Re: Hobbit Holes

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[quote=""Arwyniel""]....Personally I would have rather seen something else since Bag End has already been done. [/quote]

Weta, like UC, seems determined to offer collectibles that are in low, if not non-existent, demand instead of stuff we'd really like to see (and buy!)

Waiting, waiting, WAITING for Weta to offer the Minas Tirith environment.

Hopefully that will happen before I have to enter a nursing home. :P

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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Yeah, I will be passing this one up.

Like Deimos, I don't get why these decisions are being made. Barrel-rider series? Hobbit holes? Cute and quaint? Sure. Is this what the main collecting community is craving? I don't think that's what polls would indicate. Looks like they're just running out of ideas and releasing filler stuff until the next movie is out and have something more concrete to work with. I think the reason we're not seeing something like Minas Tirith even close to being on the drawing board is that it is part of decade-old trilogy of movies. They want to focus on what's new and, what they feel, is relevant. Sadly, they don't understand that there are gaps in the older collections that need to be filled and there's still a market for these items. They sold Barad-dur only last year, so why stop there?
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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I think this and the barrel-rider series are in response to outcry from the collecting community over the prices on all the new Hobbit Statues. There were a lot of people complaining about $250 a shot on some relatively small pieces, so I think this is their attempt at making ammends.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""BladeCollector""]I'd hate to see the price point on a Minis Tirith.. I'd be willing to bet it would be up there with Barad-dur[/quote]

Very possible...lots of detail, and it will have to be big to show off the detail.

I had no trouble passing on a $700 B-D, but if MT comes in around that price....must.fight.buying.impulse....but I will cave in and order it.

If it is big AND detailed, I'd be [pretty much] OK with dropping 7 bills on it.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Deimos""]Very possible...lots of detail, and it will have to be big to show off the detail.

I had no trouble passing on a $700 B-D, but if MT comes in around that price....must.fight.buying.impulse....but I will cave in and order it.

If it is big AND detailed, I'd be [pretty much] OK with dropping 7 bills on it.[/quote]

I'm perfectly content with my Danbury Mint versions. :thumbs_up :)

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Arwyniel""]I'm perfectly content with my Danbury Mint versions. :thumbs_up :) [/quote]

Me too. That DB MT is a thing of wonder. Hard to imagine how anyone could top it, other than by making it bigger. And it was decent-sized as it was.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Hobbit holes

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Well, if both of you are happy with the Danbury Mint MT I may just look for one on ebay....and thereby avoid potentially dropping $700 on it.

I really don't care who makes it, as long as it's a quality piece, which both of you think it is. Thanks :)

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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I like my DM MT but I would still drop money for a Weta one. I liked my DM Barad-dur also but the Weta version totally blows it away. I can only imagine how awesome their version of Minas Tirith would be. In the meantime, still pining for a bigger Minas Morgul, Mt.Doom, Morannon, and Grey Havens. Ah well, one can dream. ;)
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Valkrist""]I like my DM MT but I would still drop money for a Weta one. I liked my DM Barad-dur also but the Weta version totally blows it away. I can only imagine how awesome their version of Minas Tirith would be. In the meantime, still pining for a bigger Minas Morgul, Mt.Doom, Morannon, and Grey Havens. Ah well, one can dream. ;) [/quote]

Grey Havens? Did you say Grey Havens??!!! :O
omg, I forgot about the possibility of the GH as an environment.

Yes, yes, YES!!! A Grey Havens environment would be beyond awesome-cool.
It would have to be at least the size and detail of the Rivendell enviro, but also on a smaller scale. Still....

