox was filled with LOST prop goodness.

Various chair backs appear in the scene where Nikki, shortly after wrapping her last scene on the show, walks through a backstage area.  I had little to no expectation that the chair back I purchased appeared onscreen.  Happily, my expectations were exceeded.

A closer examination of the shot reveals that it is indeed Cört's chair that shares the screen with Nikki.  Umlaut FTW!

 

 A copy of the Certificate of Authenticity was also provided.  Razzle dazzle!