The Limited Edition Nature Helps Sell The 2010 Harley Quinn Hallmark Ornament Exceptionally Well!

The Good: Collectible, Well-balanced, Good casting of the character, Decent coloring detail.
The Bad: No special features
The Basics: Well-balanced and playful, the Hallmark limited edition Harley Quinn ornament is a dream for fans of Batman or Gotham City Sirens!


With Hallmark's 2011 ornament season beginning last weekend with their Sneak Preview Weekend, I have a lot to be excited about and a whole boatload of forthcoming ornament reviews to write. It's an exciting time of year for me. But before I delve into the new crop, I have one old bit from last year to evaluate. While on vacation with my wife to Michigan last month, I stopped into a local Hallmark store and uncovered a small cache of the Limited Edition Harley Quinn ornaments! This was an ornament that sold out exceptionally quickly and that I had missed reviewing during the 2010 season. So, faced with the chance to review some, I picked them up and now am excited to pass judgment on them.

The Harley Quinn is a limited edition, exclusive Hallmark ornament, and it is not one of the usual mass produced ornaments from the series. Because of its limited nature, the best place to find it is on-line; trying to find it in stores is an almost impossible task given that they sold out at virtually every location that they were shipped to last year.

Hallmark Keepsake has a line of collectible ornaments from major franchises, like Star Trek, Star Wars and DC Comics. To date, I had only reviewed one of the DC Comics ornaments, the 2009 Wonder Woman ornament my wife got for me (that's here!). From the DC Comics line comes the Harley Quinn limited edition ornament. Fans of the Batman corner of the DC Universe will easily recall the Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is the maniacal psychiatrist who became obsessed with the Joker and sprung him from Arkham Asylum. She currently is one of the three Gotham City Sirens in the monthly comic book with Catwoman and Poison Ivy!

Basics

The Harley Quinn ornament recreates the demented villainess in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2010, is an amazing recreation of the female character who has never been in one of the Batman movies. She is completely obscured by facepaint and her tight bodysuit. Harley Quinn is posed with her oversized mallet and a playful pose. The ornament, like the character, is dominated by red, black and white, though the ornament is so detailed that it has the bright blue eyes of the young lady

Hallmark insisted on $14.95 for the ornament originally and it sold out at most venues at that price. For an ornament without any sound chip or light function, this still seems a little high for me. The Hallmark Harley Quinn ornament is made of a durable plastic and has her with one hand on her hip and a playful smile on her lips. Set on a desk, she actually stands up!

Harley Quinn is detailed exceptionally in the body and on the costume. The Harley Quinn looks like she does in the comics, down to the lipstick being both black and red on her smiling lips. The ruffles on Harley Quinn's wrists have a classic look to them and the mallet even contains a strap that is hanging down making this look like it obeys the physics of the real world. Hallmark took a lot of care in decorating the Harley Quinn ornament and they succeeded.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Harley Quinn could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the more expensive ornaments. This Harley Quinn simply hangs.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Harley Quinn ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate DC Universe Christmas Tree, Harley Quinn is very much a luxury; Harley Quinn was not an essential character, but she is also drastically undermerchandised to the fans. In fact, DC Universe villains have been underrepresented, which might be why this one sold as well as it did! The ornament has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center of her back, right between her shoulderblades. From that hook, the Harley Quinn ornament hangs perfectly balanced. It is impressive and the ornament sways when rocked, but otherwise sits stable in the right position!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for my review of that!). Since then, Hallmark has gotten into every major franchise from Disney to The Simpsons to the DC Comics universe. The Harley Quinn ornament is very limited and has already increased in price in the secondary market. Harley Quinn was exceptionally short-produced, though the exact numbers have not been released, but it's pretty hard to meet the demand of all Batman fans.

This is a great investment piece and it is already appreciating, so one suspects that even buying it now would be a good investment.

Overview

Harley Quinn is an exceptional ornament for an obscure character, but despite everything going for it, it is hard to justify (to me) such a high price for an ornament that does not do anything but hang there perfectly. Fortunately, fans have been snatching these up, so odds are I am in the minority opinion on the overall value of them!

For other limited edition Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2010 A Gift For Dobby Harry Potter ornament
2010 Lando Calrissian Star Wars ornament
2009 Ilia Probe Star Trek: The Motion Picture ornament
2009 Greedo Star Wars ornament

This is an ornament I proudly sell in my online store! Check out my current inventory of it by clicking here!

9/10

For other ornament and toy reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Miniaturized, Adequately-Detailed And Cool, The 2010 Boba Fett And Han Solo In Carbonite Mini-Ornaments Are Worth Picking Up!

The Good: Good balance, Decent detailing, Virtually indestructible
The Bad: Expensive for the size, No real collectible value
The Basics: The 2010 Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite mini-ornaments are worth picking up on clearance and make for a nice addition to fans’ collections!


As I come to the end of a monthlong series of reviews wherein virtually all of my Star Wars product reviews have focused on The Empire Strikes Back, I have finally made it to the final 2010 Star Wars ornament, or rather ornament set. In addition to the ship, scene and two character ornaments in 2010, Star Wars fans were encouraged to buy a mini ornament set of two, the Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite mini ornament set!

Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite is the random mini ornament release from Hallmark from the Star Wars Hallmark ornament collection. Released in 2010, this has been easily available and one suspects that even with the anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, it is generally well-available, even after the holiday!

Hallmark Keepsake has a line of collectible ornaments from major franchises, like Star Wars and Star Trek. From the Star Wars line comes the Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite mini-ornaments. Fans of the Star Wars Trilogy will easily recall Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite. For those unfamiliar with Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite, the characters come into play at the climax of The Empire Strikes Back (click here for my review of the film!). On the floating city of Bespin (Cloud City), the armored bounty hunter Boba Fett hunts down Han Solo to bring the smuggler back to Jabba the Hutt. Solo is used as bait by Darth Vader to lure Luke Skywalker to Bespin. But to keep Solo subdued and ready for Fett to transport, the smuggler is frozen in a carbonite block. It is the armored bounty hunter and the frozen block of Han Solo that are the subjects of the two mini-ornaments!

