Some monster rings, etc.

[typhooforme]

Everyone will be familiar with this version of the Dracula ring, a copy of the one Forry has...


But is anyone familiar with the Lon Chaney Sr. "tribute" ring that was released with Forry's blessing (I think by one of his then-helpers)...maybe in the 1990s?  It's a spider "poison ring"--in honor of the old saying, "Don't step on that spider!  It might be Lon Chaney!"  And each contained a little fragment of makeup from one of Chaney's actual makeup boxes (via Forry's collection).

[fmofmpls]

is anyone familiar with the Lon Chaney Sr. "tribute" ring that was released with Forry's blessing

Can't say that I am. Boy, is that a cool ring idea! How were these rings made available? FM? And at what cost? Sure wish I had one! Maybe I'd trade in my own wedding ring for this Chaney ring. Shhhh! I didn't say really say that.   

[typhooforme]

Terry,
You've asked a 64 dollar question there.  I think I originally saw an ad in MONSTERSCENE magazine about 10 yrs ago.  It seems to me the ad stated that the rings were offered under Forry's, well, "sposorship" is how I think of it...he lent it his name and he supplied the Chaney makeup--and I think the price was around 300 or 350 each.  But the contact person, the supplier, was one of the helpers in the Ackermansion--a person long gone now--nothing to do with the wonderful Joe, Forry's tireless helper.  I won't name names.  Two different rings were offered--this one, which was to come in its own miniature replica of "Chaney's MakeUp Kit", and another, a Mummy Scarab ring (description to follow), which I'm sure was to have its own Chest of Thoth or something.  I wanted both, but couldn't at that time afford two--heck, I could hardly afford just one!  anyhow, I ordered this Chaney one, sent the payment, and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  I emailed, I wrote letters--not to Forry, bless him, but to the contact person.  And got no replies.  Months passed, and I got VERY nervous.  After a long time, I did get some kind of reply--not directly from the contact person, but from someone else there.  I have no memory of who or what.  Something giving me a prospective time I might get the ring, I think.  After about 10 months, I got this ring--but no "replica of Chaney's kit".  And the ad for this ring, and for the Mummy Scarab ring, was never seen again to my knowledge.  Dunno what the manufacturing problem was, but it must have been too complex for the actual maker and/or seller.  I felt lucky to get this, after all the delay and worry!  I've trolled Ebay for years hoping one of the Mummy rings might turn up--if any were ever actually created!  I think I'll keep this ring, General, but thanks for the offer of a trade!  lol

I have turned up this quote from Forry in a Stoner's Monster Mayhem interview, but more than this I don't know:
FJA: The Chaney ring is in the form of a spider ("Don't step on it! It may be Lon Chaney!") and has a miniature foto of him inside when it opens up, together with a speck of his makeup. The Karloff ring is a duplicate of the original scarab and contains a portion of a strand of the gauze wrapped around him in THE MUMMY.

[typhooforme]

Never able to find one of the special Forry-proposed Mummy rings, I finally did find one that was vaguely similar to the one he used to wear--colored part of it black--and added it to my collection as a fantasy piece.

[typhooforme]

Here's one that's easier to track down--I saw one illustrated here at the UMA in the sidebar of random photos not long ago.  It's the Barnabas Collins DARK SHADOWS ring.  Looks black, but if you hold it up to the light, it's a dark, dark red.

[typhooforme]

A Frankenstein ring--and the face looks to me as though it could be a cast of--a Sideshow?   Whatever it is, it's not marked as a licensed item.

[Gary D Macabre]

Robert your collection never fails to amaze me.  Thank you so much for sharing these.

[The Phantom Creep]

I remember that ad for the Chaney ring. That's still really cool that you have it even if the getting was a long time coming.

That proposed Mummy ring with the gauze would have been really nice.

I've still never gotten one of the Dracula rings even though I've always wanted one.

Did anyone out there go to the Scream Fest in Orlando a couple of months ago? They offered a special Creature ring that didn't look too great. It was limited to 50 and cost $50. Just wondering if it was actually any good or not.

[typhooforme]

I'd like to see a photo of the Scream Fest Creature ring...wonder what you got for $50.  I had a beauty of a Creature ring, similar to the one Ben Chapman wears--very heavy, big dimensional Creature head and claw--and I think I left it on a restroom sink a couple Bashes back.  Ouch!  Ben said it was a Japanese designed one, and his was an American artist--he didn't have his on that time, so I couldn't compare.  I still check Ebay once in a while to see if another Creature ring might turn up, but so far, no luck.

Gary, Thanks for the kind words on my collection!  I long ago gave up the idea of being able to collect the high ticket props, the really important things--as my pockets aren't deep enough.  But I get a great kick out of collecting ephemera and just odds and ends...and what pleased me tremendously is that when you have a number of them, they end up looking good together.  To me, anyhow.  It's a very minor version of my idea of the old Ackermuseum--about 3 or 4 rooms, though, instead of 18!

[Monster Bob]

The beauty of the QMX Dracula ring for me was (and what made it a must have), it was hella-accurate, had nice packaging, had FJA involved, and was licensed by Universal, kind of the final seal of Monster Approval. It really is a super nice item that I originally had doubts over (like they'd actually be able to pull it off).

[Toy Ranch]

Awesome rings, Robert!  Thanks for sharing!

[typhooforme]

Here's another--a PHANTOM ring that I believe was a tie-in with the movie THE PHANTOM that starred Billy Zane as the purple-suited hero I used to read about in the comic pages of the old Cincinnati Post when I was a kid in the '50s (I also liked Li'l Abner, Our Boarding House, and Pogo).  When the Phantom would sock the bad guys, he'd leave his mark, thanks to his ring, right on their criminal jaws!

[typhooforme]

Awesome rings, Robert!  Thanks for sharing!

Bobby, After years of enjoying photos of your magnificent collection (and it is a mind-blowing one, clearly assembled with love), I'm happy to be able to show a few of my curios.  Glad you enjoy 'em!  I'm going through cartons and drawers and finding things I haven't seen in a long time!

[The Phantom Creep]

See that's one of the many reasons this new site is so much better. Since it's so easy to post images within the thread it's gotten everyone excited about digging through stuff and finding new things to put up here. Yay!

[poseablemonster]

See that's one of the many reasons this new site is so much better. Since it's so easy to post images within the thread it's gotten everyone excited about digging through stuff and finding new things to put up here. Yay!

I couldn't agree more.  I'm having a blast!