On 2011-09-12 12:59, blueshawk1 wrote:
I have had a number of different figures pass through my hands over the years, and while it is fun to check out/use different figures, it is good to focus on just a few.
:bg:

On 2011-09-12 13:06, Wanlu wrote:
Will we ever be cured from the buymorefigures syndrome???

On 2011-09-12 13:12, Wanlu wrote:

Quote:

On 2011-09-12 12:59, blueshawk1 wrote: I have had a number of different figures pass through my hands over the years, and while it is fun to check out/use different figures, it is good to focus on just a few. :bg:

But what's an ideal number?
Jeff Dunham has at least 7... Edgar Bergen had at least 3... Paul Winchell had at least 4... Jimmy Nelson has at least 3 and Terry Fator has how many?

On 2011-09-12 13:43, blueshawk1 wrote:

Quote:

On 2011-09-12 13:06, Wanlu wrote: Will we ever be cured from the buymorefigures syndrome???

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, the only time I'm truly safe is when I don't have money to buy a figure.
As for the syndrome - in the guitar forums, we refer to it as "G.A.S." - Guitar (or Gear) Acquisition Syndrome. It's a disease you never recover from if you love guitars, and I fear it may be the same for vent figures.

Quote:

On 2011-09-12 13:12, Wanlu wrote: Quote: On 2011-09-12 12:59, blueshawk1 wrote: I have had a number of different figures pass through my hands over the years, and while it is fun to check out/use different figures, it is good to focus on just a few. :bg: But what's an ideal number? Jeff Dunham has at least 7... Edgar Bergen had at least 3... Paul Winchell had at least 4... Jimmy Nelson has at least 3 and Terry Fator has how many?

I don't think there is an ideal number, it's a personal thing, depending on a lot of factors.
Although, the first question is: are we talking the ideal number of figures one uses, or the ideal number of figures one has around in a "collection" - not that it matters I suppose, the answer is still the same - it's a personal thing.

On 2011-09-12 13:35, Bob Baker wrote:
Congratulations, Wanlu. I just hope you're not as old as Dom Dominator when the Selberg arrives!

Bob

On 2011-09-12 14:00, KeithS wrote:
That's great Wanlu. Both Tims are excellent builders. Please post some pics when you receive your figures.

Speaking of hard figures, I have not had many at all:

- A Charlie conversion from Maher that I had for a few months in the late '70's
- A Howard Olsen "Little Andy" figure that I used for many years as a young adult
- A custom-made Scott Bryte figure that I had for only a short time, which is now part of the Ventriloquist Central collection

However, I am extremely happy to report that Alan Semok is currently building me a custom-made figure. I've admired his work since I was around 14. He is certainly among the best of the best (and a heck of a nice guy). I plan on having this figure as my main character for quite a long time.

On 2011-09-12 14:03, Wanlu wrote:
As for the Selberg... well, something to be excited about nest year. :)

On 2011-09-12 14:00, KeithS wrote:
- A custom-made Scott Bryte figure that I had for only a short time, which is now part of the Ventriloquist Central collection

However, I am extremely happy to report that Alan Semok is currently building me a custom-made figure. I've admired his work since I was around 14. He is certainly among the best of the best (and a heck of a nice guy). I plan on having this figure as my main character for quite a long time.

Wow!!! Now that's something to be excited about. Mr Semok's figures are rare amd I've heard his work is really fantastic. Congratulations! :)

I love Alan's figures - I don't see myself ever being able to get one - but I love their look.
(and I still can't believe you parted with that figure Scott Bryte made)

On 2011-09-12 12:57, Wanlu wrote:

Now... after four years, I have decided to keep just a few which will include the new custom figures from Tim Cowles and Tim Selberg. :) The other two would be the old man from Dan Payes and the kid from Kem Poyner... and my Axtells :). and hopefully a Hartz :)

On 2011-09-12 20:17, Ony Carcamo wrote:

Quote:

On 2011-09-12 12:57, Wanlu wrote: Now... after four years, I have decided to keep just a few which will include the new custom figures from Tim Cowles and Tim Selberg. :) The other two would be the old man from Dan Payes and the kid from Kem Poyner... and my Axtells :). and hopefully a Hartz :)

Wanlu, my friend... I know you and I predict that your two new custom figures will just be the start of another series of new figure acquisitions hahaha!...

