What WETA would you sell and why?

[FrodoEyes]

That's funny- I was thinking that if I could only keep one piece, it would be Gandalf on Shadowfax--it's my favorite SS/W item. If I absolutely had to sell something, I guess it would be my King of the Dead, since he doesn't quite fit in anywhere with the rest of my collection--is he a good guy or a bad guy? He doesn't look right with either, so he's all by himself right now.

Do what I done and put him with the 'allies of middle earth'! With Treebeard and the Galadhrim.

Sell Weta? Are you crazy!

 

[TheWitchKing]

Originally posted by Seaward
The two pieces created by for the Sideshow premium format line already appeal to me more than the existing Weta stuff.

I see you have been freed from the Matrix!

 

[Seaward]

Witchking,
not that I need more encouragement to just pitch headlong over the edge, but a local retailer has the Terminator and Freddy vs. Jason PF figures on their shelves, and having seen them up close, I have already begun salivating over the promise of what Sideshow could offer... and given some of my finanicial woes, I have already started to think about boxing up some stuff!!

 

[DonnamiraTook]

The answers are fascinating and I realized that I had not said why I would sell. (Not considering a real financial need here.)

I think the reason would be that I had lost interest in them. I cannot see that happening but if you lose interest, you can part with anything (wives, husbands, jobs, etc.) without regret. If that were to happen, probably almost everything would go without a sense of loss.

But for now -- just waiting to order Frodo.

 

[Fritz]

There are 4(5) pieces I won't sell unless I have dire financial need. They are the Uruk-hai Scout Swordsman, Easterling, Stone Trolls and Sam and Bill (plus Frodo since I think they have to stay together). Anything else is fair game including Sauron, Witch-king, Morgul Lord (on and off Fell Beast), the rest of the fellowship, etc. I would even sell my complete set of helms and weapon sets and wouldn't miss them all that much.

 

[TheWitchKing]

Seaward I have the 1/4 Endo and it's awesome! If i were to only stick to one line, LOTR PF it would be.

 

[Wetanut]

I think the reason would be that I had lost interest in them. I cannot see that happening but if you lose interest, you can part with anything (wives, husbands, jobs, etc.) without regret. If that were to happen, probably almost everything would go without a sense of loss.

Except for the unexpected financial crunch point, that's about the only other reason I can give. Because I got into collecting much later than most folks have, I don't think I'll be parting with them anytime soon. I'm hoping my grand and great-grand kids (if I ever have them) will have a chance to see them and think: "that old lady in the picture had passions like this? Wow! Who woulda thunk it?"
Even if financial stresses or disinterest force me to part with any of them, I still think I'd keep a few around as a memory jogger of the thrill I experienced in getting them and the joy I'm having being surrounded by them. (sorry, got kinda corney)

 

[Seaward]

Wetanut,
I have had similar feelings, in regards to passing on a legacy of SSW statues, and letting a younger generation know all about the books, movies, especially those involved in the creation of the films. My dad has a cool lead toy soldier collection, and he has some awesome stories around his particular passion. I hope to pass some of that along as well, but I would also like to get some of the best possible representations of these characters as well. Now if I sell some of my recently completed collection, I would be able to afford new items in the future, and also help get started on getting ready for anyone to pass a legacy on to by getting a ring for my girlfriend! I am kinda at a weird point with this collection!

 

[revilal]

I wouldn't sell any, but I am actually thinking of selling my Boromir. Ive never really liked it in person and am considering it.

The rest, never...

 

[Hells of Iron]

If I sold, it would be the "hero" statues that I own, except for Bilbo and GtG. The heroes don't hold as much interest for me as I prefer the baddies.
And if I did sell them, I would not be replacing them with PF counterparts. I would sell to either try to fill gaps in my LotR collection, to purchase PF baddies or some of the Narnia pieces. And I've been eyeing some other lines that aren't Sideshow.

 

[elwood49]

The two pieces created by for the Sideshow premium format line already appeal to me more than the existing Weta stuff. I even think that the 1/6 Aragorn is way cooler than the statue. Now I wonder if I sell much of my collection, just as it is finished (I am an OCD/ completist) I will be able to afford an engagement ring, a down payment on a car, and salt enough away to order without worry from the Sideshow line. Help a collector nerd in love!!!

