Greg Cooper has purchased Verlinden Productions & Warriors Scale Models

[tigerdio]

It is a pleasure to announce that Greg Coooper from The Scale Model Graveyard and out of Denison, Texas has legally purchased the entire resin products lines of Verlinden Productions and Warriors Scale Models at a County Court House Office Tax Auction set up by the IRS to satisfy debt and taxes owed by the former owner of Lots Of Models.

The IRS confiscated all the property and stock of the now defunct Lots of Models and has been selling it at County Tax Auctions in the area of the former company to satisfy both County, and Federal tax liens against the former owner and company.

Both lines are in the process of getting back into slow production and distribution. It will take some time to sort out the entire tractor trailer full of masters and stock that was purchased.

 

[theBaron]

Interesting. I didn't know there was a tax liability related to the ultimate demise of VP and Warriors.

Prost!
Brad

 

[tigerdio]

Interesting. I didn't know there was a tax liability related to the ultimate demise of VP and Warriors.

Prost!
Brad

Was not the ultimate demise of VP and Warriors, it was the ultimate demise of Lots Of Models who just happened to own the rights, and masters to both lines.

 

[Warren SMITH]

Be interesting to see what they decide to re release.. There are a few I might be interested in... Keep us posted..

 

[Mirofsoft]

They bought the moulds that were in the hands of Lots of Models ... But but but we have seen the pictures of trucks full of Verlinden moulds who sent them to the trash ... because nobody made him an offer for buying it . He said it's all or nothing ..
So where are thoses moulds coming from, have we see anybody claiming he was the owner of the copyright ?
So again where are they coming from ? And how ? It's not because you own a mould that you are allowed to sell the end product . Is it something that somebody forgot to tell ...

 

[DEL]

Michel's take is pretty much the story most of us recall.
If someone now owns the rights to produce that's great news.
Personally I'd like to see some of the slightly more obscure pieces produced like the 120mm Mayan and South American early civilizations busts and Napoleonics.
I suggest theres probably a glut of WW2 (sorry Special Operations 2) figures of such high quality on the market that verlindens might not attract the buyer.
Either way many of us would buy for nostalgic reasons and we're not getting any younger so it'll be good to see some early releases.
Derek

 

[Blind Pew]

I think Del is 100% spot on. Whilst great in their day, and I bet we've all painted a few, I'd suggest time probably hasn't been kind to most of the Superscale figures, not to mention the busts. What we have today would make them look quite, well, old. A shame as Verlinden have produced some classics, hopefully we can get chance to see them around again. The cream generally rises to the top so only the good ones should resurface. I hope!

 

[tigerdio]

They bought the moulds that were in the hands of Lots of Models ... But but but we have seen the pictures of trucks full of Verlinden moulds who sent them to the trash ... because nobody made him an offer for buying it . He said it's all or nothing ..
So where are thoses moulds coming from, have we see anybody claiming he was the owner of the copyright ?
So again where are they coming from ? And how ? It's not because you own a mould that you are allowed to sell the end product . Is it something that somebody forgot to tell ...

Here is the correct information to end all the "rumors" out there.

The stuff Verlinden had discarded into 3 garbage containers when he called it quits were the molds and most of the production masters for the bases and buildings. He then sold the remaining stock and original masters/production masters to Lots of Models who started producing them in China for retail sales in USA.

In 2021 Lots of Models and it's owner got into tax problems with County and IRS and with a PPP Loan who's agreement not to fire his employees he violated. Due to this default and the default of taxes due, the IRS/County confiscated all his property from residence to warehouse to the business (Lots of Models). In order to satisfy the tax liability, the IRS and County set up several County Court House Auctions in order to liquidate all the remaining property and merchandise. Greg was able to buy via that auction all the ORIGINAL MASTERS & PRODUCTIONS MASTERS for both Verlinden Productions and Warrior Scale Models. He has a legal bill of sale from County/IRS and all the ORIGINAL MASTERS and is therefore the legal owner of both lines. Anyone else claiming or who claims they are somehow owners of any or part of the two lines is full of baloney and does not have a leg to stand on.

and, that's the rest of the story..........

Cheers

Jose

 

[Mirofsoft]

Now it's clear . Pity that Lots of Models didn't spreed the information in the past .

 

[Martin64]

I would like to add that it is a pity that the Internet offers the opportunity for too many uninformed people to spread rumors mixed with unjustified allegations. Some Verlinden sculpts were done by top sculptors and suffered most of all from the poor painting of the box art and that Verlinden always avoided to give credit to the names of the artists. My two cents. Cheers Martin

 

[kagemusha]

One time owner of Planet Figure ('Gordy') did some sculpts for Verlinden...he was one of many who went unheard of...or acknowledged by Verlinden.

 

[tigerdio]

True on all points and very well made.

