Weta Workshops The Hobbit Motherload Of Goodies

[cstojano]

Josh, which pieces are you referring to when you say the first pieces from the original line? Are you talking the original Legolas, GTG, etc.?

We have different views of what collectible means but this issue divides the entire statue world lately it seems. To me, something that is produced to be collected but in unlimited capacity is an oxymoron. The key is the "produced to be collectible" part because most antiques were produced as unnumbered objects but are certainly collectible. I admit it rubs me the wrong way what is happening in the collectibles world: higher prices, open editions, shoddier materials - man you can't catch a break.

Boromir, if you want real metal you can always buy the 8000 dollar Sting Seriously, polystone weapon replicas make sense for minis but for 1:1?? Yesterday reinforced my desire to get the older Weta material, its far cheaper and likely higher quality since materials and labor were so much cheaper ten years ago. Of course the new dwarves I will buy, those look awesome. And thank goodness they are using the old style black bases as well, I like that seamless look for blending the product lines.

I sat on the computer yesterday waiting for the updates considering whether I would be a completist for this new line, having missed out on the chance for LOTR. I didn't buy a thing.

 

[The Josh]

The original SSW line. Most of those early pieces were open edition pieces which didn't seem to hurt that line any at all.

Guess we do. These new pieces to me are Collectibles and if others disagree that's cool. Obviously, items with ES are a bit more because we know the run has and end and how many are needed to get there. Opens don't stay open forever it's just we don't know how many are in the run.

 

[Boromir]

Boromir, if you want real metal you can always buy the 8000 dollar Sting

I'm quiet happy with my MC Sting from UC. =)
I would be happy with the regular edition from UC, too.
But in the end steel is a must for weapons to be authentic to me.
I don't want them to be authentic to the movie requisites used, but to a "real" weapon.

I sat on the computer yesterday waiting for the updates considering whether I would be a completist for this new line, having missed out on the chance for LOTR. I didn't buy a thing.

Same here. Well I wasn't waiting for the release but was quiet interested to see what Weta came up with when I came back from work today.

At least they should have made the Key to Erebor out of metal. It's a small piece and paying something like 49,99 instead of 29,99 wouldn't be a big problem.

 

[FrodoEyes]

I think the key is metal....?

 

[Fritz]

I already bought Thorin's map made by Daniel Reeve and it's very nice, I recommend you pick it up! Although, I have the regular not with the moon letters.

 

[Ballder]

I didn't buy anything but just becouse I haven't the money to buy all the things I want and I've to use proudly it, becouse with the next release I'll buy Dwalin, Balin and Bombur.
Gandalf looks great (I don't like Bilbo too much), and the Daniel Reeve map and the contrat looks incredibles...but if they can't be sent from UK warehouse I can't buy them, becouse I'll pay a 21% tax (for the price of the statue and the shipping).

 

[The Josh]

I've now got $74 in Weta Dollars I'm tempted to use to get a few of the maps for free. Might save it for the next statue though.

 

[willocrew]

But in the end steel is a must for weapons to be authentic to me.
I don't want them to be authentic to the movie requisites used, but to a "real" weapon.

Well, for me screen accuracy is the most important thing for movie replicas. Afterall, I am buying a replica prop first and foremost and if it happens to also be a functional weapon than even better!

It would certainly be cool if Weta had actually made all of the dwarve weapons using steel. But then again, if they had done that then you can bet that the movie shooting would have been delayed for 6-7 months while the dwarf cast undergo physiotherapy for injuries sustained wielding those things. I mean, have you seen the girth, width size and chunky-ness of those dwarf weapons?

In fact, united cutlery makes those in steel, the USPS shipping charges will probably cause you injury before it even arrives at your door step.

 

[cstojano]

Well, for me screen accuracy is the most important thing for movie replicas. Afterall, I am buying a replica prop first and foremost and if it happens to also be a functional weapon than even better!

It would certainly be cool if Weta had actually made all of the dwarve weapons using steel. But then again, if they had done that then you can bet that the movie shooting would have been delayed for 6-7 months while the dwarf cast undergo physiotherapy for injuries sustained wielding those things. I mean, have you seen the girth, width size and chunky-ness of those dwarf weapons?

In fact, united cutlery makes those in steel, the USPS shipping charges will probably cause you injury before it even arrives at your door step.

Fair point, the use of faux materials may be more about shipping costs than materials costs.

 

[theguru1]

The original SSW line. Most of those early pieces were open edition pieces which didn't seem to hurt that line any at all.

I'm going to have to disagree here as well. In many ways I think the term Open Edition is being used as a double meaning between old lines and new.

