[On 3.26.08, Amanda Visell ‘took-over’ Vinyl Pulse for her Birthday. This is part of her turn as VP editor.]
Dov Kelemer has more toys than I have ever seen. Well, kinda. He’s a toy distributor for almost everyone I know. He’s somebody that toy buyers rarely talk to or know about but really has an important part in the vinyl toy machine. He is also a SUPER GEEK!
AJV:Dov! Sound your name out for the readers.
Dov: DUHV but some people pronounce it DOHV… POTATO POTATO I say
AJV:Good. Now explain what you do.
Dov: My wife Sarah Jo Marks and I run DKE Toys which distributes designer toys, plush, books, and prints to retailers and stores all over the world. We exclusively distribute for over 50 companies.
AJV:How did you get into this business?
Dov:I have been selling collectible toys for over 15 years and still buy Star Wars toys on the secondary market for resale but designer toys have more of a soul than your average licensed property so naturally I gravitated in that direction.
AJV:How many toys are around you right now?
Dov:HA! Too many. I keep opening them to check them out and they never get put away.
AJV:Do you have an exit strategy if they come to life and turn on you?
Appeasement.
AJV:How do you stop yourself from keeping one of everything you sell?… or do you?
Uh… we actually keep 2 of everything.
AJV: What are you favorite kind of toys to keep? Feel free to be specific.
I ONLY COLLECT AMANDA VISELL TOYS! Well I actually collect Kozik too. What a mistake! I came to designer toys because of Kozik and my fascination with his revival of the rock poster in the 90s and I would say I have 99% of the actual production pieces made and then some. So obviously I feel very incomplete as a result of that missing 1%.
AJV: Are you into specific materials like vinyl or plush?
Not really. In fact I am liking what I am seeing lately made of resin, wood, metal, and ceramics. I think collectors have to get over their vinyl only fetish.
AJV: Hey, you just curated the Vader Project last sumer. That seemed to get a lot of interest from… everybody. Do you feel like you introduced Star Wars geeks to new artists?
That was my intent. Lots of artists still tell me that they got more emails and attention over the helmet that they did than anything else. Its not over yet though so we will see what else develops.
AJV: Any news on the future of the Vader Project?
Working on more tour dates. Nothing confirmed yet but a few strong possibilities.
AJV: Would you call yourself a Star Wars geek?
No but other people might.
AJV: I would call you a star wars geek. How did you buy your house?
I like it when you ask questions I know you already know the answer to but that is the sign of a good interviewer isn’t it? Yes, I bought my house (or at least put a down payment) by selling my vintage Star Wars collection years ago.
AJV: Geek. Here come the hard questions… Are you ready?
Should I just answer Amanda Visell to everything from now on?
AJV: How ’bout artists you would like to see toys from?
Personally I want to see more from Todd Schorr, Brendan Monroe, and Jeff Soto. But what really gets me going are artists that are really actually designing 3D objects. That’s why I like Kozik’s work so much and other artists like the guys from Jamungo and Unkl. They plan and create 3D objects rather than a company licensing an image or character, taking the artist’s 2D work and making a 3D representation of it.
Oh yeah and there are not enough Amanda Visell toys out there
AJV: How ’bout favorite guest Vinyl Pulse blogger on March 26?
AMANDUH !!!
AJV: Aw shucks.
