3.75 Star Wars Action Figures: Watto

Showing posts with label Watto. Show all posts

Sunday, 9 April 2017

Watto 08

Watto with R2-TO 2008

The Phantom Menace

A repaint of the 1999 figure

My Collection of Star Wars 3.75 figures from 1977-85 and now the 2018 Vintage Collection

Star Wars premiered in the UK on 27th December 1977, opening at the Leicester Square Theatre and the Dominion, Tottenham Court Road. During its first seven days at Leicester Square and the Dominion (a location closely associated with Star Wars releases in the UK) the film took a record-breaking £117,690, beating out Jaws‘ previous record of £90,655 from 1976. Back in the day, films always opened first in London and rolled out across the country afterwards, and as such the film remained at these two cinemas for over four weeks until 29th January 1978 when it broadened to twelve major cities around the UK.

I was 12 and have been hooked on Star Wars ever since. I purchased some of the figures as they arrived in the shops but was not an avid collector; the figures were enjoyed, reliving battles from the film and books. Now nearly 40 years on my Six year old Grandson is also interested in Star Wars and I have display cabinet which have my vintage collection on display, guarded by a 3ft Darth Vader. We are now visiting flea markets and toy fairs procuring the missing figures and finding accessories to bring them back to their former glory. I have a soft spot for the Vintage Collection even though they are not as well made as they can be nowadays. There are some others that are from the more recent waves that we keep in the workshop. I enjoy the figure, the imperfections, a “wabi-sabi” collector. These figures may not be as valuable as say a figure in its original packaging, unopened and in mint condition, they are however valuable in lots of other ways, can you put a price on the enjoyment they have brought over the years and the enjoyment now of rebuilding them – That’s Priceless!

April 13th 2018 Wave 1 of the new vintage Collection is released.

May the force be with you.....