Retailers just received this information in e-mail from Harmony Ball Company. Since a number of people on the boards collect this line, I thought it was important to share:

As of December 31, 2006, Harmony Ball Company will no longer serve as the worldwide distributor of the Story-Time collection. For three years, we have been proud caretakers of Robert Olszewski's delightful Disney miniatures.

We feel privileged that we were able to share in Bob's imagination and are grateful to Bob, the Story-Time dealers, and of course all of the collectors who appreciate the fineness, delicacy and dynamism of Bob's vision.
Yet we feel saddened and disappointed that our distribution efforts were not enough to sustain a business model. Bob goes to considerable time and expense to create each sculpture, and because he is a perfectionist, he even oversees production in the Far East. With decreased sales, Bob's design costs have become prohibitive.

We apologize for burdening you with our business travails, but we feel that it is best that you understand the situation. It was not due to lack of love or interest on any of our parts - simply market conditions.

We hope that you have enjoyed representing Story-Time and that it has been a profitable adventure for you. While we cannot predict the after market future value of Story-Time, with the low production quantities (often considerably less than the published edition sizes and some as low as 300 pieces), the timelessness of Disney’s stories, and the individual beauty of each piece, we believe that any investment that you make will be worthwhile.

We encourage you to visit www.OlszewskiStudios.com for updates on Bob’s current and future projects.

Wishing you a future full of magic and delight.

Harmony Ball Company Along with the e-mail was a list of Story-Time figurines and their available inventories - of the 97 pieces that were introduced in the collection, 21 pieces are completely sold out.

Very depressing news for fans of Bob's work. Note that this has nothing to do with the Disneyland / Walt Disney World product, which is distributed by Disney.

AVP

So does this mean that there won't be any more Storytime pieces unless they find another distributor? And presumably, that means they've stopped production on existing pieces.

Hmmm, wonder if I should get that Mad Tea Party piece sooner rather than later...

So does this mean that there won't be any more Storytime pieces unless they find another distributor? And presumably, that means they've stopped production on existing pieces.

Hmmm, wonder if I should get that Mad Tea Party piece sooner rather than later...This is pure speculation and reading between the lines. Don't take any of this as gospel:

When Bob ended distribution of the Story-Time line two years ago, the message to retailers was "please buy as much of this product as you can now, because although we're looking for a new distributor we don't know if we will find one." It was clear to us that Bob was trying to find a new distributor - we were aware that he had approached other companies before signing the deal with Harmony Ball Company. Bob communicated to us his transition plan should he find another distributor, and we pretty much knew the possible scenarios for the line and the remaining merchandise.

This information is much different. The message now is "go ahead and buy as much of this product as you can, and if we don't sell it all to licensed retailers we're going to expand distribution in order to sell out the inventory." Harmony Ball Company sent us a final list of available product, and speaks of the figurines as closed editions. There is no talk of another distributor, no talk of a transition plan.

I have sent e-mails to both the Olszewski Studios and Harmony Ball Company asking for clarification, but no reply yet. I am *personally* suggesting to my customers that they buy whatever it is they *must* own of the most recent releases now, but to wait a few months before making any major investments in older pieces.

The first Alice in Wonderland and Nightmare Before Christmas pieces are sold out, there are fewer than 100 each of the second pieces in each of those two series. Those two series were just started in the past year, but Harmony Ball Company only made one production run of each. By comparison, there are over 200 of the "You Can Fly" piece from Peter Pan left, and that was one of the first 6 pieces introduced.

Here's the list of stock levels, as of yesterday. I have no idea what the numbers look like now that the retailers have had a day to react. The OSDC number indicates the series number - OSDC01 was the first piece he released, OSDC97 was the last piece released in the collection. These numbers only reflect what Harmony Ball Company had in inventory - individual retail stores are likely to have a different selection and may have "sold out" piece in stock.


