Statue Weta Orthanc Black Tower of Isengard

[tnaig001]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

I guess the edition size would only matter if the cost or price were much higher.

For $250, I feel it's plenty of bang for the buck.

Even if it were not worth anything in a few years, the utility I would have derived from having it in my collection would be worth at least
$250.


If the cost were $450, edition size would factor somewhat into the equation.

 

[Stampe]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

8,5 hours after the rush started I finally was able to order. But it wasn't easy. After a good nights sleep I still got an empty cart after clicking "pre-order" So I deleted all browserhistory ect. That didn't help. Then I used IE (use FF normally) and lo and behold ............... that worked. And even more surprising the confirmation mail said "1 x Orthanc 'Pre-ruin' - First 400 = $249.00 USD" so I must have gotten a limited one.

 

[RoboDad]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

Actually, I would prefer if the edition size was 40,000. That would mean that tons of people are into LOTR collectibles and that the line will go on forever.

Actually, it would mean the exact opposite. And here's why:

I prefer large or open editions because I want the secondary market value to remain as low as possilbe. If I were ever to break mine, it would be easier to replace something that is easily found.

With a secondary market priced that low, only people with serious impulse buy issues would ever buy at full price from the manufacturer. Most would (wisely) want to save half the price or more by waiting a bit and getting one cheap from eBay. And this would cause the primary market to collapse, and the line to be discontinued.

You may as well get used to it. Rarity has been a strong collector motivation for as long as there have been people, and things to collect. In many collectors' minds, the definition of a "collectible" is something that is very difficult to acquire, and once acquired, sought after by other collectors. That is why original works of art (whether from the grand masters or smaller artists) almost always increase in value. You wouldn't expect to walk into the Louvre and buy the Mona Lisa for $250, would you?

 

[Husker75]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

Yes, part of the appeal of expensive collectibles for me is their limited nature. There is a level of intangible value for me in knowing that there are only a certain number in the world, and that I have one. Some people like having something rare, some don't care. Personally, I enjoy it.

I have been collecting for years, and as my interests change along with my available display space, there are always pieces that I will end up selling off after years of enjoyment. I never buy a collectible for the purpose of selling, but when and if it comes time to sell, I want to know that it will hold its value. When Gentle Giant started making 20,000 of each bust, they were worth ten bucks.

You don't have to be a flipper to want your investment to hold its value. That just seems like common sense to me in the world of hobbies, and the rest of life. Whenever possible, I don't want something to be worth less than I paid--and open editions can mean that the piece won't hold its value over time. (But not always.) If I can wait and get Orthanc for less next year, then I should wait. That also means that if I run Weta and make a living selling collectibles, I don't want my potential customers holding back and waiting--if something is rare, you get it quickly before it sells out. In the long run, it's better business to keep your editions under control and weigh demand carefully. I think that's a lesson GG learned--as they overproduced their pieces, the value vanished, busts were sitting on eBay unsold at half the original price, and collectors walked away. You need a healthy level of demand for your products in the long run, and so the supply needs to be carefully controlled so the desirability stays high on the market.

Thanks for the response! I get what you are saying. I can't say i don't have my own proud collection of rare props and collectibles. And a lot of them are nicely numbered, very rare items! I just try not to play favorites with my babies.. haha. My older brother still keeps all of his figures and stuff in their packages, and i've always been the one to open and play with mine. Even if they were very rare. Heck, I even bought the shards of narsil just to pluck them off the plaque and dremel them nice and flat to display the way that I wanted them! So I might just be an odd extreme when it comes to collecting! Really appreciate everyones feedback though too, it's nice that we all collect in different ways.

 

[tnaig001]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

Actually, it would mean the exact opposite. And here's why:

With a secondary market priced that low, only people with serious impulse buy issues would ever buy at full price from the manufacturer. Most would (wisely) want to save half the price or more by waiting a bit and getting one cheap from eBay. And this would cause the primary market to collapse, and the line to be discontinued.

You may as well get used to it. Rarity has been a strong collector motivation for as long as there have been people, and things to collect. In many collectors' minds, the definition of a "collectible" is something that is very difficult to acquire, and once acquired, sought after by other collectors. That is why original works of art (whether from the grand masters or smaller artists) almost always increase in value. You wouldn't expect to walk into the Louvre and buy the Mona Lisa for $250, would you?

well I guess that's why you can buy a reprint of the Mona Lisa for a fraction of the real deal.

