Page 1 of 1

Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:13 am
by Deimos
So I just got the notice on this: Argonath Pre-order
Is this a re-issue?
Also, I went to FoU and looked for comments on this but didn't see any.
FoU is a pretty expansive website, so if this is mentioned can one of you FoU "forumites" post the link to the topic.
(Still ill love that term---forumites---can't recall who first used it here)

And, yes, this is a no-brainer acquisition for me (as if anyone really wondered about that .... :rolleye:)

Re: Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:39 am
by Valkrist
Deimos wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:13 am So I just got the notice on this: Argonath Pre-order
Is this a re-issue?
Also, I went to FoU and looked for comments on this but didn't see any.
FoU is a pretty expansive website, so if this is mentioned can one of you FoU "forumites" post the link to the topic.
(Still ill love that term---forumites---can't recall who first used it here)

And, yes, this is a no-brainer acquisition for me (as if anyone really wondered about that .... :rolleye:)
Discussion here: https://www.flameofudun.net/forum/colle ... nvironment

This is not a re-issue, if your definition of a re-issue is releasing the exact same piece as before. This is a much bigger piece than the original, and includes less of the rocks to either side as a result of the increased height.

I love it; I want it; but I fear with Bilbo and Sauron already on pre-order, and with the Doors of Durin also coming soon, the price for this is going to be a knock-out punch. :'(

Re: Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:59 am
by Idril
Here you go Deimos

Original Weta Argonath
16cm high x 28cm wide x 19cm deep
2.55 kg

New Weta Argonath
39cm wide x 34cm high x 37.5cm deep
15.5 kg 

Re: Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 1:06 pm
by Deimos
OK... I don't know how to post this correctly so I just did an cut and paste from the "Bilbo at His Writing Desk" thread.

It was kind of hijack thread while we were discussing Bilbo and it went to the other Enviroments:
Deimos wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:42 pm
Valkrist wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:50 pm The reason you're not seeing the Argonath, Prancing Pony, Barad-dur, and others, is because those were Limited Editions and unlike UC, Weta has apparently said before that those are off-limits and will never be reissued.

Minas Tirith, Rivendell, 2nd Orthanc, etc were Open Editions, and though long out of production, Weta are perfectly within their right to test the waters and see if there is enough demand to produce another run or two.

No promise was ever made that this would never occur so where no word is given, there is no word to be broken. Again, unlike with what UC did, I have no problem with this. The Limited Editions are off-limits.
I believe you.
And I believe that Weta is 100% sincere in saying that the LEs will never be re-issued.
But I will never put any money on what Weta has said that it will, or won't, do.
The prospect of making money, especially a lot of money, has always made people/businesses do 180s on their most sincere resolutions/promises.
Not saying Weta will, just saying that I put no stock in what it promises.

Yet there is a way around that with the LE enviros, and I mentioned it in passing on a previous post.
Weta could decide to do a LARGE Master Collection edition of The Argonath.
"See, (goes the Weta argument) , it's not the same as a re-issue. It's an MC Edition, and it's bigger and more detailed", etc, etc.
In which case there would be some number of people letting go of the old Argonath to pick up the MC one.
All of us who missed out on the original Argonath would benefit.
(Really, I would only benefit if it happens in the next 15 years or so.... not getting any younger, juneau... :rolleye: .)
So, does this new development make me clairvoyant? :laugh:
And is it considered an MC item?

Re: Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 4:29 pm
by Idril
It won’t be classified as an MC due to their commitment to only releasing one a year during comic con.

I haven’t heard a price on this but the price I heard on the West Gate of Moria concerned me regarding its size (cause it seemed too cheap). I’ve been reassured it isn’t the small size of the old SSW enviros though.

I’m willing to say you are psychic :club:

Re: Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:03 pm
by Deimos
Idril wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 4:29 pm It won’t be classified as an MC due to their commitment to only releasing one a year during comic con.

I haven’t heard a price on this but the price I heard on the West Gate of Moria concerned me regarding its size (cause it seemed too cheap). I’ve been reassured it isn’t the small size of the old SSW enviros though.

