The Shatner Kirk Tunic is perfectly screen matched to Kirk's hand in the above screen cap from "This Side of Paradise". Questions have been raised if that is Shatner's hand or that of a stand in or stunt double. So two issues:
1) Was Shatner's Hand used in Close Ups?
2) Can we screen match Shatner's hand in the above photo?
First we will deal with # 1, was Shatner's hand used in close ups?
Multiple times we see Kirk's hand in a close up and then we see the reveal that it is Shatner's hand in fact in the wide shot. Here are a couple examples proving that Kirk's hand was used in close ups:
From "Tomorrow is Yesterday"
The close up:
Kirk's hand in close-up
The subsequent wide shot:
Hand is revealed to be Shatner's
Here is the same type of example from "This side of Paradise", the episode with the transporter screencap positively identifying the tunic.
The close up:
Kirk's hand in close-up
The subsequent wide shot:
Hand is revealed to be Shatner's
So we see that Shatner's hand is used in close-ups. They don't generally bring in a stunt or photo double.
Point # 2 Can we screen match Shatner's Hand in the photo authenticating the Tunic?
YES
Proof Positive that this is Shatner's hand in the first photo.
Conclusion:
The screen match of the braid in this photo from "This Side of Paradise" is 100%. And now we know for sure that is Shatner's hand.
So we know for sure that the Kirk tunic at Profiles in History is in fact a Shatner Kirk Tunic and probably the earliest ever to come to market.
Also, James Cawley says that he believes he has screen matched the Kirk Tunic to "Shore Leave". We will be posting his findings shortly.
Alec