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While I’m mostly a statue collector, one does make exceptions for something special and Bag End, the Hobbit home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins is just such exception. Making an environment of Bag End would have seemed to be an obvious choice back in the day, however, at the time Weta wasn’t allowed too. Since gaining the Lord of the Rings license back in 2009, the revival of the environment line has been a major success and the first, most wanted totally new environment was Bag End.
Packaging – 3 and a half stars
For the most part a fairly standard affair, full colour art box showing Bag End and a few other new LOTR items. Inside is the usual stryofoam protective packaging, however, unlike the normal 50/50 split, the foam is more a 66/33 split. When unpacking, make sure that the WETA logo on the styrofoam is facing up (which is what one should normally do) and lift off that smaller 1/3rd to show all of Bag End inside. The environment comes in two parts, the tree and the main Bag End environment. It is far easier and safer to take out the tree first and carefully place it to the side. This will prevent the peg on the tree from potentially damaging the main sculpture when you lift Bag End out.
Sculpture – 4 and a half stars
Most environments present the significant problem of sculpting large objects in a very small scale, while still trying to capture the overall details. If you’re extra unlucky, the environment will have some organic type content, like grass or trees. Of course, if one is extremely unlucky, you’ll have to sculpt an environment with an abundance of both, like Bag End.
Overall and considering the amount of ‘green stuff’, Bag End is very finely detailed, it is absolutely a case of closer being better. From a distance, Bag End can look a bit like a green lump of clay, but once you get up close, it’s then that the fine detail starts to shine through. The tiny brickwork on the outside walls, the stones on the paths, the turns and twists of grass and little flowers to the garden shears on the outside seat. It’s almost perfect, but not quite, if one was to be picky, then there are two spots I would single out. The first is the main tree, which while still nicely done and looks more or less like a tree from a bit of a distance, one you get up closer to see the detail on the rest of the environment, that’s when you notice that the tree could have done with a little more detail. It’s almost funny, in that the underneath of the tree is in some ways better then the outside, just that once in place, you never see underneath it.
The other sore point, which is a little more noticeable, is the middle join line of the two halves of the main environment. This goes through the middle of the windows and doors, but is only present on the green part of the environment. Where the two halves join, the grass is much more ‘blobby’ from both a sculpt and paint point of view, compared to the more defined and detailed grass above and below it. This is the case with the Collector’s Edition, not sure yet if the Open Edition is assembled the same way.
Paint Application – 4 stars
My greatest initial fear for the production version of Bag End, was that the green would end up being some sort of sickly, bright green. Fortunately, it isn’t, in fact I would say that all photos tend to show it brighter than it really is, with any flash shots just lighting it up like a Christmas tree. Overall the paintwork is nicely applied, not too thick (other than in those middle join spots mentioned in the sculpting above), with clean sharp lines and fine detail from the tiny brickwork to the equally tiny flowers. For the most part this helps to break up the generally monochromatic grass green that is Bag End. Once again, it’s a case of the underside of the tree being that little bit better painted then the top side. In of its self, not really a bad thing, just a pity that once on display, you never really get to see it.
Extras - 4 stars
Technically not an ‘extra’ since you pay double the price for it compared to the Open Edition, but as an extra purchasing option, the Collector’s Edition is outstanding. The interior rooms, being not much more then 2cm in height, just have an abundance of tiny furniture. So small that you wonder how many little chairs and tables got lost during the course of production. The fine details are clean and have the same sharp paint application as the outside. As you recognise rooms like the kitchen, where Bilbo pours Gandalf a cup of tea and the study where Bilbo and Frodo write down their adventures in the films, you’re immediately transported back to the Shire.
While it’s true that on normal display, you just about never know any of that is there, other than seeing a bit of floor through the open door, it’s still very nice just knowing it is all there. Besides, over time, one will no doubt turn the environment around, just to have a look inside for a while.
Final Word
Overall, Weta have done a great job of bring a little bit of Hobbiton to ‘life’, that really rewards those who examine it close up. So far, shipping production pieces have turned out good, there has really only been one issue that’s caused minor problems. Given the tiny scale of the environment, it doesn’t to great of a margin of error, to end up with a open door that looks way lower than the doorway it’s meant to fit into. Since the door is attached to the floor (it just has to be in order to sit in place), if the floor happens to be a bit lower than it should be, one ends up with a large gap between the top of the door and the top of the doorway. Mine, while being a little low, unless you really look up close, at the right angle, it isn’t all that bad. It’s just at such a small scale, the difference of another 1mm can make the gap that much more noticeable.
At the end of the day, for anyone even somewhat interested in Hobbits or the environments, then picking up Bag End would have to be an easy choice. At only $125 for the Open Edition, which is the same on the outside (only the door is closed, since there is no interior) as the Collector’s Edition, just about anyone can add it to their Lord of the Rings display.
Is the Collector’s Edition worth double the price? I think I’d have to say yes for any serious collector. The interior is just really well done and if it helps, you can think of it as your first Hobbit collectible (assuming the films ever get made). As such, while the edition size of 1111 isn’t exactly small, I will be amazed if any are left come a couple of years time when everyone wants something from the new films.
Packaging – 3 and a half stars
Sculpture – 4 and a half stars
Paint Application – 4 stars
Extras – 4 stars
Overall - 4 stars
Name: Bag End Collector’s Edition
Manufacturer: Weta
Edition Size: 1111 CE, Open Edition
Price: $249 USD Collector’s Edition, $125 Open Edition
Availability: August 2010
Distributors: Weta (www.wetanz.com), and all good collectible retailers
While I’m mostly a statue collector, one does make exceptions for something special and Bag End, the Hobbit home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins is just such exception. Making an environment of Bag End would have seemed to be an obvious choice back in the day, however, at the time Weta wasn’t allowed too. Since gaining the Lord of the Rings license back in 2009, the revival of the environment line has been a major success and the first, most wanted totally new environment was Bag End.
