Retrospective on Hans Beck (Press Articles)

[playmofire]

My apologies Gordon, I wasn't commenting directly on your post, but on the Beck-Brandstatter situation generally.

No apology is necessary, Martin.

It's true that artists often if not usually get a raw deal on the fruits of their labours, and the money men get the lion's share, but as Ras points out Beck took no risk here, it was all with Brandstatter. Had Playmo failed to take off, as it very nearly did, Beck goes back to designing plastic toy telephones while Brandstatter has a big hole in his financial accounts.

Agreed, but risk taking is the entrepreneur's function and some you win and some you lose, but that shouldn't exclude the entrepreneur who wins showing generosity to the creator of his success.

The "appropriate financial reward" is what's in the contract. If Hans had focussed more on the money side of his life when he was designing, he would have got his appropriate reward. He didn't, and then when Playmo was a massive success, thought he should be rewarded in retro. Brandstatter didn't.

This isn't a personal criticism, Martin, but I think one of the big problems of today is the attitude of business to contracts and legalities.  Time and again you hear businessmen defending questionable activities with the words "But I haven't done anything illegal."  Recently, a Saville Row tailor admitted that the suits he was selling for hundreds of £s were 75% made in Kenya and the only work done here was minor stuff such as sewing on buttons, just enough work to account for 25% so that a Made in England label could be sewn in and the price increased to take advantage of that.  Suits from the same makers in Kenya in the same shop where all the work had been done in Kenya were being sold for about one quarter of the price.  OK, he wasn't breaking the law and maybe the law is one which needs looking at, but shouldn't ethics and fair practice be part of business?  Business depends on trust and when trust fails you get the mess we're in now with the banks.


I can feel sorry for Hans for not realising the massive success his figures would be, but I won't villify Brandstatter for taking the financial risk of developing it and enjoying his rewards.

I'm not criticising Horst Brandstatter for taking the risk and reaping the reward, but I am criticising him for what appears to be a meanness of spirit.

[Sylvia]

(moderators, you might think of splitting this discussion to a new thread as we're getting a bit off topic now)

Done!(...eventually.)
I had to remerge it and split it again because I forgot to give the topic a new name the first time!
Sorry if this caused any confusion.

[Richard]

Done!(...eventually.)
I had to remerge it and split it again because I forgot to give the topic a new name the first time!
Sorry if this caused any confusion.

I always hate to see a really good discussion topic split, as it often seems to "kill" the momentum and sometimes appears to "drain" the energy from the conversation.

However, my comment is only an observation and not a criticism.

And, one additional observation and comment: Sir Alec Guinness might be a bit amused to learn that Sir John Gielgud is being remembered here as the Star Wars hero and Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi ...

[Martin Milner]

I always hate to see a really good discussion topic split, as it often seems to "kill" the momentum and sometimes appears to "drain" the energy from the conversation.

However, my comment is only an observation and not a criticism.

And, one additional observation and comment: Sir Alec Guinness might be a bit amused to learn that Sir John Gielgud is being remembered here as the Star Wars hero and Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi ...

LOL well you know these knighted actors, they all look the same. 

I stand corrected.

[Bill Blackhurst]

As stated in the article, at the time that the small figures we have grown to love, were produced in a time similar to now, during an oil crisis, & financial disaster! Hans Beck was given a project to save the company for whom he worked from impending doom. Luckily he hit a home run for the company! In those times, there weren't the same bonuses or compensation packages as in today's time. But, there is a sense of greed surrounding Horst Brandstatters' position, if he didn't appreciate the significant contribution made by a talented employee, & compensate him for his efforts by not sharing the proceeds in the following years. In regards to the other position, the original toy design was not favored as a success in its early stages, & had to be given a chance in which the company had to struggle to accomplish in that era.

[Richard]

LOL well you know these knighted actors, they all look the same. 
 

Ain't that the truth ... 

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[Little Jo]

... and somehow look like your avatar ... Obi-Richard 

[Richard]

... and somehow look like your avatar ... Obi-Richard 

OMG ... Little Jo ... 

Now you know our true identities ... 

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[CountBogro]

well, you both are the two wise men of the forum 

[Little Jo]

Now you know our true identities ... 

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