Hi Jaginator, I'm glad you either found this thread or someone told you about it and you joined in.
Thank you for answering the question in regard to the Bergen Foundation.
I think the pictures of the figure are pretty good, as you can tell from some of the comments, most can tell the figure is really well done.
You say you sold some others, I'm curious, other Charlie replicas? I don't recall seeing any others like this one come up for sale. I've seen other replicas for sale, but usually knew who the maker was.
Anyway, like I said, very nice work on this figure, wish I was in a position to buy him myself, he'd be taking the place of the figure currently in my display case for sure. I look forward to seeing the 22" figures you're planning.

I hope you stay around and keep posting. The interaction of makers and performers here is a valuable thing for us.

The market fluctuates often. A Selberg figure in excellent condition also failed to get sold this past week.

I've noticed that one month a figure on auction may get no bids, and a month or so later the exact same figure
will get numerous bids. The number of figure buyers is not all that high, and a degree of luck is needed
to offer a figure at the best time.

You did a beautiful job on your Charlie, but it just may be that too many people at this time are
a little low on cash.

Do you have a website? If you do not sell it, keep it posted somewhere.
Eventually the buyers will find you, and I think many of us would like to see
your other figures.

Best wishes!

Thanks again! Currently, I do not have a website. When I build up my figure base, I'll certainly create one and will post a link in here. The others I sold were Charlies as well. I sold one on ebay and two outside of ebay (people who contacted me, after a listing ended). Obviously, I'd prefer to sell outside of ebay, since ebay takes a pretty large cut. The current Charlie now has a bid... I'm half-sick to sell him for so little, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices, I suppose! I have a beautiful Selberg figure myself that I was so lucky to get at an auction house, about two years ago, for a steal. I lucked out, because the auction house had no idea what they had and simply listed him advertised him as "a rubber or hard plastic ventriloquist figure". Honestly, I didn't even know what he was, or that he was a Selberg, until after I won the auction. I could tell he was a beautiful figure. I ended up getting him, with a large, metal trunk, for $375! When the auction house was packing him in his trunk, I saw "Selberg Studios", branded on the headstick and, as soon as I got home, started researching him. The closest thing I could find to mine was an "Old Coot" figure, but he wasn't offered with the upper lip sneer mine had. Eventually, I sent pics to Tim, to see if he could tell me more. Turns out, my figure is a hand-carved, custom figure that, if I were to have made today, would cost close to $8000, with a two-year wait time. The trunk alone was $400. So, needless to say, I was a very happy camper. I'm not at all a ventriloquist, but rather, I love the artistry of the figures. Hopefully, you'll see more from me, in the future!

That price is ridiculously low, if that's what he goes for. Awfully tempting...but I don't perform as often anymore. Got five vent figures now! Initially I was bothered by this one, because something seemed odd to me. I think it's got nothing to do with the carving, which is exquisite. I think the monocle just sits a little oddly...or it could just be me! But, holy mackerel, he's lovely.

-Philip

Well good news for Jaginator, the auction is getting a little more action, up to almost 1400. now, hope it keeps going for you.

I'm going to stray a bit from the topic here while we're waiting to see how things turn out for Charlie;

Earlier, we were talking about how it is difficult for a new maker to get top dollar for a figure until they've built up a name.
There is another factor I think hurts figuremakers, I'm sure it affects the "known" makers, and it can really affect the new makers even worse I think - and that's the fact that there are so many people making figures these days, for what really is a limited market.

It's not like it was back in the days I started, it was actually a process of tracking down what seemed to be a limited number of figuremakers. Probably why so many of us started out with figures from Maher Studios or the Maher Workshop, they were the easiest to find.
And forget trying to get any information on how to do it from people making figures then, no one was sharing, it was all a secret.
Then along came the internet, and info started "leaking" out slowly, then of course the biggest thing was Mike Brose's book and kits, and overnite, almost everyone it seemed started making figures, for a while, there were SO many Brose kit figures for sale all the time, and they still pop up fairly regularly, not to mention all the people who started converting dolls, etc.

