Nasnandos wrote: Thu Jan 25, 2018 9:04 am Haldir is up for pre-order.

Yep, just got the email alert from Weta and went to check him out. $399, 750 pieces. Are you getting one, Kit?

I'm relieved to see the likeness looks much better in the official photos than in those fan ones taken at the Weta Cave. It's far from perfect but at least now I can see Craig Parker in there whereas before it looked horrible. I don't think Weta had time to change anything so I'm guessing they were just bad photos taken at a poor angle and perspective. The pose is also a bit weird with him leaning back straight like that but not a big deal. The big wow factor here is the armour, which looks amazing.

The price for these 1:6 regular statues seems to have stabilized (for now) but it is still very high. I've always wanted Haldir so I will be picking this up and then I'll have enough Weta dollars to basically get Eomer for free. If the prices go up any higher though, it's game over for me.

Already ordered. I thought the face likeness was good. The armor is very well done.

I think the armour is fantastic. I'd be happy to display it side on for the armour alone.

I'll order when my cc rolls over. Just bought the new JV Shire canvas and a wiki flail on eBay - so I'm tapped out.

Yeah, I'm tapped out from finishing payments on Isildur last month, and the War Troll five days ago. I'll wait for my next cycle as well before pre-ordering this guy. I doubt he will be selling out super fast, but who knows... elves can be dangerously fast sometimes. Just hope Eomer doesn't hit for a while yet, though as I said, he will be almost free at this point. Still debating on the Torturer of Dol Guldur. I want a representative of each race in my collection and this guy is the best orc Weta has done, hands down, and I own no other orcs (Lurtz and the Uruk swordsman are Uruk-hai, not orcs, so they don't count. )

Yeah - I hang on that excuse too Val

I don't collect Orcs but Lurtz is a Uruk.

'Tis true, I tell ya - Uruk-hai are not true orcs, therefore there is a difference, meaning I still need an Orc despite owning two Uruk-hai.

I hate Bolg and Azog with a passion, could care less for Yazneg, and of the old SSW Orcs, the only one I like is the Moria Archer, but he is too expensive now. The Torturer is my best chance of getting a great Orc on my shelves and be done with it.

Took nearly 15 years, but Weta has finally released Eomer for pre-ordering. Good thing he wasn't this late when it came time to show up to save Helm's Deep.

The edition size is 750, no surprises there, and the price is $699, which is high but at least consistent with the last rider piece, MoS. I honestly thought Weta was going to raise the price yet again, by at least $50-$100.

With my current Weta dollars balance, Eomer will cost me a whopping $7.10 + shipping.

The statue is very nice and I'm definitely getting one, but it falls just short of a homerun for me. The multiple angles of the pics on the Weta site help both enhance its good qualities and highlight the bad: namely the lady's high heel shoe the horse is resting on, and Eomer's raving lunatic face and bulging eyes. First Boromir, then Haldir, and now Eomer. Weta really needs to stop with these super intense expressions. They make it extremely difficult to faithfully capture the actor's face. At least Eomer looks 100 times more like Karl Urban does than Haldir looks like Craig Parker, but I wish they would just give it a rest (literally) and go with more peaceful poses and faces. Just my two cents.

Oh... and someone send the paramedics over to Buckeye's house again. I swear I just heard a 'thud'.

I too would like calmer poses and faces but I gotta say - that close up pic of the face - it is amazing.

Idril wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:33 pm I too would like calmer poses and faces but I gotta say - that close up pic of the face - it is amazing.

Don't get me wrong, it is head and shoulders above all other the intense faces Weta has done of late, and the paint techniques to make it look lifelike are insane these days. My problem in this case is not so much with the likeness (which is amazing - just look at that photo of the real deal they cleverly put next to the statue for comparison,) but just that I don't feel it is something that translates very well to these statues. Many statues in this line have turned into action moments, with super-hero poses and exaggerated expressions that are more suited to comic books or action toys. It's also disheartening that after so many folks begging for a non-screaming Eomer, that's exactly what they give us. You always know Weta is going to cherry-pick the fan comments that best suit them, but I figured by now the negative chatter on the constant over-the-top action stuff would be causing them to reconsider some choices of late. Ah well... the silly illusions we have about our opinions actually counting for something...