I guess open editions (esp one that is affordable) appeals to a different segment of buyers? prob more fans of the movie rather than hard core collectors per se.


just my 2 cents.

 

[spdh69]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

since its open edition... till when can you order one of their site?

 

[Adolfo]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

a long time...even till next year no problem

 

[woodsy]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

since its open edition... till when can you order one of their site?

That depends on how long Weta allows the open edition to run for. Some of the older SSW pieces [GTG, and Legolas] were available for 5 years [which probably explains why they're pretty well valueless today] while others such as Aragorn, and Bill and Sam were available for 1 year and as such have more than retained their value.

In my experience there isn't a single OE statue that I wasn't able to get for significantly less than the retail price by buying elsewhere and at this point buying directly from Weta is the last thing I'd do.

 

[tomandshell]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

I see the first 400 numbered pieces are gone.

 

[RoboDad]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

I'm not really surprised. The price point, the impressive size, and the number of collectors who still feel the sting of passing up the original (at $95 ) all add up to a fairly quick sellout of the numbered "exclusive".

 

[woodsy]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

I'm not really surprised. The price point, the impressive size, and the number of collectors who still feel the sting of passing up the original (at $95 ) all add up to a fairly quick sellout of the numbered "exclusive".

I actually thought it would happen sooner myself. I'd completely forgotten about this statue and only remembered 6+ hours after pre-ordering began. I actually figured I'd missed out completely until after I got to the webpage only to discover it still available.

 

[RoboDad]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

True, but I think the phrase "quick sellout" has to be kept in perspective. a) it's Weta, not Sideshow, b) it went up for pre-order late on a weekend (in the US/UK), and c) it's LOTR, which has always been a bit more of a "slow burn" as far as sellouts go.

Selling out a 400 ES item in less than a day under those circumstances is actually pretty impressive. Especially one that will be re-listed as an open edition.

 

[FrodoEyes]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

I'm not really surprised. The price point, the impressive size, and the number of collectors who still feel the sting of passing up the original (at $95 ) all add up to a fairly quick sellout of the numbered "exclusive".

Even owners of the original, such as myself, have ordered this one too. It's nice to have the two versions and it's nice to have a very rare, 'ruined' version and a much larger 'pre-ruin' one and i'll proudly own them both. And while you may be able to buy the open edition for much cheaper on the secondary market, it's nice to have a numbered one.

True, but I think the phrase "quick sellout" has to be kept in perspective. a) it's Weta, not Sideshow, b) it went up for pre-order late on a weekend (in the US/UK), and c) it's LOTR, which has always been a bit more of a "slow burn" as far as sellouts go.

Selling out a 400 ES item in less than a day under those circumstances is actually pretty impressive. Especially one that will be re-listed as an open edition.

Yep, i'd say it's very impressive. Sideshow can only dream of selling out a 400 ES of something LOTR in such a short space of time nowadays!

 

[Moriaman]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

Stirring the pot i see FE

400 es sellout in a matter of hours is good by anyone's standards,especially considering its LOTR

 

[FrodoEyes]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

It also helps that they have a US, UK and NZ warehouse and don't charge a non-refundable deposit

But it would be nice if they had a Flex-Pay system and a good pre-ordering server like SS does.

Stir? Moi?

 

[RoboDad]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

It also helps that they have a US, UK and NZ warehouse and don't charge a non-refundable deposit

.

 

[The Josh]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

I don't look at NRD as a bad thing. It makes sure people order will stick with their orders more often than not. I don't want to see Weta or Sideshow get stuck with extra stock because people got caught up in themselves.

 

[Moriaman]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

Flex would be welcome with Weta but to be honest ive had to train myself to save in Weta's case,its hard to not spend it some times but a quick look at the product gallery normally stops that
At least with flrx the moneys gone so you cant be tempted to spend it on that ebay bargain

 

[LOTRFan]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

True, but I think the phrase "quick sellout" has to be kept in perspective. a) it's Weta, not Sideshow, b) it went up for pre-order late on a weekend (in the US/UK), and c) it's LOTR, which has always been a bit more of a "slow burn" as far as sellouts go.

Selling out a 400 ES item in less than a day under those circumstances is actually pretty impressive. Especially one that will be re-listed as an open edition.

No question, and the EX is sure to have no hold on quite a few collectors.


Of course, I am a sucker for an EX.

 

[Fubeca]

Re: Weta Orthanc Pre-Ruin Environment

Does anyone remember where a comparison is of the Sideshow/Weta Orthanc and the Danbury Mint Bara-dur?