Boba Fett prototype sold for $65000? Can someone fill me in?

[Duskamp]

Jordan Hembrough from toyhunter claims here he sold a prototype wax sculpt of Boba Fett. Was this one of the kitbashed Boba Fett? Somebody who has a picture of this item?

The Light from the TV Shows: A Chat with Jordan Hembrough (Travel Channel’s “Toy Hunter”)


JH: [Laughs.] You know, awhile ago I did purchase a prototype of Boba Fett from the original “Star Wars” line from Kenner. It was the original wax sculpt, and it truly was one of a kind. I don’t think I’ll see another one like it again. I regret that one leaving my inventory. But I’m happy, because it was known around the world, and I was the one that got it, and I was the one who brought it to market. That sold for $65,000. It’s in a very good home right now. It’s overseas in a private collector’s hands, and I know that it will not go anywhere. And usually when I know the toy will be locked up in a private collection and not for resale, it at least makes the parting less sorrowful. It makes me feel a little better about saying goodbye.

 

[michael_mensinger]

Hi Duskamp,

The referenced prototype is the original wax sculpting for the final production figure and resides with a well-known French collector.

Mike

 

[Duskamp]

Thanks Mike! Would love to see an image of it. Anybody who has one in their archive, or a picture online?

 

[Adam_L]

And usually when I know the toy will be locked up in a private collection and not for resale, it at least makes the parting less sorrowful. It makes me feel a little better about saying goodbye.

That is all a matter of perspective. From my perspective, its best if a piece is sold/traded every 5-10 years (at least), so others get to appreciate it. To each his own though, and I'll bet several Fett focus collectors would love a chance at that piece ($65K is a very big chunk of money to pay, for most people out there). It's not like we live forever.

That guy!! Gotta go to France and pay him a visit !!

 

[finestcomics]

One deal tough to beat and coming from that part of the world was a collector who exchanged a villa in France for some Crumb sketchbooks.

 

[dafunder415]

I would take R. Crumb's sketchbooks over a villa in France any day!

One deal tough to beat and coming from that part of the world was a collector who exchanged a villa in France for some Crumb sketchbooks.

 

[DaxWills]

If a collector wanted to they can always donate top end pieces to museum on loan status so others can see them. I have a piece in a museum (not Star Wars, sorry to get your hopes up) and it's neat to think how many people see it.

 

[JohnA]

There was an exhibit in Paris earlier this year: Jedi do battle in Paris as museum hosts Star Wars toys | Inquirer Entertainment It was on display there along with some Rocket Firing Fetts, the carded RF, and a piece of the RF art. If you search Facebook or google it you may find a pic of it.

I heard about this sale many years ago and the number I heard was MUCH less than $65,000. Who knows really except Jordan and our French friend? (who does haunt RS from time to time)

John

 

[The_Dark_Artist]

That's like a hundred billion dollars : )

 

[Snake_eyes_82]

One deal tough to beat and coming from that part of the world was a collector who exchanged a villa in France for some Crumb sketchbooks.

That's Insane!

 

[Duskamp]

Found it! http://www.toyzmag.com/wp-content/u...-les-jouets-musées-des-arts-décoratifs-11.jpg

 

[18wheelsofsteel]

Found it! http://www.toyzmag.com/wp-content/u...-les-jouets-musées-des-arts-décoratifs-11.jpg

Phenomenal. A piece of Star Wars collecting history to be sure!

 

[manowarjoe]

Found it! http://www.toyzmag.com/wp-content/u...-les-jouets-musées-des-arts-décoratifs-11.jpg

Good Lord!

 

[Fettafari]

Found it! http://www.toyzmag.com/wp-content/u...-les-jouets-musées-des-arts-décoratifs-11.jpg

Thanks, I have been looking for a picture of this treasure! Wow!!

 

[Leif_G]

One deal tough to beat and coming from that part of the world was a collector who exchanged a villa in France for some Crumb sketchbooks.

What a crumby deal.

 

[Bluestars]

good lord...how is it possible that this thing stayed under the radar?! anyone have a pic with more than 7 pixel ?
I guess its the non-firing mold?

did I say:
WOW ?

 

[PMSbull]

A guy I know a little has had items published in the magazine American Splendour and has been corresponding with Crumb for some time

 

[finestcomics]

That's Insane!

His original art sells for a ridiculous amount of money. Sketchbooks sell strongly too. I'm biased though as he's one of the artists from the underground comix era that I heavily collected.

 

[JohnA]

good lord...how is it possible that this thing stayed under the radar?! anyone have a pic with more than 7 pixel ?