Basics

The Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite ornaments recreate the bounty hunter and the frozen smuggler in solid plastic. The diminutive ornaments, released in 2010, are the hero and the villain almost exactly as they ought to be. Han Solo is essentially a gray and black block with the impression of Han Solo pushing out of it. The ornament features red accents on the sides to indicate the lights on the carbonite block. The ornament is just about an inch tall, as is the Boba Fett mini-ornament.

Boba Fett is rendered with as much detail as one might expect for a 1” version of the helmeted bounty hunter. His pants are appropriately olive and his breastplate has minimal coloring detail to indicate wear. He is molded with his helmet on, so Hallmark avoids any problems with skin tones. Fett is cast holding his sawed-off blaster in a two-handed grip. In other words, he looks like a functional bounty hunter! Details on the ornament are less robust than on the full ornament which was released years ago. So, in addition to Boba Fett looking clean, things like the badge on his shoulder are not terribly detailed and the wookie scalps on his other shoulder are hardly obvious. Still, for the scale, both ornaments look good.

Hallmark charged around ten dollars for the mini ornament set originally and it has sold fairly coolly at that price, with most on-line vendors not jacking the price up much beyond that as a result. It is one of the few Star Wars ornaments I have been able to find after the holiday.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but neither does. This is just the mini ornaments, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the full-sized character, vehicle or diorama series' of Star Wars ornaments. Both of the ornaments simply hang, though I suppose they could be used as earrings . . .

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite are ut of scale but a more affordable option than the full Fett ornament (there is no Han Solo in Carbonite full-sized ornament). Both of these ornaments has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center, slightly back, of the character's skull or center of the top of the Carbonite block. From those hooks, the mini ornaments hang balanced. Both of ornaments sway when rocked, but otherwise they sit stable in the right position!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for my review of that one!). Since then, they have branched out into other popular franchises like Star Wars and The Wizard Of Oz. The Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite ornament are not at all limited and has not appreciated in the secondary market yet, which makes sense because many Hallmark stores still have him on their shelves. At this point in the Star Wars ornament collections, the primary characters have all been done and there is another Boba Fett ornament on the market. Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite were mass produced in 2010, though the exact numbers have not been released, making the set a very common one on the market today.

One suspects with the sheer volume of Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite merchandise available that the 2010 Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite Hallmark ornament might be better for fans who want it for display than investors looking to turn a buck later on.

Overview

Like most Star Wars ornaments, Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite has nothing to do with the Christmas holiday and is only ideal for those looking for a less expensive option than the full Star Wars ornaments. Still, Hallmark did well with these.

For other Hallmark ornaments of Star Wars characters, please check out my reviews of:
2010 Lando Calrissian Limited Edition ornament
2010 Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot
2009 Greedo Limited Edition ornament
2009 Han Solo As Stormtrooper
2008 Emperor Palpatine ornament
2005 Slave Leia ornament
1999 Max Rebo Band mini-ornament set

6.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Somewhat Bulky, But Neat Nonetheless, Hallmark’s Tron: Legacy Lightcycle Ornament Is All Right.

The Good: Good sculpt, Neat light effect
The Bad: Light effect fades quickly, Frontheavy, Overproduced
The Basics: As part of their shilling for Disney, Hallmark Keepsake creates a Tron: Legacy ornament that does not quite live up to the expectations of fans.


Hallmark Keepsake is a pretty cool company, but they either have a lot of responsibility to the companies they license from or they are cash hungry. I mention this because in addition to this year’s odd choice of Disney ornaments, like the lead from the new film The Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Hallmark dropped an ornament into the marketplace strategically designed to promote Disney’s Tron: Legacy. It might seem hypocritical of me, who reviews all sorts of merchandise from the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises to object to Disney’s relentless merchandising, but even now, every Hallmark store I have visited has been overstocked with Tron: Legacy Lightcycle ornaments. It is one thing to try to make a franchise; it is another to exploit it with the merchandising to try to get people so financially invested in it they feel compelled to enjoy the source work.

For those unfamiliar with the Lightcycle, this is a black, computer-generated vehicle from the 2010 film Tron: Legacy (reviewed here!). Given how it was overproduced, the enduring value of the Lightcycle is questionable for fans of Tron. But for fans of Hallmark ornaments, the Lightcycle fares no better as it has balance issues and its light effect seems to be one of the more serious battery hogs of the season.

Basics

The Lightcycle ornament faithfully recreates the black and glowing blue motorcycle that is computer code, not a physical prop. From the virtual world of the Grid comes a vehicle used to play gladiator sports in and in the film, the contest with the Lightcycles is exciting. As a physical ornament, the vehicle is somewhere between intriguing and baffling, as it has two wheels, but they do not turn. As a result, discerning collectors at the time waited and this was one of the few 2010 Hallmark ornaments to be bought en masse as part of after-Christmas sales. It was one of Hallmark Keepsake's gambles that has not yet paid off for the company.

The Hallmark Lightcycle ornament is made of a durable black and white plastic and has the sleek vehicle on its own, with a single driver, presumably Sam Flynn. This one does not have the date stamped or painted on it. Instead, it is faintly molded into the very bottom of the vehicle as part of the copyright information. This ornament is powered by very small watch batteries (included!) which allow the light effect to be activated.

The Lightcycle is lightly detailed, with the lines of the vehicle being sharp where appropriate, but mostly very futuristic looking curves and strong lines. There is empty space in the center of the two tires, mimicking the motorcycle driven by James Kirk in that last Star Trek. It is cast almost entirely in solid black plastic which has a beautiful glossy sheen to it, making it look dangerous and compelling.

As for the pilot, he is basically a mildly molded lump of black plastic. Hallmark did not strive for a lot of detail on the Lightcycle driver and while it has the appropriate helmet and armor of one of the Lightcycle drivers, the exposed parts of the man’s face and neck are not appropriately colored and looks goofy as a result.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Lightcycle has a light function. Fans of the ornaments might be easily impressed by the light function initially, even if they might be dismayed that there is no audio effect. So long as the batteries are in, pressing a button on the Lightcycle causes the wheels to light up and a panel on the center of the Lightcycle to do the same. The lights are bright blue and they fit the theme for one of the “good” gladiators from Tron: Legacy or the cycle of Sam Flynn himself.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Lightcycle ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate science fiction Christmas Tree, the Lightcycle ornament not at all an essential piece. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the driver’s back, which is the most stable point on the ornament. Unfortunately, because of the way the driver is leaning (and possibly other elements having to do with the internal weight of the ornament), the Lightcycle pitches forward when hung at an unfortunately abrupt angle.

