|
Duckfest 2007: More Quacky Fun!! It's time to register for Duckfest 2007! Duckfest is the only rubber duck collector's convention in the world and is being held this year in Santa Monica, CA on Saturday, June 23 starting at 11am. Every year Duckfest presents a unique opportunity to get together with fellow rubber duck collectors and other rubber duck fanatics. As usual, Duckfest will have food, fun, duck selling, duck buying, and games. This year there will also be a swimming pool so bring your swim gear (or you can just bring a duck to swim for you). Don't forget to bring ducks to trade or sell, cash to buy ducks, and photos of duck madness to share. We've gotten a lot of interest from onlookers in recent years, but Duckfest is still too small to absorb casual onlookers, sorry. Thus we have the bummer, disclaimer portion of our announcement:
If you would like to attend, you must email Betsy (betsypots at verizon.net) to register and get directions no later than June 7, 2007. Limited supplies of the official Duckfest 2007 rubber duck are also available from Betsy. See photo below. See you there, ducksters! Contest-Winning Essay Duckplanet held its first essay contest in
February in the Community Forum bulletin board. The theme of the
contest was: How has Duckplanet.com improved you life? We had
several great, heartfelt entries. Ultimately, the essay of
Jackie from Upstate New York (USA) was chosen as the
winner. Our lucky winning essayist will receive a small
box full of, what else, rubber ducks. Jackie's winning essay is
below. "Duckplanet was
a place I never expected to find when I began my collection just
over two years ago. To me, the prospect of collecting rubber
ducks was bizarre (or, so that’s what my peers often reminded me
of.) Never would I expect once I came to visit this site for the
first time I’d be experiencing such joy and creating memories
with such wonderful people. Goodbye
Douglas Labidee
Duckplanet.com is deeply saddened to report that friend and fellow duck collector Doug Labidee passed away on Thursday, November 23, 2006 due to complications following surgery. Over the course of 11 years of rubber duck collecting, Doug amassed one of the world’s premier collections of rubber and plastic toy ducks. He was also one of the most knowledgeable rubber duck collectors in the world. Goodbye, Doug. We miss you. Charlotte and Marcel
|
||
|
The Good, the Bad, and the
Not-so-Attractive: Stages of Rubber Duck Collecting
Every rubber duck collector seems to go through the same progression of stages from novice to advanced. I've spoken with enough rubber duck collectors to discern a pattern that I describe below. I suspect collectors of other things have similar experiences. The first stage of rubber duck collecting always seems harmless enough. Fledgling collectors receive their first rubber duck, like it, and then casually buy a few more while going about the course of their normal business. The second stage is when friends and acquaintances get in on the act and gift the fledgling collector with a few more. A lot of (admirably sane) people never get beyond this point. The third stage is when the fledgling collector begins to think to herself (or himself), "Hey, I'm a collector!" and starts to actively look for more ducks. The fourth stage is the stage where collectors' friends start to rib the collector about being a little "quacked-up" and the collector inevitably begins to look for other duck-minded people with whom to discuss their new hobby. A lot of people stumble across Duckplanet when they hit this stage! Most people don't get to the fifth stage, but this is the stage that is characterized by a sort of temporary insanity. Symptoms include mass acquisitions, overspending, aggressive duck hunting, and constant requests for information from other, more experienced, collectors. It's a good thing stage five doesn't usually last more than a few months! Almost everyone who gets to stage five will get to stage six. During stage six collectors buy or build furniture to accommodate the collection and rubber duck collecting feels like a natural part of life. The collector has a network of fellow collectors with whom to trade or share advice. Most people also start selling ducks at this point because they have inevitably accumulated extras. Most "serious" duck collectors are stage six collectors. During stages five and six the collector will begin to entertain day dreams of designing her or his own line or rubber ducks--only to have their hopes dashed because it typically costs over $10,000 to produce a unique duck through standard mass-manufacturing methods and the cost of copyrighting designs. The seventh stage is characterized by increased interest in the history and the preservation of rubber duckies. Ownership of a quality collection brings with it certain responsibilities after all. Minutiae and the finer points about rubber ducks are of great interest. At this point, collecting becomes more serious--but no less rewarding! You may not consider yourself an expert, but people are always coming to you for advice. If faced with the prospect of relocation, a duck collector in this stage will include space for duck display as a criterion for new living quarters. If you've read this far, you're probably a collector
yourself. What stage are you in? Remember, this is not a list of what
you
are "supposed" to do--but just a description of a trend. Have fun!
 Rempel's Drakey Duck (1950s) Common Misconceptions About Rubber Ducks
|
|
||||||||||
| Identi-Duckie
Rubber Duck Fieldguide Listed below are names and
descriptions for some of the most common types of rubber duckies. Each
type has many variations and has been manufactured by two or more
companies over the years. More duckies and information will be added
over time.
Other Useful Terms: cadillac duck: A raft-like rubber designed to carry one or more separate rubber ducks on his or her back. cadillac duck set: A cadillac duck plus ducklings. floater: A duck designed to float in a tub or pool. stander: A duck designed to stand or sit upright on a hard surface. squirter: A duck designed to squirt water through a tiny hole. Usually does not squeak. squeaker: A duck designed to make a squeaking sound. Usually has a slightly larger hole in that is molded or outfitted with a mechanism to make a squeaking sounds. sealed duck: A duck that has been sealed and has no holes to let air or water in or out. Usually does not squeak. However, some ducks do have completely internal squeaker mechanism. |
Tim
Beavinson of Vermont (USA) has two collections: tiki cups
and rubber ducks. Guess which one his kids like better!
Shopping for Rubber
Ducks??
If you are looking for rubber ducks to
buy, please check the favorite
links page for suggested places to look for ducks. Or, if you know
exactly what you're looking for, try posting a want ad on the
bulletin board, the Duck Fan Forum, on the Community page.
Duck Follies Sequel:
The Transmogrifier
Marcel put together another short rubber
duck animation. Since so many people wrote to say how much they enjoyed
the original Duck Follies
(Actually, just one guy; Thanks Burl), Marcel decided to make a sequel.
I would like to claim some credit also. I was responsible for turning
the "propeller" for each shot. Please do not torture yourself and try
to play this unless you have a fast internet connection. To the rest of
you, enjoy The
Transmogrifier.
|
Duckplanet Gear On Sale Now Show Your Love!!   See our store for more styles and more designs! Duckplanet Gear including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, tote bags, and stickers are now on sale. Show the world your love of rubber duckies and of Duckplanet! Your purchase will go towards maintaining and the Duckplanet.com website. Shop Duckplanet Now! |