Statue scales explained: 1/3, 1/4, 1/6 and what fits on your shelf
The scale tells you how big a piece is compared with the character. A 1/4 scale statue is a quarter of the real height. It sounds simple, and yet most collectors have ordered a piece that did not fit the shelf it was bought for.
How to read a scale
Divide the height of the character by the second number. A character 180 cm tall (5 ft 11 in) comes out like this:
| Scale | Figure height | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1/1 | 180 cm / 71 in | Life-size busts and statues |
| 1/2 | 90 cm / 35 in | Large centrepieces |
| 1/3 | 60 cm / 24 in | Premium statues |
| 1/4 | 45 cm / 18 in | The most common premium scale |
| 1/6 | 30 cm / 12 in | Articulated premium figures |
| 1/7 | 26 cm / 10 in | Anime scale figures |
| 1/8 | 22.5 cm / 9 in | Anime scale figures |
| 1/10 | 18 cm / 7 in | Smaller statue lines |
| 1/12 | 15 cm / 6 in | Action figures |
The scale is not the size
The number describes the character, not the product. A base, a raised weapon, a cape or wings can add half the height again, and a 1/4 statue of a giant is far bigger than a 1/4 statue of a child.
Always look for the product dimensions the manufacturer publishes: height, width and depth with the base. Width and depth are the ones that get forgotten, and they are what stops a door from closing.
How much room each scale needs
- 1/6 and 1/7 figures stand comfortably on shelves 30 to 35 cm high and 25 to 30 cm deep.
- A typical glass tower cabinet leaves 35 to 38 cm between shelves: enough for most 1/6 figures, and too low for nearly every 1/4 statue.
- 1/4 statues need 50 to 70 cm of height and 35 to 45 cm of depth. Removing a shelf from a tower cabinet is the usual answer.
- 1/3 statues need 70 to 90 cm of height, 50 cm of depth and a surface that takes 15 to 30 kg.
- Life-size busts are furniture: plan the place before you order.
Check the fit before you order
Measure the inside of the shelf, not the outside of the cabinet: the usable height between glass shelves, the inside width and the depth to the door. Leave two or three centimetres on every side to get the piece in without touching the glass.
Check the weight the shelf can carry. Glass shelves in tower cabinets are usually rated for a few kilograms, well below a polystone statue.
Mixing scales on a shelf
Pieces of the same scale look right together because the characters keep their proportions. If you mix scales, put the larger scale behind or on a different level, so the difference reads as distance and not as a mistake.