The early pieces of the LOTR line to me were not open editions, they were unnumbered limited editions. We don't know how many were made, but we do know the production had a limited run. Be it 30 days or 60 days, at a point they stopped making them and that happened before the mass buying really took hold with The Two Towers.

Compare that to now and items like Bag End OE or Bilbo will just keep being made until orders basically dry up (so at least a good couple of years). Any 'sold out' really just means, all current stock is sold, but wait a month or two and a while new batch will come in. Because of that, I consider them somewhat less 'collectible' and if this trend continues I even have some fear of the long term success of the industry.

All Open Edition says is don't buy now, you can wait it out, see what else is released/announced and then be very picky when the time comes. Of course over that time, items from other properties, with very limited edition sizes could be released and one just ends up getting those instead.

 

[The Josh]

I'm going to have to disagree here as well. In many ways I think the term Open Edition is being used as a double meaning between old lines and new.

The early pieces of the LOTR line to me were not open editions, they were unnumbered limited editions. We don't know how many were made, but we do know the production had a limited run. Be it 30 days or 60 days, at a point they stopped making them and that happened before the mass buying really took hold with The Two Towers.

Compare that to now and items like Bag End OE or Bilbo will just keep being made until orders basically dry up (so at least a good couple of years). Any 'sold out' really just means, all current stock is sold, but wait a month or two and a while new batch will come in. Because of that, I consider them somewhat less 'collectible' and if this trend continues I even have some fear of the long term success of the industry.

All Open Edition says is don't buy now, you can wait it out, see what else is released/announced and then be very picky when the time comes. Of course over that time, items from other properties, with very limited edition sizes could be released and one just ends up getting those instead.

Well, I'm not using the term as a double meaning. The first run of statues back in the old SSW days were open editions. Yes, they were only open for a certain period but back when things were going like that they were called open editions. Its something we were all told back then so until I'm told something different by either Sideshow or Weta that's what I'm going with. I'm sure like these will be sold for a while and then production will stop. So they will only be "open" editions until that ends then like the original line they will be limited without an ES.

Also another note the reason the original line had these open pieces which closed quicker than items that had no ES in the line is they sold slow. Basically, they close the ES in order to move on to other pieces which started selling better because of ES and thats where it started (giving these items in the SSW line an ES).

Now, my history could be wrong but I kind of doubt it.

 

[gagaliya]

I've now got $74 in Weta Dollars I'm tempted to use to get a few of the maps for free. Might save it for the next statue though.

dont waste your money on a bunch poster prints they are worthless, save up and get either the $200 map or $450 contract, those are good items to collect.

 

[theguru1]

Well, I'm not using the term as a double meaning. The first run of statues back in the old SSW days were open editions. Yes, they were only open for a certain period but back when things were going like that they were called open editions. Its something we were all told back then so until I'm told something different by either Sideshow or Weta that's what I'm going with. I'm sure like these will be sold for a while and then production will stop. So they will only be "open" editions until that ends then like the original line they will be limited without an ES.

Fair enough and yes, I guess at some point they will finally stop making them and hence we have limited without an ES. But at this stage, I just gt the feeling that "open" means much more open, that there is no real end in sight and that even if orders slow down a fair bit, if after say 3-4 months enough have ordered, Weta will just have the factory make another small run.

I am somewhat basing this on the Bag End OE. That's been what, a good year now and so far no sign of production stopping and with 3 films still to even be shown, it's got to have a good few more years of life. At that stage there will be 1000's of them and basically anyone that wants one, can get one, even if by then Weta does stop making any more. To me, that's no longer Collectible, that's a high priced mass market item.

In case your wondering, yes, I have the Bag End Collectors Edition, see, they even call that one 'collectible'

 

[The Josh]

dont waste your money on a bunch poster prints they are worthless, save up and get either the $200 map or $450 contract, those are good items to collect.

They're not worthless. They look amazing and would totally be worth the points. I'm just deciding if I want to use them on these, ask for them as a x-mas gift, or save them for say when the Dwalin statue goes up.

Fair enough and yes, I guess at some point they will finally stop making them and hence we have limited without an ES. But at this stage, I just gt the feeling that "open" means much more open, that there is no real end in sight and that even if orders slow down a fair bit, if after say 3-4 months enough have ordered, Weta will just have the factory make another small run.

I am somewhat basing this on the Bag End OE. That's been what, a good year now and so far no sign of production stopping and with 3 films still to even be shown, it's got to have a good few more years of life. At that stage there will be 1000's of them and basically anyone that wants one, can get one, even if by then Weta does stop making any more. To me, that's no longer Collectible, that's a high priced mass market item.

In case your wondering, yes, I have the Bag End Collectors Edition, see, they even call that one 'collectible'

I get ya. I don't think these are going to close in the next month or so or even something similar to the SSW pieces. There is much more momentum and knowledge of all things Middle-Earth. So while both I are open they're different shades of that so I agree with you in the difference.