The result is that no matter how I tried to hang the Lightcycle, it always looked like it was going down a twenty to thirty degree grade.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas from virtually every major franchise, including everything Disney. The Lightcycle ornament appears to be a colossal failure commercially. Owing largely to the overproduction and lack of a huge fan base for Tron merchandise, the mass public appears to have largely passed this one by. The result was that it was overproduced and they are readily available currently at severely deflated prices. In other words, this is not an ideal investment piece!

Overview

Fans of the budding Tron franchise, Disney and Hallmark ornaments in general are likely to be largely unimpressed by the Scorpion ornament; it is a mediocre recreation of an obscure vehicle from a film that did not quite reach expectations in the theaters. The result is that the fans have all they want and need and those who were not interested to begin with are hardly likely to be bowled over by this ornament.

For other Hallmark ornaments from genre sources, please check out my reviews of:
2010 “The Pensieve” Harry Potter ornament
2005 Princess Leia As Jabba’s Prisoner ornament
1995 Star Trek Romulan Warbird ornament

5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The 2010 The Empire Strikes Back Luke Skywalker Ornament Is A Worthy Tribute To Irvin Kershner!

The Good: Good balance, Surprisingly good detailing on the costume, Fair price
The Bad: The face detailing and coloring is a bit off.
The Basics: The 2010 Luke Skywalker in X-wing pilot jumpsuit ornament is well-balanced, inexpensive and well-detailed, except on the face, which makes it a good holiday ornament!


Yesterday, a titan of cinema died. If not a titan of cinema, director Irvin Kershner was at the very least one of the few directors who can boast directing a perfect film. As this is the 30th anniversary of that film, The Empire Strikes Back, there is something of a bittersweet quality as I consider the Luke Skywalker, 2010, Hallmark ornament. As much a tribute to the anniversary of the film, Kershner's classic hero's journey tale is immortalized in so many different things that it is easy to now consider them and to write about them is a tribute to Kershner.

Luke Skywalker is the standard-release Star Wars Hallmark character ornament, and it is the fourteenth in an ongoing series. Released in 2010, this has been easily available and one suspects that even with the anniversary and Kershner's death, it shall continue to be generally well-available.

Hallmark Keepsake has a line of collectible ornaments from major franchises, like Star Wars and Star Trek. From the Star Wars line comes the Luke Skywalker in X-wing pilot outfit ornament. Fans of the Star Wars Trilogy will easily recall Luke Skywalker. For those unfamiliar with Luke Skywalker in his X-wing pilot outfit, on the frozen planet of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back (click here for my review of the film!), he flew a snowspeeder to try to take out the Imperial Walkers. Because his helmet is off and he has his blaster drawn, it is easy to suspect that this ornament is intended to be from Luke's arrival on Dagobah, where he met Yoda, the Jedi master. Hallmark has Luke rendered in his bright orange flight suit, but without his helmet.

Basics

The Luke Skywalker X-Wing pilot ornament recreates the Jedi-in-training in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2010, is the mostly-recognizable hero with his blaster pistol drawn! The only skin that is visible on the ornament is on the face, below the wet-looking, matted hair on his head and the neck above his flightsuit. This, unfortunately, leads to the only drawback of the ornament, which is that the sculpt of Luke's face is a bit off, making him look more like a gorilla than like Luke Skywalker. I know the Wampa creature beat Luke up, but he didn't look like this on Dagobah. Moreover, the skin tones are monotonal and as such have a less realistic appearance to them.

That said, the rest of the ornament was rendered exactly right. Luke in his jumpsuit is just over 4 1/8" tall, 2" wide and 1 5/8" deep. Hallmark charged $14.95 for the ornament originally and it has sold fairly coolly at that price, with most on-line vendors not jacking the price up much beyond that as a result. Given that the ornament was designed for fans, this is an ornament that appeals to collectors and Luke Skywalker is easily recognizable to them.

The Hallmark Luke Skywalker as X-Wing Pilot ornament is made of a durable plastic and has him holding a rebel blaster pistol in one hand at the ready and his other hand is somewhat open, his arm half-raised. His feet are arranged in an action pose, spread wide with his body half-turned, as if he were caught off-guard, just like the precise moment he draws his gun on the swamp when R2-D2 disappears into it.

Luke Skywalker is detailed exceptionally in the body, in the firearm and on the costume. The orange and white outfit is rendered precisely and the black boots stand out next to the bright orange of the flightsuit. One of the costume details that Hallmark got very right was making the white of the straps look weathered and dirty. It was a long flight from Hoth and what is supposed to be fabric looks worn and unclean!  As well, his hair looks anything but helmet-like, looking frumpy and wet as he would early in his Dagobah experience!  Kudos to Hallmark for getting that right. Similarly, the blaster pistol is not a monotonal black. Instead, it too, is colored to look weathered and somewhat worn.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Luke Skywalker could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the vehicle or diorama series' of Star Wars ornaments. This is Luke Skywalker and he simply hangs on the tree. Luke Skywalker's gun may not be removed from his hand and there are no additional weapons or accessories for the ornament.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Luke Skywalker X-wing pilot ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, Luke Skywalker is essential and this one is as good as any. Truth be told, I have not reviewed either of the other two Hallmark Luke Skywalker ornaments that I know exist so I shall refrain from the comparison until I can track them down. Either way, this ornament has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center, slightly back, of the character's skull. From that hook, the Luke Skywalker ornament hangs balanced. It is impressive and the ornament sways when rocked, but otherwise sits stable in the right position!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for my review of that one!). Since then, they have branched out into other popular franchises like Star Wars and The Wizard Of Oz. The Luke Skywalker ornament is not at all limited and has not appreciated in the secondary market yet, which makes sense because many Hallmark stores still have him on their shelves. At this point in the Star Wars ornament collections, the primary characters have all been done and there are at least two other Luke Skywalker ornaments to choose from. Luke Skywalker was mass produced in 2010, though the exact numbers have not been released, making it a very common one on the market today.