Despite my grumblings, I do love this statue, Like my dabbing War Troll, I just have to get over the image of a psycho killer and his horse surfing on a high heel shoe.

EOMER!!!!!!!! Yes!!!!!!

<after calming myself and my poor cats> Order placed!

N2, wherefore art thou?!? Not a peep from you regarding obtaining Eomer now that the price is confirmed as you predicted...?

Despite being called out as a completest by our resident UCF enforcer today, I've been thinking long and hard about when and where to stop with collecting Weta stuff. The arrival of the War Troll and Eomer's eventual charge down the hill and into my collection have put my display room space on critical mass alert. Add the nigh-on untenable prices and the writing is on the wall. It will be tricky adding in Isildur as it is, and it has caused me to put considerations of buying the Torturer of Dol Guldur (or Bolg in my mind,) and Haldir on hold for now.

There are only four pieces left where I would cross the line and buy regardless now (should Weta decide to make them): Elendil, Gil-galad, Beorn, and a properly attired Pippin. For environments, I think only Minas Morgul would sway me at this point, as well as all the Shire stuff, which is inoffensively small enough to continue buying. I've mentioned this before, but I actually feel a bit relieved that I literally can't buy more stuff unless I start putting them on the floor, and that's a no-no. A bit sad for what I know I will miss out on, but relieved.

Valkrist wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:30 am N2, wherefore art thou?!? Not a peep from you regarding obtaining Eomer now that the price is confirmed as you predicted...?

Despite being called out as a completest by our resident UCF enforcer today, I've been thinking long and hard about when and where to stop with collecting Weta stuff. The arrival of the War Troll and Eomer's eventual charge down the hill and into my collection have put my display room space on critical mass alert. Add the nigh-on untenable prices and the writing is on the wall. It will be tricky adding in Isildur as it is, and it has caused me to put considerations of buying the Torturer of Dol Guldur (or Bolg in my mind,) and Haldir on hold for now.

There are only four pieces left where I would cross the line and buy regardless now (should Weta decide to make them): Elendil, Gil-galad, Beorn, and a properly attired Pippin. For environments, I think only Minas Morgul would sway me at this point, as well as all the Shire stuff, which is inoffensively small enough to continue buying. I've mentioned this before, but I actually feel a bit relieved that I literally can't buy more stuff unless I start putting them on the floor, and that's a no-no. A bit sad for what I know I will miss out on, but relieved.

Sorry. I've been here everyday just not posted. As my room is far from being finalized I'm not really sure what I have room for or not and with a few very large pieces to already try and display (Sauron, Smaug, Gandalf on Shadowfax, Balrog, etc) I'm questioning all new additions. I have also been separated from my job late last month, be it only a part time job I'm now fairly conservative on my extra spending. I have already pre-ordered Isildur and will keep him, but anything large (both size and cost) will probably have to wait. I'd still be hard pressed not to buy a Gil-Galad or Elendil if released even though they will probably be $400 a piece.

As you were saying, I'm getting close to max capacity for my collection. I've been selling off most of all of my other non-LOTR on ebay over the last few months and will only focus on LOTR from here on out. I have many custom items I still want to make (namely Bilbo's desk) and want to have room for those as well. Moving and having to redesign the display room has put a lot of questions on the future and where I see things going. At this point only time will tell.

N2darkness wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:23 pm I'd still be hard pressed not to buy a Gil-Galad or Elendil if released even though they will probably be $400 a piece.

Oh, I can absolutely guarantee that they will cost that much, if not more, by the time they come out (if they do.) I only thank all the stars that neither Elendil nor Gil-galad rode horses at the battle of the Last Alliance because I think Weta would find it hard to resist putting out another expensive rider. They can release a million Arwens on Asfaloth and they can keep them all. It would be a shame to pass on a possible Théoden on Snowmane but there's just no room or funds for this game anymore. Théoden on foot is good enough for me.

Bilbo's desk sounds like an amazing project and one that would be the crowning glory of many a display room. I bet you are going to have fun filling it up with all kinds of paper props afterward. I assume you are doing the stool as well? Also, I'm guessing you want it to be practical and thus it will be human-sized rather than hobbit-sized?