I’m willing to say you are psychic :club:
The West Gate of Moria is what folks on FoU are calling Durin's Door, right? (Which they really are called that in the book).
So is there a picture --even a teaser-- of this enviro anywhere? If so, can you provide a link?
Idril, I think I saw a comment by you on FoU (or maybe it was someone else) but it was to the effect that even tho' you (or that other person) really liked the new Argonath, they still were partial to the old one partly because of size.

I have to admit that the size of this thing is a bit intimidating (the price will be even more so :O ).... I might wait for the original to show up on ebay at an acceptable (to me) price. Will have to think about it.
Unfortunately I don't have too much time to do that. The pre-order window is coming up pretty quickly. :(

Re: Argonath

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 7:26 pm
by N2darkness
Deimos wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:03 pm
Idril wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 4:29 pm It won’t be classified as an MC due to their commitment to only releasing one a year during comic con.

I haven’t heard a price on this but the price I heard on the West Gate of Moria concerned me regarding its size (cause it seemed too cheap). I’ve been reassured it isn’t the small size of the old SSW enviros though.

I’m willing to say you are psychic :club:
The West Gate of Moria is what folks on FoU are calling Durin's Door, right? (Which they really are called that in the book).
So is there a picture --even a teaser-- of this enviro anywhere? If so, can you provide a link?
Idril, I think I saw a comment by you on FoU (or maybe it was someone else) but it was to the effect that even tho' you (or that other person) really liked the new Argonath, they still were partial to the old one partly because of size.

I have to admit that the size of this thing is a bit intimidating (the price will be even more so :O ).... I might wait for the original to show up on ebay at an acceptable (to me) price. Will have to think about it.
Unfortunately I don't have too much time to do that. The pre-order window is coming up pretty quickly. :(
Here is the preview of the Doors of Durin. Which has been flipped as it is a reflection in the water and also had some writing removed. I'm really curios to see more of this piece and learn both the size and price.
image_21829.jpg

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 2:26 am
by Deimos
Who here has the original Argonath, other than Arwyniel? Anyone?

Oh, and thank you to Val and Idril and N2 for the answers to my questions. :bowing:

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:36 am
by Buckeye
I'm not an environment collector (I only own one), but I've always wanted the Argonath. I think I'll be ordering this one. Heaven help my wallet.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:15 am
by Idril
I have the original. Bought on pre-order when money was tight and I didn’t think I really should buy it. But at $199 it now seems the ultimate bargain.

I did make the comment you are referring to Deimos but not to do with the size. Although, I would like to have my original a bit bigger (I think). It was more to do with the design. I prefer the older design. The way the pillar are partially obscured from slight. Or would be from the water. Adds to the majestic reveal.

As for the size. The old one sits well in a bookshelf. Perhaps a little small as a feature. Most people don’t notice it in my collection but I guess I also don’t have it displayed very prominently.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 3:21 pm
by Deimos
I think that for both detail (thanks, Idril) and price (and footprint) I am leaning toward the original.
Yet, there is no guarantee I will find an original in really good condition and a price that is acceptable.
So, because I can't take the chance of missing out entirely on have some kind of Argonath, I will order this one.
If an original shows up (good condition etc) I will get it and sell this one.
If I never mange to find an original, I will at least have some version of the Argonath.
(There. Tried to cover all bases. :rolleye: )

Re: Argonath

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 3:52 pm
by Deimos
Valkrist wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:39 am ...
Discussion here: https://www.flameofudun.net/forum/colle ... nvironment

This is not a re-issue, if your definition of a re-issue is releasing the exact same piece as before. This is a much bigger piece than the original, and includes less of the rocks to either side as a result of the increased height.

I love it; I want it; but I fear with Bilbo and Sauron already on pre-order, and with the Doors of Durin also coming soon, the price for this is going to be a knock-out punch. :'(
So does that mean you are not going to get it?
Or are you going to order one and then never order another Weta thing ever again? (yeah, right....that' ll be the day :rolleye: :laugh: )

Re: Argonath

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 4:47 pm
by Valkrist
I'm going to temper my excitement with caution and make my decision when I see the price.

