Eaglemoss / Deagostini Lead Collectors  Models

The wonderful Eaglemoss lead collectors models were produced by the Eaglemoss publishing firm, based in the UK.

In addition to Lord of the Rings figures, Eaglemoss produces an entire range of similar magazines with collectible figure inserts, including (among others) wild birds, fairies, Spiderman, and Napoleonic military figures, among others. Each figure comes with an informative magazine, and the company seems to take a great deal of trouble to see that their figures are accurate and well painted.

Also released in other countries under the trade names DeAgostini and D'Agostini, these lead collectors models were made to scale, i.e. a Gollum or a hobbit figure would be shorter than an Orc, which is in turn shorter than say, a Witchking.

Each is handpainted, excellent value for the $8-10US newsstand cost, and subscribers had access to display plinths and special figures, too.   The Eaglemoss figures compare very favorably to the far more expensive W Britains figures, also made in the UK.

Collectors models were released in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, South Africa, and Japan.

Eaglemoss categorically refused to sell outside their licensing territories, despite frantic begging from American collectors, including myself. Americans could only obtain these via the secondary market.

The accompanying magazines were published in the appropriate language, so magazines are available in at least five languages. The figures were identical from country to country, although for a while France had an exclusive on the highly sought after "charging Nazgul", which was later released elsewhere.

Japan had the most unique packaging.

The Japanese figures were packed in shadowbox containers. The boxes were designed so the "spines" looked like numbered volumes of books.

The magazine is incorporated into the "lid" of the box, with the magazines being non-removeable.  The body of the box itself has a cellophane window, with the figure being visible inside the window.  The packaging was very colorful, beautifully and thoughtfully designed, and ultimately, very pleasing to the eye.