As far as the Bag End OE. I get what you're saying and I'd agree if they made something like 10k of them or something like that. However, there were items within the SSW range that had 5k+ ES is that which are collectible so while I get what you're saying I think there is a line in the sand where it crosses over.

I know. I've seen your setup and its a very nice one.

 

[cstojano]

I think the business model is now to make sure everyone gets one that possibly wants one. The secondary market is money left on the table to the producers so in response they kill the secondary market. I think in the process they will eventually kill the primary market, meaning statues go the way of baseball cards, comics, etc. Its a natural cycle that happens with collectibles. Greed prevails, greed kills. As I see it these OE items are no different than buying a DVD from Target. Serves the purpose but limited appeal on the secondary market except at a steep discount. My concern is less personal and more about what this means for the hobby, which in a way is deeply personal and selfish. I'd hate this all to go the way of beanie babies. Rest assured Ty didn't care they were killing the market while cashing all those checks. They knew what they were doing. Honestly having just bought a bunch of the old Weta helms I am shocked these aren't worth more, the quality is phenomenal.

 

[Husker75]

Man.. just reading some things people say on here blows my mind. Especially the bull about edition sizes, and how they all need to be a few hundred, so that only a few can have something, and be able to call it a "collectible" instead of a lot of fans getting to own something they really want. If you want something limited, buy a screen used item or something. I constantly hear some of you complain about too high of an edition size, and then if you were not one of the few hundred who got it, you turn around and complain the other way. Just collect, and be happy. They are great items, and unless you are a flipper, it shouldn't matter. If you are that concerned about hoarding everything to yourself, you are a collector alright. Right up there with Smaug!

I love these new items.
Pre-ordered the key
Picked up a plain one ring and the pricey map.

Interested to see how the weapons come out. Everyone be sure to share pics of your loot when you get it! Exciting time to see all this roll out again. Didn't think I'd get to do this again a decade later!

 

[theguru1]

Man.. just reading some things people say on here blows my mind. Especially the bull about edition sizes, and how they all need to be a few hundred, so that only a few can have something, and be able to call it a "collectible" instead of a lot of fans getting to own something they really want. If you want something limited, buy a screen used item or something. I constantly hear some of you complain about too high of an edition size, and then if you were not one of the few hundred who got it, you turn around and complain the other way. Just collect, and be happy. They are great items, and unless you are a flipper, it shouldn't matter. If you are that concerned about hoarding everything to yourself, you are a collector alright. Right up there with Smaug!

I never said they all need to be a few hundred. I said that having a long term, almost blanket open edition size on just about all items is far from a good long term move.

I understand why for example Weta want Bilbo Open Edition, given that not one of the films has even been seen yet and hence it gives all a chance to buy that want to.

But in many ways, I think they could acheive much the same outcome without totally killing the 'collector' status of any items. Want Bilbo to be around for a while, then fine, set an ES but make it 2000-3000. You'll still be able to buy it for sometime to come and if in the long run you do miss out, then with that many, you'll have no problems getting one of the secondary market for around retail price anyway.

And lets face it, as much as we would all like to think that the general market for LOTR/Hobbit stuff is huge, just look at the slow down Sideshow has hit with their 'new' LOTR statue line, while Marvel/Star Wars/DC continues to go full steam ahead. Not many people collect just one property, so right now, you can decide, do I order a limited edition item from Sideshow or an open edition one from Weta.

And even if you do pick Weta above all else, you still don't have to order now, wait and see what else is released, wait to see if you get that job promotion or for many, manage to keep your job at all. Then time goes on, interest drops off, stuff doesn't sell, less new items then get made and the market is just a flood with open edition items.

So I'll say it again, I don't think having so much Open Edition is a good long term idea.

 

[willocrew]

I think for the mid ranged items I'm fine with either open edition or limited. There are pros and cons to both.

But for those pricey stuff like the weta bronzes and the Peter Lyon swords, I strongly believe those have to be strictly closed editions.

 

[Seph Stampede]

I preordered the Art and Design book, as well as the Key to Erebor. Weta are really pushing some amazing stuff at the moment. Might pick up a few of the weapons, too. Anybody want to shell out for me and get the Contract prop replica?

 

[Fritz]

...The early pieces of the LOTR line to me were not open editions, they were unnumbered limited editions. We don't know how many were made, but we do know the production had a limited run. Be it 30 days or 60 days, at a point they stopped making them and that happened before the mass buying really took hold with The Two Towers...

I don't think this is correct. Off the top of my head the original SSW Gandalf, Arwen and Legolas were open editions and available for at least a couple of years. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.