Rarities : the ME2 and 54mm Saruman
MMP › Mithril in Middle-Earth › The Mathom House of Michel Delving › Rarities : the ME2 and 54mm Saruman
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February 19, 2008 at 5:04 pm #223
Thanks to an old mail from Kenakko I am able to provide you with those rarities we thought lost with the old MMP :
ME2 “Aragorn” (1993) Prototype
[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_me2_1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_me2_1.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_me2_2.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_me2_2.jpg[/imgz]54mm Saruman (nothing is written below the base, it is a pure prototype, unreferenced, never released apparently)
[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_54saru_2.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_54saru_2.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_54saru_1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_54saru_1.jpg[/imgz]Feel free to post your comments
February 19, 2008 at 5:04 pm #1425Thanks to an old mail from Kenakko I am able to provide you with those rarities we thought lost with the old MMP :
ME2 “Aragorn” (1993) Prototype
[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_me2_1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_me2_1.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_me2_2.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_me2_2.jpg[/imgz]54mm Saruman (nothing is written below the base, it is a pure prototype, unreferenced, never released apparently)
[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_54saru_2.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_54saru_2.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/2_54saru_1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/2_54saru_1.jpg[/imgz]Feel free to post your comments
February 19, 2008 at 5:30 pm #1428I guessed it was him who has those … thanks, for providing the pics again Those two were the first being released on the old MMP-uniques site. Though these pics here seem to be recently taken … The third figure, later added, was that strange Galadriel M1-version in antique finish. You have at least some pics of her by now, Gildor. That first line was concluded by a Dwaw of Waw – version.
Later followed the Mw347 with pics of unpainted and painted versions. I will ask Zoetrop to provide his pics of the painted versions.
Then on the old MMP-uniques-sites nothing more was shown.
That’s how I do remeber it.Good job, Gildor! Very good job!
February 19, 2008 at 5:44 pm #1429well with your MA1 and dwar of waw, all the MW347 that some of us do own, and these ME2 and 54mm Saruman, the old “Uniques” section is whole again nothing is lost…
Now I must focus on…. getting my hands on those damn two uniques I have been looking for, for years…
February 19, 2008 at 6:34 pm #1431don’t haste, Gildor … they’re hard to get … so we can fill up and extend the old MMP-‘uniques-section’ a bit further on … that’s good news, isn’t it?
Keep the thought you’ve had: “Nothing is lost”February 19, 2008 at 7:15 pm #1432hard to get… if possible at all… I will post all those unique pictures in the Mithril faerylands gallery
February 19, 2008 at 7:57 pm #1433I already had a look at that gallery (or at least at the links)… so installing that is improving …
I just can say: do as you like, but could you leave some of them to my “Mathom House”, please?
… no, Gildor, I’m just kidding. At the moment I’m just trying to get some of the painted “Mw347s” from Zoetrop, as he was first to release painted figures of that army that could be seen on the old MMP “Uniques”-page … there was a third person providing pics of them there – but I cannot recall …
anyway, did you have the time to have a look at my Imrahil in the next room …. I’m so proud …February 19, 2008 at 8:00 pm #1434yup the Imrahil is great I’m waiting to see the final release The helm in his arm seems a bit big but maybe it comes from the point of view
February 19, 2008 at 8:05 pm #1435point of view concerning the helmet, I think …. seen the banner? … that’s why I wouldn’t like to keep this pic there that long … ahem …
February 20, 2008 at 11:24 pm #1440I have begun filling the Mithril Faerylands gallery with some pics of mine . I will continue with the special MA1, special dwaw of waw, and the MW347… and even the MW346 first references now…
Should the Pre-1994 Christmas figurines be considered Uniques and fit in one special section? “Early Christmas figurines”? (they will also be in the database anyway)
I may… indeed it is only a prayer of mine… so I repeat, I may.. I HOPE that by this weekend I’ll have news regarding pictures of :
– Prototypes of any kind (Linked to the ME2 or the 54mm Saruman)
– Christmas figurine 1989 & 1991In six months from now… I’ll check my hosting provider… if need be, I will switch to a bigger formula with more than 500Mb… i really don’t want to spoil this website and community because of size problems…
I am currently talking with Chris , and maybe to Lars or Michael soon as to make this site the “official” Mithril fansite , (with banners, direct links to online stores and advertising if need be) why not?
grrr, this missing trading engine is annoying me though…
February 22, 2008 at 2:14 pm #1469As for the pre-1994 Christmas Figures I think there’s one major difference. The very early ones until 1990 are a class of their own, I would say. Then some of the Eowyn (91), Galadriel (92) and Isildur (93) were sold within the last years but now of course are definitely not available any more. So I suggest to point out that difference somehow.
Comparing this matter with the Mw347s, for example there’s a similar problem. I’m sure that from those releases the ‘Angrenost Guard’ and the ‘Half-orc command’ will not be accessible any more. On the other hand we know that the man in Lille sometimes offers other figures of that army. One cannot know if someday there will be someone selling let’s say a 1992 Galadriel.
This is the problem I have myself to find adequate terms for the categories.
The ME Aragorn and the Saruman definitely are prototypes, maybe even the Dwaw of Waw ’96 (though I know a second collector having that figure). Then also the MS423A Galadriel could be regarded as a prototype (with only 15 miniatures existing), as it was first thought of to start the Gold Membership but was replaced by MS423 Aragorn.
The term ‘Uniques’ on the old MMP was used for all non-regular releases, I think. As the Mw347 was included (as now logically the upcoming Mw346) what about the Pm1 (Elven Princess Vignette) for example?
What to call ‘variants’? I would call those 30 castings of the Mx436 (Burzash) variants. But what about the B1 (mounted officer) of the Mw336 (Gondor Army)?