As Danny said, sell all of that stuff. I think the 1/4 line will blow it away. Just look at Lurtz!!

I think SS will listen to what we want a lot more than Weta ever would. Here's my list of what I have left. I've probably sold 15 or so Weta pieces not including the ones I have left.

Keeping with 100% certainty
1. GOSF (My favorite Weta piece-- I can't believe anyone doesn't like this!)

2. RWOS (Right up there with GOSF and is a great companion piece)

3. Sauron (He's HUGE and a great sculpt. The paint isn't that great, but he's worth keeping)

4. Rivendell giclee. A beautiful piece that I will hang above GOSF.

5. Barad- Dur giclee. Another beautiful piece that I will hang above the RWOS.

I would also keep the Cave Troll if I had that. I love that sculpt.

May be on the auction block soon
1. Baby 'Rog. Nice sculpt, but way too small. With all of the product that comes out today across the various lines, I have to prioritize. Only BIG pieces for me from now on.

2. Fell Beast. I like this piece, but I could pay for Lurtz with it. I know which one I'd rather have.

3. Battle Troll. GREAT sculpt, but way too small. Can you imagine this at Kong v. Rex size? That would have been my favorite LOTR piece. Now that I have Kong v. Rex, I don't look at this the same. It just doesn't compare.

4. Shelob. Another great sculpt, but it's too small and has always frightened my girlfriend. That's a good enough reason for me to get rid of it.

5. Mumak. See comments at #3 for the Battle Troll. I also wish it was standing up and MUCH bigger.

6. King of the Dead. The only 1/6 LOTR piece I have left that isn't on Steed, not counting Sauron. It's a GREAT sculpt, but I'm hoping for a 1/4 version that is "skeletal" like the KOTD should be.

7. Gothmog on Warg. I LOVE this piece. I really do. I just think my display might not look symmetrical like I plan. I'll post pictures once I have everything set up. This piece is great.

8. Watcher in the Water. Another fantastic piece. I really love this one also. It just might not work with my display, plus I can pay for 2 1/4 figures with it.

I also have Leg. and Gim. on Arod on order, which I LOVE, but I'll probably be cancelling that. I'll just complete the Fellowship in 1/4 scale. This piece would also disrupt my symmetrical idea.

 

[nowaynever]

I am now disabled and cannot work so money is very tight but not for one minute as it entered my head to even consider selling one piece that i have. I must have over 30 statues and 10 busts. I would love the new ones that are coming out but would never sell what i have to buy them, need to win the lottery. I will hopefully get a Faramir, somehow. My favourite statue is "Sam and Bill the Pony" and "Treebeard" bust is awesome.

 

[Nazgurl]

I realize that the question is hypothetical, "if" I had to sell. But I'll have to cheat and step into the "keeping them for posterity" camp. I have all but 13 of the Sidewhow WETA statues (unfortunately, the 13 I don't have are all in the very pricey range so I probably won't ever have them) and can't imagine not having them to stare at and enjoy. My niece and nephew love to look at them when they come over to the house, and know that when I'm dead and done the statues (and busts and helms and glicees and ToyBiz and PlayAlong and NECA, etc etc etc) will all go to them.

On the other hand, I'll try to play along with the original question and list what I know I will never part with:

Daddy Rog
Wiki
RWOS
Gandalf on Shadowfax
Saruman
Galadriel
Elrond
Galadhrim Archer
Easterling
Sauron
Morgul Lord
Aragorn / Brego (when it arrives)
Legolas / Gimli / Arod (when it arrives)

 

[FlyAndFight]

This post got me double-checking my SS/Weta collection and I've discovered that it's grown to quite a significant size in the last year or so. I only started collecting these pieces back on November 2004 or so. I don't own any of the grails but the pieces that I do own are pretty special to me. There are no pieces that I feel would be easily sold off.

With that being said, the pieces that I would sell off last, and I'm truly surprised no one else has brought them up yet, would be my Helms Collection.

First of all, they contain some truly beautiful pieces and truly represent the essence* of Middle Earth. Not to mention that it would be a royal rohan guard pain in the arse to pick them all up once again!

Sauron would be one of the last to go, as would my Morgul Lord vs Eowyn set.

