Posted:
09:05:40 on December 07 2001
By: Steve Krutzler
Dept: TrekWeb Features
COLLECTIBLES REVIEW
Written for TrekWeb by Nicholas Roche
Season’s Greetings, fellow Trekkers! It’s that time of year again: time to find the perfect thing to get that TREK Fanatic on your Christmas list (or let everyone else know what to get YOU). Well, this time, not only can I help you decide what to get them, but I can also show you what to wrap it in! So let’s get started!
NOTE: As always, prices are listed in US Dollars, and shipping and handling (where applicable) is not included in the listed prices.
First up is the new, exclusive (as always) STARFLEET GIFT WRAP. This five-sheet-pack features 24” X 36” sheets of blue gift wrap emblazoned with repeating patterns of white UFP symbols (the starmap-with-laurel-leaves standard) and yellow Starfleet Command logos (TOS Command chevron circled by comet). All told, a total of 30 square feet of wrapping paper suitable for year-round use. The set of five sheets sells for $15.00.
INITIAL INTEREST: This definitely caught my eye when I first saw it listed in QUARK’S BAZAAR. A very cool idea. I was surprised no one else had thought of it before! (Well, in fact, a company called WRAP-UPS made TOS and TNG wrapping paper back in 1993-94, but it was nowhere near this quality.) A. Great idea, well executed.
OVERALL QUALITY: High-quality printing and inks were used in making this wrap, so the images are sharp and clear. The paper is also high quality for gift wrap, with a nice glossy finish. A. Better than most of the stuff I’ve seen in the stores!
INITIAL VALUE: For “specialty” paper like this, one would expect to pay a little extra. The same holds true for the extra-fancy stuff you find in your local greeting card shop, so a price of $3-per-sheet here is neither unexpected nor overly extravagant. C. As I said, about average for high-grade gift paper.
COLLECTABILITY: This item falls under the category of housewares or party goods. Believe it or not, this is really an untapped and often-overlooked collecting category where TREK is concerned. Many other such houseware categories (lunch boxes, kitchen items, cloth goods, etc.) have risen in price considerably because of limited runs and low distribution. And though possibly not as sought after as other such party items (plates, cups, streamers, et al.), if you just want to get a set of this to keep and not use, you shouldn’t regret it. B-. Not the top of the list, but nice nonetheless.
OVERALL RATING: B+. A cool way to tell the TREK fan your gift is special.
For those of you who can’t—or don’t want to—handle wrapping your gifts, we have a nice alternative: STARFLEET GIFT BAGS. The exclusive (there’s that word again) four-bag-set consists of two smaller blue bags (size 8” X 4¾” X 10”) with white UFP seals, and two larger white bags (10” X 5” X 13”) with yellow Starfleet Command logos. Great for odd-sized or shaped gifts, and an easy way to bypass the scissors-and-scotch-tape nightmare of wrapping such gifts. The set sells for $12.00.
INITIAL INTEREST: Like the gift wrap, I found this a cool niche that had not been properly filled. Yes, like the gift wrap, there were companies that made TREK-related gift bags, but can you find any of them around anymore? A. Definitely worth considering.
OVERALL QUALITY: Split vote on this one. All the bags are well constructed of high-grade paper and perfect for unusual gifts or your own personal “grab bags.” The rope-like handles are constructed from the same high-grade paper as the bags, and are well anchored to the insides.
However, the two designs differ in both visibility and quality. The UFP bags are a beautiful glossy deep blue, and the white logos stand out well. In comparison, the Starfleet Command bags are of a plain, flat white finish, and the yellow logos—well-used on the gift wrap—seem not to work as well here; even with their size and placement, they are hard to make out on first sight, almost getting lost on the bag.
C. The UFP bags are definite A’s, but the SFC bags are unfortunate D-’s. I, personally, would have gone with a darker yellow color for the SFC logos here. Or at least, similar glossy paper for all the bags.
INITIAL VALUE: Again, the prices compare with fancier “licensed-logo” bags available at card shops and such. The $3-per-bag average here averages out between the fancier-but-small UFP bags and the large-but-plainer SFC bags. B+. Well-priced for what they are.
COLLECTABILITY: Might as well read the same stuff I wrote about the gift wrap above. The same applies here.
B-. Keep ‘em someplace cool, dry and flat. Same goes for the gift wrap.
OVERALL RATING: B. Would’ve matched or passed the wrap’s B+ if not for the SFC bags.
