Figurines

If you are a collector of movie figurines, then this auction may be up your alley.

Photo by MDH in Houston on Flickr.

Christie's auction house will sell the King Kong action figure which climbed the Empire State Building at the end of the classic 1933 film.  The 22 inch tall King Kong figurine is made of a metal skeleton but has lost the covering of rabbit's fur and other materials which it possessed during the movie.

Christie's expects the movie figurine to fetch around $240,000.  If you think that someone would be crazy for paying that much, you may want to consider what some other collectibles have sold for.  Time Magazine has put out a list of its Top 10 Crazy Celebrity Collectibles, and we think that this King Kong figurine is far and away a better purchase.  Our vote for the most ridiculous: two slices of french toast left unfinished by Justin Timberlake after a breakfast interview in New York in 2000.  Check it out.

This is a reminder to make sure that your figurines are properly insured against theft, damage, and destruction.

We regularly follow the news related to figurines and collectibles, and have noticed a disturbing trend of stolen figurines lately. At the beginning of the month in a San Francisco mall, a woman was found to have hidden a swiped porcelain figurine under a stolen black hoodie.  Then we noticed a report out of Britain mid-month that someone had stolen first a Royal Worchester figurine and later a Coalport figurine from a charity shop.

While we certainly don't think we have a string of international figurine thieves out there, and we got a good laugh at the thought that porcelain figurines may now be as in demand among thieves as some cars after the recession, we also thought it would hammer home an important message.

If your collection has value, make sure it is covered by your insurance policy.  You wouldn't want something to happen to your figurines.

I thought that I had seen it all after the wave of merchandising surrounding the Presidential campaign and the Inauguration Ceremony in Washington, D.C. Memories of Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for Vice President on the ticket with John McCain, as an action figure have long since been banished from my thoughts. But it seems that people did not buy enough merchandise celebrating President Barack Obama's victory during his inauguration.

Photo by Mike Baird on Flickr.

Jailbreak Toys is following up on the success of its Barack Obama action figure with one this year memorializing First Lady Michelle Obama. Starting next month, you'll be able to welcome both adult members of the first family into your home, figuratively speaking.

But the Michelle Obama figurine isn't the only presidential merchandise to be making waves recently. Apparently, someone has taken the classic chia pet to a whole new level. In a store near you, you may soon be able to find a Chia Obama. That's right! You too can watch the hair grow on Obama's head.

Now we both have seen it all:

If you are a lifelong collector, there will come a point in time where you will need to choose between two figurines. Whether the decision is which figurine to buy, which one to display, or which figurine to sell to a new home, you will eventually (whether on purpose or without realizing it) develop criteria for your collection. Some choose to collect based on a particular manufacturer. Others base their collection upon particular pieces which appealed to them throughout their life. However it happens, your collection will also say something about you and what you value.

I'm reminded this as I read two articles this week. The first was about an Assistant Professor at Indiana State University who collects dolls and figurines that represent minority cultures in a positive light. You can read the article on the Indiana State University website here. The second was about an artist creating robot figures called Adoptabots out of discarded items and selling them on Etsy. You can find photos of some of the creations here.

Whether you collect figurines about diversity, history, fashion, love, christmas, or the environment, your figurine collection says something about you. If you haven't taken a moment to think about the broader purpose behind your collection, take some time to do so soon. Then, the next time that you have to choose between two figurines, you'll be able to evaluate how each one fits into your collection. And in the end, you will have more than a bunch of boxes of stuff. You will have a collection that tells a story about you!

Photo of Hummel Figurine by Le Petit Poulailler on Flickr.

This weekend marked more than the rain delayed conclusion to the U.S. Open tennis tournament and the first weekend of the 2009-2010 football season.
In Buffalo, NY, hundreds of Hummel collectors celebrated the restart of manufacturing of Hummel figurines by new owner Manufaktur Rodental at the M.I. Hummel Club's North American Convention. Fans attending also celebrated the anniversary of the 100th birthday of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, the artist originally behind the popular children's figurines.