United® Cutlery Awarded Weapon Replicas License for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” Collectibles Giant to Collaborate with Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Moultrie, GA – (June 27, 2012)

From 2001 to 2012 United® Cutlery produced a beloved collection of more than 50 licensed weapon, helm and prop replicas from the successful The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and we are proudly continuing that line with replicas of weapons and arms from director Peter Jackson's highly anticipated films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). The line will consist of Dwarven and Elven weapons and arms replicas, along with signature icons, such as the Staff of Gandalf, Sting, and the legendary sword of Thorin Oakenshield, Orcrist. Each collectible will be exactly replicated from the actual film props created by Weta Workshop for the film production. Sting and Orcrist will lead off the line, which will be released in late 2012.

"We are thrilled to return to Middle-earth and continue our partnership with Warner Bros," said Clint Kadel, CEO and owner of United Cutlery. "With Peter Jackson at the helm, the two films based on The Hobbit™ are sure to be a hit. We are very excited to have the opportunity to give the fans a line of collectibles they will love, while at the same time creating a consistent extension of our The Lord of the Rings line."

About The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of two films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit. The second film will be The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Both films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released beginning December 14, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, is slated for release the following year, beginning December 13, 2013.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins. Also reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” movies are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Ian Holm as the elder Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; Orlando Bloom as Legolas; and Andy Serkis as Gollum. The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, John Bell, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Evangeline Lilly, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, and Aidan Turner.

The screenplays for both The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro. Jackson is also producing the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are productions of New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing, being handled by MGM.

© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.

Hello valued customers!

It is my pleasure to announce that United Cutlery will be releasing information about their new weapons for the upcoming “The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey” movie on (or about) August 1st!

It is expected that I will have pictures/specs/pricing for the first wave of collectibles on or about that day.

From what I have been told, the first item(s) will be available for shipment in early October. I have also been informed that United Cutlery will not “flood” the market with any of the upcoming Hobbit collectibles as was done previously (i.e. smaller batches of items over longer periods of time) so if you are the sort of person who just HAS to have it when it becomes available (or are looking to purchase something for Christmas), we will start preordering as soon as possible!

Regards,

Derek Smith

Hello Valued Customers!


The time has FINALLY arrived! I have been told the we can now start preordering the NEW Hobbit Movie items! Please read carefully as the expected release dates are not all the same! As I’ve said before, quantity is going to be GREATLY limited (no flooding of the market this time around from United Cutlery). If you would like to preorder, please let me know!


GANDALF THE GREY STAFF (UC2926) - $139.00 DUE IN OCTOBER 1!

One of the most powerful Wizards in all of Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire breathing dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Gandalf’s staff appears to be a natural piece of wood, but the crown of the shaft holds something supernatural. Within the crown, the wood has grown around a hollow, white lattice-shaped bulb. The lattice is vaguely Elven in design, and holds a great power. At Gandalf’s command, he can cause the crown to illuminate and light his way at night, or to spark a blue flame to ignite fire. The staff is also imbued with a great strength, allowing Gandalf to shatter stone with one strike.

This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction casting of the actual filming prop built by the production Art Department in New Zealand and used in the motion picture, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. United Cutlery, industry leader in fine movie reproductions, has meticulously recreated the prop using only the finest grade materials and craftsmanship. Close attention to coloring and detail was a top priority. The Staff is 73” overall, featuring finely cast details and authentic hand painted coloring. It is presented with an Elven styled wall display featuring Gandalf’s “G” rune, and includes a certificate of authenticity.

Overall Length: 73”

Staff Material: Hand-painted polyresin

Display Material: Steel reinforced, hand-painted polyresin


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Orcist – Sword of Thorin Oakenshield (UC2928) - $179.00 DUE IN FEBRUARY 1, 2013!

In Third Age of Middle-earth, Thorin Oakenshield and his Company of Dwarves came upon a troll lair in Rhûdaur. There Thorin found an ancient Elven sword named Orcrist, forged by the high Elves of the West, in Gondolin. Thorin claimed Orcrist for his own and vowed to cleave Goblins with it once again. He wielded the sword through most of the Quest for Erebor, using it against the Goblins of the Misty Mountains. The Goblins called it “Biter” and hated and feared it.

The blade of Orcrist features a curved leaf shape on one side, and a straight edge on the other, a fitting design for a blade meant to cleave Orcs and Goblins. Adorning the pommel is an emblem of the heraldry of Ecthelion of the Fountain. The hilt is shaped from the tooth of a dragon. It is unknown if the tooth was acquired prior to the fifth battle of the First Age, or added to the sword with the inscription in the millennia after the Fall of Gondolin, most likely by the Dwarves of the North.

Inscriptions on the sword in Elven runes:

On the guard is the name Orcrist “Goblin-cleaver”.

Blade Inscription (both sides): “The serpent’s tooth”.

This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction of the actual filming prop built by Weta Workshop of New Zealand and used in the motion picture, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. United Cutlery, industry leader in fine movie reproductions, has meticulously recreated the prop using only the finest grade materials and craftsmanship. Close attention to detail was a top priority. The sword is 38 3/4” long and features a stainless steel blade with an etched runic inscription. The hilt is crafted with solid metal parts, simulated gem stones, and an acrylic resin grip cast from the original prop. It is presented with a wood wall display and includes a certificate of authenticity.