Well, now you know what to put the gift in. But what CARD do you put on it? No problemo—QUARK’S has you covered there, too! How about some exclusive (can’t get away from that word) U.S.S. ENTERPRISE-E CHRISTMAS CARDS? Yes, you read right. See the Sovereign-class Flagship warping through space, decked out with colorful Christmas lights around its saucer (courtesy of artwork by Diane M. Howard titled “Christmas-E”—pun intended) on the front of each of the ten cards in this set. The inside of each card reads “Happy Holidays from the Final Frontier” in Crillee typeface (the same style used for the credits in every episode of ST: TNG). Cards are 5” X 8” when folded, and come with mailing-quality envelopes. The set sells for $12.95.
INITIAL INTEREST: Definitely an eye-catcher. Perfect match for the gift wrap and bags. I also liked it when I first read that these cards say “Happy Holidays” rather than just “Merry Christmas”. Not that I’m “politically-correct” or anything, but I have friends who celebrate Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus (G) and several other holidays of their own invention (“Mars Colony Bubble Day” comes immediately to mind—HI, BETSY!) So the fact that these cards are “denomination-neutral” makes them appropriate for all of your friends and acquaintances. A. Made me reminisce about the Hallmark TREK cards from a few years back.
OVERALL QUALITY: Graphics on the card fronts are sharp and well painted. Ms. Howard does good artwork. Nice glossy cardstock as well. Even the envelopes are well made.
A. Made me reminisce again—and WISH the Hallmark cards looked this good. If they had, maybe they’d still be making them.
INITIAL VALUE: At about $1.30 for each card, it figures better than most single-sell greeting cards out there. B. Man, I REALLY miss those Hallmark cards…(G)
COLLECTABILITY: Greeting cards do not usually go up in value. Many of the older TREK cards—Hallmark or not (last mention of them here—PROMISE!)—still sell for little more than their original price.
C-. Originally a D, but if you DO buy a set of these, you’ll probably wish you bought two—one to use, and one to put away. So that’s why the one-step-up in grade here.
OVERALL RATING: B+. Nifty sentiment to send to your loved ones. (Geez, who uses the word NIFTY anymore? I MUST be getting old. [G])
Okay, so we have the wrappings…we have the cards…what are we missing?
OH YEAH! THE GIFTS!
Well, here’s one for the model collector on your list. The (yes, let’s all say it together…) exclusive CAPTAIN’S YACHT SCULPTURE AND PLAQUE. This unique and limited edition (5,000 pieces only) maquette of the COUSTEAU was built from the original castings used by ILM to fashion the shooting model used in STAR TREK: INSURRECTION. (Little factoid: the model was originally built for FIRST CONTACT, but not used. Scenes were specifically written for INSURRECTION so the costly model would be seen on screen!) Thankfully, this 1:1 scale copy of that shooting is not very expensive! And it has two things the ILM version doesn’t: a display stand cast from the actual dedication plaque of the COUSTEAU used in INSURRECTION, and a numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by STAR TREK Senior Conceptual Illustrator John Eaves! Priced at $25.00.
INITIAL INTEREST: This, for me, was a must-get. My STARFLEET Chapter—the U.S.S. BLACKSTAR—is a Sovereign-class ship. We did up one of the Playmates INSURRECTION E’s as our ship for display purposes. Now, it has the perfect companion piece. (Although, I think MY Yacht is named MURRAY. [G]) A. The picture in the magazine just looks so cool.
OVERALL QUALITY: I take that last comment back—the picture does not do this piece justice. IT IS GORGEOUS! The detail is perfectly executed in both form and paint job. The stand complements the Yacht perfectly. I hate to gush this much, but pieces like this do not come around every day. This is quality work.
A+. Short of an actual TREK prop, you can’t get much better than this.
INITIAL VALUE: And such a price! I have seen similar pieces go for much higher prices, and look nowhere NEAR as good (even professional resin kits which sell for many times this piece’s $25.00 price)! Plus the lightweight materials used to construct this mean if it IS accidentally dropped, you will still have an intact piece (unlike heavy AND brittle resin).
A+. This piece could easily sell for twice the price and STILL be worth it.
COLLECTABILITY: What more can I say? Models like this—particularly limited edition pieces—often go up in value. I truly believe this piece should be part of any collector’s collection. A+. ‘Nuff said.
OVERALL RATING: A+. I give this piece the official NJR Golden Seal of Approval. Buy it. NOW.
Well, toys ARE nice, but you could use something nice to wear as well! And no, I DON’T mean a new pair of socks or that box of underwear Aunt Gertrude sent you last year. I mean a real, classy shirt. The kind of shirt you’d want to get married in. Okay, okay, maybe not MARRIED, but definitely for your next intergalactic luau: the CAPTAIN PROTON HAWAIIAN SHIRT. Somebody decided to cross two of Tom Paris’ holodeck programs—Captain Proton and Beach Party—and create this unique piece of finery.
