I found Hoggle

[Hairfarmer]

Just an FYI for all interested. While traveling along Highway 72 through northern Alabama yesterday my wife and I stopped in a small town called Scottsboro, about halfway between Huntsville, AL and Chattanooga, TN. There is a special second-hand store there called Unclaimed Baggage. Everything they sell is, as the name suggests items from baggage that was lost or unclaimed and could not be returned to it's original owners. After 90 days, the airlines sell these bags/packages and their contents - unopened.

The store has a small area designated as it "Museum" containg articles that are so rare, or valuable that they do not sell them, but display them instead. Imagine my surprise when I saw the case pictured on this page of their website:
http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/museum.html

I took a few pictures myself, but haven't had a chance to get them in the computer yet. I made a point to give the manager the name of The Center For Puppetry Arts in Atlanta to contact about the pieces in the case.
Hopefully they can work-out getting the pieces to the Center' before they deteriorate more.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/museumitems.html This link sent me right to it.

My question is, they realize who the character is, but won't return it to JHC? What do they mean when they say it can't be returned to the owners when the address to JHC is available to them? Obviously, JHC doesn't care about it, but it's an awesome piece to own, and I hope someone can get it that can take better care of it!

BTW: Gang: This is what happens if you don't exfoliate and moisturize daily!

 

[crazy ernie]

The rotting Hoggle puppet scares me! If the Center of Puppetry Arts gets it, I hope they restore him.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Here's another picture:

http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/interestingstuff.html
click on "May I help you unpack?"

 

[Hairfarmer]

My understanding is that the airline(s) spend 90 days of intensive(thier words) working trying to find the owner of an unclaimed bag or parcel. If by the end of those 90 days the owner can't be found, the bag is sold unopened, so they would have no idea what the contents were when they sold it. I also believe the items are sold in an auction-like manner. I also wish the Center' could restore him, but having volunteered there when I lived in the Atlanta Area, I know that is not the case. They don't have the funding to be able to create accurate re-productions of the foam latex portions of the creature. and without that ability it falls to a question of how well they can keep it from rotting any more. Unfortunately the nature of foam latex is such that it dry-rots within a relatively short time period, if not archivally contained. The Center already has UrSol - The Chanter, one of the Mystics, from the Dark Crystal, but can't display him because of the same deterioration. It is stored in a climate controlled storage room, with the hopes that they will, some day, be able to rebuild his latex parts and restore him. They do at least have some other Henson pieces, that are in museum-quality condition, on display including the Skeksis General with his sword from the "Trial By Stone".

http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/museumitems.html This link sent me right to it.

My question is, they realize who the character is, but won't return it to JHC? What do they mean when they say it can't be returned to the owners when the address to JHC is available to them? Obviously, JHC doesn't care about it, but it's an awesome piece to own, and I hope someone can get it that can take better care of it!

BTW: Gang: This is what happens if you don't exfoliate and moisturize daily!

 

[Infinity Sirius]

What I would like to know is how it got there in the first place. JHC is very particular about where their Muppets and artifacts go. They hardly let anything out of their archives. Who was traveling with Hoggle? Who left him behind? And why has JHC not made a move to recollect him?

 

[lollmorley]

Poor Hoggle. Mind you, I'd assumed he had long since passed, so at least he's found somewhere nice and quiet to spend his retirement years! It would be great if someone could get hold of him so he could be restored!? Where do you think he was on his way to?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

They do at least have some other Henson pieces, that are in museum-quality condition, on display including the Skeksis General with his sword from the "Trial By Stone".

I was in Atlanta several years ago and REALLY wanted to stop by the Center but never got to. I think we did go by there and it was closed. I think.

 

[Infinity Sirius]

Stars, Hoggle looks Scary!

 

[Krazedmuppet]

that is soooo incredibly sad....... I mean really, thats a peice of film history, and its rotting away at some musem for people who dont claim baggage...... I mean, Im sure they recieved it in ALOT better shape than that... its just sickining, dang, you find something like that, thats valuble, and working puppet (I mean, he was AWSOME the anamatronics that went into him?!), lots of work and $ went into it... then you let it rot away?! I dont thin so, stupid people, I think it should get taken by someone who wuld restore it and keep it nice, what have they been doing to it?! dont get it....