Next in the most difficult to get rid of list would be the Environments. Though not as difficult to obtain or as popular as the other lines, I love these representations of Middle Earth. When I see each piece, I'm transported to those scenes in which they appear.

I would imagine that if forced to sell off any pieces, it would be my busts that would hit ebay first. Not that it would be any easier to lose these but one has to prioritize.

Thank goodness I'm not in the terrible position of having to make these decisions...



*Copyright Josh, all rights reserved

 

[Agent23]

essence* of Middle Earth.

*Copyright Josh, all rights reserved

LOL...

 

[JSA]

Well, I'll chime in now, having given a bit o' thought to the matter.

I'll sell (am selling in fact) an existing item in my collection, to trade-up
to another item that is new, that I will like better. Simple as that!

I just sold my 1:6th naked Lurtz Statue, and it'll just about totally
pay for my Lurtz Premium Format Figure - Sideshow Exclusive.
I liked the other Lurtz, but the new one now totally blows it away.
(Question: Does ANYBODY really prefer Nude Lurtz to PF Armored Lurtz?)

I just sold my Gimli Statue to almost fully pay for Kong vs. V-Rex.
No Way in Hell that isn't a trade up to me. Kong is now an absolute
centerpiece statue in my collection. Gimli was good, but not that good.

Same with my original Balrog. I've had it for a long time now, but I'll be
getting a bigger, better, one at some point, so I'll be selling my Sideshow
Balrog to fund that upgrade. Again, a trade-up to a better item for me.

I sold my Gondorian Helms to just about cover the Sentinel Diorama.
I liked the helms, (well, really only the fountain guard helm truth be told)
but I'm first and foremost always going to be a statue collector.
I include in that 1/4 scale PF figures. Statues will always take
precidence for me over helms or busts. Just my preference.

LOTR is still the core of my collection, but there are MANY other companies,
lines, statues, figures, and busts out there that I'm interested in, and to
get them all will require some trimming of my lesser-loved statues.

Tastes change and evolve over time, as new things come out that are
bigger and better than ever before. Sideshow and every other collectibles
company keep raising the bar on what they release, and it continues to
make me want items from many different lines - Marvel, LOTR PF, Star Wars
PF, 12" Star Wars & LOTR, and many others....

Some of the great companies that I have statues from:

Sideshow
Bowen
Aspen
DC Direct
CS Moore
Attakus
Kotobukiya
WETA
Gentle Giant
Marvel

With that many companies putting out amazing items, somethings
gotta give to accomodate all the new things, and that is some of
the older, lesser loved things in my collection.

JS

 

[The Josh]

I made a short post earlier so I thought I'd expand on it a little. I fall into the wanting to keep it to for lack of a better term "love and cherish" for as long as I live and pass it on camp. I personally collect it because I really dig the story and all that's in that story. The SSW pieces I sold I did because I needed to get out of CC debt and some other personal issues. Would I love to have them "Yes" of course I would but I can very much live with the 32 statues I will have when Aragorn and Legolas/Gimli come in on top of the the busts and a few other SSW items. As far as tastes changing well for me its not that it's expanding my LOTR collection with even more great items from this story. I love the thought of having the Fellowship in 12", 1/6th SSW, and PF. I honestly don't think one is just so much cooler than the other but feel they are all cool and as I said I want as many cool LOTR items as I can get my grubby little paws on.

The only other story I will venture in to basically is Star Wars. I really dig the story as well and with SS a company I truly like and think makes great stuff making great stuff from SW I had to get something. So I've got several pieces coming which I feel are really cool stuff representing certain things I like from that story. So basically I'm LOTR to the bone and my collection will contain SSW and SS (PF & 12"). I know several here feel one is better than the other but for me it's all about LOTR and having as many as I can get as I said above.

*Copyright Josh, all rights reserved

 

[Daveyjaro]

I am not selling, had a few aborted attempts, but I am a LOTR fan first and I would regret selling any of them. I need only about 44 more pieces, I know I will not get them all for a long time, but it will happen one day. I need about 18 more statues, 6 are in reach or pre-order, the 12 are long sold out FOTR pieces.

I just don't know how the heck I am ever gonna find Gandalf Bronze for sale.