Statue Value Post Bankruptcy

[The13thWarlock]

Originally Posted by Great Pheidias

Can a mod just rename this thread to "The 13thWarlock is a doofus"

I thought they gave you that title?

[The13thWarlock]

Originally Posted by ReTardist

No they are not. People are just anticipating it. I don't have all the info about their current situation but I can promise you guys this... even IF Arahom had to seek bankruptcy protection from his creditors, he will continue to produce statues. Perhaps at a much reduced pace but here's the thing.. he's not a quitter. He's a fighter. He has nothing else. His entire life and career revolve around these statues. He's not the kind of guy to throw in the towel and take a regular 9-5 job to pay bills. He'd rather go hungry making statues and trying to fulfill his dreams than feed himself with the monotony of a 'career'. I got a very intimate view of this guy and his history making statues as far back as his teen years in Brazil. He's had more adversity in his life than most people. He certainly rubs people the wrong way occasionally and I think the current circumstances he is in, are a result of the success he had for a few solid years. Perhaps he over-reached. Now the company is shrinking a bit as logic dictates. Arahom has faced adversity far worse than this. But he NEVER stopped making statues. Bankruptcy or not, he'll soldier on. And I'm certain he will deliver the statues that people have paid for. Perhaps not always in a timely manner but he's not the kind of guy that throws up his hands and walks away.

It's not the over reaching Ehren. Its the crap way he treats his customers and straight up incompetence. Thats what causing his company to shrink.

Who does a video and says how they are going to use all their years and years of experience shipping statues to ensure each model gets to the buyer safe and sound... then glues painted pieces together so they arrive a total broken wreck? Its so bad they throw in the towel on the ones they have already done up and go back to formula on the entire piece... incompetence.

And thats just one example of many.

The ship is sinking. Time to bail out. Speaking of which, how are things at Level52? Your Cat Girl is crazy awesome and the other one... Princess of Mars I think, smacks of your work and is equally awesome.

[|Tch0rT|]

Originally Posted by SAB380

No need to worry about that, you're wife will be getting it.

LOL nope. I don't think she'll even try. It arrived right before I left cuz things kept getting more and more nasty. I was afraid for a bit that she'd smash it but she didn't.

Originally Posted by TNovak

Sorry about your divorce man, that sucks. I have been collecting Frazetta stuff since the 1970's and when I got married I didn't make her promise to love, honor, or obey me or not to cheat on me but I did make her promise that I would always have at least one room for my Frazetta stuff. At that time I think I just had about 35 framed prints, a Bowen DD and CS Moore Barbarian in my apartment. She agreed. She was raised Catholic so we ended up with 5 kids and even with a 5 bedroom house we had to add a room to the end of the garage for her to keep her promise, but she did. I wish we had added a bigger room.

Thanks for the words on my situation. LOL on with your wife and what you made her promise. I think I might've seen your collection. I remember someone in the Death Dealer thread posted some pics of this sweet room just full of Frazetta prints and statues.

Originally Posted by The13thWarlock

Its the crap way he treats his customers and straight up incompetence. Thats what causing his company to shrink.

I've only done one interaction with ARH with my DD on Horse and I just got to say I'm leery of ordering from them again. Due to my divorce I didn't know where I would be living and changed my address a few times right when it started shipping. When I ordered it things were good with the soon to be ex wife but we moved during the production time. ARH sent it to the place I lived 2 years prior despite multiple emails stating I had moved and to please confirm the address they'd ship to. I was less than pleased by that. I got my statue and it arrived intact but with a giant headache to go along with it trying to deal with the post office. I get it that the company was swamped and everything but come on how hard is it make freaking sure you're shipping it to the right address? ugh

[The13thWarlock]

Horrible. Let me do some comairisons... ARH has a five man operation, they release the Valkyrie months ago and have been unable to get any completed statues into the hands of the customer. Jonathan Dewar is a one man operation. He released Lilith 2 like two weeks ago. He's sold at least three to people here on the forums and two have arrived and one has shipped a few days back. No issues or problems. Why can one guy in England get it right and five guys in the states fail so miserably and repeatedly?

[Nugchompa]

Originally Posted by The13thWarlock

Horrible. Let me do some comairisons... ARH has a five man operation, they release the Valkyrie months ago and have been unable to get any completed statues into the hands of the customer. Jonathan Dewar is a one man operation. He released Lilith 2 like two weeks ago. He's sold at least three to people here on the forums and two have arrived and one has shipped a few days back. No issues or problems. Why can one guy in England get it right and five guys in the states fail so miserably and repeatedly?

