BlueKrono's Collections

[BlueKrono]

How would one know? Do you know what kind of markings the PVs had underneath?

Play Visions are marked with a PV in a circle, somewhere on the body (alongside, but not always near, the animal name and reference number)

Some, like their dinosaurs, do not have the markings as they were from a different company, and just reused by PV (rather than making their own--and the lack of quality is telling).

Ah, then it must not be. All it says is "China", the recycling symbol, and the letter "F". Other bats that appear to be from the same company have other letters.

[sbell]

How would one know? Do you know what kind of markings the PVs had underneath?

Play Visions are marked with a PV in a circle, somewhere on the body (alongside, but not always near, the animal name and reference number)

Some, like their dinosaurs, do not have the markings as they were from a different company, and just reused by PV (rather than making their own--and the lack of quality is telling).

Ah, then it must not be. All it says is "China", the recycling symbol, and the letter "F". Other bats that appear to be from the same company have other letters.

I missed that part--Play Visions did make a bat set (6 instead of 8 figures for...some reason?). It is very possible that the bat could be a knock off. I've seen their sharks, whales, dolphins, wild cats, bears and wild dogs (+hyena) all redone (poorly) by nameless bin-toy makers.

[bmathison1972]

How would one know? Do you know what kind of markings the PVs had underneath?

Play Visions are marked with a PV in a circle, somewhere on the body (alongside, but not always near, the animal name and reference number)

Some, like their dinosaurs, do not have the markings as they were from a different company, and just reused by PV (rather than making their own--and the lack of quality is telling).

Ah, then it must not be. All it says is "China", the recycling symbol, and the letter "F". Other bats that appear to be from the same company have other letters.

I missed that part--Play Visions did make a bat set (6 instead of 8 figures for...some reason?). It is very possible that the bat could be a knock off. I've seen their sharks, whales, dolphins, wild cats, bears and wild dogs (+hyena) all redone (poorly) by nameless bin-toy makers.

...and their crabs and spiders, too!

[BlueKrono]

More incidentals...

Butterflies


Hymenopterans


Beetles & roaches


Other insects


Cephalopods


Arachnids


Slugs (including limbed ones)


Other inverts


Fish


Sharks & rays


Birds


Lions


Other cats


Canids


Bears


Wild ungulates


Domestic ungulates


Rats


Other mammals

[BlueKrono]

Cetaceans


Pinnipeds


Primates


Platypuses


Moles & shrews


Frogs


Salamanders


Lizards


Snakes


Crocodilians


Chelonians

[widukind]

Very nice and interesting.

[brontodocus]

Ah, the MBA Grey Whale calf! That one has become increasingly rare. The Tennessee Aquarium Collection salamanders are great, especially the Crested Newt. It was not easy for me to find one! The big red salamander looks familiar, I think we have discussed this figure (possibly in an other colouration?) here before but I have apparently forgotten what brand it was. I think Sean may have posted it before. Oh, by the way, there is one figure among them that looks a bit more like an emaciated chameleon (the one with the peculiar ridges on the head). I don't think I've seen that one before.

[BlueKrono]

I would love to get the adult too! To me these are the quintessential Greys. I've had the newt since I was very young. It caught my interest then and I still think it's a fantastic figure. The big red salamander is K&M brand. It's extremely susceptible to paint loss, as you can see. The base material is soft and rubbery, and the paint is almost like a thin latex. Comes off with little more than a touch. Which chameleon were you talking about? Only two of these are definitely chameleons - the two at the hands and feet of Isamot Kol.

[brontodocus]

I would love to get the adult too! To me these are the quintessential Greys. I've had the newt since I was very young. It caught my interest then and I still think it's a fantastic figure. The big red salamander is K&M brand. It's extremely susceptible to paint loss, as you can see. The base material is soft and rubbery, and the paint is almost like a thin latex. Comes off with little more than a touch. Which chameleon were you talking about? Only two of these are definitely chameleons - the two at the hands and feet of Isamot Kol.

The one I meant was the strange figure berween the Crested Newt and the big K&M salamander. Somehow that one doesn't look like a salamander and the ridges on the head almost look like a chameleon's casque, at least from above. Oh, and the adult MBA Grey Whale is still in production so it should be easy to get.

