"As you know, the factory has limited the quantity of store special colored pieces to 100 per kind, and to 1 to 6 kinds per retailer, depending on WFF annual sales volume. Therefore, the total number of special colored pieces per a retailer should be not larger than 600 (6 * 100).
Let's take a look at what's going on with specials for the Noah's. Noah's stores will receive 3 different store specials this year. (Unlike The Mole Hole stores, individual Noah's stores are not entitled to order different store specials). They are:
However, they are not receiving 100, but supposedly 200 of each kind. This seems to be quite a natural exception, considering that:
Thus, every one of the 23 Noah's stores have pretty much a similar variety of pieces and colors, and have to "share" the total quantity of special colors among all of them. And even if every Noah's store were to receive just 10 pieces of each special color, the total for all Noah's stores would come be 230 per kind, which is already "over the limit". (This would explain why Noah's specials of 2001 are more available on the secondary market than 2001 specials from other retailers. Even though, the pieces are quite cute. I like the colors, and have all 3 of them).
Last year's specials of Noah's were limited to 300 pieces of each kind. Again, there were 3 of them:
Although they were assumed to have been sold out, Loves Me and Pumpkinmobile appear on eBay now and then. Within last two weeks Sun Snoozer suddenly has been listed on eBay several times, and so has Loves Me. After the auctions closed, the pieces appeared yet again, which of course drove their prices down. Frankly, I was intrigued by this, knowing that Sun Snoozer came out very late last year, in September-October, and there were not too many of them. (And the color is very nice, isn't it?)
And that is when I came across the latest update of Noah's website, dated August 1st, announcing that they "do still have a few of last year's exclusive colored pieces!" - Noah's Gifts
What a great surprise!
After calling to stores on Noah's list, I found that the following pieces were available at the different Noah's locations as follows:
Mall Moms were at 4 stores only, one per store, and I've been told that they are probably already "booked". 2 stores didn't have any special colors in stock. And the total number of special pieces in stock came to:
Mall Mom - 4, possibly booked
First Date - 27, some possibly booked
Holly Angel - 31, some possibly booked
Pumpkinmobile - 29
Loves Me - 11
Sun Snoozer - 60
No wonder these pieces have been appearing on secondary market lately!
Frankly speaking, so many collectors wished that store special colors to be available in unlimited quantities, for a long period of time, and without any addition WFF purchase requirements. Noah's stores today represent a great example of this type of special colors policy. Hopefully, everyone who missed these pieces several months ago, will be able to acquire them now, and maybe even get some extra for the "niece's collection". I am not sure how "investible" these pieces would be, speaking of reselling prices in a future. They wouldn't be too bad though, once the rest of remaining pieces are sold at stores (remaining after the very last shipping from the factory, of course). Then, after some time passes, and some new WFF collectors get addicted, their time will come... eventually... Until then, I would definitely "recommend" watching them on Bay: there is a chance you might be able to buy them for less than in the Noah's store" ;)
Love - Lulu O'Pine
Information presented in this article has been checked for accuracy to the best of our knowledge. It is based on independent research and should not be treated as an official statement from the Factory or from a Retailer.
Any opinions stated herein do not constitute advertising or endorsement. We do not engage in disputes or polemics.
If you would like us to cover a particular topic in one of our next articles, please write to LuluOPine@aol.com,, and we'll try to work on it. If there is a verifiable mistake in our material, your corrections will be very much appreciated. Periodically, we will be addressing all of your feedback in specialized columns.
Copyright (C) 2001 by Lulu O'Pine. All Rights Reserved. For reprints, please contact The Concord Mousetrap.
Copyright Notice. This publication, all related photographs and drawings created by the author, Bill Montague and Debbie Vicharelli are Copyrighted © 2001.
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Wee Forest Folk, Inc. Concord, Massachusetts. 01742.
All Wee Forest Folk were created and Copyrighted© by: Annette, William and Donna Petersen, of Concord, Mass.
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