Valkrist wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:04 pm Bilbo's desk sounds like an amazing project and one that would be the crowning glory of many a display room. I bet you are going to have fun filling it up with all kinds of paper props afterward. I assume you are doing the stool as well? Also, I'm guessing you want it to be practical and thus it will be human-sized rather than hobbit-sized?

Well, I'm not sure on the size. I'd have to find out what looks best with Indy's Redbook. Yes I'd like to do the chair and possibly the full book stand as well, but the spiral threaded piece would be a challenge for sure.

Just be ready for the usual flood of requests for one from the gang at FoU, unless you make it clear that this is a personal one-off, lol. Or, you don't mind making more and shipping it in pieces.

Valkrist wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:10 pm Just be ready for the usual flood of requests for one from the gang at FoU, unless you make it clear that this is a personal one-off, lol. Or, you don't mind making more and shipping it in pieces.

I had thought of only making 2 and at the same time. Would save on set up time and material costs. I kind of thought Arwyniel would be most interested. It's the kind of project you don't want to do many of and as you said shipping would be stupid.

Crap, you just had to go and leave open the possibility, didn't you? Honestly, if it wasn't for having nowhere to put it, I would just drive down there and pick it up in person.

N2darkness wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:31 pm

I had thought of only making 2 and at the same time. Would save on set up time and material costs. I kind of thought Arwyniel would be most interested. It's the kind of project you don't want to do many of and as you said shipping would be stupid.

I am definitely still interested, we will just have to see how things are when you are ready to start. Shipping is a big issue.

Arwyniel wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:29 pm

N2darkness wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:31 pm

I had thought of only making 2 and at the same time. Would save on set up time and material costs. I kind of thought Arwyniel would be most interested. It's the kind of project you don't want to do many of and as you said shipping would be stupid.

I am definitely still interested, we will just have to see how things are when you are ready to start. Shipping is a big issue.

It's still a long way off before I start. We need an excuse to visit Kentucky anyway - so maybe we can swing delivery too

N2darkness wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:57 am
It's still a long way off before I start. We need an excuse to visit Kentucky anyway - so maybe we can swing delivery too

I like the sound of that!

I think I need an intervention . . . this morning I caught myself actually considering purchasing the MoS statue. It must be the horse and the incredible detail of the sculpt. I only have one "evil" piece in my house, and that's the Weta One Ring. I can justify that in a hundred different ways. The MoS, though. Where did that thought come from?!?

Edit: Good thing that it's sold out.

ooooooo ......giving in to the Dark Side? Not good, not good at all.

I have The One Ring also, and I have the Morgul Lord With raised sword and swinging mace.
However (comma) he is faced by Dernhelm who will soon vanquish him.
And that is how I justify having him in the house at all, to wit, that his demise is imminent.

So you could still have the MoS staue in your home provided Aragorn on horseback is right there, ready to lop off his head,
(or actually doing so, which would make a pretty spectacular diorama ...imo).

I think it may be just because it is Weta's finest statue so far

I don't have such a scarcity of dark side as you two but I don't have much. I was never interested in getting a MoS statue. The character is so creepy. But when I saw it. My mouth literally did drop open.

I think it is only rivaled by the Ringwraith on Steed personally. It is phenomenal. The way it conveys movement is amazing.

Of the 4 LE statues Sam GAO has done 3 are sold out. I can't wait to see what he is working on next.

Idril wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:56 am I think it may be just because it is Weta's finest statue so far

I don't have such a scarcity of dark side as you two but I don't have much. I was never interested in getting a MoS statue. The character is so creepy. But when I saw it. My mouth literally did drop open....

"Creepy", perfect word for it.
Re the movie MoS: I don't know exactly why (because it is so hideous) but that mouth is just fascinating.
I couldn't take my eyes off it (mesmerizing like what a snake does to its prey right before it strikes); I knew that something had been done either via makeup/prosthetics or CGI to make it human, but ...not...quite.
So I did some sleuthing and found out that they CGI'd his mouth to disproportionately enlarge it .
Between that and the unflossed teeth, it definitely sent the "creepy" factor off the charts.

Idril, you holding out on us?

I know a certain Numenroean Prince has paid you a visit recently...

Also, quite the brouhaha brewing over the surprise early release of some Thranduil on Elk pieces. I gotta say the pics and videos I've seen don't look very encouraging, but I agree with the folks asking for patience and some more photos to come in before heading for the nuclear fallout shelters. Are you concerned at all? This is a very expensive piece for Weta to screw up.

