By Adam May
(NEW YORK NY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005)
Kurt S. Adler Inc., makers of high-end holiday décor, has been awarded the Star Wars license for holiday ornaments and accessories. At this time it is unclear whether or not Hallmark, long the standard-bearer for quality holiday ornaments, will continue to produce any Star Wars themed pieces after 2005.
Based on our tour of the Kurt S. Adler showroom in Manhattan, it's obvious that the company is approaching our favorite license with great excitement. They have pulled together a fantastic assortment of pieces for the holiday season – from stockings and statues to notions and nutcrackers; they've managed to stamp the big Star Wars brand on the holiday season.
The 19" Yoda and Darth Vader appliqué stockings will tell Santa Claus or Hanukkah Harry just who has been naughty or nice this year. While the two pieces witnessed at Toy Fair were prototypes, we expect the final product to be top quality, and worthy of a full stash of candies and treats.
The 19" full body felt Yoda and Darth Vader stockings are manga-styled masterpieces. The Jedi Master and Sith Lord, respectively, seem to be flexing their force muscles, and kids will undoubtedly eat it up next winter.
Ornaments in the Kurt S. Adler line range from traditional porcelain to soft plush. A five-piece mini ship set will be sure to make fans of the Micro Machines scale very happy. Each vehicle is mounted to a base (the X-Wing takes off from Yavin IV; Slave 1 roars through Bespin's clouds; and the AT-AT tromps through Hoth's snow, for example). The four-inch porcelain figural ornaments are beautifully sculpted, and capture the likeness of our heroes and villains in a quality that only porcelain can. Also cast in porcelain are a series of "spinner" ornaments featuring key ships from the saga.
Hand-blown glass ornaments range from the Star Wars logo to the heads of our favorite characters to some unique bulbs that collectors definitely won't want to miss. Fans of holiday décor haven't seen pieces like this for the Star Wars line before, and these pieces will most assuredly fly off of the shelves. The selections on display at Toy Fair were top quality, and these glass baubles will really give a holiday feel to a tree already loaded with resin figures and ships.
Also shown in art form were Kurt S. Adler's handmade Star Wars Polonaise glass, which, if the pieces match the quality of the other items shown, will give collectors some truly artistic and cherished heirloom quality pieces to add to their collections. The Polonaise glass will add that special twinkle that makes a holiday tree magical. Made in an ages-old tradition in Poland, the Polonaise glass ornaments are timeless treasures, handmade and highly collectible.
Fabriche statues of Yoda, R2-D2, and C-3PO, based on the artwork of Star Wars master Ralph McQuarrie will be hot items next winter. Look closely at the photos we've presented, as these are NOT prototypes. These are production pieces, displayed with due pride. The Yoda statue, in particular, is a masterpiece. The artisans at Kurt S. Adler have managed to capture the whimsy and wisdom or McQuarrie's original piece.
Finally, the Darth Vader nutcracker is a high-end collectible created by Steinbach as a limited edition piece for Kurt S. Adler. For most of two centuries, the Steinbach family has been producing fine wood products. According to Christian Steinbach, "To produce one nutcracker can involve up to 130 separate procedures. At one time, the curling and natural drying to the wood could take up to 3-4 years depending upon the piece."
With that level of artistry and tradition, Steinbach nutcrackers are highly collectible, and Steinbach collectors, nutcracker collectors, and Star Wars fans alike will seek the Darth Vader piece out. These will be produced in a very limited edition, and they will probably sell out quickly.