On 2011-09-12 18:46, CaptKirk wrote:
CONGRATS, Wanlu!! 3 of the 4 figures in my vent family are Alfaros and the 4th is Poyner's little boy "Bobby". LOVE those traditional hard figures!!!

On 2011-09-12 17:38, ventriloguy wrote:
I receive my Custom Basswood from Tim Cowles tomorrow!

On 2011-09-12 19:36, marshalldoll wrote:
Well I have over a hundred fifty figures and it still isn't enough. LOL
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

On 2011-09-12 20:17, Ony Carcamo wrote:

Quote:

On 2011-09-12 12:57, Wanlu wrote: Now... after four years, I have decided to keep just a few which will include the new custom figures from Tim Cowles and Tim Selberg. :) The other two would be the old man from Dan Payes and the kid from Kem Poyner... and my Axtells :). and hopefully a Hartz :)

....As for me there was a time I owned about 30 puppets/figures... but I've sold most of them (many to Wanlu) and decided a couple of years ago just to focus on a very few--my own made "Mr. Parley," my 1980s Hartz boy, my 1960s Ken Spencer boy, and my soft piglet puppet. They have been my only main partners in recent years.

I still have a few figures lying here around that are making guest appearances from time to time in my act--my 1960s Bill Boley bird hard figure, DNA Big Head, a Frank Marshall Rickie Tik replica, a Craig Lovik Knee Pal, and a Marshall Tommy Knots I got from Dan W.

I think--and hope--I will live with this cast for a very long time...

On 2011-09-13 09:15, marshalldoll wrote:
...Unfortunately for most of us you just can't keep everything.
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

On 2011-09-13 20:39, creativemac wrote:
My next sign, "Welcome, unwanted figures."
Send them this way.

On 2011-09-13 20:39, creativemac wrote:
My next sign, "Welcome, unwanted figures."
Send them this way.

On 2011-09-13 22:23, creativemac wrote:
Dave & Dan,
you can fight over the second and third sign, after the first one I make for myself.

Oh NO that's what I have...G.A.S.!
Now if I just the money to cure it..I think if I bought one of everyting I would be ok..maybe..

On 2011-09-13 23:26, ventriloguy wrote:
He has arrived!!!

On 2011-09-13 23:26, ventriloguy wrote:
He has arrived!!!

On 2011-09-16 22:29, Steve at The Dummy Shoppe wrote:
At the rate you are going, it is going to take you another 12.25 years to have all 500 of them.

On 2011-10-02 16:16, blueshawk1 wrote:
If you want, you can email them to me, and I'll post them...

On 2011-10-02 23:13, Servante wrote:
How much y'askin' for the kidney?

-Philip

On 2011-10-03 10:27, Servante wrote:
Never mind about the kidney thing. I was only gonna do it for the tee-shirt. Once that was no longer in the deal, I lost interest. :)

-Philip

On 2011-10-03 09:51, blueshawk1 wrote:
He certainly did a great job of copying your Poyner figure.
So which did you do Wanlu, send lots of pictures or the head?
I've often thought I'd like a clone of my main figure with a few more animations, but I really don't want to ship the head anywhere.

