Here’s something a little different, and not an actual toy, but worth taking a look at anyway. This is a ceramic sturgeon by Wade Ceramics, a pottery manufacturer operating out of Stoke-on-Trent, England. Wade Ceramics got its start in the 1950’s and produced ceramic figurines up until 2018. In 1967 Wade Ceramics entered a partnership with the American Rose Red Tea company who started including Wade figures in their boxes of tea.
ANIA Blind Box Series 3 (Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)
4.7 (3 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
ANIA is a line of animal figures released under Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. catered towards educating children about wildlife. These figures are highly detailed, inexpensive, and often accurate to the animals they are made to portray. The line has gained popularity in Japan, with them branching out to releasing bath bombs with little animals, gashapons, and blind boxes.
Brown Bear Roaring (AAA)
4.6 (7 votes)
Once more we delve into the “Winter Wonderland”, to a creature that sleeps during this time of cold and hardships, the bear. These carnivorans are fairly successful, thanks to their ability to tackle any food, be it fauna or flora, to build themselves up for hibernation in the cold winter months.
Backyard Birds TOOB (Safari Ltd.)
4.5 (6 votes)
Birds are without question the most prevalent tetrapod vertebrates in today’s world and for many people, especially in urban settings, birds are the most intimate link to the natural world available. Step outside, no matter where you are, you’re likely to see or hear a bird. Even as a write, I can see about a dozen birds at my bird feeder.
Red-eared Slider, baby (Primary Turtles in Colour by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)
3.3 (3 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are a semi-aquatic species of turtles (in some places, they are also known as terrapins). They are found in most freshwater habitats of North America, including the southern United States and Northern Mexico. Juveniles are typically a green colour with a ‘red ear’ (hence the name) but as they get older, they turn to more of a brownish colour and the red ear fades.
Brown-Throated Sloth (Wild Life by Schleich)
4.9 (7 votes)
In recent years, the brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) has seemingly exploded in popularity. It has become a mascot for people that admire or emulate its laid-back, solitary, inactive lifestyle. In addition to that, it’s also unquestionably adorable. This popularity, no doubt accelerated by the internet, movies, and TV shows, has generated a glut of sloth themed merchandise.
Reindeer (Wild Life by Schleich)
4.3 (4 votes)
Review and images by suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The holiday season is upon us once again after what has been a truly difficult and tragic year for everyone on planet Earth. And there are still more hardships lying ahead of us in 2021. We must all stay safe, strong, calm, well-informed, and above all, hopeful.
Reindeer (Early Learning Centre)
3 (1 votes)
Well, the holiday season is upon us, and Christmas is just around the corner, so I thought I’d do a review of an animal that is quintessential to the holiday. And I can think of no better than the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), famous for carrying Santa’s sleigh.
Monarch (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.5 (2 votes)
Today I will be continuing the reviews of Papo’s 2020 arthropods with the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus. This is one of 5 insects (6 arthropods total) produced by Papo in 2020. Interestingly, it is the only arthropod in their entire collection to-date that is not naturally European, given that Papo is a French company (more on that later).
Ladybug (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.3 (3 votes)
In 2016, Papo released their first two arthropods, a European wolf spider (a.k.a., tarantula) and a fat-tailed scorpion, which probably represent the best spider and scorpion figures outside of Japan (and the wolf spider may just be the best spider figure, period!). For someone like me who, at the time, only collected arthropods, this was a welcome sign!
Eastern Bluebird (Wild Republic Audubon Birds by K&M International)
4.3 (3 votes)
It was August 16th, 2004, a dry hot and sunny day. I was working as a farmhand in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. On that particular day I was driving a tractor down an old dusty dirt lane running between two pastures used for grazing beef cattle. The tractor was an Allis Chalmers WD model produced some time in the 1940-50’s.
Red Swamp Crayfish (Living Things Series by Fujimi Mokei)
4.7 (3 votes)
Today I am reviewing a model kit by Fujimi Mokei in their Living Things Series collection. The subject of the review is the red swamp crayfish (also called the Louisiana crayfish), Procambrus clarkii, which is No. 24 in the series. The kit was released earlier this year. Forum member Isurus reviewed another model kit in this series, the Chinese mantis, although that review featured a walkaround of the final, painted product whereas mine will take the reader on a step-by-step assembly process!