Ultimate Collectors' Forums

Hey folks, so I'm curious as to whether or not Kropserkel is still doing business. I've seen their website, so I'm assuming they're still taking orders. Also wondering if anyone knows what the price ranges of their items are? I know that Val has some of their stuff, right? Anyone else? Thanks for any info.

[quote=""Fingolfin""]Hey folks, so I'm curious as to whether or not Kropserkel is still doing business. I've seen their website, so I'm assuming they're still taking orders. Also wondering if anyone knows what the price ranges of their items are? I know that Val has some of their stuff, right? Anyone else? Thanks for any info. [/quote]

Hey Fin,

I believe they are still in business, but they do not still produce everything in their LOTR catalog. I know that they told me the only thing they were still producing actively from LOTR was their Wiki armor and scabbard for the UC Wiki sword and that was around two years ago. At that time, I contacted them via their email at: info@kropserkel.com.

You might also have luck by sending them a message via their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kropserk ... 1247484322

After I contacted them, they sent a .pdf catalog file of their Wiki gear w/pricing. Their prices were high for that Wiki stuff, but it is very well made! I have their deluxe robes w/height extension and hood for the FOTR Ringwraith look as well as their Wiki war helm and gauntlets. I think for the gauntlets alone the pricing was over a $1k if that gives you any idea. I found my set on eBay and was hoping to add the arm, shoulder, and leg armor. So far, I haven't struck gold so I have not pursued this since receiving their price list. I did think their Wiki scabbard pricing was reasonable, though, and may still try and snag one of those someday if, indeed, they are still making it.

The LOTR stuff I think they have discontinued includes their Ranger duster, Boromir vambraces, Legolas Archer vambraces, and all their Orc/Uruk gear. As I said, it was some time ago when I received their catalog so I cannot say any of this information is up-to-date...

Yep, what Poly said is right on the nose.

I found it a true pleasure to deal with Scott Maple, a true gentleman of the crafting community. Because I did not buy from eBay but got my Wiki gauntlets directly from Scott, they were cheaper than Poly's and came in around $850. That is my most e xp ensive replica to date but they are worth every cent as the craftsmanship is outstanding. At one point he was offering different types of aging on them. I opted for the true-to-screen antique, rusted and dark, evil look.

I also have Boromir's Vambraces and Legolas' Archer Vambraces. It was a long time ago, but the cost was around the $350 area for each. Sad to know they are no longer making these, but happy that makes mine all that more rare.

Some of you missed my post about one of my helm customers commissioning Kropserkel to complete the Witchking armor.
This is in the works, I had the privilege of seeing sketches of the proposed design, and was asked to offer my ideas.
Because they have stated they will not be using my design, I figure I should let you all see what I came up with.
It will be exciting to see their finished version.

[quote=""Valkrist""]Because I did not buy from eBay but got my Wiki gauntlets directly from Scott, they were cheaper than Poly's and came in around $850.[/quote]

To clarify, when I said I got my 'set' on eBay I meant the entirety of my Kropserkel Wiki gear set: robes, extending hood, war helm, and gaunlets. I prefer not to disclose the price paid for that set, but it I found it quite reasonable once I received Scott's catalog and compared my price to the price I would pay to purchase the various elements individually. The price of more than $1k I was quoting for the gauntlets themselves was based on the price listed in Scott's .pdf catalog for the Wiki gear. At that time, he was producing both versions of the gauntlets (Wiki & Ringwraith) along with all the other armor elements.

The full Wiki set including robes, helm, pauldrons, rerebraces, cowters, gauntlets, cuisses, greaves, and sabatons was listed at $7,500 USD. The gauntlets had slightly different pricing (both over $1k) with the Wiki versions being the more e xp ensive. I believe those were like $1,100 vs. $1,250, but I don't recall exactly. I still have the original file somewhere, but I don't have it with me at the moment. Of course, all of that information was from at least 2 and possibly as long as 3 years ago so it may all be moot now.

I see what you mean now. Well, I bought my Wiki Gauntlets for $850 about ten years ago, so I can see how the price would go up if your information is only about 2-3 years old by comparison. I think the regular Ringwraith gauntlets were about $700 at the time.

Thrandy, that is super cool.

Thanks for the info guys. That's a little disappointing, I really, REALLY want Aragorn's bracers as well as Boromir's. I wish I wouldn't have been robbed out of that pair by Museum Replicas years ago.

[quote=""Fingolfin""]Thanks for the info guys. That's a little disappointing, I really, REALLY want Aragorn's bracers as well as Boromir's. I wish I wouldn't have been robbed out of that pair by Museum Replicas years ago. [/quote]

Did you try Etsy? There are usually a few different ones on there.

This was over on the RPF, Fin. Someone is looking to make the Boromir/Aragorn vambraces.
http://www.therpf.com/f13/lotr-gondor-b ... le-204776/

What about trying Leather Lore?
I recall that at least one person on the forums bought a set of Boromir's Braces from them and said they were quite happy with them.

http://www.leatherlore.com/gondor.htm

Fin, while I truly think you missed out on the Kropserkel Boromir bracers as I think they are truly exceptional, there are other options, like N2 and Deimos pointed out.

As for the Kropserkel Aragorn royal bracers, don't kick yourself too hard. I was all set to comission those from Scott but something didn't seem right about the photos so I inquired before ordering. As it turns out, the fluted seabird wings, three pieces on each bracer, were not stamped out of metal like the originals or the MR versions, but actually done in leather, painted to simulate metal. Scott e xp lained that the labour required to make those molds and stamp them out of metal would have driven the cost higher than he was wanting to charge for the item thus he opted for the leather. While I think they still looked very good, I was disappointed in that detail and thus did not buy them.

Thanks guys. Anyone ever bought from leather lore? Are they really pricey?

