Jim Shore Sculpts: Retail vs DMR

[eXo]

I couldn't find another section of these forums that this seemed to fit, so I decided to go with this board. Hope it fits.

Anyways, this past year I began purchasing various Jim Shore sculpts for my wife. I was impressed with their weight and the finish that evokes a feeling of carved wood.

I recently saw that DMR had put up Anna & Elsa, and since I am sitting on like 20k points, I decided to cash a few in and get them.

Upon arrival I noticed that the weight of the sculpt was off. It seemed MUCH lighter than my others. For example, one of the smaller ones we have is Ariel laying on a rock by flounder. It is about the same size as this Frozen piece, if not a little smaller. Yet it is 3 to 4 times heavier.

The next thing I noticed was that this new Frozen piece didn't have the same finish. The sculpt was smoother, with less of the definition that makes them feel as though they are carved from wood. And the paint itself was translucent on their face. overall, it looks a lot more like cheap molded plastic rather than a carved wood sculpt.

I'm trying to figure out if the company who produces these made the entire line these "cheaply", or if the DMR version of the sculpts is a cheaper version. The bottom is numbered just like my others ones, and the labeling is the same (same company produced it, same "line" name, etc).

I was hoping someone else here might know more about this and be able to shed some light on it. If not, I'll have to try and find a hallmark that has one in stock so I can compare mine to their display. However finding ANYTHING frozen actually sitting on a shelf around here is basically impossible.

 

[Pooh2]

Cannot speak to the Jim Shore pieces but the few items I ordered from DMR do seem to be a lesser quality than I get at the parks or disneystore.

I ordered a fleece blanket from DMR after ordering some from the disneystore (quite awhile ago). It was so cheaply made that I could not give it as a gift and ended up tossing it.

Now I stick to using my points for dvds.

 

[eXo]

I've used the contact form on Jim Shore's website to ask if they are aware of any differences.

If there is, then I have a bone to pick with Disney. This isn't a case of them randomly putting up some Disney licensed item, this is being listed as an authentic Jim Shore statue from Enesco. Numbered and everything. If they truly did a whole second numbered run of "cheaper" versions just for DMR, then I feel that is fairly insulting to their fans.

Unfortunately, that may be the better of the two scenarios, considering the other explanation is that the overall quality of all future Jim Shore pieces may be cheaper.

 

[Crystal824]

uh-oh, I also have several Jim Shore pieces too. I just ordered this one too from DMR. It hasn't come yet, but if it isn't the same quality as my other pieces, I'm not going to be happy. Wish I had seen your post before I ordered it.

 

[eXo]

I posted a review of it on amazon and within minutes another user commented that they felt the exact same way. So that means the amazon ones have the same issues.

 

[LJSquishy]

My comment is rather irrelevant but I had never heard of/seen the Jim Shore sculptures before and just Googled them...they are really beautiful! This is coming from someone who hates knickknacks and collectibles. lol

I'm sorry your Frozen sculpture isn't of the same quality you've come to expect from the Jim Shore pieces. That is really sad that it's noticeably different and I hope it's just a fluke or that the DMR ones are a "bargain" piece and you can get a "real" one elsewhere.

 

[eXo]

Thanks LJSquishy, that is kind of you.

I only recently started collecting them after several years of seeing them around at Hallmark. I didn't realize until my trip to WDW that there were many more that Hallmark didn't carry.

There is an amazing Chernabog/Fantasia one that I put on my Santa wishlist

This morning I actually came across all kinds of amazing Disney statues and sculptures that I never knew existed and that are now nearly impossible to find. It seems after the recession Disney really pulled back on the higher end limited runs and started focusing more on the more affordable Jim Shore style art (which is still awesome, but just doesn't compete with something like this:
http://www.disneyclassics.net/Image_Resize_Detail.asp?MiscImage=4024294 )

I'm hoping this trend in cheaper casts of Jim Shore art is not indicative of an overall decline in collectible Disney art.