Packaging – 3 and a half stars
For the most part a fairly standard affair, full colour art box showing Bag End and a few other new LOTR items. Inside is the usual stryofoam protective packaging, however, unlike the normal 50/50 split, the foam is more a 66/33 split. When unpacking, make sure that the WETA logo on the styrofoam is facing up (which is what one should normally do) and lift off that smaller 1/3rd to show all of Bag End inside. The environment comes in two parts, the tree and the main Bag End environment. It is far easier and safer to take out the tree first and carefully place it to the side. This will prevent the peg on the tree from potentially damaging the main sculpture when you lift Bag End out.
Sculpture – 4 and a half stars
Most environments present the significant problem of sculpting large objects in a very small scale, while still trying to capture the overall details. If you’re extra unlucky, the environment will have some organic type content, like grass or trees. Of course, if one is extremely unlucky, you’ll have to sculpt an environment with an abundance of both, like Bag End.
Overall and considering the amount of ‘green stuff’, Bag End is very finely detailed, it is absolutely a case of closer being better. From a distance, Bag End can look a bit like a green lump of clay, but once you get up close, it’s then that the fine detail starts to shine through. The tiny brickwork on the outside walls, the stones on the paths, the turns and twists of grass and little flowers to the garden shears on the outside seat. It’s almost perfect, but not quite, if one was to be picky, then there are two spots I would single out. The first is the main tree, which while still nicely done and looks more or less like a tree from a bit of a distance, one you get up closer to see the detail on the rest of the environment, that’s when you notice that the tree could have done with a little more detail. It’s almost funny, in that the underneath of the tree is in some ways better then the outside, just that once in place, you never see underneath it.
The other sore point, which is a little more noticeable, is the middle join line of the two halves of the main environment. This goes through the middle of the windows and doors, but is only present on the green part of the environment. Where the two halves join, the grass is much more ‘blobby’ from both a sculpt and paint point of view, compared to the more defined and detailed grass above and below it. This is the case with the Collector’s Edition, not sure yet if the Open Edition is assembled the same way.
Paint Application – 4 stars
My greatest initial fear for the production version of Bag End, was that the green would end up being some sort of sickly, bright green. Fortunately, it isn’t, in fact I would say that all photos tend to show it brighter than it really is, with any flash shots just lighting it up like a Christmas tree. Overall the paintwork is nicely applied, not too thick (other than in those middle join spots mentioned in the sculpting above), with clean sharp lines and fine detail from the tiny brickwork to the equally tiny flowers. For the most part this helps to break up the generally monochromatic grass green that is Bag End. Once again, it’s a case of the underside of the tree being that little bit better painted then the top side. In of its self, not really a bad thing, just a pity that once on display, you never really get to see it.
Extras - 4 stars
Technically not an ‘extra’ since you pay double the price for it compared to the Open Edition, but as an extra purchasing option, the Collector’s Edition is outstanding. The interior rooms, being not much more then 2cm in height, just have an abundance of tiny furniture. So small that you wonder how many little chairs and tables got lost during the course of production. The fine details are clean and have the same sharp paint application as the outside. As you recognise rooms like the kitchen, where Bilbo pours Gandalf a cup of tea and the study where Bilbo and Frodo write down their adventures in the films, you’re immediately transported back to the Shire.
While it’s true that on normal display, you just about never know any of that is there, other than seeing a bit of floor through the open door, it’s still very nice just knowing it is all there. Besides, over time, one will no doubt turn the environment around, just to have a look inside for a while.
Final Word
Overall, Weta have done a great job of bring a little bit of Hobbiton to ‘life’, that really rewards those who examine it close up. So far, shipping production pieces have turned out good, there has really only been one issue that’s caused minor problems. Given the tiny scale of the environment, it doesn’t to great of a margin of error, to end up with a open door that looks way lower than the doorway it’s meant to fit into. Since the door is attached to the floor (it just has to be in order to sit in place), if the floor happens to be a bit lower than it should be, one ends up with a large gap between the top of the door and the top of the doorway. Mine, while being a little low, unless you really look up close, at the right angle, it isn’t all that bad. It’s just at such a small scale, the difference of another 1mm can make the gap that much more noticeable.
At the end of the day, for anyone even somewhat interested in Hobbits or the environments, then picking up Bag End would have to be an easy choice. At only $125 for the Open Edition, which is the same on the outside (only the door is closed, since there is no interior) as the Collector’s Edition, just about anyone can add it to their Lord of the Rings display.
Is the Collector’s Edition worth double the price? I think I’d have to say yes for any serious collector. The interior is just really well done and if it helps, you can think of it as your first Hobbit collectible (assuming the films ever get made). As such, while the edition size of 1111 isn’t exactly small, I will be amazed if any are left come a couple of years time when everyone wants something from the new films.
Packaging – 3 and a half stars
Sculpture – 4 and a half stars
Paint Application – 4 stars
Extras – 4 stars
Overall - 4 stars
Name: Bag End Collector’s Edition
Manufacturer: Weta
Edition Size: 1111 CE, Open Edition
Price: $249 USD Collector’s Edition, $125 Open Edition
Availability: August 2010
Distributors: Weta (www.wetanz.com), and all good collectible retailers