Francois was not the nicest person one would meet, and a very bitter man. He was self centered and even was responsible for putting other small diorama vendors out of business. He did it to Kurton Enterprises, and Dutton Enterprises. He basically told all distributors that if they carried Kurton and Dutton merchandise they could not have the Verliden items to purchase and sale.

I would like to add that it is a pity that the Internet offers the opportunity for too many uninformed people to spread rumors mixed with unjustified allegations. Some Verlinden sculpts were done by top sculptors and suffered most of all from the poor painting of the box art and that Verlinden always avoided to give credit to the names of the artists. My two cents. Cheers Martin

 

[tigerdio]

Yes he did. Notice that not one VP item ever had the name of the sculptor on the box art?

One time owner of Planet Figure ('Gordy') did some sculpts for Verlinden...he was one of many who went unheard of...or acknowledged by Verlinden.

 

[Blind Pew]

Yes, I do recall that Julian Hullis did a couple. And they didn't come much better than him. I stand to be corrected that Moz did a few as well.
Seems like old Francois was like Thomas Edison in that regard.

 

[grasshopper]

Thankyou Jose…too much of the world these days turns on the phrase “have you heard” ..nine times out of ten a euphemism for made up bs….as stated above, I hope some product comes to market sooner vs later…Mother Nature and Father Time are relentless

 

[Henk]

For what it's worth, I think Verlinden re-issues will struggle, unless very keenly priced. There is an American seller on evilbai, who tries to flog them at around $70 dollars each (plus postage $$) which is way over priced in today's market. As mentioned, better figures are available, especially German WWII and Napolionic. The other, arguably bigger, problem is the internet, and Chinese recasters. The market is flooded with cheap figures, and a majority of buyers dont care where they buy from, they buy cheap.

Personally, I like some of the British Paras that they did, and some of the Vietnam figures. I pick them up if I come across them at a reasonable price, but wont pay for the "verlinden" effect.

 

[grasshopper]

For what it's worth, I think Verlinden re-issues will struggle, unless very keenly priced. There is an American seller on evilbai, who tries to flog them at around $70 dollars each (plus postage $$) which is way over priced in today's market. As mentioned, better figures are available, especially German WWII and Napolionic. The other, arguably bigger, problem is the internet, and Chinese recasters. The market is flooded with cheap figures, and a majority of buyers dont care where they buy from, they buy cheap.

Personally, I like some of the British Paras that they did, and some of the Vietnam figures. I pick them up if I come across them at a reasonable price, but wont pay for the "verlinden" effect.

You are right..quality has generally improved..prices are all over the map..however for those of a certain age, the name still may have occasional appeal..same as with Poste Militaire, Stadden___

 

[Henk]

You are right..quality has generally improved..prices are all over the map..however for those of a certain age, the name still may have occasional appeal..same as with Poste Militaire, Stadden___

This is not just an issue with figures, model kits are similar. Airfix, Revell, Tamiya and other "old brands" were often at the top of the game 20 - 30 - 40 years ago, but in the last two decades, the likes of Dragon, Ryefield, Miniart, Eduard, and others have surpassed them with an unprecedented amount of detail and accuracy. Yet the old brands are still producing (Well, reissuing really...) kits from molds that are 30+ years old, with all their known inaccuracies, and charging today's prices.

 

[Chrisr]

There is an American seller on evilbai, who tries to flog them at around $70 dollars each (plus postage $$) which is way over priced in today's market.

And more. Some of the prices American sellers are asking together with outrageous postage are beyond belief. One recent seller was asking $145 for a 120mm figure plus $65 in postage. ‘In his dreams’ as the main character of The Castle was fond of saying.

 

[Mirofsoft]

And more. Some of the prices American sellers are asking together with outrageous postage are beyond belief. One recent seller was asking $145 for a 120mm figure plus $65 in postage. ‘In his dreams’ as the main character of The Castle was fond of saying.

That is because they believed that Verlinden products were OOPS, nobody ever care to say that Lots Of Models had licences and moulds, perhaps one of the worst lack of communication on this field . It's not enough to produce good products, you have to tell it, to promote them . Game Workshop was a stamp sized shop in London early 70ies BUT they were very active in promoting them, visiting all conventions in surrounding area, and accros the channel, writing to al known Wargames club and today ...
Lots of Models went to the void . A new shop bought them out . Did they spread the word outside here ????
No for the vast majority they stay OOPS so the OOPS price policy on ebay ... Hey friends, your target are more IPMSS worlwide write to them all in every countries, except here you are nowhere and ... it's not enough, you're even not on your own webb page with the info .
https://www.scalemodelgraveyard.com/
Even your day to day customers are not informed . This is a NEWS to be put on front page
If you type Verlinden in the search box the answer is :

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