Gartlan
USA, America's premiere producer of limited-edition, personally autographed
Rock N Roll collectibles, joins the festivities by presenting an exciting
new collection inspired by "Psycho Circus," and Classic KISS, too.
Gartlan -- renowned worldwide for its market-leading sports and celebrity collectibles -- saw many of its original Classic KISS products sell out almost overnight when they were introduced last year.
Now that "Psycho Circus" is climbing the charts, even more KISS fans and collectors are expected to join the excitement.
The
new collection from Gartlan USA, features a "Psycho Circus" 8 1/8" plate,
which captures the essence of the album art -- sure to be recognized immediately
by fans worldwide. Each plate is hand-banded in 24K gold and offered in
a worldwide edition of 10,000 sequentially numbered pieces. Suggested retail
price is $35. Similarly, a 3 1/8" miniature version of this same vibrant
art has a pierced spine so it can also be used as an ornament. Suggested
retail for the unlimited miniature plate is $17.
Fresh from the success of last year's KISS baseball -- the first Rock N Roll icon to be featured on this perennially popular sports product -- Gartlan USA offers a brand-new "Psycho Circus' baseball. This second in the series features the color scheme from the "Psycho Circus" album -- red and yellow panels -- with the KISS and "Psycho Circus" logos prominently outlined in each "sweet spot." Each band member's image is framed in the same filigree on the "Psycho Circus'' album.
Suggested
retail is $20.00. A significant first in the collection is the premiere
of a KISS bas-relief plate, sculpted by artist Michael Pascucci. Pascucci
first won fame among KISS fans as the sculptor for last year's personally
autographed figurines. Now he offers a striking portrait of the band members
in three dimensions: limited to a worldwide edition of 5,000 sequentially
numbered plates with a suggested retail of $95.
Ready for the KISS-mas holidays is the Glass "KISS-mas Ornament." Ornately mouth-blown and hand-painted from the inside. The piece is limited to a worldwide edition of 5,000 pieces; with even fewer pieces available this year due to the precision and intricacy of the craftsmanship involved. Each ornament is hand-numbered and signed by the artisan who created it. A fitting holiday tribute, yet decorative enough for year-round display, this handsome work of art comes in a satin gift box and has a suggested retail price of $80.
Meanwhile,
pre-orders on a KISS Hanging Figurine have been strong. Measuring 4" in
height, this hand-painted figurine is cast in Gartlan USA's trademarked
cold-cast crystalline. Personally approved by all four original band members,
it's considered a must for every KISS fan at the suggested retail price
of $80.
Most
coveted of all the new KISS collectibles is the personally autographed "KISS
Pewter Figurine," hand-singed by all four original band members -- Peter
Criss, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
Cast in museum-grade pewter and hand- embellished, each figurine includes metal from melted weapons. Certificates of Issuance and Authenticity are included with each figurine, and the edition is limited to 500 pieces plus 50 Artist Proofs.
Suggested retail is $750, with the Artist Proofs offered at a suggested retail of $995. All of these products are shipping now and available from authorized Gartlan USA retailers.
Personally Autographed Limited Editions
Gartlan USA, and the rock band KISS have annouced a series of "Classic Kiss" limited edition collectibles, which feature limited-edition, personally autographed figurines and collector plates.
Each member of KISS, they of arena rock, painted faces, fire-breathing pyrotechnics and 1996's top-grossing concert tour have personally signed 1,000 10 1/4'' collector plates and 1,000 9'' figurines featuring their likeness. An additional 250 Artist Proofs of each item will also be autographed by the group.
"Just as we built our business around marquee names in the sports business for the past decade, including, what were innovative introductions at the time -- the first series of hockey (Wayne Gretzky), basketball (Magic Johnson), Olympians, baseball's Negro Leagues -- the KISS Kollection represents that same type of innovation and likewise targets an audience of many ages, many pursuits,'' says R.H. Gartlan, president, Gartlan USA. "The one common chord among KISS collectors? A love for Rock 'n Roll."
Meanwhile, members of the Gartlan USA product review team, including president R.H. Gartlan, raved after meeting with KISS band member, Paul Stanley, on May 19,1997. "His own artistic background provided instrumental, and specific, direction that will only make this collection better and more valuable,'' quipped Gartlan during a phone interview following the Southern California meeting.
Several of Stanley's directions included sketches of his own. Those originals now hang in Gartlan USA's corporate New Jersey offices. "He was just cool!'' gushed Becky Ross, the company's West Coast office manager.
The Classic Kiss Collection includes:
- Autographed figurines, ten inches including base, and limited to an edition of 1,000 pieces worldwide. $395 retail.
- Autographed 10 1/4'' plate -- the first ever to feature four autographs -- limited to an edition of 1,000 pieces worldwide. $275 retail.
- Miniature figurine -- six-inches -- limited to 10,000 pieces; $89 retail.
- 8 1/8'' Collectors' Plate -- featuring facsimile autographs -- limited to 10,000 pieces worldwide. $35 retail.
- 3 1/4'' miniature plate banded in 24-karat gold, just like its larger counterparts. Unlimited, it retails for $17 retail.
- Kommemorative Baseball, unlimited and offered at $20.
Artwork for the figurine
was sculpted by Michael Pascucci; original artwork for the Classic Kiss Collectors
plates -- and all four band-members' images for the baseball -- painted by
Michael J. Taylor.
