WARNING: This review contains spoilers on the contents of the June SquintBox. If you're a subscriber (or looking to subscribe) and want your box to remain a mystery, stop reading now.
Monthly subscription services are all the rage these days. There's everything from meals and snacks to toys and collectibles, all delivered to your front door for a fee. Aside from the convenience, the real fun with these types of services is the element of surprise: you never know what you're going to get each month. While most collectors are familiar with services such as Loot Crate and Funko's Marvel/Star Wars Boxes, a new service caught my attention back in May (read our story HERE). Called SquintBox (mysquintbox.com), the unique monthly service specializes in hand-crafted miniatures. Priced at $29.95 per month, SquintBox offers up to six quality 1/12th scale miniature items, including a spotlight on a featured miniaturist.
But aren't these essentially doll house items? While we do tend to focus more on licensed collectibles here on Figures.com, we're also intrigued by the many art-inspired projects out there. There's a lot of figure diorama potential with miniature replicas, and the intimate hand-crafted nature behind SquintBox's items is fascinating. To find out more on what SquintBox subscribers can expect each month, the company kindly provided a sample of their June Launch Box.
Each month's SquintBox arrives in an adorable bow-tied package elegantly wrapped in blue-stamped tissue paper. Right from the start you can tell that a lot of love and care goes into each SquintBox. While attractive and featuring a somewhat retro design, the colors do lend the package a more feminine vibe. Women might very well be the target audience for this service, but as a past secret admirer of my sister's doll house miniatures, I like to think that there are just as many male miniature collectors out there as well. Far from a turnoff, I just feel a more neutral, sophisticated packaging design would have a broader appeal.
Cracking open the lid on the box, the air of mystery is thick. What's inside? A tiny pamphlet provides your first clue, the booklet welcoming you to SquintBox and it's monthly miniature delights. Celebrating the launch of Squintbox is spotlight miniaturist Michael Yurkovic of Atomic Miniature (atomicminiature.com). Mr. Yurkovic's miniature specialty is Atomic Age objects and his contribution to SquintBox is a retro cool ash tray, an ash tray inspired by one straight from the set of Mad Men. SquintBox subscribers will have a chance to win this special limited edition (only 50 made!), signed and dated MCM ash tray as a prize during the month of July! Follow SquintBox on Facebook and Twitter for updates!
The minis in this month's SquintBox come polybagged and hidden in a matchbook-sized cardboard header. There's one for "Food", another for "Drinks", and a third pack that remains a mystery. Food serves up a scrumptious looking blueberry pie, while drinks delivers a Classic Cosmo with lemon twist. I know one of my action figures on display is gonna be making a toast soon - the mini drink is amazing. Also filed under drinks is a bottle of wine. While wonderful looking, the bottle strikes me as slightly out of scale and too small.
The mystery pack contains three items: a vintage magazine, two candles and... a household extension cord (!). The tiny copy of Cosmopolitan is nifty, the candles are... odd, and while an extension cord is even odder, I can appreciate the utter randomness of its inclusion.
I'm no expert on the miniature collectible scene, but $29.95 strikes me as fairly reasonable for SquintBox, especially considering each item's hand-made nature. Miniature collectibles are certainly not for everyone, but there are a great many out there that do appreciate the tiny treasures. If you're looking for something fun and new to surprise you each month, you can't go wrong with SquintBox. For further details and to subscribe, visit mysquintbox.com.
Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor
Review Sample Courtesy of SquintBox
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