Also, does anyone have some good, accurate pictures of these so I can compare custom products to the real deal?

Interesting about the Aragorn bracers, Val. I wonder how MR was able to make them so incredibly cheap? Granted, they have mass production techniques, but still. I ordered those for like $40 or something like that.

So, would someone be able to clear a few details up for me? Aragorn takes Boromir's bracers after his death...are Aragorn's royal bracers the same ones, but with a metal wing overlay? Or are they completely different? Regardless, it never seeks to amaze me how much detail goes into these small items. Here's the best picture I can find of Boromir's bracers at the exhibit, they look much darker in the films:


EDIT - And Fin, I have not ordered from Leather Lore, but yes they are pricey. A set of Boromir bracer's w/padding is ~$270. I think rick cottontree has ordered some items from them, but I don't know if that includes the bracers.

Here are the Kropserkel ones, for comparison. Pretty spot on, I'd say.



Here are the royal vambraces, from the costume at the exhibit. I firmly believe they're *not* the same bracers reworked:

Thanks for the photos, Val. When you said metal overlay, I was envisioning something they stamped and added over his existing bracers. Those are clearly not the same. At first I was a bit bummed because this means Aragorn dumps Boromir's bracers for the Black Gate battle, but geez those look amazing! How cool would those look next to your King Elessar crown? Thrand....? Kidding, kidding!

[quote=""Valkrist""]Here are the royal vambraces, from the costume at the exhibit. I firmly believe they're *not* the same bracers reworked:



[/quote]
These photos tell me they are a good example of where actual metal was not always the case in these film props. Imo these are clearly resin. I point out the leading edge at the wrist where it meets the leather in the second photo. You can see the edge of the material varies in thickness, along with no paint on it.

Yep, I don't think any of us are holding any illusions that a lot of this stuff was actually made out the materials they are supposed to represent. Can you imagine how much all that armour in real metal would weigh the actors down? I think we are merely discussing that *if* those vambraces were real, the outer plates should be metal, not leather.

The vambracers Aragorn wore for the coronation were part of the ancestral armor he was wearing, which basically covered him head to toe.

What he was wearing was mostly painted Urethane armor. As I understand it, every piece of that armor was actually made for real, then molds were pulled to cast the painted Urethane armor he wore in the film. Same with the Gondor soldier armor and most of the helms worn in the films.

So Richard Taylor is not lying when he says they made most of the props out of real materials, it just that those were used as mold masters, not for filming.

Very interesting, Kit. So are those the same bracers he wore to the black gate, or are they only from the coronation?

Only the coronation. The light armor and plate steel vambraces he wore at the Black Gates were completely different. How cool would it be if Weta made replicas of both of Aragorn's different Gondor vambraces, and Boromir's?

Well, I'll be...

All along I thought the vambraces and pauldrons he wore at the Black Gates were part of the more extensive armour set he wore at his coronation. Clearly not, as evidenced by both sets of photos.

Makes sense the Kings of Gondor would have a ceremonial suit of armour, and as we already discussed elsewhere, Aragorn would likely have shunned heavier armour than what he wore at the Black Gates anyway. I just thought those two particular pieces (barcers and pauldrons) were the same.

Just to clarify and re-answer Nerdanel's original question, I still don't feel the Black Gates vambraces are Boromir's reworked. The under-brace is similar, but it's not the same bracers.

Lastly to Kit's comments, it would be cool except Weta is embarking on a strange trend of claiming they are making replicas directly from the master props used in the movies, and then putting out products that are full of innacuracies compared to their screen counterparts. Just look at their most recent effort in this very field with the Legolas archery bracer. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence that their Gondor gear would be any more faithful.

I was going to say something similar Val. I would buy each of them, any of them, if they were screen accurate and true to the props.

But judging from the Legolas' bracers, they'd be secured with shoestrings instead of buckles. I wouldn't purchase these for costuming, but for display, so in my mind I can't justify spending $200+ on something that doesn't look like the prop.

I half-wish the Legolas' bracer sales are good so Weta continues to pursue replicas like this, but I also half-wish they were bad so they would be truer to the originals.

Well I guess I should feel lucky to have gotten mine from Kropserkl when I did (2008).

Someone may have asked about the availability of the bracers and pauldrons that MR had once sold. I remember checking several sources back when (2010) I purchased several pieces of Aragorns Black Gate outfit , one in the UK and one from Germany, surprisingly the one in Berlin still lists a number of items (although in admittedly low supply). They still have: Aragorns Ranger duster, his Black Gate surcoat & cape and cotehardie, the Black Gate vambraces and pauldrons. To find the clothing items, type "prince coat" in the search box. The items are not listed with any reference to LOTR.
Vambraces: http://www.maskworld.com/english/produc ... -MR-200582
Pauldrons: http://www.maskworld.com/english/produc ... ur--100989

leatherlore bracers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26347288@N ... 2325725582
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26347288@N ... 2325725582
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26347288@N ... 4879773956

I just got a sneak peek at Kropserkel's Witchking body armor.
Oh boy, OH BOY! Wait til you see it!

The guy having it made is a member of the S&F so when he posts his pics I'll give you all a heads up.

Gorgeous! Gotta say, he'll be one to envy. He has a mannequin for what he currently owns with cloak etc. Looks cool, but when he adds the rest, well lets just say because the display is actually empty, The Witchking will stand in his home.

Enough to give you the chills.

Awesome, Thrand! Who from S+F ordered?

[quote=""Fingolfin""]Awesome, Thrand! Who from S+F ordered?[/quote]
S&F name Matsedal.

If only I had the money...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TWILIGHT-WITCH- ... 3a91815f67

Thats actually our own Rick Cottontree's auction. Wonder why he's letting it go?