No, it doesn’t reside in the depths of the Misty Mountains, or mutter “My precious, my precious…” in the dark.

However, the possible fate of a particular toad from Malaysia, that gets its name from everyone’s favorite duplicitous, conniving, yet lovable, precious-coveting character from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, is concerning scientists after becoming the latest to join a list of animals at great risk of extinction.

This amphibian, which is known as Ansonia smeagol, was given its name due to the similarities scientists saw between it and Professor Tolkien’s famous creation. Continue reading ““Gollum” on the brink of extinction”

One of my favorite lines from our freinds at Weta Workshop is the mini-statue line. As I’ve mentioned before, these statues are really super well done, and done at a price that allows for collectors on a budget to get some Middle-earth goodness.

A statue of Samwise was long over due, as he has not had one from Weta since the Sam and Bill statue 17 years ago. Samwise comes in with a price tag of $79 and is a short pre-order with a shipping due date of just this month.

At Comic-Con 2017, our friends at Weta Workshop unveiled one of the most stunning pieces I’ve ever seen. The piece is part of the new Masters Collection, and the character is one we all know quite well: Gollum. This superb piece is a 1:3 mixed media piece with real hair, glass, eyes, translucent skin, clear resin water, and an actual cloth loin cloth. Needless to say this is the best Gollum piece that’s been done. Gollum is limited to only 589 pieces worldwide and comes with a price tag of $1799. Fans that are interested can also use Weta’s handy flex pay system that will help you break this down so you can add this amazing statue into your collections.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Masters Collections: Gollum”

As we approach that season of giving you may be looking for a great item for the Middle-earth fan in your life. Our friends at Weta Workshop have some amazing deals for you that should check any box on any fan’s list. We have deals ranging from 2 for $199 1:6 statues to those fantastic Mini-Epics for only $25. Those are just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to what you will find on Weta Workshop’s Black Friday Page. They also have deals for other properties they’ve worked on if you have a fan that likes something besides just Middle-earth items. Don’t wait too long though as these deals will end on November 27th at 11:59 pm PST.

Last night our friends at Weta Workshop presented collectors with another goodie we can add to our collections. Fans now have the chance to add the Rivendell Guard’s Helm to the growing relaunched 1:4 helm line. Limited to 750 pieces worldwide, this helm isn’t going to last long; and as you can see by the picture, the paint/detail on this piece is really fantastic. Weta also announced one of their fun announcements from Comic-Con has arrived. That’s right! The Mini Epics are here, and the video below even gives you a look at the packaging for these awesome little figures. If you have a loved one who might be interested, these little vinyl figures would make for a pretty fantastic stocking stuffer.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Rivendell Guard’s Helm and Mini Epics”

Comic-Con 2017 may be over but our coverage still has a little left for you all. Our friends at Weta Workshop had some really awesome pieces this year and were full of surprises. They hit us with pieces like Thranduil on Elk as well as the Gollum 1:3 mixed media statue. Both these pieces are fantastic and pieces nobody saw coming, which made covering the booth even more exciting. We had two pieces that fans had long been waiting to see, where fans could order them and get them added to their collections. Of course one of those was Grond who we had been patiently waiting to be able to order, and then we also got the Mouth of Sauron on Steed. Both pieces are limited with Grond at 500 pieces and the Mouth of Sauron at 750 pieces. Fans can expect these won’t last long so make sure to get your pre-orders in now.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop Comic-Con 2017 Booth Tour and Recap”