Less than 25 Available

Straight on Til Morning (OSDC41) from Peter Pan
Music, Professor (OSDC80) from Pinocchio

Between 25 and 50 Available

Stuck (OSDC49) from Peter Pan
First Dance (OSDC86) from Beauty & the Beast

Between 51 and 100 Available

Cleaning House (OSDC4) from Snow White
Kidnapped (OSDC12) from Peter Pan
Visit to Rabbit’s House (OSDC15) from Winnie the Pooh
Freeing Cinderella (OSDC17) from Cinderella
Rainy Day Visitor (OSDC24) from Winnie the Pooh
Whoa Nellie (ODC28) from Pinocchio
Til Then (OSDC29) from Sleeping Beauty
Tenderly (OSDC32) from Beauty & the Beast
Dumbo’s First Parade (OSDC33) from Dumbo
Try Some of These (OSDC34) from Bambi
Take A Bite (OSDC36) from Snow White
A Wee Bit South (OSDC38) from Winnie the Pooh
April Shower Mouse (OSDC42) from Bambi
Little Rain Cloud (OSDC43) from Winnie the Pooh
Bravest of them All (OSDC56) from Snow White
Bambi Meets Flower (OSDC58) from Bambi
A Forest Renewed (OSDC82) from Bambi
I Wonder (OSDC83) from Sleeping Beauty
Delivery Day (OSDC90) from Dumbo
Everything is Alright (OSDC91) from Snow White
Mad Tea Party (OSDC96) from Alice in Wonderland
Kidnap the Santa Claws (OSDC97) from Nightmare

Between 101 and 200 Available

The Little Donkey (OSDC13) from Pinocchio
Sealed With A Kiss (OSDC18) from Snow White
Torn Dress (OSDC26) from Cinderella
Not A Finger or a Hook (OSDC27) from Peter Pan
You’re A Big Hit Dumbo (OSDC30) from Dumbo
Great Heave Ho (OSDC31) from Winnie the Pooh
Like A Dream (OSDC35) from Cinderella
Upon A Dream (OSDC39) from Sleeping Beauty
Hide and Seek (OSDC46) from Cinderella
Anytime You Whistle (OSDC47) from Pinocchio
A Spell is Cast (OSDC48) from Sleeping Beauty
Wake Up Flower (OSDC51) from Bambi
Cleo and Figaro Celebrate (OSDC52) from Pinocchio
The Goodbye Kiss (OSDC53) from Snow White
Don’t Feed the Bear (OSDC55) from Winnie the Pooh
Stuck Again (OSDC57) from Winnie the Pooh
Mermaid Lagoon (OSDC59) from Peter Pan
Happy Birthday (OSDC60) from Cinderella
Pink Elephants on Parade (ODSC62) from Dumbo
My Little Wooden Head (OSDC64) from Pinocchio
A New Prince is Born (OSDC69) from Bambi
Honey Tree Premier (OSDC79) from Winnie the Pooh
Taken by Surprise (OSDC87) from Peter Pan
Caught Up In Love (OSDC88) from Bambi
Cinderella Dreams (OSDC89) from Cinderella
What do you see? Spots! (OSDC92) from Pinocchio
A Secret Plan (OSDC93) from Sleeping Beauty
The Secret Rose (OSDC94) from Beauty & the Beast

Greater than 200 Available

You Can Fly (OSDC6) from Peter Pan
A Dream Come True (OSDC10) from Cinderella
In Search of Honey (OSDC14) from Winnie the Pooh
Kiss of the Dove (OSDC16) from Snow White
Having Fun (OSDC19) from Pinocchio
Buried Alive (OSDC25) from Snow White
We’ll Save Ya! (OSDC37) from Dumbo
Magic Feather (OSDC45) from Dumbo
Mr. Crocodile (OSDC61) from Peter Pan
Beastly Fight (OSDC63) from Beauty & the Beast
Monstro’s Coming (OSDC65) from Pinocchio
Look, You’re Flying (OSDC66) from Dumbo
The Fairest One Of All (OSDC67) from Snow White
Touch the Spindle (OSDC68) from Sleeping Beauty
So, This Is Love (OSDC70) from Cinderella
Fight to the Death (OSDC72) from Sleeping Beauty
Bee Line to Honey (OSDC73) from Winnie the Pooh
Hangman’s Tree (OSDC74) from Peter Pan
Excavation Experts (OSDC75) from Winnie the Pooh
Simply Adorable (OSDC76) from Dumbo
We Can Do It (OSDC77) from Cinderella
Wonderful Story (OSDC78) from Beauty & the Beast

