Conclusion
The techniques of modeling in Maya could fill a book of their own. However, the process of modeling props has some commonalities. Props are built to be placed, handled, or moved around. They need structure and simplicity, and they need to be built to scale. Sometimes they have artwork, sometimes not, but the process of modeling them is a constant balancing act of beauty, time, technical requirements, and effort.
In many respects, modeling techniques are expressions of personal preferences and acquired habits. But Maya offers a huge range of tools, wide enough to suit almost any methodology and tackle any prop-modeling problem. Of course, how you get it done is up to you, which is how it should be, after all.