One suspects with the sheer volume of Luke Skywalker merchandise available that the 2010 Luke Skywalker Hallmark ornament might be better for fans who want it for display than investors looking to turn a buck later on.

Overview

Like most Star Wars ornaments, Luke Skywalker has nothing to do with the Christmas holiday, but the ornament gets high marks for balance and costume detailing, even if the face is not quite right. Still, it is pretty easy to recommend as a holiday ornament, especially fans of The Empire Strikes Back looking to get something for the 30th Anniversary or in honor of Irvin Kershner.

For other Hallmark ornaments of Star Wars characters, please check out my reviews of:
2010 Lando Calrissian Limited Edition ornament
2009 Greedo Limited Edition ornament
2009 Han Solo As Stormtrooper
2008 Emperor Palpatine ornament
2005 Slave Leia ornament
1999 Max Rebo Band mini-ornament set

8.5/10

For other holiday ornaments, please check out the index page!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Substandard Genre Ornament, The 2010 Scarlett O'Hara Gone With The Wind Ornament Underwhelms.

The Good: Good detailing on lamp, Generally good balance
The Bad: Animated look, Overpriced for what it is, No functions, Utterly unimpressive.
The Basics: A disappointing Hallmark outing, the Scarlett O'Hara ornament is underdetailed and overpriced for such a basic ornament.


Last year, as I made strides to diversify the ornaments I was reviewing for the holiday season, I decided to take a left turn away from my usual science fiction-themed ornaments and review something very different. I chose the "Frankly, My Dear" Gone With The Wind ornament because I could recognize the quality of the complex little ornament and it deserved reviewing. Unfortunately, the 2010 "Scarlett O'Hara" ornament deserves far less attention and fans of both Gone With The Wind and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be far less impressed with this one.

For those unfamiliar with the film, Gone With The Wind (click here for my review of the film!), the primary female protagonist is Scarlett O’Hara. She oscillates between being a strong woman and a whiny, clingy shrew and frankly, I wasn't such a huge fan of the film that I ever wanted to collect Gone With The Wind memorabilia. One of the latter moments of the film, if I recall correctly, has O'Hara with her sabre and a lamp waiting anxiously. That is how she is depicted in the 2010 Scarlett O'Hara ornament.

Basics

The Scarlett O'Hara ornament wrapped up to keep warm, waiting with her lamp held high. The ornament includes Scarlett, her saber and the lamp all cast in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2010, is a thoroughly underwhelming ornament, especially for the price. First, the image is not an iconic one of Scarlett O'Hara, so it lacks the universal quality or oft-referenced nature of prior ornaments, like last year's "Frankly, My Dear."

Moreover, Scarlett O'Hara has a pretty pathetic paint job and sculpt. This version of Scarlett O'Hara lacks a realism of human qualities that is possible in ornaments today. If the Liberty Kids did a Gone With The Wind episode, this would be a great sculpt and coloring job. But Gone With The Wind was not an animated movie, so having ornaments that look that way is just problematic and insulting. Measuring just under four inches tall, the ornament is two inches wide and two inches deep. The “Scarlett O'Hara” ornament is a surprisingly small Hallmark ornament for the $14.95 original issue price.

The Hallmark “Scarlett O'Hara” ornament is made of a durable plastic and Scarlett alone. She is carrying an ornate lantern that looks like clear glass and this is the best-detailed part of the ornament. The texturing on the lamp gives it a reality that is quite spectacular. Unfortunately, the finer details end with that. Scarlett's face is fairly angular and it lacks realistic coloring and shading. The result is that this looks like an animated or cartoon version of Scarlett and most fans will be severely disappointed by that. The saber in Scarlett's hand is also very animated looking and her dress does not have anything spectacular in the way of detailing to it. Ultimately, it is a very simple ornament that feels simple.

Features

Unlike most Hallmark Keepsake ornaments, the 2010 “Scarlett O'Hara” has no sound or light effects.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake “Scarlett O'Hara” ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate movie nostalgia Christmas Tree, the “Scarlett O'Hara” ornament is at the very least a well-balanced one. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of O'Hara's head. The loop's location is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. The “Scarlett O'Hara” ornament is surprisingly light and it sways slightly when hung from a hook on the brass loop. In addition to being quite light, the balance for the ornament is perfect. The character hangs level, not thrown off by her raised lamp, making for an ideal holiday ornament as far as balance goes.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, virtually every classic film franchise jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising with Hallmark as well. Classic properties like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, The Wizard Of Oz and Gone With The Wind have been made into Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornaments. “Scarlett O'Hara” is one of the only Gone With The Wind ornaments on the market and the only one for the franchise in 2010. Fans of the book and film seem to be appropriately lukewarm to the “Scarlett O'Hara” ornament. For such a basic ornament the $14.95 original issue price seems a little steep. I suspect this will be available after the holidays, but for those considering it, do not pay the overblown Internet prices for it. It is rightfully inexpensive and given the lack of rich coloring detail, many fans are likely to be disappointed.

Overview

Fans of Gone With The Wind, Scarlett O'Hara, Vivien Leigh, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be split on this ornament. But given the quality of many other Hallmark ornaments this year that do get skin tones right, it is impossible to recommend the more animated appearance of this Scarlett O'Hara ornament. Hallmark could have done better with this one.

For other Hallmark ornaments reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
2010 "The Pensieve" Harry Potter ornament
2010 "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown" Peanuts ornament
2010 Edward And Bella Twilight ornament

3/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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For 2010 It's The New Enterprise Ornament From Hallmark That Soars!

The Good: Great rendering, Cool light effect
The Bad: Backheavy, Pricy
The Basics: A strong starship ornament, the new U.S.S. Enterprise Hallmark ornament is only brought down by balance issues and price.