So, based on that, I can't give you a straight answer other than that the desire to own it is very much there. Will I never buy another Weta product after that? No way I can make that promise, but I am getting close.

By the way, fair warning: another company called Darkside Collectibles has announced their own version of the Argonath coming out. Yes, it is fully-licensed and based on the movies, is supervised by John Howe, and will reportedly include details that were part of the original concept art but never made it to filming. This third Argonath is *twice* the size of the new one from Weta. :jaw:

Re: Argonath

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:42 pm
by Deimos
Is the Darkside version one that you are also considering? (Depending on price, of course.)
I can't imagine something twice the size of the New Weta version is going to cost less than the new Weta one.

Someone commented (of FoU?) that if an environment gets too big it loses its WOW factor.
They didn't use exactly my phrasing but the gist of it was: the sense of awe evoked by a LOTR environment is inversely proportional to its size.
As I stated above, I will buy this one but will look around for the original issue one.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:54 pm
by Valkrist
Deimos wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:42 pm Is the Darkside version one that you are also considering? (Depending on price, of course.)
I can't imagine something twice the size of the New Weta version is going to cost less than the new Weta one.

Someone commented (of FoU?) that if an environment gets too big it loses its WOW factor.
They didn't use exactly my phrasing but the gist of it was: the sense of awe evoked by a LOTR environment is inversely proportional to its size.
As I stated above, I will buy this one but will look around for the original issue one.
Ah, I see that you are aware of it. I often don't know what you're up to date on since you don't post over there.

Before Weta announced this new version, I was set on the Darkside one though I was viewing the space required with more trepidation than the potential price. Weta didn't really solve that problem because they just reversed it: the size is perfect, but they are seriously overpricing their products of late.

As for the wow factor, yeah, that's entirely possible, which leads me to believe this new Weta one is in the sweet spot. The old one is just too small. I've never seen it in person but photos of it next to other things tells me it doesn't pack the visual punch it should.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:27 pm
by Deimos
Maybe when I get the newer [Weta] version I'll be wowed enough to forget about the original one.
The footprint of the thing is the problem, what with Bilbo and Treebeard and Rivendell....I am being forced out of the house and into the garage.
So we shall see....

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:08 am
by Deimos
....$799...and I've got a whopping $43 weta dollars.
Guess I'll order it. I thought it would be closer to $1000, like $999.

But....got to have an Argonath (the bookends don't quite do it as a display, but they are nice as bookends).
I'll pull the trigger later, maybe next Monday or Tuesday, after my CC billing cycle rolls over.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:35 am
by Valkrist
Yeah, the price was a pleasant surprise, even if only a few short years ago $799 would have been jaw-dropping on its own.

$43 Weta dollars? Well, that's $43 more than I have, and I've got close to $2500 in pre-orders and payment plans. I hate how they don't give you a single cent of Weta $ until the item ships, and don't upgrade your collector status until then.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:02 am
by Deimos
Put it in my cart and took it all the way up to buying it because I wanted to see the shipping cost.
For US: $45....that's my Weta dollars, right there. Oh, the little ironies of life. :rolleye:

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:15 am
by Idril
The price was a surprise. Makes me a little more sure the Doors of Durin also won’t be a high price.

You are so right on the history Val. I remember being astonished at the price of Barad Dur. $699 I think it was. It made me really stop and question whether to get it. First time that had happened for me with an environment.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:33 am
by Deimos
Idril wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:15 am The price was a surprise. Makes me a little more sure the Doors of Durin also won’t be a high price.
[Thread Hijack warning]...Idril, any idea how tall the Doors of Durin is... (the environment per se, not the doors themselves)

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 1:11 pm
by Idril
I don’t know. I was advised a ball park price which seemed cheap to me. I asked further cause I was concerned it was going to be small. I was reassured it wasn’t going to be old SSW small. Still my guess is smaller than this Argonath.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:26 pm
by Deimos
Thank you.

