I think the term "Grail" gets applied to a lot of items in collecting. Often times I'm not sure it's correct to do so, but I understand my view point isn't always going to be shared.

I think of a Grail as an item that I would theoretically just about do anything to own. I have a friend who is a Joe Dealer, and I've started selling at shows myself...as I've gotten into this side of the collecting world I have a hard time calling any production level piece a grail... Production Level items are about economics... supply and demand... Obtaining them is simply balancing that equation..."how much do I want this vs That"

I don't know that I could tell you exactly what my Grails are until they showed up, Because so much of the existing Preproduction material is kept in private collections, and a lot of times you have to Give some to Get some in the pre-production collecting circles. With preproduction items its not often you get to choose a specific item...if you don't take the opportunity to buy what comes up when it comes up, somebody else will, and that makes it hard to define any single Pre-Production Item as a Grail.

In all cases I think I got lucky, and Smile every time I look at this:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/ ... G_9102.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/ ... G_9104.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/ ... G_9103.jpg


Next to the Production Level Crystal Ball, is a casting of a 2 up Buck chest holding my Grail.

A 2-up Head for Crystal Ball. The Head is a Primed Wax Casting, It's not the original sculpt but from what I understand it may be the Tooling Master...or possibly 1 step prior.



There are Faint pencil markings along the mold dividing line of the head, I don't have the exact term on hand, but this was one step in making sure the head didn't have any overhang or undercuts that would prevent the part from releasing from the mold once it was cut into the steel.

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That is awesome. His teeth are fugly!

Any plans to cast it yourself, and slap it onto some larger customs?

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That's proof that Crystal Ball is awesome.

That is pretty amazing. Not that it exists, but that it finally got into the hands of the one person who will appreciate it the most.

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Yeah... so is Shipwreck v1 anywhere?

Congrats nova!

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this is the exact thought that ran though my head when I saw the photo -

congrats nova!

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No, Not this head. I wouldn't want to risk any damage to the head that might happen in the casting process.

There is another 2-up Crystal Ball head that was found with this one. If I can find something to trade for the other Crystal Ball head, I will cast THAT head and make wacky customs and costumes.




Not that I have seen. There seems to be very Little in the way of Pre-Production materials from 83-86 in collectors hands. There are a few items, mostly art or paperwork. I think a significant portion of that may still be in Hasbro's Vault...or may have been ruined when their Basement flooded.

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That's pretty amazing, and it definitely ended up in the right hands!

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Shame. I'd easily do a head-for-head trade for that.

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also, hope you get that second one, I bet it would look great on one of those modern Bif Bang Pow mego bodies.

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This is super cool. I reiterate what others have said: Rarely is there a situation where a collectible finds its way into the home of the one person who needs it. Awesome.

I was hoping when that surfaced it would find it's way to you.

Can you tell us the story of how you got it? Or is it a one-on-one Con-versation ?

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I was at a toy show, and a guy I know walked up to me with My Balls in his hand... handed them to me... but only let me keep one... Then we went and ate Pizza.

Visit the Joe Declassified Booth at Joecon for more information and to see my other Ball.

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I hereby nominate the above for post of the year...

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