Yeah got him a few hours ago. Sorry should have posted pics here too.

It is fabulous. Just perfect. You will love it. I can't believe the translucency of the skin.

Personally sick of the hype over the early ToE pics. Everything is like a Shakespearian tragedy especially if you have Latin genetics apparently.

My MoS and Isildur and Fell beast bust - perfect. I believe ToE will be too. I guess I'll know in a month. If is isnt, i will be discussing with Weta.

Excellent! I did see your photos from FoU, of course, but it would be awesome to have them here. My order is still in processing status with no shipping email yet.

As for Latin genetics, lol... would it surprise you to hear (or remember?) that I am Portuguese?

I do my fair share of complaining, I know, but my Spanish brothers over at FoU are indeed in a whole category of their own. Very melodramatic. I did have to agree with the one fellow that called out some folks for giving Weta too easy of a pass any time it comes to daring to suggest they *may* have messed up, but it is a Weta-fan forum so why should it be a surprise or problem that people are more forgiving over there?

Lol. I should have remembered Val.

Currently leaning Spanish. I love the Latin countries. The colour, their artistry and general enthusiasm. But they also are a bit hot headed for me. But what would you expect from an Aussie? "No worries mate - pass us another beer"

Lots of printed material in AZ is in English and Spanish.
I am pretty good at reading Latin, and with Spanish being one of the 5 Romance languages that derive from Latin (the other 4 being French, Italian, Romanian and ..... and.... gee, the last one escapes me....... ;-D) , And being kind of quasi immersed in it, I can usually figure out what's being said, and respond in a mix of Latin and Spanish.

Store ads are always in both languages so that's an easy way to increase one's vocabulary of common everyday words.

Deimos wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:27 am So you could still have the MoS staue in your home provided Aragorn on horseback is right there, ready to lop off his head,
(or actually doing so, which would make a pretty spectacular diorama ...imo).

You just *had* to put that idea into my head, didn't you? You're an enabler, Deimos.

Buckeye wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:53 am

Deimos wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:27 am So you could still have the MoS staue in your home provided Aragorn on horseback is right there, ready to lop off his head,
(or actually doing so, which would make a pretty spectacular diorama ...imo).

You just *had* to put that idea into my head, didn't you? You're an enabler, Deimos.

Well, I'm only doing my part to ensure everyone has just super-dee-duper displays that will be the envy of their like-minded LOTR fanatic friends.

Someone on the forums a looooong time ago had a pic of their Dernhelm statue facing off with the old SS Morgul Lord statue (the one I described), and I thought that was just so cool (aside from the fact that I've always liked the Dernhelm saga from beginning--prior to riding to Gondor--- to the end at the Houses of Healing) , I immediately sought out the two statues.
I just like the idea of really dramatic dioramas.

Deimos wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:10 am

Buckeye wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:53 am

Deimos wrote: Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:27 am So you could still have the MoS staue in your home provided Aragorn on horseback is right there, ready to lop off his head,
(or actually doing so, which would make a pretty spectacular diorama ...imo).

You just *had* to put that idea into my head, didn't you? You're an enabler, Deimos.

Well, I'm only doing my part to ensure everyone has just super-dee-duper displays that will be the envy of their like-minded LOTR fanatic friends.

Someone on the forums a looooong time ago had a pic of their Dernhelm statue facing off with the old SS Morgul Lord statue (the one I described), and I thought that was just so cool (aside from the fact that I've always liked the Dernhelm saga from beginning--prior to riding to Gondor--- to the end at the Houses of Healing) , I immediately sought out the two statues.
I just like the idea of really dramatic dioramas.

I was teasing you, Deimos. But seriously, you're making a very valid and lucid argument as to why my considering the MoS statue (despite being a good guy collector) is within the realm of justifiability.

Buckeye wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:31 pm I was teasing you, Deimos....

We knows that , Precious, yes we do.

(Geez, I miss having Fingolfin--the high elven joey--- around. He must be working on his Master's, or else something equally boring...)

Are the rest of us 'old folks' boring you, Deimos?

On the topic of finding excuses to buy villain statues, you do realize your flimsy justifications fit for just about any of them, right?

