Those attending the 2000 Disneyana Convention may recall the convention gift (pictured at right) featuring the Zebra from It's a Small World Theme Park Attraction. Celebrating "It's a Small World" this colorful statue features a blue Zebra playing an African drum with the convention logo on it in an edition size of 200.
Collectors have been asking for more of the animals from the attraction to be added to the collection and in November, the Hippo ("Jungle Blossom") from the Africa portion of the attraction will be released. The Hippo made her first appearance as an ornament in August, 2006. Wouldn't the Zebra make another great addition?
The question came up, do you duplicate something already done in another medium? How do you feel about that?
Trying something new with this blog entry, adding a Poll to gauge collectors thoughts and give an opportunity for those who read the blog and do not post, an opportunity to participate.
13 comments:
First, LOVE the polls! Woo hoo! Thank you.
Second, and now I'll repeat my comments under the proper spot, I'd love to see more of the African animals. This zebra is great and really looks like it could be a WDCC piece.
I'd really love the see the laughing hyena. There are so many great "supporting" characters in the Attraction, they can really go far with this series.
Love it!!!!! (Can you tell I like the SW pieces?)
While I do not collect the "It's A Small World" series, I think the animals are a wonderful addition and really help to fill out the display of the kids. The Zebra would be a fine new sculpt to see added later as would the Hyena and other animals, as Timon mentioned.
As for the Zebra having been done in another medium as a Disneyana Convention gift a few years back, I don't see why that should necessarily be a deterrent to it being repeated within the WDCC. It's already been done a number of times in the past. Off the top of my head, I can think of 3 examples.
One being Donald striking the gong from the Mickey Mouse Club, which also happened to be a Disneyana Convention gift. I actually had purchased this gift a few years back before the WDCC version was unveiled and still like it, but went ahead and purchased the WDCC version as well to display with the MMC scene.
Another is Wart pulling the sword from the stone. Robert King did this as an item offered at the 2002 Disneyana Convention, which I did attend. I liked it at the time, but decided to pass on purchasing it in the hopes of WDCC doing their own version down the road. Luckily, I was not disappointed and WDCC did release their own version of this scene, which I do own.
My final example is the Bella Notte scene from "Lady and the Tramp." I probably could not even guess as to how many different mediums this particular scene from the film has been translated into. Being my all-time favorite Disney film, I own this scene in a bunch of these different mediums, including the WDCC one, which I absolutely love. Granted, being my favorite film, it would be nice to see some additional scenes tackled from it every so often instead of this one pinnacle scene over and over again. But, it would have made no sense for WDCC to pass over doing such an important scene from the film just because it had been done multiple times in the past in one form or another.
Hey Don,
Would love to see the zebra. Don't see it as a conflict as being done in another medium. Bring on more animals and accessories for iasw. Love the entire series. Here's hoping for more.
I collect the It's A Small World figurines & also enjoy the animals. I don't see why they couldn't do something close to the original. I'm afraid if you do duplicates, it will take away from those that were convention pieces or limited editions. I could be wrong, but still wouldn't mind seeing something similar.
I don't agree Darcy. Just because something was done in another medium does not make it a duplicate in the WDCC sculptures. I say bring on the zebra!! If the zebra was done as a WDCC sculpture at the convention, then a new one would be considered a duplicate.
Thanks Tim! The polls were always fun to put together and watch the results as they came in.
I think there is no end for this series. Might be a nice diversion to go in the direction of the animals for a while and give the kids a break. JTDO. :)
Hi Jason! I think maybe the point I was trying to get across and convey conversations I've had, didn't come across clear.
The examples you cite are key moments in films (Lady and the Tramp and Sword in the Stone). How could WDCC not ever do those? Personally, could never imagine the collection without them. JTDO.
Something as esoteric and secondary as the Zebra, you have to look at a little differently given the backlash WDCC has gotten when it comes to repeat characters.