This 100% rayon Hawaiian-style shirt features images of Paris as Captain Proton, Harry Kim as Proton’s sidekick Buster Kincaid, Chaotica’s lead guard Lonzak, and metallic menace Satan’s Robot, reproduced in glorious black-and-white. (And yes, it is an exclusive piece to the BAZAAR.) Comes in Adult sizes Medium, Large, XL, X2 and X3. Price is $55.00.
INITIAL INTEREST: Have to admit, I prefer t-shirts to the button-up variety, but it’s still an interesting piece of TREK-wear.
B-. Would catch my interest, but possibly not immediately.
OVERALL QUALITY: One thing FanMedia knows is quality clothing—even STAR TREK clothing. This shirt, for the most part, is no exception. The print is vibrant and clear, and the seams and stitching are strong and well done. Another great point: the sizes run true. I was sent an X2 (double-extra-large) size shirt, and it fit my large frame perfectly.
I applaud the use of rayon for this shirt, as it doesn’t shrink or fade as quickly as cotton, and it washes and softens up better than polyester or blends. The one downside to rayon, however, is it can tend to fray easily. After a wear and a wash of this shirt, I noticed more than a fair share of loose threads. No holes or worn areas, but it could mean that the shirt will have a more limited wear-life than comparable fabrics.
B. No fabric is perfect, but this shirt does very well.
INITIAL VALUE: $55.00 seems a lot to pay for a shirt of this style. Whoever said, “The best things in life are free” never shopped the BAZAAR’s catalog. It’s a very cool shirt, but something that may only appeal to die-hard Proton fans at this price. C. Not a slam; just a fact.
COLLECTABILITY: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Clothing is not really meant for collecting. I’ll definitely be wearing this shirt (as I’ve worn my DS-NINERS JERSEY) faithfully, but I don’t expect it to go up in value. D+. Again, just the facts here. Great shirt, but not a great investment piece. Gets the plus ‘cuz it’s still a cool shirt.
OVERALL RATING: C+. People will want to know where you got it, but might cringe at how much you paid for it.
Last, but certainly not least, there’s one item every Trekker and Videophile will want to get in their stocking this holiday: the STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE—THE DIRECTOR’S EDITION DVD. Now since my good buddy Steve “Webmaster” Krutzler has already done this movie justice in his review, I’ll just give my opinion on it from the collector’s point-of-view:
INITIAL INTEREST: Ever since Robert Wise and Paramount announced that the first TREK feature film was getting PROPER treatment for it’s DVD release, everyone has wanted to know what the final product would look like. I was no exception.
A. Not every day a 22-year-old sci-fi film gets the chance to be done RIGHT.
OVERALL QUALITY: Those involved in the making of this 2-disc set should be commended. It truly has gotten all the bells and whistles the previous eight TREK Movie DVDs didn’t. Not only do you get the re-done movie with both audio commentary (by Robert Wise, Stephen Collins, et al.) AND text commentary (by Michael Okuda), but you also get the original scenes that were re-done AND the scenes that were added to the “Special Longer Version” available previously on video. You also get to see both original movie trailers AND the trailer created to announce this Director’s Edition, as well as all of the TV spots for the film AND a cool promo for the newest TREK show, ENTERPRISE. But best of all, you get THREE different documentaries on the film: How the movie evolved from the aborted STAR TREK: PHASE II TV series, the original overly-hurried making of the film, and the steps taken to “restore” the film to Wise’s true vision.
A. Here’s hoping those rumors that the other TREK films will receive similar treatments are TRUE!
INITIAL VALUE: The retail price for this set is around $25.00 (very good for a 2-disc collector’s edition DVD), though I got mine through TREKWEB’s Amazon.com link for $22.49 plus shipping. (Great way to get the flick AND support your favorite TREK website!) A. Such a deal! (G)
COLLECTABILITY: DVDs are a relatively new addition to the video market, but they already have a dominating share of said market. The upside of this for collectors is they now have an easy-to-handle media (more so than the DVD’s predecessor, the laserdisc) with a long user life (compared to videotapes) that, with proper care, can be used over and over and still be perfectly collectible in the future! Like CDs, DVDs just require careful handling and storage to maintain their digital perfection.
A. The best of both worlds! A USABLE COLLECTIBLE!
OVERALL RATING: A. The movie is also available on widescreen VHS for $14.99 retail, but only has the re-dux of the movie and one of the three documentaries.
As usual, all of these collectibles are available on the Star Trek Communicator's web site!
Well, that about does it for me. I wish you love, peace and joy during these turbulent times, and here’s hoping 2K2 sees you well as ever!
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!
