Would you change something if you dont like the origin condition on a brand animal?

I know this questions is a little be irritated, but i dont mind custom animals.

My problem is:

Today i got some new Kitan model and i like them very much. But they have a little coupler that you can stick this pieces together. This couplers are really small and i conside if i cut this that i only have the animal without the them. The couplers are on good places (end of the fins) so that this after a cut would be invisible. But the figurines will be after the cut not in the origin condition and that will be also for ever.

What you think????? Would you do that???

As you may see from my collection, I don't mind customizing them when nesessary:) When the model has some small flaws and scratches, and I may hide them with pastels for ex- I'll do it without any hesitation.

Why not? Especially if you don't mind their resale value dropping in the eyes of some strictly original finish collectors, and you find the trim would benefit the models.

Many thanks:-)

I think You should define some criteria for your collection. For example, I never collect any custom-made animals and repaints (when I saw here some figures made by STS members, I was often tempted to revocate these criteria...) but when I receive damaged rare figure or rare figure with missing part, I usually try to fix it (e.g. Jeol lioness or Jeol male elephant perfectly restored by Harriet). I registered that You in some cases remove the base from the figures (e.g. Bandai birds) - at least for your addition photos. If You have no plans for trade or sell these figures in the future and if is such change (cutting off the couplers) convenient for your displaying purposes, I think this is OK - it is YOUR collection and YOUR criteria.

I buy my animals for me.
And I have no intention of ever selling them again.
Therefor, if something isn't to my liking on an animal figure, I will not hesitate to make it look perfect.
(Perfect for me that is.)

I agree with what has already been said here. If you want to "fix" it to your liking go ahead. It is your collection, and unless you plan on selling it sometime (which I doubt many others on here intend to do so either) I would not hesitate in altering it.

Okay, that helps me a lot     

is minor paint retouch on rubbed/paint-worn figures acceptable in the world of collecting? i want to hear all your opinions. thanks.

Yes, I think yes if the painting is really good and with the really adapted color.

Its your collection for yourself, all is allowed what you accept:-)

If you're trying to insure that the resale value of the figure is maintained, then I would not retouch the figure. For example, there are several rubs on my Schleich Oryx. Since the figure is valuable -- despite the fact that I doubt I'll ever sell it -- I won't touch up the model. But I've acquired figures that I know I will never sell and I've touched up a small rub that irritated me. If I ever were to sell or pass along that item, I take great pains to report each rub that has been touched up. And I would be distressed if I bought a collectors item (some Schleich for example) and discovered that someone had touched up rubs with paint or markers. These are of course just my own views about how I treat my own models. Andreas' point seems exactly right to me: whatever you want to do to items in your collection is your business.

great inputs everyone.

I agree  with Scott  

Personally I never make touc-ups.
If it is a played-with model it is part of the charm of that specific model.
If it is a brand-new model, it is just darned annoying, but a touch-up would make it even worse IMHO

scot(t) wrote:

If you're trying to insure that the resale value of the figure is maintained, then I would not retouch the figure. For example, there are several rubs on my Schleich Oryx. Since the figure is valuable -- despite the fact that I doubt I'll ever sell it -- I won't  touch up the model. But I've acquired figures that I know I will never sell and I've touched up a small rub that irritated me. If I ever were to sell or pass along that item, I take great pains to report each rub that has been touched up. And I would be distressed if I bought a collectors item (some Schleich for example) and discovered that someone had touched up rubs with paint or markers. These are of course just my own views about how I treat my own models. Andreas' point seems exactly right to me: whatever you want to do to items in your collection is your business.

  
I completely agree. Even if I doubt I'll ever sell, I still won't touch up any figures. But one can do with their collection what they wish. :)