I suppose licensees have to do some gambling and it is interesting to see where they are more conservative. For example, with the Hallmark Star Trek line of holiday ornaments, Hallmark decided to play it safe last year with the Klingon Battlecruiser ornament as a tribute to the 30th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. This was a safer bet than releasing the new movie Enterprise from Star Trek, which should have been able to be put into production in time as the film had been (essentially) done for over half a year prior to its cinematic release. This year, coasting in on the success of the new movie and preparing fans for the sequel in 2012, comes the U.S.S. Enterprise ornament.

For those unfamiliar with the U.S.S. Enterprise, this is the revised U.S.S. Enterprise seen throughout the latest film Star Trek (click here for my review!). The new U.S.S. Enterprise is a revised version of what a Constitution-class starship became, arguably because of the changes to the timeline in the opening sequence of Star Trek. Hallmark Keepsake does an amazing job of creating a detailed, well-colored ornament, even if they do make the consumer pay through the nose for it.

Basics

The "U.S.S. Enterprise" ornament faithfully recreates the cinematic Federation starship in solid white plastic. With clean lines and fine coloring details, the U.S.S. Enterprise looks sleek and strong. The ornament, released in 2010, is an impressive casting of the StarFleet flagship with an immaculate paint job and decent-enough light feature. Measuring just over six inches long, 2 ¾” wide and 1 5/8” tall, the U.S.S. Enterprise ornament is a welcome addition to the Star Trek ornament line. This is the first ornament in some time for the Star Trek line that has pretty wide crossover appeal to it. Unfortunately, Hallmark continues to bank on the Star Trek fans for revenue and charge almost twice as much - $32.95 – for the ornament which has a light effect, but no sound chip.

The Hallmark "U.S.S. Enterprise" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the starship on its own, as is typical for Hallmark's starship line of Star Trek ornaments. Unlike the previous Star Trek ornament releases, I was unable to find a date stamped onto this ornament. If it is molded on, it is very subtle and may just be the copyright date. This ornament includes the 1.5V LR41 batteries to power the ship for the light effect.

The U.S.S. Enterprise is detailed incredibly, starting with the shaping of the warp nacelles and through the detailing around the bridge section. The U.S.S. Enterprise has a few sections of baffle panels and nooks and crannies and the U.S.S. Enterprise has each and every one meticulously detailed on the ornament. This ship looks fast and is appropriately colored all over. Hallmark got this ship absolutely right! As well, the U.S.S. Enterprise has all of the appropriate markings, like the racing stripes on the sides of the warp nacelles and on the engineering hull of the ship. It, of course, includes the ship’s name and familiar number (NCC-1701) on the saucer section. This starship looks great; Hallmark did a pretty impressive job with getting the details on this ornament just right for the exacting collectors and fans.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the "U.S.S. Enterprise" has a light function, but sadly, no audio one. This was one of the many Star Trek ornaments to light up, but not play a sound clip. The ship is powered by 1.5V batteries which fit into the engineering hull. There is a panel that requires a screwdriver to open. The ornament comes with the appropriate batteries and given Hallmark’s track record, it is easy to assume the one set will last at least one full holiday season.

After the batteries are installed and the battery compartment is closed, there is a button that lights the U.S.S. Enterprise up. Pressing the button activates the light effects for the U.S.S. Enterprise and as it is individually powered, it does a pretty decent job of lighting the whole ship up well. The light effects on this starship ornament are very cool. The main deflector dish, bridge and warp nacelles all light up at their appropriate places. The only thing missing from the U.S.S. Enterprise are the running lights, but given how cool the blue and white lights that are present are and how brightly they shine, it is easy to forgive Hallmark for this.

It is a little disappointing that the U.S.S. Enterprise does not have any sound effect, but it is still a pretty cool ornament and the lighting accents the ship well.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "U.S.S. Enterprise" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Trek Christmas Tree, the "U.S.S. Enterprise" ornament is a great addition and given how Star Trek (the film) seems to have revitalized the franchise, most fans are going to want this ornament. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top aft section of the saucer section.

Unfortunately, the U.S.S. Enterprise is designed for space travel, not Earth gravity. As a result of pretty much the only place it may be hung from, the U.S.S. Enterprise is backheavy and as a result, it angles up, as it if it is climbing subtly out of a gravity well. The pitch is about thirty to forty-five degrees upward, so it is noticeably off-balance.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for my review!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all of the major starships from the franchise- as well as some real minor ones - and they have all been more mass produced than that first one. The "U.S.S. Enterprise" ornament seems to be appropriately produced and my local Hallmark sold out of their allotment during the recent Preview Weekend. I suspect this will be an investment winner, unless the next Star Trek film underperforms.

Overview

Star Trek fans are truly being exploited with the price of this awesome starship ornament, but considering its size and the level of detail associated with it, it is still worth buying.

For other Hallmark Star Trek ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-A
1992 Shuttlecraft Galileo ornament
2008 Communicator ornament

7.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Good Indiana Jones Ornament, "Surrounded By Snakes" Pleases In 2010!

The Good: Good sculpt, Generally good detailing, Good balance, Nice sound function.
The Bad: No light effect.
The Basics: A surprisingly cool ornament, the “Surrounded By Snakes” ornament is well-balanced and detailed making many an Indiana Jones fan happy!


It always fascinates me which properties get picked up for licensing and I’ll admit I was surprised last year when I found that there was an Indiana Jones line of Hallmark ornaments with the “Retrieving The Idol” ornament (click here for that review!). Last year, I wrote the merchandising off more as a fluke than anything else. I truly shouldn't have been surprised that for 2010 the line would be continued with “Surrounded By Snakes.” Yet, I was. Fortunately, the surprise was not entirely unpleasant: the new ornament is actually quite nice and improves upon last year's, though it is still not at all flawless.

For those unfamiliar with the film, Raiders Of The Lost Ark (click here for the film review!) features a protagonist who is afraid of snakes. As Indiana Jones searches for the Ark of the Covenant, he becomes trapped inside the Well Of The Souls, which is filled with snakes.