Like Lurtz but are revolted by the fact he's evil? No problem, just get Boromir to pair him up with!
Uruk-hai Swordsman looks cool but too brutal of a character? Well, he'll look just spiffy with Théoden about to cut him down!
Leaping Gollum is very well done but too creepy and nasty? Look out, here comes Bilbo with Sting ready to skewer him!
Etc, etc, etc.

See what I mean?

Val. You are spoiling the fantasy. Lol.

Idril wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:38 pm Val. You are spoiling the fantasy. Lol.

Then my work here is done.

Thank you Idril...saves me from having to kick him myself.

OK, sorry for the late post. Right in the middle of my reply my ISP (Cox) decided to go off line for maintenance.

Sooooo, Val....
I do follow you, and you are quite right.... my argument could be used to justify owning any of those baddies, so long as I had his adversary is close by, about to do him in.

But here's the one factor that make the difference: all those other bad guys are pretty pedestrian evildoers.
The uruk-hai are bred for evil, so that makes them almost programmed minions; Gollum is willful evil (he killed Deagol to get the Ring) but also borderline pathetic.
And they all meet pretty mundane deaths (for the times) , even Gollum. He basically burns to death.

Morgul Lord is different both in kind and degree of evil that he embodies; and his death being both spectacular and supernatural shows this.
That makes him different from the others, and it's why I like seeing him facing off with Eowyn, "about to die".
The others, being run-of the -mill evil, I'd rather not have them in the house, because uninspired evil is, well, depressing.
All just my opinion, tied up with my weltanschauung.

Oh, and I miss Fin because he is a somewhat eccentric...and we can all benefit from a bit of eccentricity in our lives.
(I know quite a few "old" people who are eccentric...usually comes with the territory, but it's less common in a youngster.)

Deimos, are you sure your ears aren't pointed? And by that I'm not suggesting you're an elf, but rather a Vulcan.

I like your explanation, and it makes absolute sense. However, I would still contend that even by that reasoning, one could still make a case for Sauron and Saruman, at the very least.

As for Fin, I think one day he will come to his senses and realize that life without hoarding collectibles is no fun, and he will return to tell us how much he's missed it.

Valkrist wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:20 am Deimos, are you sure your ears aren't pointed? And by that I'm not suggesting you're an elf, but rather a Vulcan.

I like your explanation, and it makes absolute sense. However, I would still contend that even by that reasoning, one could still make a case for Sauron and Saruman, at the very least. ...

Absolutely agree on those two, (and more on the MoS in a moment).
I actually did put in a few lines about Saruman's death (as it is portrayed in the book, not the movie) , but decided to stay more on topic (ha-ha, yes, Deimos staying on topic...).

Now, the Mouth of Sauron .
He is not described in the movie (naturally) , but when I read that passage, and one thing in particular JRRT said about him, I shuddered, but also nearly wept. Remember this? ....

"...[T]here rode a tall and evil shape...robed all in black, and black was its lofty helm; yet this was no Ringwraith but a living man. The Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dûr he was, and his name is remembered in no tale; for he himself had forgotten it...." [Emphasis added]

That has to be a terrifying existence, to not even recall your own name.
Even Gollum had not fallen to such depths of evil.
(Being a mediaevalist Tolkien was very familiar with the importance of one's name ....name denotes essence (being)...it goes 'way back to Judaic beliefs, all the way to Genesis, and the "naming of names" . For a fictional variation of the "naming" , see the creation of Narnia in the "The Magician's Nephew.")

So, yes, Buckeye needs to get "Aragorn at the Black Gate" ready to dispatch this horror.
(btw, for those who have not read the books, JRRT does not have Aragorn kill him...he rides back into Mordor)

And I don't own them because of space and expense.
The ML vs Dernhelm will have to suffice as representative of all.
But also I like the way she, with Merry, destroys him; very satisfying.

I always found the Mouth of Sauron a fascinating figure, which is all the weirder for how brief his appearance is in the book, and how quickly he is never heard from again (one can only assume he perished in the cataclysm following the fall of Barad-dur and all the works the One Ring had wrought - let's just say that the price of real estate in Mordor, while never high, really took a dump after Sauron exited stage left.) Anyway, I always wanted to know more about his history and origins, but sadly we'll never know. When Iron Crown Enterprises developed their ME-based RPG back in the 80s and 90s, they created a really interesting background for the Mouth. Pity that though it was all licensed by Tolkien Enterprises, it could not be accepted as canon because it did not come from Tolkien himself.