I think I heard about it at least 5-7 years ago? It's been quite some time. I've been with Janice 3 1/2 and it was quite a bit before we got together.

I guess its the non-firing mold?

A sculpt is a sculpt. I would assume that the rocket feature was tooled separately. That would be more an engineering and mold making step.

John

 

[AJ_van_Zelst]

It was quite borring in person (saw it at the exibit when I was in Paris for an auction). I can see it's an important piece, but still. RF or sculpt? I'd take an RF any day.

The Meccano proof (or whatever) of Logray, now that was a nice piece. Also the ESB squares. I took a couple of pics, but not of the Boba's.

-Alex

 

[BrianM]

It was quite borring in person (saw it at the exibit when I was in Paris for an auction). I can see it's an important piece, but still. RF or sculpt? I'd take an RF any day.

Seriously?!!!

You would rather have a first shot (basically) than the original, hand sculpted first ever three dimensional rendering of probably the most famous action figure ever??

I can't figure out how to do smileys on my phone, but if I could, I would post a confused one here. Or a googley eyed one. Or maybe a Rastafarian.

 

[DaxWills]

You would rather have a first shot (basically) than the original, hand sculpted first ever three dimensional rendering of probably the most famous action figure ever??

Do you really think it's the most famous action figure ever? Take a boba fett figure and poll 1000 random people vs the original gi joe toy and poll 1000 figures I think more people would identify a gi joe over a boba fett. I think you'd do better with Darth Vader. Guess it depends on how you measure famous.

 

[JohnA]

It was quite borring in person (saw it at the exibit when I was in Paris for an auction). I can see it's an important piece, but still. RF or sculpt? I'd take an RF any day.

Um.. wow. I'm sure I'm not going out on much of limb by saying I doubt very many would be in your camp in that one. I'd take an Ugnaught sculpt over a RF any day.

**EDIT** I should also say that if it were a RF I'd prefer the carded one or the protomold. RFs just seem far too common for me to justify that kind of cash.

John

 

[The_Dark_Artist]

It really doesn't get much more "one of a kind" then that. It's nice to hear it's safe, in a good collection and won't be sold off..... but I am curious what you would insure a piece like this for? It's a beautiful piece and truly part of Kenner Star Wars history. Sorta reminds me of the rarity and historical importance of the carded RF Fett from Toy Fair.
Rocket Firing Boba Fett - Carded Toy Fair Sample

 

[Bantha5]

So, at a price of $65k does that make it the single highest price for a toy related Star Wars collectible? Ryan

 

[JohnA]

Sorta reminds me of the rarity and historical importance of the carded RF Fett from Toy Fair.
Rocket Firing Boba Fett - Carded Toy Fair Sample

The pic is not clear but the carded pic below the sculpt and to the left of the art is the carded TF sample. It doesn't get too much better than that. The 9 holy grails in a row is the only thing that rivaled this.

John

 

[tapuvae]

double post

 

[tapuvae]

So, at a price of $65k does that make it the single highest price for a toy related Star Wars collectible? Ryan

I don't think so. The set of 3 packs was >100k I believe but maybe that doesn't count as a single item. I understand some photo art sold for close to 6 figures as well and that does count as a single item.

 

[Todd_Hudson]

Um.. wow. I'm sure I'm not going out on much of limb by saying I doubt very many would be in your camp in that one. I'd take an Ugnaught sculpt over a RF any day.

**EDIT** I should also say that if it were a RF I'd prefer the carded one or the protomold. RFs just seem far too common for me to justify that kind of cash.

John

I'm guessing he can't mean figure for figure because a sculpt is always better then some ratty old production piece but...if you got 65k to spend on Star Wars prototypes I could find alot more value with that 65k then on just one sculpt. I'm imagining a few runs that would be so much more interesting then just the Fett!

Todd

 

[Bluestars]

It was quite borring in person (saw it at the exibit when I was in Paris for an auction). I can see it's an important piece, but still. RF or sculpt? I'd take an RF any day.

The Meccano proof (or whatever) of Logray, now that was a nice piece. Also the ESB squares. I took a couple of pics, but not of the Boba's.

-Alex

would you mind sharing these pics? maybe in a separate thread? would love to see... thanks, mike

 

[AJ_van_Zelst]

@ Allmost everyone ,

I know it's a stellar piece, but it's doesn't have a great appeal to me. Emphesis on the last word. Yes, it's the first rendition of the production version. I know RF's are a dime a dozen (...), but that's the figure everyone wanted but never got. Thus an RF has more appeal to me (+1 on the MOC). There are several more, "much" cheaper, items that also would have more appeal to me. UDE's for example. Not produced and thus to me more appealing. The Boba sculpt, with no disrespect to the piece, is just an early version of a figure I already had. The fact that it sold for around 65k doesn't play a part in that reasoning.