It is Indiana Jones, torches in hand, squaring off with a cobra that is the subject of the "Surrounded By Snakes" Hallmark Ornament. To add extra value to this one, Hallmark provided this ornament with a pretty decent sound chip.

Basics

The "Surrounded By Snakes" ornament recreates the moment Indiana Jones stood up and backed away from the venomous cobra that was trapped in the darkness with him. The ornament includes the cobra, Indiana Jones and a small patch of ground all cast in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2010, is a mixed bag as it has a very cool and accurate sculpt, but lacks a light effect to truly sell the ornament as “magical.” The detailing is far better than the previous year's ornament on both the snake and the Indiana Jones character on the ornament.

Hallmark clearly made an effort on Indiana Jones as he has decent detailing like the buckle on his hat and on his belt. His eyes are appropriately detailed, so he doesn't look like he has beady little dots or an animated look. This year, Hallmark made an effort to make Indiana Jones’s skin look more tan and that works wonderfully for the character and the ornament. Measuring eleven and a half centimeters tall with a base that is ten and a half centimeters in diameter, the "Surrounded By Snakes" ornament is one of the larger Hallmark ornaments this year and with the sound feature, it seems reasonably priced at $18.95.

The Hallmark "Surrounded By Snakes" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has Indiana Jones backing away from snakes on the ground which are rising to menace him. With his torches and a scared expression, the ornament captures the moment from the film remarkably well. The ground and snakes are detailed quite nicely and the torches in Indiana Jones’s hands are molded with a translucent orange plastic, insinuating there is a light effect which will illuminate them. Sadly, there is not. This ornament features a battery to power the sound effects.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Surrounded By Snakes" has a sound effect, but no light effect. On the base, there is a well-concealed button. The button, when pressed, activates the sound chip. The sound chip actually contains two different sound clips from Raiders Of The Lost Ark. The first clip is the Raiders Of The Lost Ark theme and it plays for several seconds. The music is instantly recognizable and bound to thrill fans of the Indiana Jones saga. There is also a quote which begins with “Snakes . . .why’d it have to be snakes?” which is amusing and appears to use a clip directly from the film with Harrison Ford’s voice.

Because the torches are translucent, the buyer does feel cheated that there is no light effect with this ornament.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Surrounded By Snakes" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate movie nostalgia Christmas Tree, the "Surrounded By Snakes" ornament is a surprisingly affordable option that can only enhance the tree of those who like a lot of sounds and interesting visuals. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of Indiana Jones's hat. This is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. Lighter than last year's Indiana Jones ornament, this ornament has excellent balance. Hung properly the base will be level and thus the ornament hangs looking appropriately oriented.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, Lucasfilm jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising "Star Wars" in the Christmas ornaments. "Surrounded By Snakes" is one of only a few Indiana Jones ornaments on the market. Harrison Ford fans and fans of the Indiana Jones movies seem to be surprisingly lukewarm to the "Surrounded By Snakes" ornament, though this does appear to be selling better than last year's Indiana Jones ornament. Despite that, this seems to be more than adequately produced and is not likely to be a great investment piece.

Overview

Fans of the Indiana Jones franchise, Harrison Ford, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to like “Surrounded By Snakes,” even if its construction insinuates a light effect that it does not actually possess. Worthwhile for the sound effect, this might be a great ornament to pick up after the holidays when they are being clearance.

For other Hallmark ornaments reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
2010 "The Pensieve" Harry Potter ornament
2005 Princess Leia As Jabba's Prisoner ornament
2010 Defender Of Justice Iron Man 2 ornament

8/10

For other ornament reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"The Pensieve" Harry Potter Ornament Is Good For Fans!

The Good: Good detailing on Dumbledore, table and pensieve, Decent balance
The Bad: More expensive for lacking a function, Harry looks rather animated.
The Basics: A good, but not great ornament, "The Pensieve" uncomfortably blends the styles of the film Harry Potter with the book artwork.


Harry Potter is an international book and film franchise that grosses billions each year. I mention that at the outset of my review of Hallmark's new "The Pensieve" ornament because: 1. There are so many fans of the Harry Potter franchise that one doubts my review will have an effect on the grosses for "The Pensieve" ornament and 2. those who license the Harry Potter name and likeness to companies like Hallmark hardly need more money. There is relevance to that: taller Hallmark ornaments which are from other, similar licenses and also lack a sound or light function are selling for about four dollars cheaper. Given that some of those are overpriced to begin with, the cost of "The Pensieve" is a big strike against it.

It is also one of the only strikes against this new Hallmark ornament. Hallmark produced "The Pensieve" with more diverse materials (I'm not willing to chip mine open for review purposes, but I swear the wooden table in this ornament is actual wood!) than most of its other ornaments and the ornament looks great. In fact, this is a step up from last year's "Happy Birthday, Harry!," though not quite as impressive as the limited edition, very hard-to-find Preview Weekend exclusive Harry Potter ornament "Gift For Dobby." While the license holder might not need more money from the Harry Potter franchise, they are likely to get it from "The Pensieve" and it seems like a lot of fans will give their hard-earned cash pretty freely for this bauble.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, “The Pensieve” is a holiday ornament that features a moment from Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (click here for that review!). As the search for the truth surrounding Lord Voldemort and his experiences at Hogwarts continues, Dumbledore enlists Harry's aid using a magical device, the pensieve. With the ability to illustrate memories for the user, the pensieve is a powerful magical device which starts out looking essentially like a bowl of water. The “The Pensieve” ornament immortalizes the first moment Harry pours a memory into the device with Dumbledore's guidance.

Basics

“The Pensieve” recreates the moment from Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince by featuring Harry, Dumbledore, and the table with the pensieve upon it mostly in solid plastic, though the table is wood and I suspect the water in the bowl is resin. The ornament, released in 2010, is a pretty remarkable ornament that would have been perfect, were it not for the light detailing on Harry Potter himself. While Dumbledore and the table look just like they stepped right out of the cinematic rendition of Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter looks more like the artwork associated with the novels. In other words, he looks animated. Measuring 3 3/8" tall, 2 1/4" wide and 2 3/8" deep, the “The Pensieve” seems to be selling remarkably slowly at the original issue price of $18.50.

