Smaug the Golden - Faux Bronze - NOW AVAILABLE

[LOTRFan]

Still holding out for quality pictures to judge the wood color and to a lesser extend, paintjob.
I have a feeling that the darker wood worked much better in combination with the Bronze look but not sure if it's a dealbreaker or not.

The wood has in fact changed, customs and import laws wouldn't allow Weta to use solid wood; this is some sort of pressed/particle wood with a real wood veneer - and before anyone panics , I doubt many will be able to tell the difference.

It comes packed like the fine piece of art that it is, and the accompanying book is everything quality. The detail is rivaled by few, you will know what I mean once you look at each individually sculpted coin.

I couldn't be happier with mine, and it is taking a pride of place spot in my LOTR collection.

 

[Wish]

Thanks for the helpful information and congrats on your piece. Glad to hear you're happy with it.

 

[Jen]

I just ordered one - could not resist Smaug.

 

[Blu Falcon]

I just ordered one - could not resist Smaug.

Congrats, Jen. I went ahead and pulled the trigger last night. And considering Weta is increasing the price on this one I say we all made out pretty well. Will be interesting to see what this piece will demand in the used market once the inventory dries up.

 

[N2Darkness]

Still holding out for quality pictures to judge the wood color and to a lesser extend, paintjob.
I have a feeling that the darker wood worked much better in combination with the Bronze look but not sure if it's a dealbreaker or not.

And my favorite, the real meeting of old friends.

 

[m0reta]

Finally my Smaug came in! Unfortunately I had to leave him in my car for several hot Florida hours and am waiting for him to come to room temp before unpacking further. But he looks very nice from the top!

Looks like I got #50 out of #300.

 

[cstojano]

Finally my Smaug came in! Unfortunately I had to leave him in my car for several hot Florida hours and am waiting for him to come to room temp before unpacking further. But he looks very nice from the top!

Looks like I got #50 out of #300.

I got 64, anyone else care to report a higher number to get a sense of the sell through on this?

 

[theguru1]

I got 64, anyone else care to report a higher number to get a sense of the sell through on this?

Unfortuneately the numbers are still likely random on this one, so I'm not sure that's really going to help much.

 

[The Ringer]

Fantastic shots N2!

 

[praxitas]

Very nice pics and congrats to all who ordered him.

 

[LOTRFan]

I got 64, anyone else care to report a higher number to get a sense of the sell through on this?

I can only report #17.

 

[Jen]

I ordered mine yesterday at noon and it arrived this morning at 10:30am!! That's what I call service!

I haven't unpacked mine yet, as I am still at work, but the shipper box states that I have #22. I'll post pics this evening.

 

[Wetanut]

I agree that it is likely random #s being shipped and not in any kind of order. Mine is #66 and I believe I might have been one of the first to pull the trigger months ago.

 

[LOTRFan]

Pure art!

 

[LOTRFan]

 

[Anubis]

BEAUTFUL. Congrats!

I'm 100% sure i'll pick this up in the future at some point.

 

[Jen]

Great pics Matt! He really is a beauty. A little bigger than I thought he would be...so now I've got to figure out a new place to put him.

 

[Simone]

Such a beautiful piece, but I think the base will have to go on mine. Sorry to say but the veneer looks really bad and cheap. Pity.

Wonder how this is fixated on there (screw or glue?).

 

[cstojano]

Such a beautiful piece, but I think the base will have to go on mine. Sorry to say but the veneer looks really bad and cheap. Pity.

Wonder how this is fixated on there (screw or glue?).

I know this won't help but the above pictures do make the base seem redder and poorly matching than in real life.

 

[Simone]

Thanks. I have looked at all the posted pics so far and none of them could convince me otherwise. I appreciate Weta's attempt of an explanation with the import problems of real wood but at the end of the day people will still see it as an excuse for lowering costs, especially when the pics of the real wood are still floating around freely on your website. I feel bad for the bronze buyers if they do indeed receive the same quality.

But, again, extremely outstanding and novel piece and a new wooden base should be straight forward enough commission for any professional woodworker.
Just need to figure out how to separate the sculpt from the base.