Post by Freckles on May 19, 2010 20:07:24 GMT
Matts Studio Blog 6 - Lots and Lots and Lots...
23-10-2009
Well here it is at long last ..a new Blog. It’s taken a while to get here because frankly it’s been bedlam with only finalising the move from our old location to the Dickensian environment of The Mill at Jackfield around two weeks ago. Talking of Dickens the festive season is swiftly closing in and once we’ve all finished whittling pumpkins and smoking ourselves out with cheap fireworks all thoughts go to Christmas. So to give many of you the chance to plan ahead, it’s at this point that I can announce that we intend to host our Christmas event on the 5th December.
So what will be there?....well for a start all of the new Christmas pieces from the new Old English Santa, Santa Belborough and Dennis and Gnasher in both colour schemes, antlers included. …if your after even more there’s the new Radio Times front cover Wallace and Gromit piece which will blow your socks off with both it’s accuracy and as a technical achievement…….it looks like your staring at the set..!!
Apart from all the other new pieces on offer from your beloved ranges we will be introducing some really rather special figures. We have decided to produce several of our sculpts in Lost Wax Bronze …..So you will be able to see both the new Bull Terrier and Bulldog from our new breed standard captured forever, free standing on a marble plinth, weighing in at 4kg. Also we have Wallace and Gromit, finely cast and standing too on marble, as a celebration of the 20th year from the release of the Nick Park and Aardman classic “A Grand Day Out”. Last but not least Dennis will be striding menacingly in Bronze permanence , also presented on marble……….When we refer to Lost Wax Bronze we mean the traditional casting method of this striking metal……so these figures are the real deal….not bronze powder thrust into cold cast resin. To do this we have used a world renowned bronze foundry based in the West Midlands to cast our pieces for us under our guidance (we will be personally checking the waxes)…this means that all the bronze castings will come with their mark along with our own, giving our sculpts true high end market validity and history. Also all figures purchased or ordered will be crated and couriered to your door…….now how’s that for a service and opportunity!!!
So will there be any event pieces?well it’s going to be tough …but as a result of requests bubbling under the surface we’ve decided to give it a go. So there will be alternative festive paint schemes on an Old English, a Bash Street and something for the Camberwick folks……are we good to you or what?....These pieces are definitely limited by a one day availability on the 5th December only!!!
What else will there be?…….well our whole building will be brimming with Christmas fare from a band creating festive tunes from the cobbled courtyard outside to the merriment of our members lounge inside. There will be mince pies aplenty and maybe a warming tipple of mulled wine for those of you bereft of car keys.
Obviously it goes without saying that there will be healthy discounts on offer for our travelling collectors and whatever else we can come up with to make life more interesting!!!!!
Another important announcement and one which will change your weekend evenings forever is that we are launching a new online auction facility on EBay, appropriately called Harrop’s Auctions. To find us either visit EBay directly or simply click on the link directly from this site.
HARROP'S AUCTIONS:
stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Harrops-Auctions__W0QQ_armrsZ1
So what are we selling?......well block white castings in the main, which are essentially what we refer to as “Studio Painted Originals”. These are the very first figures to come from the master mould , that itself was formed from the original wax. This means that these pieces are at least one generation larger than the retail pieces you all own and enjoy.
The pieces on auction will be wide and varied covering many of the ranges we have produced, they will also be auctioned live and are open to everyone worldwide.
So what’s in it for our members I hear you shout?......well every winning bid made by one of our collectors club will be subject to a 10% discount no matter how high or low the winning total. To redeem this do not select the pay now option…simply inform us of your membership number and we will send you an amended bill less the 10% as promised…..no how’s that for a bonus!!!
When does it all begin?....tonight …how’s that for notice ..Hehehe…exciting isn’t it. We will end the auctions on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, with staggered finishing times. This will not only spread out the excitement but allow those last minute bidding strategies to take place on more than one auction at a time!...we also imagine that there will be a broad interest in our auctions as a form of entertainment that is until the bidding bug spreads hehehe…….and we’ve all been there!......
All winning Auction Lots will also have a certificate of authenticity signed by Robert Harrop himself to give them a permanent catalogued history and to protect with knowledge the future worth of all your new investments.
You see now that an interesting Blog……long but I reckon worth it. May I also add that I will be adding pictures of the Christmas event pieces within the next week here online along with a Blog showing a little more of what we’ve been up to.
Anyway got to go..Lots to do….all the best Matt B