Product Review: Regal Robot Archive Collection Droopy McCool Concept Maquette Replica

If you have followed my reviews for the last couple of years, you will know that I have been on a strange journey of discovery. Two years ago, I was introduced to the paint range Archive X, a paint company that creates paints that are the same as what Industrial Light and Magic used on the first trilogy. I went to see the owner – Guy Cowen – at his workshop and was blown away by models of vehicles that I never knew could be so accurately outside of Lucasfilm. It was an eye opener to say the least. From there, I started to build a studio scale model of the Millennium Falcon, something that is still ongoing to this day.

But that’s when things took an even more unexpected turn. My then seven-year-old daughter -Ember – wanted to join in with building. She loved it and still does. She started to have the same appreciation that I did. Fast forward a few months and we’re watching Light and Magic together all about the work by ILM. Her eyes were wide open watching this incredible documentary. Her love is the creatures of Star Wars, she is fascinated by them. Her favourite of the Star Wars films being Return of the Jedi partly because of the Ewoks but also because the huge number of aliens in Jabba’s Palace.

While I had been stumbling along this journey with Ember, I saw a new release for a maquette from the company Regal Robot. I knew the name, I knew some of their products, but it had completely bypassed me about the range of maquettes that they do. These maquettes are replicas of the prototype creatures that litter the Star Wars universe, that were created by ILM for the movies. Maquettes that my daughter and me had been amazed to see in Light and Magic. Of course, they do a lot more than just these maquettes, but it was these that drew my attention. The fact that some of these maquettes came with a signature edition and were signed by member of the ILM team made them even more tempting.

I was slowly being drawn in. But there was a catch – isn’t there always. Regal Robot don’t deliver to the United Kingdom. There are ways and means around this: using a forwarding service, eBay or (the one I found), the Facebook group for Regal Robot fans. Fans discuss and trade on the pages and it was looking through this that I found someone on this side of the pond that was selling a Droopy McCool maquette, signed by Jeanne Lauren (ILM creature technician). I jumped at the chance.

I patiently waited for the package to arrive. I wasn’t too sure what to expect for my first Regal Robot purchase, would I be happy with it? Would I consider it worth the cost? Let’s not beat around the bush, these maquettes aren’t cheap, especially on the secondhand market. Yet I wear tempted enough to give it a try, to see if I thought it was money well spent. When it arrived, I took it out of the packaging and was left with a simple black box. Now for me, this is one of the most appealing things. I don’t need incredibly bright, artful packaging. I don’t want time and money to be spent on something I’m not going to see. I want a great product that’s well protected in the box. That’s exactly what I got. While there’s not mountains of packaging, what there is is perfect for protecting the model and for storing safely the plaque with the signature.

As I lifted out the model itself, I couldn’t help myself, a massive grin broke across my face. Sure, it’s a replica but good lord, does it look the part. It looks like it had come direct from ILM and placed into my hands. The number of photos and documentaries I have watched as my time as a Star Wars fan is uncountable and to have something from these in my hands was something else. I just stared. And stared some more. This thing was beautiful. Being a concept maquette, it showed part of the process of creation, part of the artistic process that brought these models to life. It wasn’t the finished product, and I didn’t want it to be. It was worth every penny!

The model is lighter than you would expect but this doesn’t stop any of the minute details that are held on this piece. It’s mounting on a black block which really helps to show it off and gives you an instant display piece. The paint work is also exceptional, something I imagine is the same across every piece. It’s very difficult, even with photos, to get across just how amazing this model is in person. For something that will fit in your hand, it commands your attention. I know I’m going to be admiring this for years. The model by itself would be more than enough for me.

But with this edition, it isn’t just the model but also a signature by a member of the ILM team. Regal Robot are working their way through lots of members of the crew and if you collect these for long enough, I imagine you’ll have a pretty good spread of autographs. This really is the icing on the cake for this product. The signature is mounted on a plaque in the same style as the old Master Replicas lightsabers. Not only does it work perfectly next to the model, elevating it further as a museum quality piece, but if you do have any of the old hilts or blasters, they look uniform in their display. The fact that you can so perfectly display the signature just adds something more.It isn’t needed by any means, but I’m so glad to have it. Finally, there’s a certificate in an envelope from Regal Robot to verify that what you have is genuine.

Ember had no idea that I had purchased Droopy, yet as soon as she walked into my study, she noticed it on one of my shelves. Like I say, it commands attention! Her face lit up. I didn’t need to explain what it was or who it was. She’d seen enough in Light and Magic to recognise the style and the character instantly. She was delighted! The fact that both of us could grin so much over a model – whether we be young or older – said a lot to me.

All in all, this piece is a purchase that I’m not regretting. Pricey? That it is. Getting it across the pond? Tricky. Yet I think it’s worth it to have a replica of Star Wars history. Limited to only two pieces means that there are really not that many of these about. They are not going to be to everyone’s taste, these are the concept maquettes not the finished piece. But if you’re like me, loving the behind-the-scenes creations of this iconic franchise, then you’ll love owning a little bit of the history behind it all. The production and quality of this product is outstanding, and you can tell Regal Robot have really thought carefully about how to display these incredible pieces for owners. Not focusing on the packaging (concerned only with transport) and focusing on the product itself really is evident. My only issue? Now I want a maquette with one of my favourites, Phil Tippet. Ember has other ideas. Asking if they did a Max Rebo (her favourite character in Jabba’s Palace) I slowly nodded my head knowing exactly where this would be going.