Overall Length: 38 3/4”

Blade Length: 25 7/8”

Blade Material: AUS-6 Stainless Steel

Handle Material: Acrylic resin

Display: Wood with wood grain finish and silk screen graphic


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Sting – Sword of Bilbo Baggins (UC2892) - $119.00 DUE IN DECEMBER 3, 2012!


In the Third Age of Middle-earth, the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins was unexpectedly swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo found himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield.

In this harrowing journey Bilbo and his Company of Dwarves came upon a troll lair in Rhûdaur. There they found two Elven swords, Glamdring, and Orcrist, and a knife. Bilbo claimed the knife for himself, and it was more of a sword to someone of his stature. He wielded the sword through most of the quest, famously using it against the Giant Spiders of Mirkwood to save the Company of Dwarves. After Bilbo had slain his first spider he declared, “I will give you a name, and I shall call you Sting.”

This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction of the actual filming prop. The Sting sword is 22 ½” overall, featuring a stainless steel blade and, solid metal hilt parts, and an intricately detailed vine adorning the grip. It is presented with a wood wall display featuring graphic motifs from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and includes a certificate of authenticity.

Overall Length: 22 ¼”

Blade Length: 15 3/8”

Blade Material: AUS-6 Stainless Steel

Handle Material: Solid metal guard and pommel

Display: Wood with wood grain finish and silk screen graphic.


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Sting Scabbard (UC2893) - $59.00 DUE IN DECEMBER 31, 2012!


In this harrowing journey Bilbo and his Company of Dwarves came upon a troll lair in Rhûdaur. There they found two Elven swords, Glamdring, and Orcrist, and a
knife. Bilbo claimed the knife for himself, and it was more of a sword to someone of his stature. He wielded the sword through most of the quest, famously using it against the Giant Spiders of Mirkwood to save the Company of Dwarves. After Bilbo had slain his first spider he declared, “I will give you a name, and I shall call you Sting.”


This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction of the actual filming prop built by Weta Workshop of New Zealand and used in the motion picture, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. United Cutlery, industry leader in fine movie reproductions, has meticulously recreated the prop using only the finest grade materials and craftsmanship. Close attention to detail was a top priority. The
Sting sword scabbard features a leather wrapping, solid metal fittings, and a leather belt strap. It is designed to fit all officially licensed versions of the Sting sword from United Cutlery. The Sting Sword is sold separately.

Length: 18 ¾”
Cast metal fittings and leather wrapped
scabbard body. Scabbard features a felt hole on
back side and includes a leather belt strap.


NO PICTURE AS OF YET!


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Glamdring – Sword of Gandalf (UC2942) - $169.50 DUE IN OCTOBER 1, 2012!


In the Third Age of Middle-earth, the old and powerful Wizard Gandalf and his Company of Dwarves came upon a troll lair in Rhûdaur. There they found two ancient Elven swords and a knife. The exact history of these blades is not certain, but when the Elf lord Elrond examined them in Rivendell he determined they were well-known and ancient blades used in the Goblin Wars to slay many Orcs in the First Age. The sword named Glamdring was forged by the high Elves of the West, in the hidden city of Gondolin. Glamdring survived, only to be found thousands of years later by Gandalf and his companions. Glamdring is an exquisite example of the height of Elven swordcraft, and a weapon befitting an Elven king. Gandalf claimed Glamdring for his own and wielded the sword through the Quest for
Erebor, using it against the Goblins of the Misty Mountains, and later on the quest to destroy the One Ring. The great sword remained at Gandalf’s side until the end of his days in Middle-earth.

This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction of the actual filming prop built by Weta Workshop of New Zealand and used in the motion picture, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. United Cutlery, industry leader in fine movie reproductions, has meticulously recreated the prop using only the finest grade materials and craftsmanship. Close attention to detail was a top priority. The Glamdring sword is 47 5/8”(120.9cm) overall, featuring a stainless steel blade, solid metal hilt parts, faux blue jewel inlays, and a genuine leather-wrapped grip.
It is presented with a wood wall display and includes a certificate of authenticity

Overall Length: 47 5/8”
Blade Length: 35 ¼”
Blade Material: AUS-6 Stainless Steel
Handle Material: Cast metal with leather wrapped
grip and simulated gemstones
Display: Wood with wood grain finish and silk
screen graphic


NO PICTURE AS OF YET!


Regards,

Derek Smith

www.smithblades.com

Hello valued customers!

The response to my last newsletter was TREMENDOUS! I realized last night that the Gandalf Staff (The Grey) is going to be a single piece staff (not like Gandalf the White). Because of this, I thought that it would be a good idea to send to all of you, the shipping weight and dimensions of each of the boxes and some shipping cost estimates so that you will have a better idea of what to expect! To my international customers, please take note that Gandalf the Grey staff is going to be VERY expensive to ship.


UC2942 – Glamdring Sword (Gandalf): 50 x 12 x 4. 11lbs. About $18 within the US. About $70 internationally.

UC2926 – Staff of Gandalf the Grey: 80 x 6 x 6. 6lbs. About $30 within the US. About $150 internationally (Note: countries with a maximum 42 inches in length restrictions (i.e. Brazil and Argentina) can cost as much as $400).

UC2928 – Orcist Sword of Thorin Oakenshield: 44 x 12 x 4. 8lbs. About $15 within the US. About $70 internationally. (Note: countries with a maximum 42 inches in length restrictions (i.e. Brazil and Argentina) can cost as much as $200).

UC2892 – Sting Sword of Bilbo: 26 x 12 x 3. 5lbs. About $15 within the US. About $65 internationally.


Hope this helps!

Regards,

Derek Smith