Heck, I don't know how much a Gargan would go for, but lets play with the notion it would go for 65k (doubt it). If I have to choose between Gargan or the Boba sculpt, without a single doubt in my mind, I would go for Gargan. Unproduced, so to me more appealing. The Luke in Robes has lost it's appeal to me now we know it's an early rendition of the produced Luke Jedi. Yes, I like it more then the same stage of the production version, but it has lost it's "I couldn't have it, but now i can"-factor.

The single fact that an item is more rare doesn't make it more appealing to me. The day I went to the exhibit were I saw the sculpt I also went to an auction of pre-columbian art (65k...pff... , didn't buy a single thing...). They had a set of molds for clay figures. Extremely rare, but I'd rather have a single figure then all of the 5 molds they had (and i don't even like the brown clay figures).

Looking at the asking price for the MOC RF Boba that one should have sold for more than 65k. I think the asking price was 100-150k at the PCA-auction.

@ Mike,

I'll see what I can do (via e-mail). I know most of my pics were bad (poor lighting and no real time to take good pics, as there was someone overseeing that no one took pics). I think I only save 5 or 6 of them.

-Alex

 

[Dennis_Vleugels]

I was there in the exhibition aswell and i must say that i missed the key info about those fetts. I would had been nice if the would had been some more info on the displayed pieces especially those ones. I do clearly remember all the mecanno square cards as the mecanno VC Jawa (that's probably the only picture i quickly snapped as taking pictures was prohibited). Also loved the early mock up SW cards (wich are also shown in the kellermanbook i guess).
There was loads of concept and prototype and very rare french stuff on display... I picked up a book from the exibition.
I gave the fetts a look, recognised the sculpt as some prototype thing and saw the RF fett, but honestly, i wasn't aware this prototype deserved more attention.

Here is the only pic i took.

 

[JohnA]

Heck, I don't know how much a Gargan would go for, but lets play with the notion it would go for 65k (doubt it). If I have to choose between Gargan or the Boba sculpt, without a single doubt in my mind, I would go for Gargan. Unproduced, so to me more appealing. The Luke in Robes has lost it's appeal to me now we know it's an early rendition of the produced Luke Jedi. Yes, I like it more then the same stage of the production version, but it has lost it's "I couldn't have it, but now i can"-factor.

I agree. I think it's a top shelf piece but I'd much rather have the Power Droid acetate Micro sculpt, the Amanaman run, Luke in robes sculpt, a Star Tot sculpt, etc. I know Luke lost some cache, frankly I'm surprised it didn't lose more street cred, but I do still like it for what it is, as opposed to what could have been. It'd be on my want list if more than like 4 existed. I'm frankly surprised it would sell for so much since the alt Luke is also an earlier version, and there are less of these known, yet would sell for a fraction of the LiR figure.

John

 

[chiquetaba]

Hi. This thread deserves a nice picture

 

[Duskamp]

Thanks Stephane!
Wow, that sculpt is really awesome. Love the texture and colour, and think that this is probably thè original Fett figure.

Hi. This thread deserves a nice picture

 

[DaxWills]

Two questions since I know nothing of this level of stuff,

1: Why are there no holes in his feet? (Probably a dumb question)
2: If this is a sculpted figure, theoretically, couldn't a very skilled artist make one? Or make one for virtually any figure?

 

[AJ_van_Zelst]

Two questions since I know nothing of this level of stuff,

1: Why are there no holes in his feet? (Probably a dumb question)
2: If this is a sculpted figure, theoretically, couldn't a very skilled artist make one? Or make one for virtually any figure?

1) Holes in feet are only in production like figures, which are injection molded (FS, EP and production). The holes get made by a seperate machine.
2) Yes. You need to find/make the correct compound though. Plus...provenance is key

-Alex

 

[DaxWills]

Thanks. The answer to number 1 is interesting. Number 2 is scary lol.

 

[JohnA]

and think that this is probably thè original Fett figure.

What do you mean?

John

 

[JohnA]

Thanks. The answer to number 1 is interesting. Number 2 is scary lol.

Holes and copyrights come in the tooling stages. The steel mold would have the copyrights carved into it so that they showed up as positive on the figure and the holes would be because little spikes were on the feet in the mold. A positive piece would prevent plastic from filling that area, thus creating the holes. Waxes and hardcopies lack these features as do some first shots.

Sculptings like any prototype should have a solid history. Too many scams in the past, even from trusted collectors. This piece comes directly from the sculptor that created it. Always ask lots of questions.

John

**EDIT** spelling