In other news, just got my shipping notice for Isildur. N2, I saw your question at FoU and I'm guessing you should get an email today as well. They are taking their sweet time on shipping the Erebor and Khamul helms though.

Valkrist wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:56 am I always found the Mouth of Sauron a fascinating figure, which is all the weirder for how brief his appearance is in the book, and how quickly he is never heard from again (one can only assume he perished in the cataclysm following the fall of Barad-dur and all the works the One Ring had wrought - let's just say that the price of real estate in Mordor, while never high, really took a dump after Sauron exited stage left.) Anyway, I always wanted to know more about his history and origins, but sadly we'll never know. When Iron Crown Enterprises developed their ME-based RPG back in the 80s and 90s, they created a really interesting background for the Mouth. Pity that though it was all licensed by Tolkien Enterprises, it could not be accepted as canon because it did not come from Tolkien himself.

In other news, just got my shipping notice for Isildur. N2, I saw your question at FoU and I'm guessing you should get an email today as well. They are taking their sweet time on shipping the Erebor and Khamul helms though.

I've never though about the MOS's backstory much, but I'm sure it is an interesting one to say the least!

Once again, I have not received a shipping notice, but just got an email from UPS that it will be delivered tomorrow. I'm sure I'll get the Weta email tomorrow after it shows up.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to seeing Isildur in person as all of the other photos posted so far look great!

Weta just charged my Visa card for $360, so I guess maybe they might be thinking about letting me know when they plan to ship the Isildur statue...maybe they might.

Or it could just show up on my doorstep.

You are going to love it! Breathtaking.

Deimos wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:07 pm Weta just charged my Visa card for $360, so I guess maybe they might be thinking about letting me know when they plan to ship the Isildur statue...maybe they might.

Or it could just show up on my doorstep.

Yeah, their email/shipping/charging notification system is totally broken, or of dubious use at best. Sometimes you get a notice that you will be charged soon, and sometimes you don't. Same with shipping. In N2's case, I think he's lost track of the times something has shown up at his door, only to get the shipping email the next day, although that could be due to him living so close to the Seattle warehouse. Still, you'd think an electronic means of notifying someone would be faster than a truck showing up.

In other news, a new hobbit hole just dropped out of the sky: #5 Hill Lane.

Valkrist wrote: Thu Mar 01, 2018 12:00 pm ...In other news, a new hobbit hole just dropped out of the sky: #5 Hill Lane.

Which is whose home?

No one of note, I don't think. I'm sure I'm wrong but the only two addresses in Hobitton in the book that have any significance in terms of occupants are Bag End and Gaffer Gamgee's smial.

Weta has released numerous hobbit holes without rhyme or reason, so I don't think it really matters who lived in them, it's just a way to slowly construct Hobbiton in poly form. There is also Famer Maggot's hobbit hole, though that one lies well outside Hobbiton and does not have an address that I know of.

Well my luck has struck again! My Isildur has arrived with a broken spike on Sauron's helm (actually stuck in the styrofoam). Also be on the watch for excessive amount of glue used to hold on the ring as mine has some large drips. Email already into Weta support.

Sorry to hear that N2D. I hope it gets fixed quickly

What can realistically be done in a situation like this?

If the Statue is a limited edition, and they area sold out, you can't return it and get another one, or can you?
I would have thought that once they are gone they aren't going to make replacement ones ...or do they?
Or do they repair the broken one?
If they do that I'd ask for a hefty discount because the item is no longer NIB or "Mint" or whatever you want to call it that makes it a high value collectible.

It might be an unconfirmed rumour or just speculation, but I've heard that perhaps Weta holds back an undisclosed number of statues from a given run to be used as replacements. This is the only way they can replace a sold out statue. As far as I know, no repairs are ever made as Weta will ask you to destroy the defective product before shipping you the replacement. Certainly, the fact that 'unsold extra stock' is invariably 'found', and previously 'sold out' statues are suddenly available again seems to indicate a pattern of: "Let's hold a few back for replacements, then once everyone has received theirs and no more complaints are coming in, we can sell the few that were held in reserve, and that we magically discovered in a corner of the warehouse."