Oh we would gladly drop 7 bills on that, yes, we would, precious.
Last edited by Deimos on Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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I know, I know. I've long wanted a GH enviro, but the scene in the movie where you get to see parts of it beyond the harbour is very brief, so in Weta's mind, it's probably not onscreen long enough and it is not iconic enough of a location to warrant a sculpture. Still, a run of about 500 would be nice and I think it would sell, especially with a tiny Swan ship at anchor in the harbour. How cool would that be? ;)

I forgot to include Caras Galadhon in my wishlist. Oh the stuff we'll never see in favour of hobbit holes and barrels... :'(
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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http://www.wetacollectors.com/forum/sho ... hp?t=38722

Both of those are very good possibilities. Before you say Weta won't listen to that poll, Tim Launder asked me to make it, and the last three environments Weta made came from polls on that forum. As a matter of fact, so did the approval for the currently under construction Green Dragon environment. So once they get some breathing room from The Hobbit, I would be surprised if Caras Galadhon or the Grey Havens doesn't get made. There's got to be something from LotR in the works, we haven't had a new environment in almost a year. I'm guessing that, besides the Green Dragon (which is well under the rug at the moment), there's another LotR environment in the works, and maybe we'll get some news at SDCC. The line just sells too well to not continue it in some capacity.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: Hobbit holes

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I remember that poll, Fin. One just loses heart when so much time goes by and they keep investing their time in seemingly inconsequential pieces. Seriously, did anyone over that S&F ask for barrel-riders or hobbit holes? I know they want to focus on The Hobbit, but it also seems their priorities and choices are a bit perplexing at the moment. If there's no demand for something, I wouldn't spend time and resources on it, I would shift those to other things I know might have a better chance of selling. The one point I will concede is that maybe they feel the collecting community is a little weary of high-priced items?
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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There was a lot...and I mean a lot...of complaining about the prices for all the statues. In particular, there was a lot of backlash over the cost of those Bilbo and Gollum statues. $200 and $250 a piece for those guys at 1/6 made a lot of people cry out for something most people could afford. I think this was the answer.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: Hobbit holes

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Part of the problem is also the fact that they now have to compete against their former partner, Sideshow Collectibles. I don't think Sideshow has the license for The Hobbit though as all of their stuff is still LOTR focused, so this has to give the edge to Weta, but that shouldn't be a license to gouge at will.
Last edited by Valkrist on Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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No, and I'm interested as to where Sideshow's prices will go these days. They're already over priced, and someone leaked a list of possible SS releases at SDCC. There was a Saruman PF on there and some kind of Eomer piece, along with a Cave Troll PF amongst other things. The pricetags could be gargantuan.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Olorin""]Me too. That DB MT is a thing of wonder. Hard to imagine how anyone could top it, other than by making it bigger. And it was decent-sized as it was.[/quote]

There's one on ebay right now...current bid is $99 (shipping is $14).
IS it worth at at least $100 in your opinion? (@ Arwyniel and Olorin both).
I'm thinking about bidding on it.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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You didn't ask me, but I will offer an opinion anyway: for $100, I would definitely say it's worth it. There's a chance Weta may never make one, and you shouldn't pass up the only alternative this cheaply (I don't count the mini MT that came with the DVDs.)
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Valkrist""]You didn't ask me, but I will offer an opinion anyway: for $100, I would definitely say it's worth it. There's a chance Weta may never make one, and you shouldn't pass up the only alternative this cheaply (I don't count the mini MT that came with the DVDs.)[/quote]

Sorry for dissing you, Val. :embarasse
I remembered Arwyniel's comments for certain, and didn't go back far enough on the thread. Thanks for weighing in anyway.
The more opinions the better. I will definitely bid on it.

What would be the highest you would bid for it?
,

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Deimos""]There's one on ebay right now...current bid is $99 (shipping is $14).
IS it worth at at least $100 in your opinion? (@ Arwyniel and Olorin both).
I'm thinking about bidding on it.[/quote]

Yes, absolutely. I think it originally sold for around $100 anyway (and that was several years ago.)
Image
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Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Arwyniel""]Yes, absolutely. I think it originally sold for around $100 anyway (and that was several years ago.)
Image
[/quote]
Arwyniel, I can't thank you enough for posting that pic.'
I thought the one on ebay might be damaged, and now I can see that it is.
The upper portion of the White Tower is missing, looks like it's broken off.
I'll not be bidding on it.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Deimos""]Arwyniel, I can't thank you enough for posting that pic.'
I thought the one on ebay might be damaged, and now I can see that it is.
The upper portion of the White Tower is missing, looks like it's broken off.
I'll not be bidding on it.[/quote]

You're welcome! I'm so sorry it's broken, that is such a shame. And shame on the seller for not disclosing it.
*edit* I found the listing you are talking about...that display base must be a custom addition, I've never seen it before. Also they say something like "looks like the wires have been cut" or something...no idea what that's about either.
Last edited by Arwyniel on Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Deimos""]Sorry for dissing you, Val. :embarasse
I remembered Arwyniel's comments for certain, and didn't go back far enough on the thread. Thanks for weighing in anyway.
The more opinions the better. I will definitely bid on it.