[BlueKrono]

Ah, that weirdo. I call it a salamander because of the costal grooves. No idea what species it's supposed to represent though. This sculpt has been around for a long time. You can find it in just about any bin of cheap Halloween novelties along with rats, bats and spiders in October.



And to continue:

Wetas (are there more than this?)


Shark, unknown manufacturer


Safari Cecropia caterpillars


Totally awesome McFarlane crab man



Flourescent fish, unknown manufacturer


A well-loved, small Safari silverback gorilla


Some birds-on-a-string, sans strings


AAA "Lizard" and XX Collared Lizard


Crocodile, unknown manufacturer. Chipped my tooth on the metal hinge of this guy's jaw when I was a kid. So that's memorable.


Some extra-terrestrial rodent men

[brontodocus]

Yes, that was the figure I meant. Wow, from the side it looks even weirder! Science & Nature have also made a Weta as part of their Animals of New Zealand series (I think it's still in production). Oh, and I'm really envious of your Smithsonian Collection Cecropia Moth caterpillars!

[BlueKrono]

Interesting. I can find no trace of the NZ set online. The Cecropias are a particular favorite of mine. I searched for them for years, then finally found these on eBay. Cecropias are my favorite caterpillar, probably because of this figure. The detail is great - I'm no entomologist, but you can see the 'spiracles' and all the mouthparts. They are wonderfully large - probably double life size. I always liked the pair, but I'd be willing to trade one for something really special.

[brontodocus]

Interesting. I can find no trace of the NZ set online. The Cecropias are a particular favorite of mine. I searched for them for years, then finally found these on eBay. Cecropias are my favorite caterpillar, probably because of this figure. The detail is great - I'm no entomologist, but you can see the 'spiracles' and all the mouthparts. They are wonderfully large - probably double life size. I always liked the pair, but I'd be willing to trade one for something really special.

Oh, yes, maybe we can find something to trade in the future. I'm still looking for one of the Cecropia Moth caterpillars! The Smithsonian Collection figures were (I think with the exception of only the flea) all meant to be 2:1 scale, yes. The Science and Nature Weta is available e.g. from Minizoo: http://www.minizoo.com.au/products/Giant-Weta.html

[BlueKrono]

Were the Smithsonians made under the auspices of Safari, or was I confused?

[brontodocus]

Were the Smithsonians made under the auspices of Safari, or was I confused?

The Smithsonian Collection is a retired figure series by Safari Ltd, yes. It has been replaced by the Hidden Kingdom series which has some nice but less awesome figures. Safari had several other excellent animal figure series that are now discontinued, e.g. Tennessee Aquarium Collection, Vanishing Wild Collection, Carnegie Collection, etc.

[bmathison1972]

BlueKrono,

If you'd part with the dark weta on the right, I'd def buy it from you

And if not, can you tell me who made it and when?

By the way, the S&N weta is available here (and they ship to the US): http://www.minizoo.com.au/products/Giant-Weta.html

[stargatedalek]

BlueKrono,

If you'd part with the dark weta on the right, I'd def buy it from you

And if not, can you tell me who made it and when?

By the way, the S&N weta is available here (and they ship to the US): http://www.minizoo.com.au/products/Giant-Weta.html

It's from the 2005 King Kong line.

[BlueKrono]

I'd like to hold onto any Wetas I've got for sure. This one was from the V-rex set which I got in a store but haven't seen for sale much online recently, but there's a seller in Italy who's listed it for north of $50.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/King-Kong-2005-Movie-Kong-Vastatosaurus-Rex-8th-Wonder-World-Playmates-T-Rex-/112234784775?hash=item1a21b6e807:g:6~gAAOSwImRYGiLR

Apparently it also came with Gripping Kong.
http://toyconnect.blogspot.com/2012/02/playmates-66006-vastatosaurus-rex.html
http://toyconnect.blogspot.com/2012/01/playmates-66002-gripping-kong.html

[BlueKrono]

Big mouth frogs and toads, including an interesting Hairy Frog (Trichobatrachus robustus) on the left


A favorite of mine - Safari's Dendrobates histrionicus

[Bubbly]

Absolutely fantastic collection! Where did you get the Axolotl? I've been looking for one and found nothing.

Thank you