These threads are so helpful, all the people not against or more accurately supporting recasts are going on a list in the event I ever host another commissioned custom head, they will definately not be allowed on the interest list.
I haven't seen a lot of support persay for recasts as much as I've seen, at least for me anyway, a complete lack of proof, other than circumstancial, posted in any of these threads.
Resin heads sold by non-headplay ebayers in a non-headplay format. To me that equals reasonable doubt.
And, I wouldn't worry about future buyers. If this is, in fact, recasting then the buyers are already amongst the likes of you, Rainmain, Trevor, Z......whoever is sculpting heads. They just aren't going to identify themselves. They are not going to come out on a forum and say "Where's the proof?" They'll stay silent or agree with Dave and the other Rainman or HT support group members [no offense intended] until they get the next sculpt. Let's face it. If Headplay is indeed recasting, then the original head had to come from someone who bought it. Was it only offered here?
Let's be honest, does anyone really think that no one selling their sculpts ever stopped to think that "Hey! This guy lives in ______ just like diver4 and diver4 is selling copies of ALL of my work?"
The recasters are getting them somewhere? Who's to say its not right from the source?
I'll be honest, I want as much variety in my collection as possible. Hell, when celebrity custom heads first started to come about from customizers or whoever I vowed that I would have them all. Little did I realize that 1:6 would explode on such a scale as to make that virtually impossible. Nonetheless, I have collected as many as I could and a fair amount at that. Amongst those are several sculpts that, in order to acquire, I had to agree that I would not recast. Besides the point that I have no idea or patience to learn how to make molds and casts and whatnot those heads are in my collection. I have in the past been contacted by board members who wanted copies and who were summarily refused with the explanation that it would violate my word to the maker.
I also, not long ago, purchased a set of prototype heads that have not been seen in 1:6 before. There was no stipulation with the company selling them that they could not be reissued. Were I able to find someone who could make flawless copies I would be tempted to sell them to get back my investment. However, were that to happen, it would clearly be stated what they were, where they were from and who the original sculptor was.