The Hallmark “The Pensieve” ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the wizard Dumbledore standing beside Harry Potter while Harry pours a vial into the pensieve. Both characters are touching the table, so all of the pieces are molded together, so there is nothing that will fall off on this ornament.

The ornament is very light on detailing for Harry, heavy for the table and Dumbledore. While Dumbledore's robe, beard, hat and even eyes have realistic shades, toning and sculpting depth, Harry Potter is a different matter. His skin tones are all monolithically white and the eyes are little more than black dots in the sockets (behind the glasses). But even though Harry doesn't have molded on fingernails, "The Pensieve" makes up for it with the detailing on the actual magical device and the water vial in Harry's hand.

The Hallmark sculptors capture Harry in the act of pouring the water into the pensieve and the sense of time being frozen in the moment is wonderful! The pensieve itself is little more than a bowl, but Hallmark cleverly left the bowl half-filled with a blue-tinted translucent resin that makes it look like an actual fluid is inside! The table is ornately created and it looks both old and functional.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, “The Pensieve” could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament that captures a moment from the film and freezes it so consumers may put it up on their tree.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake “The Pensieve” ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate fantasy Christmas Tree, the “The Pensieve” ornament is a great addition. The ornament has a brass hook loop that comes out of the top Dumbledore’s hat. This is remarkably stable (surprisingly) and the ornament only sways when it (or the tree) is bumped. “The Pensieve” ornament is exceptionally well-balanced.

I quickly discovered by doing my mock-up tree that the problem area of "The Pensieve" (Harry Potter) may be avoided by hanging the ornament so Dumbledore blocks Harry's face. One may still see the apprentice pouring the vial into the pensieve, but they are not plagued by the lack of synchronisity between Harry Potter and Dumbledore's detailing.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have delved into virtually every other collectible franchise in an attempt to cash in on every major license. The Harry Potter series has had several ornaments made for it, but none of them have truly exploded in value. Given how expensive the ornament is initially and how it has no light or sound functions, it is hard to believe this one will be appreciating any time soon.

In other words, this might not be the best investment piece, though it is one of the superlative Harry Potter ornaments. As a note to collectors, "The Pensieve" has the potential to explode in value in about twenty years if the table is actually made of real wood. I suggest this because if it is made of real wood, in about twenty years, lack of care (most people are probably not terribly attentive to how dry the air is and how dry the wood might become) for the wood is likely to see it splintering or becoming more brittle. Who knows where the Harry Potter franchise will be in twenty to fifty years? This is not a serious concern, but it could mean that those who take care of this ornament as an investment piece will truly be on to something. It also means that as the years go by, knowing the status of the wood and how the ornament was stored may be important information before buying this ornament. Such concerns are decades away, but as a serious collector, I thought I'd mention the possibilities!

Overview

With excellent balance and 2/3 of the ornament having amazing detailing, “The Pensieve” ornament is brought down a few notches for the lack of detailing on Harry Potter and the overall expense of the ornament. Still, my "recommend" is a strong one and this is one of Hallmark's better ornaments of the 2010 season!

For other genre ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2010 Twilight Edward And Bella ornament
2010 "Defender Of Justice" Iron Man 2 ornament
2010 Rebel Snowspeeder The Empire Strikes Back ornament

7/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page, there you will find an organized listing of all the ornaments I've reviewed!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The "A Gift For Dobby" Harry Potter Ornament Is One Of 2010's Best Bets (If You Can Find It!)

The Good: Amazing detailing on Dobby, Decent balance, Collectible value
The Bad: More expensive for an ornament lacking a function
The Basics: The "Gift For Dobby" 2010 Limited Edition ornament is surprisingly good and exceedingly rare. A must for Harry Potter fans, if they can find it.


Some might think that I am down on Hallmark ornaments because I have such high standards for them. This is the opposite of the truth, however, as I want the ornaments to have value for their cost. One of the most astonishingly good values from Hallmark in the 2010 season is an ornament that very few people are likely to even see - indeed, I lucked upon one far after the Sneak Preview weekend and was only able to review it now for that reason. The ornament is the Harry Potter limited edition "Gift For Dobby" ornament. And for those who can find it in stores, it is worth it and for those needing a strong review to encourage you to buy it online, I sincerely hope this review serves that purpose!

Thus far, from the Harry Potter ornament collection, I've only reviewed last year's "Happy Birthday, Harry!" (click here for that review!). I feel lucky to have found the limited edition Dobby ornament as it is exceptionally-detailed, has good balance and fits the Harry Potter ornament theme.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Dobby is a house elf from Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (click here for my review of that!). At the climax of the film, the abused house elf, Dobby, is granted his freedom through trickery orchestrated by Harry. The new, limited edition Dobby ornament captures the moment Dobby retrieves a sock from the slain book and is granted his freedom.

Basics

The "Gift For Dobby" ornament is a very simple character ornament made of solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2010, is a remarkable ornament which is impressive for its detailing, especially the eyes. In fact, all it leaves the collector wanting is a soundchip, which is does not possess. Without it, the price seems a little high for such a basic ornament. Surprisingly, for an ornament based upon a virtual character, the ornament looks lifelike, not animated. Measuring just over 3" tall, Dobby virtually sold out at the Hallmark stores during the Preview Weekend at the original issue price of $9.99.

The Hallmark "Gift For Dobby" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the house elf holding the opened book - complete with holes in it - and black sock. The eyes are appropriately glossy and look realistic - even with their bright green tones - and his skin tones actually have depth and shading to them which make Dobby look like a real creature! Even Dobby's sackcloth is well-detailed to look worn and the eager expression on his face is masterfully created.