Ok back to our regularly scheduled programming.
So the old Argonath is not even 7 inches high and the new one is not quite 14 inches high.
Juneau... I think I'll keep the new version and forego trying to find the original one.
You can't get a lot of detail on a 7 inch high environment, and this is exactly the kind of environment that requires detail.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:58 am
by Deimos
Someone at FoU mentioned that there is an original Argonath up for sale (BIN) on UK ebay.
I expect we will be seeing more of that in the not too distant future.
Also someone mentioned (as in surmising) that Weta might be re-doing all the earlier environments on a larger scale.
Well, if so, I can say this for certain: There is no way I am getting a taller Orthanc or a bigger Rivendell.
If finding a place for Bilbo at his desk is a problem (and it still is), and I don't know where I'm going to put the Argonath, big or small (more shoe-horning I guess) I can't even imagine going larger with either of the aforementioned environments. :O
(And my CC is thanking me in advance.)

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 9:23 am
by Valkrist
I think people get over excited with speculation sometimes. The bigger Argonath was a pleasant surprise, and Minas Tirith is getting a re-release but I think I think these are rare exceptions rather than a sign of things to come.

However, if they do go back, I would anticipate that they would only redo some of the older SSW ones which were very small by today's standards, like Weathertop, or the Golden Hall. Others, like Amon Hen and the Prancing Pony don't really need to be bigger, but that's just me. Rivendell, Orthanc, and Barad-dur are big enough and recent enough that I'd stake my life on the fact that Weta is not considering messing with them. Not when there's so many other places to do still, and I think demand for bigger (and more expensive) versions of those is simply not there.

If they do go there, that's money I'll happily be saving.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:00 am
by Deimos
Valkrist wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 9:23 am I think people get over excited with speculation sometimes. The bigger Argonath was a pleasant surprise, and Minas Tirith is getting a re-release but I think I think these are rare exceptions rather than a sign of things to come.

However, if they do go back, I would anticipate that they would only redo some of the older SSW ones which were very small by today's standards, like Weathertop, or the Golden Hall. Others, like Amon Hen and the Prancing Pony don't really need to be bigger, but that's just me. Rivendell, Orthanc, and Barad-dur are big enough and recent enough that I'd stake my life on the fact that Weta is not considering messing with them. Not when there's so many other places to do still, and I think demand for bigger (and more expensive) versions of those is simply not there.

If they do go there, that's money I'll happily be saving.
Minas Tirith is getting only a re-release? Or is it getting the Argonath treatment?
I ask this because, if am not mistaken, M-T was released relatively recently... maybe 5 or 6 years ago, if that?

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:48 am
by Buckeye
The SSW Golden Hall is currently the only environment I own. I'd love to see a larger version.

I'm definitely ordering the new Argonath. Love it.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:12 pm
by Idril
MT was only 5-6 years ago but an open edition. So producing more after a fan campaign to convince them worked. A lot of people may be disappointed that the price will have gone up I’m thinking.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:26 pm
by Valkrist
Deimos wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:00 am Minas Tirith is getting only a re-release? Or is it getting the Argonath treatment?
I ask this because, if am not mistaken, M-T was released relatively recently... maybe 5 or 6 years ago, if that?
It's all there in Idril's reply, but yes, it is strictly a re-release, not a new and bigger version. The original run was an Open Edition but was actually not around very long before they stopped producing it. If you snoozed, you lost, and many have asked Weta to bring it back, and they are. I missed out and might get one (felt my Danbury Mint one was good enough at the time) but Idril is totally correct in that we think the price is going to go up considerably.

Re: Argonath

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 10:13 pm
by Deimos
Done. Just ordered the Argonath. :btr:

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:24 am
by Idril
Congrats D. Have you worked out where to put it? :cheering:

Re: Argonath

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:50 am
by Deimos
Sort of.
I will take it out of the box, remove it from the styrene forms, put the styrene back in the box, close the box up and turn it upside down (so the flaps stay put), set the box in the middle of the room, and THEN.... place the Argonath on top of the box. :cd:

So...my answer is not too far removed from reality.
I really do not have anywhere to put it (yet), without doing some major re-arranging of furniture and also display shelf contents.
But ...."'Tis better to have it and not want it, than to want it and not have it." ;)