DS Collector Plates by MPI

Just wondering what other people think of the Dark Shadows Collectors Plates which were sold at the Fest by MPI. The images of the plates were published in ShadowGram #113. The images are old stock photos of Barnabas, Angelique, Quentin and Maggie transferred onto the plates.  These images are certainly are not what you would expect from a seller of collector plates. The images lack color and detail. The Angelque plate is the worst. The image of the character is a badly washed appearance. Could they have selected a better image for the Maggie character? In this image she looks mad at the world. A terrible image to have selected. They all seemed to have been rushed into production with no apparent quality control in order to sell them in time at the Fest. In addition they do not come with a Certificate of Authenticity you typical find with limited edition plates like these. In fact the manufacturer's name is nowhere to be seen on these plates as well as the MPI name.  I do like the fact that they are limited editions; the Barnabas plate limited to 350 and the other three to 250. I do like the general physical quality of the plate itself. I also like the descriptions on the reverse side of the plates. I bought all four at $175.00. Again this is just my opinion and I would like to know what others think who may have purchased them or at least have seen them. I am glad MPI is branching out into new collectibles. I just hope that they improve on the plates' quality.

what size are the plates?

salad?dinner?desert?

what type of food is meant to be consumed off of the d.s. plates?

i'd like to have roast beef sandwich off the maggie plate...as long as that mayo is fresh!

can anyone post a link?

I went to the fest with plans to by all of them but ending buying none. They look like someone took stills to a drug store and had they made by a mail order company. http://myphotoplates.com/ and http://www.discountmugs.com/ both put photos on plates. They should have had original paintings done of the charaters and put those on the plates, then maybe they could have sold the paintings to the highest bidder.

I can have all 4 of those plates made for less and they might even look better.

I would be interested in purchasing the plates.  Can someone post of picture of them please?  I have the 4 coasters with pics of Barnabas, Julia, Quentin and Angelique. 

Is there some unknown rule that ALL the DS merchandise offered by MPI has to be gutwrenchingly tacky?

They've done a wonderful job with the DVDs, on the whole; now perhaps they should think about "re-branding" (shudder) their merchandising dept.

G.

Maybe we can all write to them about it. I know I'd love to have a real music box and not just that toy, oh and a real Barnabas ring. You think they'd know that if we'd pay as much as many of us have for the cane that we'd like to have a nice ring and music box to go with it.

Something else that would be cool is a little victrola that plays the music from Quentin's Theme. Maybe one that about 5 inches square and made of silver, lots od detail. I think that would be real cool. I'd buy it.

Maybe we can all write to MPI and ask for a suggestion box on their web-site.

I will try to respond to some of the above posts. The plates are about 7 and a half inches in size. I don't recommend eating off them as the image could rub off. I think I am half kidding here. Actually it does indicate that it is not meant for food consumption. As far as I am concerned Mscbryk, I would eat first off Angelique's plate as the image is already almost gone. j/k

Yes Borgosi I agree with you and did you send that link to MPI and that's how they were manufactured? lol I agree that original paintings would have looked far superior. Right on.

Miss_Winthrop they are not at MPI's website for some reason. May be they are sold out of them since it was a very limited edition run or they sent the remaining batch back to the manufacturer after they read my post. I could not find them on EBay either. ShadowGram's printed newsletter had a nice layout of the plates. Hopefully MPI will update its website to include the images. They are copyrighted by Dan Curtis Productions so I would not dare upload an image-don't want JP coming after me.

Gothick what can I say? We are certainly on the same page.

they are not at MPI's website for some reason. May be they are sold out of them since it was a very limited edition run

Or maybe they're simply too embarrassed to advertise them on their site. 

or they sent the remaining batch back to the manufacturer after they read my post.

Or that. 

I'll go with your first guess. And I really wanted to like them.

Something else that would be cool is a little victrola that plays the music from Quentin's Theme. Maybe one that about 5 inches square and made of silver, lots od detail. I think that would be real cool. I'd buy it.

A fan made one (unofficially) in the years before I became involved with fandom but I was lucky to find someone at a Dealer's table who was taking bids to sell hers.  It's much like you described, but it's a gold tone, over 3 inches wide, and winds to play "Quentin's Theme"; it was very nicely made.  I could feel her pain over having to part with it.  More recently, a limited number of pianos that play "Ode to Angelique" were also made.  So yes, it's been done.

I appreciate good collectibles, but as jimbo and I discussed before, I did not hesitate to pass on getting any of the new plates.    How many places does that particular image of Quentin already appear?  And what a bizarre choice it was to use the face from PT Angelique's portrait!

Is there some unknown rule that ALL the DS merchandise offered by MPI has to be gutwrenchingly tacky?

Are they not just following the original merchandising?  Even at ten, I could see that the plastic music box was half the size of the original which appeared to be real metal and have a hinged top.  I was fanatic enough about the show to buy all the terrible stuff that made it to our backwater town and is now stored in my attic, closets and basement.

I have the music box (as a matter of fact, I'm playing it now) which I purchased at the 2000 DS Fest.  The copyright is 1996.  The box is named 'Josette's Music Box' (featuring a wedding portrait of Barnabas and Josette (Maggie) on all four sides of the box).  I think I paid $40 for it.  It is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.

I have that one. I want a REAL glass and gold, full sized music box like the one on the show. One that could have been made in the 1700's, not 1968. Not a painted, plastic toy.

they are not at MPI's website for some reason. May be they are sold out of them since it was a very limited edition run

Or maybe they're simply too embarrassed to advertise them on their site. 

or they sent the remaining batch back to the manufacturer after they read my post.

Or that. 

The silence from anyone defending the plates is deafening.