In some ways it was good to have all the info readily available, but there were some downsides to it. The least of which, we've seen people producing some really horrible looking figures and putting them up for sale for prices of a decent looking figure, but that's not a big deal, they just don't sell.
Probably the biggest downside, with so many people making figures, was the market being flooded with figures for sale. So unless the figure was a high dollar figure from a known maker, or a vintage figure, it's harder to get a decent price for a figure. Now a new maker who wants to make quality figures not only has to deal with the business of building a name, they have to battle a flooded market.

Am I saying it's a bad thing the info became so readily available? No, I don't know where I want to stand on the subject, this is just some thoughts I've had on the topic over the years.

Interesting post, Dickens & Dave. As someone who's new, I enjoyed the read. I have to say, however, I look at a figure maker the same way I look at an artist. If I like a particular painting and love the artist's work. I don't care how long they've been painting, if the quality is good and I like the piece. I've seen figure makers, who have been creating figures for years, yet I still do not like their work... Maher is one of them. Maybe I won't be popular for saying it, but I just never liked his figures. I'm certain he was an amazing figure maker but, like art, I had different taste. Yes, I've seen plenty of bad figures on ebay, etc... But that's just my opinion. Maybe someone else really liked them. I feel like, as long as I produce a quality product, people will come to me. As far as Charlie goes... since Charlie is the epitome of figures, I think people are willing to pay more for a quality reproduction. I know, from personal experience, I searched and search for one I'd like to display in my home, but couldn't locate one that wasn't either astronomically priced (Selberg version) or just not well-made, so I decided to use my artistic ability to create one myself. Servante, the monocle was carefully placed, based on the monocle placement on the Smithsonian Charlie. I agree with you, that the placement looks weird, but that's how theirs was, so I went with it.

Do you mean the late Clinton Detweiler's figures, or just figures sold by Maher Studios, in general?

Oh, I definitely know what you're saying Jaginator, I was talking generally speaking about the maker having to build up a name to get the high dollars for the figures they make. And for some, as in all things, that actually affects if they like the figure or not, if it's made by a "name" and has a high price on it, then it's got to be good and everyone has to sing their praises.
I'm like you, I don't fall into that, for you, it's Maher figures, for me, it's always been Selbergs, never had any interest in one at any price. The only way I'd own one is if I tripped on a deal like you found, and then I'd only be buying it to resell and make some money on it, I would have no interest in keeping it.
Right now, one of my favorite figures I own is one made by someone who has been woodcarving for a lot of years, but has only been making figures for a couple years now, in fact mine was only his third figure. Over the years, I've also owned other figures that were not made by people well known in the field, I go by what I like.
But again, getting back to the way things are generally.....it's a different story, though I believe that may be a good effect of so many people making figures now, it may not be the rule so much any more, more people may be interested in figures by "unknowns", but they still aren't willing to pay the same price as a "known".

On the other hand, as well made as Charlie seems to be, I'd've bid on him (though I have way too many figures, dang it) except he was a Charlie. For the same reason, I wouldn't care to own a Jerry Mahoney or a Danny O'Day.
Good work will always be welcome. If you can do as well with other characters that you've designed yourself, and if the inner works are as smooth as I think they must be, and if you can deliver on time (a lot of makers have trouble with THAT!), you'll be well-known in a very short time.
As for the monocle, it's clear to me that you've done your due diligence and likely know more than most of us here (and certainly more than I), so if you say the monocle's right...it's right.
I hope you keep up the good work. I, for one, really want to see it.

-Philip

Charlie is back on the auction block.
I guess the winning bidder was a loser.

Good luck, Jaginator, this time around.

As for the placement of Charlie's monocle,
it looks just like the original
(see http://andygrosslive.com/news/charlie-mccarthy-at-the-smithsonian/).

Fonsy



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Click here to view attached image.

Might be the winning bidder didn't follow through, or he may have another one just like it up for sale, he said he's done other Charlies.
So which is it jaginator?

Another Charlie is on the big site. Anyone have contact with someone who has won one on previous auctions. Look great, would like to know how they handle.