Gildor, I think it’s up to you to decide about this.
(I don’t want to leave even more work up to you, I just tried to let you know how I’m feeling about this naming of catagories).February 22, 2008 at 2:29 pm #1471well Eowyn is 1990 not 91…. 1991 is not mithril related it is Patrick Sarsfield.
Before 90 we only have two : Aragorn and a little Isildur.well I’ll only consider two things : Uniques and variants… that will be easier this way.
As for the gallery, no problem at all, in matters of pictures I set a category which encompass both variants and uniques. so mw and pm1 or ms423A have their place there alltogetherwhat I wanted to settle out is about christmas figurines because these figurines , prior to 1994 were not ‘market’ released. They were gifts, or advertising material.
Lately all of these Uniques have spread on the internet and the few of us who were around at this time have been very fortunate indeed, but this remains an exception and does not alter the nature of the figurines themselvesVariants = released OR unreleased work/protype/alteration of a figurine that was already released or meant to be released later in a more or less slightly different form. This is the case for the Gondor B1, for your Dwar of Waw (NB: it is Dwar, not Dwaw. Full name is Dendra Dwar…. Mithril made a typo mistake) some different MX or Beorn in bear form or different M1 arm , if I remember well. I tend to put your antique finish MA1 in this category, though it is a “unique piece” , it is a variant of an existing one
Uniques = unreleased OR very scarcely released (now unfindable) figurines that are unique in their kind and are not related in their shape , design or form with any other figurine that was mass-market released. we could assume . One could say that MS423A is not unique because it is a remake of [mith]Chr1992[/mith] Galadriel, or even MS423( which is a remake of the [mith]Chr1988[/mith] Aragorn, or even ME2 which is a 54mm version of the [mith]M124[/mith] Fellowship Strider. But comparing 54mm as variant of a 32mm (or vice vers) would be a little… too muchI hope it won’t be a problem… Don’t worry, I have time AND most important : passion, regarding the work I am doing for this community and website I want this project to be “grand”
February 22, 2008 at 3:24 pm #1478I do not see any problem at all, Gildor. Not at all. And I really do not worry
But this moment I already see your project as being something “grand”. And so do others.
Sorry about the mistake with that Eowyn-Christmas-number .. You’re right mentioning that (some ?) of those early figurines were advertising material. So is this MA1 with special finish I’ve got. I could give more detail about that, if you want.
As for the name “Dwaw(!) of Waw” I simply relied upon Chris Tubb’s way of spelling the name for that figure. When he gave me that figure in 2005 he spelled it the way I use to do. I was lucky that he asked me about my opinion about that figure compared with the later released LR-version. So this name was printed in more than just one emails. (I still keep those mails). And it always was spelled by Chris in the same way. So, that’s why I prefer calling that figure Dwaw of Waw. I also can provide some information about why that figure was not produced …
…. take a rest, Gildor, that’s what I asked you to do …
February 22, 2008 at 3:31 pm #1480(still the name is from ICE and it is a mistake hehe I have been looking for as much info as possible on all the “MERP Nazgul” backgrounds. Quite imaginative though non-canonical)
About the “antique” MA1 and the DwaR prototype, I have kept all your mails and precisions about them , I have never erased a single mail concerning Mithril since before Marc even created the MMP “now gone-website “… Quite a bunch of mails I am keeping .I’ll take some rest yes… I need some rest to be able to paint a bit (I have not been painting for weeks)
February 22, 2008 at 3:46 pm #1482Very good … painting eases you, once you decided. You can still keep following your thoughts but in a more relaxed way … once you concentrate upun shapes and colours … you know …
My last attempt to paint one Mithril was in February 07 … still unfinished …February 22, 2008 at 3:48 pm #1483I’ll throw in a comment or two here. If I understand Master Elf correctly I agree to the definitions. And it could be more simply stated: Variants are altered sculpts. Altered by the molding process such as the Godor MW mounted figure, the bear (up or down) and even M1 (though I am dubious of this one). Also the not often mentioned M125 sword in vs. sword out fits here and would I think be the rarest becuase it represents a planned alteration rather than a molding accident. All of these are artifacts of the production process in my view. Uniques are small runs that are unaltered from there original form regardless of how many were produced . Does that make sense? Master Tree’s Dwaw (or whatever) is a unique.
February 22, 2008 at 5:49 pm #1484well the matter of DwaR…ggrrr.. it is an RRR… is a bit complex… Was the LR15 scheduled at the time of this prototype conception?
It can be a unique… or it was used as a “model” for the LR15… the helmet, the robe, the hands are the same, only the general position and orientation and the waves in cloth fabric (robe and belt cord) are different. In this way it is indeed a prototype…in the first sense of it , that is : a model to use as a reference (not necessarily 100%) for future productionIt is not a variant of the LR15… it is a “prototype of” the LR15…. yes, that’s the word! “a prototype OF” , the same way the 54mm Saruman was later used as a “prototype of LR2 (with scale reduction).
well now… how on earth could I put my hands on all (or some) those prototypes for my own collection ….
Dwar…ME2 (and possibly all the others ME around)… Saruman 54mm… 1991 & 1989 Christmas…It seems my collection is far from complete…. but can we speak of “collection” when it comes to prototypes?
I should think myself grateful to at least have a MS423A I suppose
February 22, 2008 at 6:10 pm #1486Huoommm …. first
Kenakko is right saying that some figures (such as the pawn up and paw down of the bear) or others might not be taken from the moulds by coincidence. Same with the Gondorian horsed officer. … alas … I could tell more about these matters … but … now I have to … host some friends … sorry … tomorrow -
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MMP › Mithril in Middle-Earth › The Mathom House of Michel Delving › Rarities : the ME2 and 54mm Saruman