Vitra minitures - pretentious crap?  

James
The Japanese minis are adorable. I was given a bunch by friends at Christmas this year and they really are cute. Not quite as accurate as the Vitras, and in plastic - but a nice little grouping for a shelf in my living room. 🙂

Now...here's where a knockoff could be cool
Since Vitra is gouging people for the minatures, I think it would so cool for someone in China to produce knocked-off copies of these minatures for $20.00 each.
Hell, you can't use 'em, they're just something to look at....and I doubt that the "copyright holders' are making big money off these, anyhow.
It's kinda frivrolous, anyhow.

.
$20? you'll have to do better than that barry ;o)

lucifersum will need to ...
lucifersum will need to wade in with comments of how evil knock offs of miniatures of knockoff of original (vitra)of knockoffs of originals, HM
all seems like a giant waste of time and energy,
change this dumb subject ASAP

Change the subject of the...
Change the subject of the thread? after 18 comments on the same subject? wouldn't that confuse people?
;o)

wtf???
wtf??? Holy cow, i rest my case i'm afraid!
$825???
http://www.miniaturechairs.com/MiniatureChairs/chairsdetail.asp?ProductI...

i do enjoy
when this type of subject comes up. i consider collecting in general barely defensible at best and ocd at worst. it brings out absurd justifications and "glass house" scenarios come to mind. i collect large things i dont need is not the best soap box from which to critisize those who collect small things they dont need. you could argue that these smaller items are more environmentally friendly collectables than their full size counterparts. and even the function arguement is debatable. there are sophisticated cultures that had existed for long periods with nary a chair in sight. and yes i am one of the absurd collectors i speak of. my best defense of what i do is not to come down on other variants of the same thing.

I don't really care who...
I don't really care who collects these. I think they're cool. I didn't say they were pretentious, I said it is silly to pay this much for a toy. I did enter in a contest to win all the vitra miniatures once. I would have loved to win of course.

Talk about pretentious crap....
try watching "Dancing With The Stars".....wow it sucks big time.

ha ha ha Barry is right ...
ha ha ha Barry is right this season looks like no country for old men, what a bunch of looosers
adam corolla, Penn Gillette, Steve Guttenberg, etc, wait till tonight when you get to see 63 year old Elvis Ex,
should be a hoti

pretentious?
Now i'm just waiting for a snooty comment from someone that's too pretentious to even own a television.

Crank
it's just the low-class state of art and culture for the masses in 2008 middle America that we're making fun of.
Reality TV
Shopping at Wal*Mart
Shopping at Target
Buying generic furniture from stores like Slumberland
Driving SUV and trucks
Listening to Country Music (why do all of them sound like their shoes and hats are too tight)
Yeeh.

Why is not owning a TV pretentious?
I aspire not to own a TV...I'd love to be set free of the addiction. Now-a-days my diet is at least mostly healthy. Mostly just the Discovery Channel, History Channel and the Food Network. (Used to watch HGTV, but it bores me to tears now)
And Target ain't all bad. I have gotten some very decent things there.
As for Vitra miniatures...personally the collection of anything that is without function is hard for me to contemplate. I try to give what I consider unless waste-producing junk at least some worthiness in thinking that the usefulness of some things is beauty. Like art. Art is useful, it sets the human spirit free to appreciate beauty or be moved by deep emotions or provoked by new thoughts. From my viewpoint, I think furniture can do that AND be useful!
But tiny little furniture that not even Barbie can use? Sorry, I have a hard time conceiving why they are so valued. However, viva la difference! At least these little chairs are not likely to enter a landfill if they are prize collectibles and they are likely giving a bunch of folks a nice job. So who cares if I don't get it...apparently many of you do!

No offense intended (probably)
Olive, i certainly don't want to offend the wrong people here.
Unfortunately i have met many allegedly 'cultured' people that regard all television as lowbrow trash.
I find this view to be patently absurd.
It's no different than saying that all books, cinema, architecture, etc. are all garbage...which is something that these champions of refined taste would NEVER say.
It's a safe bet that we've all encountered (and possibly been) the stereotypical snoot that i'm referring to: all-too-cultured / worldly / cool / above-it-all.
Essentially, an annoying prig.
Like almost anything out there...it's what you do with it. If someone wants to spend all their time watching America's Top Model and celebrity gossip shows...fine. But that's not what all television programming is; not by any measure; especially since the explosion of cable tv in more recent years. There are plenty of other choices available than mindless garbage...if that's what you seek.
So, if i've offended anyone, my response is somewhere between "i apologize" and, "oh, get stuffed, you silly prig."
With a smile, of course.

Crank...I was pulling your chain
The hoity toity rich snobs bore me as much as the trailer trash.
Then....there's us sterling creatures who were brought up working to middle class who have learned about the good stuff and are collecting the good stuff smartly and affordably!
If someone wants to overpay for Vitra minatures, then have at it. But I think it's a silly thing to collect - I'd rather have a real piece of quality good designed furniture, myself.
I have taken to collect Bitossi blue ceramics, but I haven't paid much for any my collection.
In fact, I can honestly say that thus far, I have paid anywhere near the going price for any of my items...(that will change because I know have to face buying a good sofa and an ultimate living room floor lamp, and they're going to cost-um me heap big wompum, by gum.