What would be the highest you would bid for it?
,[/quote]

No worries, I figured you probably missed my comment where it was clear I have one as well. :thumbs_up

That really sucks that the one on ebay is broken (I just looked at it also and the top of the tower is definitely gone.) It is pretty lousy of the seller not to disclose that as anyone without a reference picture will easily be fooled. As for the comment on the wires being cut, I can only assume they are referring to the internal wiring for the LED that lights up the tower. If the statue is permanently fixed to that custom base, there's no way to get at the battery compartment underneath. One more reason not to buy this thing.

For future reference, I probably wouldn't go higher than $200. The good price on this one becomes transparent now due to the defects.


Edit: Nevermind, I missed the last 2-3 photos of the item where it shows the base and the open battery compartment. Definitely damaged. DO NOT BUY!
Last edited by Valkrist on Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Valkrist""]

That really sucks that the one on ebay is broken (I just looked at it also and the top of the tower is definitely gone.) It is pretty lousy of the seller not to disclose that as anyone without a reference picture will easily be fooled. As for the comment on the wires being cut, I can only assume they are referring to the internal wiring for the LED that lights up the tower. If the statue is permanently fixed to that custom base, there's no way to get at the battery compartment underneath. One more reason not to buy this thing.

Edit: Nevermind, I missed the last 2-3 photos of the item where it shows the base and the open battery compartment. Definitely damaged. DO NOT BUY!
[/quote]

Ah, that makes perfect sense now. :thumbs_up

Re: Hobbit holes

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@ Valkrist: I did see the comment and pic the seller made about the wires being cut, but I wouldn't use the "light-up" feature anyway, so that defect was not a deal breaker for me.
And it seems kind of a silly feature since the entire place could only be lit either by sunlight or a boat load of gargantuan candles.

@Arwyniel: I emailed the seller saying that he should also mention that the top of the tower is missing, as in broken off. I attached the pic you posted (no names of course) and told him that "THIS is what a DM Minas Tirith in mint condition looks like, and please note the tower especially."

We shall see what his response is...if he revises his listing.
The guy has a pretty good rating, so I would think he would want to maintain it. We shall see....

But I'm still not going to bid on it. Will have to wait to see if another one turns up.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: Hobbit holes

29
Fair enough about the wiring and light-up feature not being a deal-breaker for you, Deimos.

To be honest, I don't use the light myself, but I was looking at it from a perspective of value as a collectible. Even if you don't use it, you buy something damaged and the value is that much less to your collection. Maybe that's not an issue for you, but it is for me, so I pointed it out from my point of view. It would bother me to no end to know I had something that was a collection piece and was damaged, even if said damage was not visible. :huh:
This Space for Rent

Re: Hobbit holes

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[quote=""Valkrist""]Fair enough about the wiring and light-up feature not being a deal-breaker for you... but I was looking at it from a perspective of value as a collectible. Even if you don't use it, you buy something damaged and the value is that much less to your collection. Maybe that's not an issue for you, but it is for me, so I pointed it out from my point of view. It would bother me to no end to know I had something that was a collection piece and was damaged, even if said damage was not visible. :huh: [/quote]

You being a collector, and a "complete-est" collector at that, you are absolutley right about the value of a mint collectible vs non-mint.
HOWEVER (comma) I am not and never have been a "collector of collectibles" in that respect.
I collect Tolkien ...ummm... call them "artifacts" but I am not a collector per se, in that resale value does not figure into the equation.
It is (as I have said before) merely a matter of preference.
I do envy you some of your collection, and I heartily envy N2Darkness damn near everything LOTR he has, especially his own creations, but not enough to fork over the amount of money it would take to acquire something similar.

"Unity is diversity!" Or maybe it is "Diversity in unity!" (Whatever Spock said :D )

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL
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