I want to buy a working model volcano, ideally a replica of Mount
Fuji, that is very grand and beautiful and preferably can erupt.
Something that could take up some space. I don't want a make-your-own
volcano kit or something that looks cheap. I want something
spectacular. The closest I found was WE46603-00 (search for it). It's
$299 but it doesn't look particularly luxurious and doesn't seem to
erupt. Please help! Thank you.

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Request for Question Clarification by cath-ga on 24 Oct 2002 13:00 PDT

Hi manbefree,

how much do you want to spend? Would you be willing to commission a sculpture?
cath-ga

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Clarification of Question by manbefree-ga on 24 Oct 2002 13:11 PDT

I guess I could spend up to $1000 each if it's really nice, and looks
like Mt. Fuji, and erupts; also I would be willing to purchase two or
maybe three of them. I'd like to get it soon, though. Thanks!

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Request for Question Clarification by cath-ga on 24 Oct 2002 13:21 PDT

Hi manbefree,

thanks for your quick response.Some more info would help me: is
bronze-color
OK, or do you want it painted? How soon would you like it? What
setting will
it be in? Is it mainly decorative or educational? Transportation costs
will be
hefty, maybe you should tell me where you are? Do you definitely want
three? Thanks, cath-ga

Dear manbefree,

I think I have found a really good source for your erupting Mt. Fujis.

Rocky Mountain Sculpture and Design:

http://www.rocknsculpture.com/


This Wyoming company does large sculptures of all kinds of things.
Take a look at their site, and you will see- they range from realistic
to
Disney-esque. Look under Rocks and Waterfalls on the site and you'll
see
a "Devil'sTower" that is not too different from Mt. Fuji. You'll also
see waterfalls that are not so different from lava flows.

I spoke with Joseph at the firm and asked if you could get a Mt. Fuji
for $1,000 each. He said probably, depending on what materials you
wanted.
I couldn't question him further because the cell connection was lost.
The contact info for the company is this: 
 
    
Rocky Mountain
Sculpture & Design
1-307-231-1957
P.O. Box 73
Pinedale, WY 82941
e-mail: rmsnd@wyoming.com 

If this contact doesn't work, let me know, but this is a father-son
team that has been doing this since 1973, so I think they can do the
job.
Good luck with your interesting acquisition! Cath-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by manbefree-ga on 24 Oct 2002 14:41 PDT

Hi,
Thanks for both the idea of commissioning a sculpture, and for the
link. If you could also give me either another link for the NY/NJ/CT
area or a general webs ite or search terms to find other sculptors,
I'd appreciate it. And I'm assuming you no longer need clarification
on the other questions (got that at the same time as your answer)?
Thanks.

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Clarification of Answer by cath-ga on 24 Oct 2002 16:41 PDT

Hi manbefree,

Here is the Google results page for “online sculpture gallery:”

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&q=online+sculpture+gallery&spell=1

Here is the page for “sculpture by commission:”
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=sculpture+by+commission&btnG=Google+Search

Here is the Google search results page for “New York sculptors:”

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=new+york+sculptors

Here is the Google search results page for “New York sculpture:”
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=new+york+sculpture

This is the Google search results page  for “sculptor New York”
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=88457

Here is the address for the results page for “New Jersey sculptor”

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=+new+jersey+sculptor

Here is the site for “New Jersey sculpture:”

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=+new+jersey+sculpture

New Jersey sculptor: 

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=new+jersey+sculptor

The Google search results page for “Connecticut sculptor:”

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=connecticut+sculptor

Here’s the page for “Connecticut sculpture:”

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=connecticut+sculpture

It’s too bad you are not in Hawaii, but perhaps you’re going there?
There are a lot of artists there, and the Asian influence might get
you a nice rendering of Mt. Fuji. I noticed a lot of sculptors in
Volcano Village, Hawaii.  Good luck and I hope this helps.
Let me know if you need further help.  cath-ga

Didn't find what I needed, but possibly because it doesn't exist. The
alternative suggestion was great, however, as were the helpful search
links.

Hi manbefree,

thanks for your kind rating! I received this e-mail yesterday from 
the first contact I gave you. Sounds like he's interested.

Thank you for your inquiry.  
   I have done replicas of mountains before.  I will need
further information as far as scale (height, weight,
etcetera..) detail, and materials (if the client has an
idea) to generate cost estimations.  
   I will call you early next week to see if you were able
to gather any more information.

Best regards,
Joseph Kautza
Rocky Mountain Sculpture and Design

Shall I tell him you want someone closer to home, or that you'll contact
him?
Thanks, cath-ga

I've given it more thought and decided a sculpture would be beyond my
abilities to make sure it is realistic and capable of erupting. I'd
really like to buy a pre-made thing. You haven't found anything of
that sort, have you? Thanks.

Dear manbefree,

I only noticed your last comment yesterday, so have not been ignoring
you.
I did another hour searching all the high-end toy stores: FAO
Schwartz,
Zany Brainy, Sharper Image, also Neiman Marcus and Marshall Fields
hoping
they’d have a special Christmas catalog item. No luck. 

I also searched all the models on Volcano World, the premier on-line
source of Volcano Information:

http://www.volcanoworld.org/

Also no luck. I guess maybe somewhere in the world a pre-made erupting
Mt. Fuji exists, but perhaps it's just not on the Internet.

Joe Kauza of Rocky Mountain sculpture did leave me a phone message
today asking for your details. I really feel confident he can do the
job you want, based on his website. He would also know who to got to
for the mechanical
erupting aspect. If you are afraid it would be too Disney-esque, just
be very specific about the materials. I found this site this morning:

Hubbard Scott Earth Science teaching tools.

http://www.shnta.com/dd/EarthScience/3022.htm

Go to the page on igneous rock specimens. They have real pumice and
volcanic ash, obsidian, etc. Or you could simply go to Michael’s
Crafts and pick out some
really beautiful polished stones.

If you don’t want to use Kauza, or a sculptor, my other suggestion
would be
to find a really handy crafts person (perhaps through your Michael’s
crafts
store.) You could advertise for someone to build this for you. Perhaps
you could
buy one of the ugly scientific kits and they could embellish it with
beautiful
materials.

Anyway, good luck! Sorry I didn't find the pre-made one. Once you get
it, this should be a real conversation piece. cath-ga