On 2011-10-13 08:49, Wanlu wrote:
That's what he said...but NO WORRIES, it's just a small thing. He did tell me a few minutes ago via email that he tried to match the wig. He also gave me $50 to buy a new matching wig... :)

COOL! :)

On 2011-09-16 07:39, marshalldoll wrote:
Duane it has been reported that Frank could knock out a figure in just a week. I really find that hard to believe. Bob Isaacson told me that he did in fact complete a figure in just one month. That sounds reasonable to me.
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

On 2012-02-22 22:11, TheDummyDoctor wrote:

Quote:

On 2011-09-16 07:39, marshalldoll wrote: Duane it has been reported that Frank could knock out a figure in just a week. I really find that hard to believe. Bob Isaacson told me that he did in fact complete a figure in just one month. That sounds reasonable to me. Dan http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

Responding to an old post (I'm just catching up...I've been busy making dummies, and making an actual living on the side...LOL)

In any case, with regard to Marshall being able to complete figures in a week (when properly motivated), all I can say is ===Believe it!===
Definitely.
I know that this is true, from a firsthand account.

Roughly 20 years ago, I had contact with and brokered some items for a retired vent in NY who, in 1951, flew from NY to Chicago on a Sunday, met with Marshall the next morning (Monday) and flew home with her brand new vent figure on Saturday. The figure was a "Nosey" model and was equipped with side to side and crossing eyes, raising eyebrows, closing eyelids, upper lip sneer, and standard drop-jaw.
The price was $750 (factoring in the inflation rate that's the equivalent of roughly $6000 in today's money!)

Now, it should be remembered that the _vast_ majority of Marshall's figures were in fact duplicarved heads. That, coupled with the fact that even custom carved wood heads do not require the drying and cure times of various composite heads and the simple fact that someone of Marshall's experience could even bang out a custom carving in a few days (as well as the fact that Marshall used a pretty high proportion of accelerants to dry his paints)... I find that the one week turnaround is entirely possible, and I don't doubt it for a moment.
Not that I've ever been able to match that timeframe. LOL. But I've come close. We figuremakers just don't like to admit it. And that admission will probably bring some "what the hell...?" e-mails. But, what the hell.

As a defense, let me say this: For the most part, figuremakers (myself included) tend to sell their work at a price that doesn't nearly reflect a real world working wage let alone the sale of a work of original art (if you don't believe me, try building one sometime from something other than a kit).

Also, I feel fairly safe in saying that most of us work on new figures as time allows, during downtime from other occupational pursuits. At the risk of p---ing some people off, I will admit that when a reasonable fulltime wage has been agreed upon (for example, the deal I had 12 years ago with the producers of the feature film "DUMMY" to build a custom figure (while at the same time I was also busy as per my contract spending a few hours a day giving Adrien Brody his vent lessons), it is really _entirely possible_ to finish up a new custom figure in a few weeks. It's a matter of economics for the artist.

To that end, I mentioned Marshall's being able to do it when 'motivated'. That selling price (especially for 1951, when he was routinely selling figures for $100-200) was a ***ed good motivation, and to be fair, was honestly and mutually arrived at taking the customer's required turnaround time into due consideration.

So yes...the one week Marshall legend is not mere legend. At least this particular instance I was privy to, I can verify that it is historical fact.

On 2012-02-25 18:07, olivertwist wrote:
It has been interesting to follow this thread because I have owned a Poyner Bobby but currently use a Tim Cowles figure. The Bobby I had was a great character, but he was heavy and the controls didn't feel quite right for me. My Cowles figure has excellent controls, and is light enough to manipulate for a show, but is not as endearing a character as Kem's Bobbie. I give a lot of credit to Kem for his skill at character creation. That is a separate skill from creating the mechanics of a figure. Wanlu, it looks like you found a way to have both.

On 2011-10-03 01:36, Dickens & Dave wrote:
Got the pictures, he's lookin' good!

On 2012-04-23 21:32, MagicalArtist wrote:
I've owned a figure by the late Howie Olson, son of The Great Chesterfield, since 1978. Never gave me a lick of trouble (except for a bit of sass)! Olson once wrote that the typical hand-molded figure takes 40 hours to complete and a carved figure takes three times that long! It really is a labor of love.