Rainman Richard Harrow (Boardwalk Empire) Commission

[batfan08]

Seriously, though, who cares what somebody spends their money on? If I had it, I'd be buying up original Batman props like the plague, I don't have it, but I won't begrudge someone who does for doing it. We've all got our limits, but that's no reason to let the green eyed monster rear his ugly head.

 

[Dark Passenger]

Poor people telling others how to spend their monies.

 

[vareika]

ouch looks like that may have hurt

 

[turbo.VS.ozone]

Seriously, though, who cares what somebody spends their money on? If I had it, I'd be buying up original Batman props like the plague, I don't have it, but I won't begrudge someone who does for doing it. We've all got our limits, but that's no reason to let the green eyed monster rear his ugly head.

I think the argument is more about how cheaply these commissions are being offered at the expense of the general collecting community. $5000 only covers the cost of about 5 or 6 full figures. That's a steal really when you may possibly have had 30 people who would have instantly bought this figure. It's possible Rainman doesn't really understand the value of the subject matter or his core group of support.

This type of work isn't a canvas painting, it's more like pottery or ceramics and usually those types of work, as a commission, are offered in editions of atleast 5 if it's meant to be very rare work like a Jeff Koons or Takashi Murakami sculpture (Just an example, 1/6 is no where near the same league as Jeff Koons or Murakami )
An edition of 5 at 5k a piece would have covered the bar and would have given a pool of different types of collectors a chance at this.

As a collector, the commission of Popular characters isn't justified if the main base of support for your business is left out from being offered great works. An auction of this would have been much more commendable, but Rainman is free to do as he pleases and he has.

I guess the only way we'll see how this turns out is based on the level of support he'll receive if he continues to do popular Instant Sell characters as 1 of 1 commissions.

 

[meth head]

 

[Cap'n Cook]

 

[Bullet]

Yes yes they do

 

[Greeny400]

I like grapes

 

[Levit05]

i hate wine....

 

[sdabbs]

I think the argument is more about how cheaply these commissions are being offered at the expense of the general collecting community. $5000 only covers the cost of about 5 or 6 full figures. That's a steal really when you may possibly have had 30 people who would have instantly bought this figure. It's possible Rainman doesn't really understand the value of the subject matter or his core group of support.

This type of work isn't a canvas painting, it's more like pottery or ceramics and usually those types of work, as a commission, are offered in editions of atleast 5 if it's meant to be very rare work like a Jeff Koons or Takashi Murakami sculpture (Just an example, 1/6 is no where near the same league as Jeff Koons or Murakami )
An edition of 5 at 5k a piece would have covered the bar and would have given a pool of different types of collectors a chance at this.

As a collector, the commission of Popular characters isn't justified if the main base of support for your business is left out from being offered great works. An auction of this would have been much more commendable, but Rainman is free to do as he pleases and he has.

I guess the only way we'll see how this turns out is based on the level of support he'll receive if he continues to do popular Instant Sell characters as 1 of 1 commissions.

As a fellow sculptor I can completely relate to Rainmain's business sense here, at the end of the day all 1/6 projects are a gamble to sell to the public, people who would be initially interested would drop out for any number of reasons further down the line based on cash flow, interest in the series/character or simply something better coming along. As a one off piece you are guaranteed and have a contract over the person commissioning the piece which means a pay check which you can rely on. And being self employed it's all about that paycheck!
And 5k is a nice paycheck to receive from something like this as even as a one of a kind piece it is expensive to the majority of collectors - let alone paying that price for 1 of 5!

 

[sdabbs]

Some may have missed this, and I thought it was worth it's own thread for those who might have. From Rainman's Facebook. This thread is not intended as a forum for people to moan and complain about this, so please don't treat it as such.

I also wanted to add that this is really an incredible piece

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

If I had the choice between selling single commissions for 5 grand a pop, or having to deal with all of the micro managing he gets with his public offerings, I know which option I'd take.

 

[toylion]

If I had the choice between selling single commissions for 5 grand a pop, or having to deal with all of the micro managing he gets with his public offerings, I know which option I'd take.

 

[toylion]

I also wanted to add that this is really an incredible piece

It's beautiful, and the fact that it's OOAK, makes it more so.

 

[Dark Passenger]

It is an amazing piece. Any more pics?

 

[vareika]

RM doesn't owe anything to the collecting community. It doesn't matter how many people would buy this figure! Yes it sucks that the rest of us won't probably ever get a RM Harrow, but to begin with RM was not obligated to make a Harrow.

How is RM doing this at the expense of the collecting community when he owes nothing? I don't get the argument. Its not as if RM is obligated to only make instant sell figures, and its not as if RM must make instant sell figures in editions of X or more. He alone decides if he wants to make 0, 1, or 50. He felt like doing this pricate commission Harrow thats his choice. My reaction is "man wish this was a public release, that sucks" and thats it. Questioning his business sense and claiming that he is hurting the collecting community makes no sense.

I don't know, if I'm missing some background story then I apologize but as it is I'm suprised at the amount of hate /bitterness.

 

[Invictus Sol]

Love the character and the figure's amazing. Wonder if the buyer got himself a James Darmody, too. Much as I love the series and characters, though, can't see buying them in 1:6. I'm sceptical personally that RM could've gotten 30 buyers for it as it seems a little obscure, but regardless, very nicely done and I'm glad he posted his work for us to see.

 

[turbo.VS.ozone]

That's not really a fair thing to say. I think professionally he owes alot to the collecting community that continue to support his work. These are his customers. Personally he can make any decision he wants, so if a custom commission is what he feels like doing that's fine but the customer base has every right to complain about feeling left out of the opportunity at a great product. It's not like he wasn't capable of making these available (aside from the commission), as far as I know this is his business not some side hobby, so I can see how customers including myself can feel a certain way about it. Maybe I'm in the minority about the whole custom commission thing, that's fine, but there is no hate or bitterness...I don't see why people would try and turn it into that. I'm just advocating for the idea that more than one person should have the chance to enjoy these products.

But if there's overwhelming support for 1of1 commissions than that's that. Nothing else to be said about it. I understand the person who commissioned Harrow has 2 more commissions remaining so maybe we can expect to be surprised by a Jack Torrance or another popular character choice that the general customer base would like to see offered. Who cares right!

RM doesn't owe anything to the collecting community. It doesn't matter how many people would buy this figure! Yes it sucks that the rest of us won't probably ever get a RM Harrow, but to begin with RM was not obligated to make a Harrow.

How is RM doing this at the expense of the collecting community when he owes nothing? I don't get the argument. Its not as if RM is obligated to only make instant sell figures, and its not as if RM must make instant sell figures in editions of X or more. He alone decides if he wants to make 0, 1, or 50. He felt like doing this pricate commission Harrow thats his choice. My reaction is "man wish this was a public release, that sucks" and thats it. Questioning his business sense and claiming that he is hurting the collecting community makes no sense.

 

[Cap'n Cook]

I'm 99% certain the other two are also Boardwalk Empire figures.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I'm 99% certain the other two are also Boardwalk Empire figures.

Nucky and Jimmy then I would guess. That guy's gonna have one hell of a setup.