The Hallmark sculptors capture Dobby holding Tom Riddle's diary and it looks realistic and the holes in it are a great touch for fans who know the story. The sock is well-cast as well, though it does not have much detail it actually needs.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Gift For Dobby" could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament that captures the character so consumers may put it up on their tree. For its size, the ornament is not at all overpriced, especially with the virtual guarantee that it will appreciate in value.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Dobby ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate fantasy Christmas Tree, the "Gift For Dobby" ornament is a great addition. The ornament has a brass hook loop that comes out of the top Dobby’s head. This is a remarkably stable ornament that only sways when it (or the tree) is bumped. The "Gift For Dobby" ornament is exceptionally well-balanced.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have delved into virtually every other collectible franchise in an attempt to cash in on every major license. The Harry Potter series has had several ornaments made for it, but none of them have truly exploded in value. Given how the Dobby ornament was produced in limited quantities and almost all outlets sold out of it at their Sneak Preview weekend back in July, this is one of the few that might well appreciate!

In other words, this might be one of the better investment pieces for the Harry Potter ornament line.

Overview

With excellent balance and great detailing, the "Gift For Dobby" ornament is brought down only by minutia and I strongly recommend it. This remains one of Hallmark's better ornaments of the 2010 season and best ever!

For other genre ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2009 "A Deadly Duel" The Phantom Menace ornament
2004 "The City On The Edge Of Forever" Star Trek ornament
2010 "Defender Of Justice" Iron Man 2 ornament

8.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Surprisingly Strong (If Expensive) Ornament: "Amok Time!"

The Good: Iconic moment, Iconic music, Generally good sculpt
The Bad: Spock doesn't look quite right, Expensive.
The Basics: A great ornament, though a little expensive, “Amok Time” recreates a seminal Star Trek moment for an ornament!


Prices go up on virtually everything, I know that. Still, it seems like the new Hallmark ornaments are pretty pricey, even the ones that do a lot. I'm a fan of the Hallmark ornaments and I am usually impressed by the sound and light functions they possess, but with the average price for their major license ornaments (Star Trek, Star Wars, Peanuts, etc.) being in the range of $28.95 for the sound and light ornaments, I'm finding myself glad I have five months to make the money to get all the ornaments I might want! One of the more inspired and better-rendered ornaments this Christmas season comes in the Star Trek line with Hallmark's “Amok Time” ornament.

For those unfamiliar with the episode, "Amok Time" (click here for my review of the episode!), tells the story of Spock's desperate attempt to return to Vulcan to mate (and hey, wouldn't that make for a great plot point in the new movie, considering there is no more Vulcan?!). The Enterprise has an ambassadorial function it must attend, but Spock's mating drive is so strong, he reroutes the Enterprise toward Vulcan and Dr. McCoy informs Kirk that Spock will die if he does not return home. But once on Vulcan, Spock's betrothed, T'Pring chooses Captain Kirk as her champion and forces a fight to the death between Kirk and Spock!

It is Kirk and Spock squaring off with one another on the Vulcan sand, lirpa in their hands that is the subject of the "Amok Time" Hallmark Ornament. To add extra value to this one, Hallmark provided this ornament with an awesome sound chip.

Basics

The "Amok Time" ornament recreates the moment Kirk and Spock are engaged in the combat with the weighted blades on Vulcan and it is a pretty iconic moment of Star Trek. The ornament, released in 2010, is one of the best renderings of Captain Kirk in ornament form. The ornament has great details for the lirpa, but Spock is unfortunately animated in his appearance. Hallmark makes up for that with a great sound chip that is likely to please most fans.

Hallmark clearly made an effort on the characters as the people on this ornament are detailed with accurate rank insignia and division badges. Measuring eleven centimeters tall, nine centimeters wide and ten centimeters deep, the "Amok Time" ornament is a larger Star Trek ornament and with the sound feature, it is one of the more pricey ones in the collection with an original issue price of $28.95.

The Hallmark "Amok Time" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the two officers facing one another with Kirk and Spock standing on the surface of Vulcan. The ground is nicely detailed to look textured and like sand, which is pretty impressive in this scale. The bright yellow and blue of Kirk and Spock's shirts are nicely contrasting the metallic lirpa in Kirk and Spock's hands.

Kirk's detailing is immaculate. He looks just like William Shatner from “Amok Time” and Hallmark even managed to get the tiny eyes right on the ornament. Sadly, Spock is another matter. There is no realism to the flesh color on Spock and he lacks the angular face of Leonard Nimoy, giving Spock an annoyingly animated look to him. That said, the lirpa are so well detailed, the blades appear to have rust or blood on them and that level of attention to detail makes this ornament a real winner! And Hallmark was attentive enough to include the belt on Spock that he wore just for the fight.

This ornament remains fairly easy to find as it was just released, but this is likely to explode in value in the secondary market. If fans aren't able to get these before Hallmark sells out or has to clearance it, this has all the makings of an ornament that will appreciate in the secondary market.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Amok Time" has only a sound effect. This ornament operates on an independent battery so one does not need to position it near a light strand on their tree. Because there is no special light function in the scene, it makes perfect sense that there is no light effect on the “Amok Time” ornament.

On the Vulcan ground, there is a small button that, when pressed, activates the sound chip. The sound chip actually contains the music from the battle scene in “Amok Time.” Over twenty seconds of music play and this theme is one of the most recognizable music pieces from Star Trek. In fact, it is the exact music clip that was used in Family Guy, so not just Trekkers are likely to get the reference!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Amok Time" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Trek Christmas Tree, the "Amok Time" ornament is a high priced option, but most fans will (truthfully) want it. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of Spock's head. This is fairly obtrusive, though it is necessary for the ornament.

Despite the loop's position, this is an amazingly well-balanced ornament. It hangs level, so the ground of Vulcan is flat and one has a great perspective of the conflict. The balance being this good is uncommon for this type of Hallmark ornament, so Hallmark is clearly learning from their past missteps in some of their bigger ornaments!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all of the major starships and many of the characters from the franchise and they have all been more mass produced than that first one. "Amok Time" ornament has been selling steadily since and this might be one of the Star Trek ornaments that makes great crossover appeal to the public at large. Most fans bought it early and while serious investors might be hoping to get them on clearance, it is doubtful this one will still be available after the holiday!

Overview

One of the best Star Trek ornaments in years, the “Amok Time” ornament would have been perfect if only Hallmark had managed to get Spock looking right!

For other Star Trek Hallmark ornaments reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
2010 Legends Of Star Trek Captain Kirk
2009 "The Menagerie" ornament
2005 Khan

8/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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