Perhaps it is that famous American work ethic.

[Barbarian]

Originally Posted by Nugchompa

Perhaps it is that famous American work ethic.

]
Anyways, Arahom is from Brazil.

[ReTardist]

First of all his current treatment of customers is a DIRECT result of his over reaching. He's always had a spotty relationship with people at the best of times but the fact that he has over extended himself is just making him more stressed. Jonathan Dewar kind of proves my point in a way. He only delivers what he has available because he doesn't over extend himself. But trust me, he's a long way off from running an operation as complex as Arahom's. The truth is, the people on this fourm represent a pretty small portion of Arahom's customers. The people that are frustrated with the situation tend to be more vocal. There are hundreds of people that get their statues and we never hear a peep from them. Back to the point though - I'm just pointing out that a bankruptcy will have no effect on the aftermarket prices of his statues. First of all, you'll probably never know if he seeks bankruptcy protection because he would never make it public. Second, he won't stop making statues... shrink the size of the company more? Yeah. But stop. No.

[Josh-a-tron]

Originally Posted by ReTardist

First of all his current treatment of customers is a DIRECT result of his over reaching. He's always had a spotty relationship with people at the best of times but the fact that he has over extended himself is just making him more stressed. Jonathan Dewar kind of proves my point in a way. He only delivers what he has available because he doesn't over extend himself. But trust me, he's a long way off from running an operation as complex as Arahom's. The truth is, the people on this fourm represent a pretty small portion of Arahom's customers. The people that are frustrated with the situation tend to be more vocal. There are hundreds of people that get their statues and we never hear a peep from them. Back to the point though - I'm just pointing out that a bankruptcy will have no effect on the aftermarket prices of his statues. First of all, you'll probably never know if he seeks bankruptcy protection because he would never make it public. Second, he won't stop making statues... shrink the size of the company more? Yeah. But stop. No.

That is actually true of most collectible companies. Far more statues are actually bought by either outside collectors who do not wish to join the sometimes toxic environment that is an internet discussion or are bought by retailers to sell to their customers. The latter being a large part of every collectible sold. People see the membership number at the bottom of the main forum page and think that number is a "big deal" but in truth, how many of the 77k members are active? How many have never even posted? and Further Still, how many are constant collector's? The number of vocal collectors that buy statues on a regular basis is smaller than most think.

As for ARH's issues, they do not produce a large number of statues on a per piece basis, and definitely not as large as much of the other companies on this board, however, I think the "over reaching" came when he tried to meet the demands for more pieces, even at a lower production size, with only a 5-6 person team. When you try to put out 5 statues per year, at 200pcs+ per statue and have to deal with all that goes into major production issues will arise, especially on the front of factory production. A lot of the best factories want larger runs, it makes them more money and they get more out of the mold/casting process.

In the end, Arahom will right the ship or he won't but I think, like you said, taking a step back from production and putting the emphasis on getting a few pieces done right might be the way to do it. I also think with a large portion of the collectible companies raising their prices, he may have to also, but I also think with the niche' product he provides, and being one of the few that provide it, his customers would understand and long as what they're getting is top notch product.


Oh and by the way, love your stuff on Artstation, I check your page every now and again.

[The13thWarlock]

I wonder how small he will have to shrink his business before he starts treating his customers right and delivering the statues as he promised and advertised them. Apparently he needs more shrinkage.

[ReTardist]

Originally Posted by The13thWarlock

I wonder how small he will have to shrink his business before he starts treating his customers right and delivering the statues as he promised and advertised them. Apparently he needs more shrinkage.

I suspect it could get down to two people eventually. But he'll still produce. He's just got an uphill battle to fight to for a while. This all makes me really sad as I worked extremely hard for him for a year and a half. I really wanted to see things take off. But in a way, I think even hiring me was part of that 'over reaching'. He had the best intentions and I think the Frazetta stuff is what he hung most of his hopes on. When the numbers started coming back it was easy to see that things weren't going to pan out the way we intended. It sucks but he'll soldier on. I think things will eventually level out for him. In the meantime I'm truly sorry for all the disappointment I see on here. I'm extremely happy to be at Blizzard and helping out Level52 when I can, but I'll always have a soft spot for ARH and I've done what I could for him even since leaving.