Order from Bob
My 2 cents: If you want this piece, and can swing the pricetag, order from Bob now.
UC definitely has a different pricing paradigm than Sideshow. Sideshow is an online company above all else, and sells most of their merchandise direct to collectors from their own site. United Cutlery has been making knives and fantasy swords for years that are marketed primarily through retail shops or knife shows, etc. I suppose that since swords are such a specialty item (especially with the "Museum Collection", which has higher quality high carbon steel, deeper grinds, better balance, more detailed etching/engraving, real silver on the handle, semi-precious stone insets, hardwood handles, etc ...), it made most sense to grant the license to a company with a long history of knife making rather than a more traditional collectibles company. Anyway, the sales model still follows traditional retail marketing where the MSRP is intentionally a fiction ($1198 here IIRC). Despite this, I don't anticipate the price getting much better than what Bob is offering now, which is exactly half the stated rate. He's already "sold out" at least twice, and I can only guess there is a time coming soon when he won't be able to reorder any more. You know it's a legit site with great service, and consistently excellent prices. Expensive as it is, I just can't see 1000 pieces hanging on very long. The Luke ANH "Elite" lightsaber from Master Replicas cost almost this much, and sold 1000 units in 14 minutes flat.
The swords are such large and specialized items that in my own collecting philosophy, I would rather have just a few very high quality replicas displayed nicely than a full set of of the standard line. (That's not a shot at SirTristram at all - UC's standard line is excellent as well, and each is entitled to their taste and choice of what to collect, obviously

) Anyway, the only item I currently own is the "Museum" Sting, which is excellent (although I would have much preferred a vine INLAY rather than an "onlay"), and I'm very much looking forward to Glamdring. If they do come through with Anduril (which to my knowledge has been confirmed as the next item IF there is a next item at all, although that remains a lingering question mark), my plan is for it to be the third and final sword in my collection.
So - that's my little plug for this very exciting sword, and for Bob's great shop, which has always treated me well.