Sold out designs

Fireside Thoughts (OSDC1) from Winnie the Pooh
Ever After (OSDC2) from Snow White
Almost Finished (OSDC3) from Pinocchio
Oh, My Slipper (OSDC5) from Cinderella
If You Want To Be a Real Boy (OSDC7) from Pinocchio
Stoutness Exercises (OSDC8) from Winnie the Pooh
It’s a Pixie (OSDC9) from Peter Pan
Tricked! (OSDC11) from Peter Pan
Winter Play (OSDC20) from Bambi
I’m going to be an Actor (OSDC21) from Pinocchio
Time to Wash (OSDC22) from Snow White
Twitterpated (OSDC23) from Bambi
My Hero (OSDC40) from Beauty & the Beast
Going Home (OSDC44) from Snow White
The Dress Surprise (OSDC50) from Cinderella
Baby of Mine (OSDC54) from Dumbo
Night of Fun (OSDC71) from Snow White
Up Beat Dopey (OSDC81) from Snow White
Which Way to Go (OSDC84) from Alice in Wonderland
Jack Laments (OSDC85) from Nightmare
Tinkerbell’s Delight (OSDC95) from Peter Pan

AVP

For those who have been following this, here is an update from Olszewski on their inventory.


Lights Out – Extremely Limited
OSDC29 – “Til Then” from Sleeping Beauty
OSDC30 – “You’re a bit hit, Dumbo” from Dumbo
OSDC33 – “Dumbo’s First Parade” from Dumbo
OSDC34 – “Try Some of These” from Bambi
OSDC38 – “A Wee Bit South” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC47 – “Anytime You Whistle” from Pinocchio
OSDC52 – “Cleo & Figaro Celebrate” from Pinocchio
OSDC64 – “My Little Wooden Head” from Pinocchio
OSDC83 – “I Wonder” from Sleeping Beauty
OSDC88 – “Caught Up In Love” from Bambi
OSDC89 – “Cinderella Dreams” from Cinderella
OSDC92 – “What do you see? Spots!” from Pinocchio

Sleepy Time – Very Limited
OSDC18 – “Sealed With A Kiss” from Snow White
OSDC27 – “Not a Finger or a Hook” from Peter Pan
OSDC31 – “With a great Heave Ho” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC35 – “Like A Dream” from Cinderella
OSDC46 – “Hide and Squeak” from Cinderella
OSDC59 – “Mermaid Lagoon” from Peter Pan
OSDC60 – “Happy Birthday” from Cinderella
OSDC87 – “Taken By Surprise” from Peter Pan
OSDC93 – “A Secret Plan” from Sleeping Beauty

Nearing Bedtime – Fairly Limited
OSDC6 – “You Can Fly” from Peter Pan
OSDC10 – “A Dream Come True” from Cinderella
OSDC13 – “The Little Donkey” from Pinocchio
OSDC16 – “Kiss of the Dove” from Snow White
OSDC26 – “Torn Dress” from Cinderella
OSDC39 – “Once Upon a Dream” from Sleeping Beauty
OSDC48 – “A Spell is Cast” from Sleeping Beauty
OSDC55 – “Don't Feed the Bear” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC57 – “Stuck Again” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC61 – “Mr. Crocodileand the Codfish” from Peter Pan
OSDC62 – “Pink Elephants on Parade” from Dumbo
OSDC69 – “A New Prince is Born” from Bambi
OSDC70 – “So, This is Love” from Cinderella
OSDC72 – “Fight to the Death” from Sleeping Beauty
OSDC77 – “We Can Do It” from Cinderella
OSDC79 – “Honey Tree Premier” from Winnie the Pooh

It’s Still Playtime – Ample Stock
OSDC14 – “In Search of Honey” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC19 – “Having Fun” from Pinocchio
OSDC25 – “Buried Alive” from Snow White
OSDC37 – “We'll Save Ya!” from Dumbo
OSDC45 – “The Magic Feather” from Dumbo
OSDC63 – “Beastly Fight” from Beauty & The Beast
OSDC65 – “Monstro's Coming” from Pinocchio
OSDC66 – “Look Dumbo,You're Flying” from Dumbo
OSDC67 – “The Fairest One of All” from Snow White
OSDC68 – “Touch the Spindle” from Sleeping Beauty
OSDC73 – “Bee Line to Honey” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC74 – “Return To Hangman's Tree” from Peter Pan
OSDC75 – “Excavation Experts” from Winnie the Pooh
OSDC76 – “Simply Adorable” from Dumbo
OSDC78 – “Another Wonderful Story” from Beauty & The Beast
Anything not on this list is now sold out.

AVP