Darcy & Jeff, you both bring up valid points:
1. If you do duplicates, it will take away from those that were convention pieces or limited editions.
Many collectors feel this way. Once something is done, when done again, it diminishes the value or uniqueness of the original.
2. Because something was done in another medium does not make it a duplicate in the WDCC sculptures.
We've seen sculptures done in other mediums, then done in WDCC as Jason pointed out and on the flip side of the coin, something done in WDCC and then done later in another medium.
From responses so far and current poll results, it seems to be in favor of WDCC doing the Zebra.
This is turning into an interesting conversation and look forward to hearing others thoughts and debating the two points mentioned above.
Hey Don,
Thanks for clarifying. Personally view the backlash the WDCC has received in the past for repeating characters as being more because they were characters already done by the WDCC, not characters done in some other medium. Although, I do recall some collectors putting up a stink because of the "Sword in the Stone" piece I previously mentioned. Actually, never really had much of a problem with characters being redone by WDCC in regards to myself.
But to address your question about the WDCC redoing more secondary/esoteric characters that had previously seen light in some other medium, I don't see why not. Their take on the character will most likely fit in much better with the display of your other WDCC characters from the relevant scene than trying to fit in the same character done in the other medium. And you have to take into account that not everyone will have acquired that character in the other medium anyway, so this gives more people a chance to have this character. In your example after all, there are only 200 pieces of the Zebra from the Disneyana Covention, so I'd venture a guess that there are many "It's A Small World" WDCC collectors that don't have one.
To turn towards debating the two points that you mentioned in replying to Darcy & Jeff, a fine example of WDCC being repeated in another medium is the upcoming Olszewski "Snow White" Gallery of Light piece being formally released at the "Snow White" Event at Disneyland in mid-November. This piece also features Snow White kissing Dopey on the head as does the recent WDCC release. Yet, it goes the miniature route allowing a more detailed scene with trees, the Dwarf's cottage, etc... So, while the same, it is also different.
As to the other point about new releases taking away from the previous limited/convention release, I do see the validity behind it. However, I think this almost has to be viewed on a case by case basis.
In regards to the more secondary/esoteric characters, they are not released in any medium as often anyway, so don't see a new release as being too detracting from an earlier limited/convention release as the character is hard to come by anyway. However, with regards to more popular characters, I can see why some may worry about their original's value, especially if the new release is similar to the previous one (of course, I guess the same could be said about the secondary/esoteric characters as well if the release is that similar).
But still, I think it comes down to how the new piece compares to the previous limited/convention one. Which one actually appeals to you as a collector more? Just because a newer version of the character is available, doesn't mean it is a more appealing version to the individual collector. If I like the older limited/convention piece more than the new release, then that is the one I'll search out and purchase even if I can readily pick up the newer release at a dealer. A prime personal example of this is the Tinkerbell giclees done by Jim Salvati. His original one, titled Mischievous, has become extremely difficult to come by while he has also just released a new one of Tink flying admist fireworks. Looking at the two, I easily preferred Mischievous over his new one, so while I could have gotten his new Tink giclee without too much bother, I instead chose to try and search out his previous one. So, essentially I think it comes down to the individual collectors's tastes as to whether a newer release is a better fit for them or not and that is what'll determine the piece's value.
Jason, Checked collectorseditions.com and couldn't see another Tink flying in fireworks. Can you post a link to the new one? I have Mischievious and would like to look at the new one.
(Checked collectorseditions.com and couldn't see another Tink flying in fireworks. Can you post a link to the new one? )
Jeff, this is the piece commissioned and designed by a dealer in the San Fran area. I have an AP of it. I know the dealer commissioned LE 50 pieces and my guess is that they could not sell thru the edition. I've seen it show up on another dealer's (also in SF area) web site about a month or so ago.
Hi Jeff,
Here's a link to a dealer that has the piece:
http://www.gallerydirectart.com/col-470.html
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