Recent acquisitions

[endogenylove]

Okay. I will post pictures when it arrives, along with the other animals I've ordered.

[Isurus]

lamprima adolphinae






cyclommatus metalifer finae










compared with Lucanus maculifemoratus maculifemoratus from Yujin insect of japan vol.1(middle one)



(It's not a real insect. It's a figure.)


Hello, I'm going to introduce you to a very real insect figure. It's not a product from a toy company, but it's by Artist Kim Do-yeop, who specializes in insect modeling. His works are mainly based on insects, and they are very artistic but also very realistic. He says he plans to produce and sell insect figures larger than the actual size, and is currently developing products.I'll let you guys know when I hear the good news.

[Advicot]

WOW, they are gorgeous 

[AnimalToyForum]

I wasn't chasing this but acquired it incidentally - the AAA leopard cub.

[bmathison1972]

I wasn't chasing this but acquired it incidentally - the AAA leopard cub.

now you can review it for the Blog 

[AnimalToyForum]

I will review it.

[Advicot]

I grew up with this and its melanistic sibling as well as lots of other AAA and ELC

[Aye-Aye Fan]

I recently got the Eikoh Miniature Planet Tamandua off eBay (https://schleichland.com/i/mp69094). Awaiting eight more from https://schleichland.com/ic/mfr-minitureplanet

[Advicot]

As you are also in the UK I'll investigate as I am on the hunt for certain Eikoh figures 

[Aye-Aye Fan]

As you are also in the UK I'll investigate as I am on the hunt for certain Eikoh figures 

Some of them are on eBay occasionally, this seller has quite a few: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/jubei88/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
I ordered mine via Brett off https://schleichland.com/ic/mfr-minitureplanet

[Advicot]

Thanks

[Isidro]

After a very long pause, I acquired my first figures since the pandemy started. I bought these Japanese figures via Brett, and he was very kind. His new source works as good as the older one.

First is the Colorata "Raptors of the world" set. It have 5 big birds of prey, all of them with wings and legs that needs to be assembled. All have also bases and sticks for display them, but those that know me knows that I display figures without bases when possible.

1. First one is the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The animal is soaring with the wings in a open-V shape, but the legs extended. The curvature of the wings is just magnific.





For size comparison with the Science & Nature (repainted) wedge-tailed eagle. Here the Colorata golden eagle also was slightly repainted, for example making lip commisures and painting the underside of wings. Wedgie is much bulkier than golden, but is not an important difference.


Also you can compare with the CollectA's Markhor as an animal that share the same habitat.


2. Then it comes the Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus), a species that cannot miss in a raptor set made by a Japanese brand. This is the heaviest member of the genus and the one with thicker bill. It's made in a landing position and with the bill open. Really superb model.



It comes with a salmon, supposedly the eagle is landing on a beached salmon for devoure it. The salmon is not bad, the head is very well shaped, but I cannot use it as a figure itself unless modifying it completely: one side have an eagle-foot shaped hole, for attachment, and the other side is flat (and without eye) for rest againts surface.


Maybe the Steller's sea eagle preys in other Japanese bird that allows a size comparison: the Takara Tomy's white crested ibis. The ibis is nesting and didn't saw the eagle approaching. Tough I would prefair that the eagle don't prey on an endangered species

[Isidro]

3. Maybe the most famous raptor of the world: the American bald eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). This figure is in a similar position than that of the golden eagle. Great for make it soar over your collections.






I've repainted the eyes (they had too much black rimmel around ) and repainted the throat white (it was yellow originally ), also with a cutter deleted the seam line of the bill.

Here for size comparison with other North American raptor: the Safari LTD's California condor. A dwarf California condor or a very big bald eagle, but also again not a striking difference.


And we can make the eagle preying on small native mammals such as the ringtail:

[Isidro]

4. The secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius. The only raptor of the set that doesn't belong to Accipitridae family. It's a magnific figure in a very dynamic position, stepping over a snake that comes in the base. The feathers of the nape are cylindrical, not widened at tips, but we can live with it. The worst issue is that the figure doesn't stand in its own feet - it must be put against anything that make support.





This figure have a decent size, unlike the more famous supergiant model of CollectA. See with other animal of the same habitat, the CollectA's springbok, for comparison.

[Isidro]

5. And what is undoubtely the star of the set: the fabulous Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) in a landing position, showing all its power. This species have the most powerful legs of all raptors. Somewhat needed for grasps monkeys and sloths quickly from branches in a dense jungle.




The harpy passes its time taking arboreal mammals and birds for itself or for its chicks.


Some dangerous encounter! Harpy wants to defend its newly hunted prey, but a jaguar is too much for fight! For size comparison (Schleich jaguar)


The harpy comes with a green iguana as base in the set, the bird is preying on the reptile.


The iguana itself is not bad. Once detached from base with a cutter, toes shaped with a cutter, crest shaped with a cutter, tail reshaped with a cutter, and repainted black bars on body, the iguana is so proud of itself that don't see the danger approaching! (Papo ocelot)


For size comparison with my only other lizard, also an iguana: Kaiyodo's Galapagos land iguana from Reptiles Lounge set.

[Isidro]

Once finished the Raptor set, we still have more figures in the same package!

6. Continuing with Colorata, this time two little gems from the Reptile set. First is the Boa constrictor, one of the most perfect boids made in toy form (after seeing tons of anacondas by western brands all of which have exaggerated scales at least):




All my snakes for now. The small ones are homemade.


Watch your steps, stupid tapir! You almost kick me! (for size comparison, Mojo Fun lowland tapir)


7. From the same set, the magnific Radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata):




For size comparison, with CollectA's Galapagos tortoise of the same genus. I would prefair the radiated tortoise was a bit smaller (and the boa too), but both are fine.


This is my first Madagascan animal! So I don't have any other Malagasy for compare with. But I hope I will have a fossa soon

[Isidro]

8. Still more surprises in the hat. Here comes a masterpiece too: Kaiyodo's Alaskan king crab (Paralithodes camtchaticus).





This is my first crustacean. I hope to get more crustaceans at same scale. It's very difficult to get crustaceans at same scale than big animals from western brands! Here all my arthropods (the insects are homemade):


For size comparison: with Colorata's bastard halibut...


with the first figure of my collection: Safari LTD's leopard shark. I don't know if both species cohabit or the leopard shark always is in warmer waters than the crab. Anyway both are found at North West Pacific.


And with other cold water pal: ribbon seal (customized from Schleich seal):

[Isidro]

9. And finally I left to the end the best of the figures: the super perfect Ikimon/Kitan Club/Nature Techni Colour Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) from the Salamander set.



Ikimon/Kitan figures often do not have the brand sculpted into the belly, as most other brands does.


This is my first branded amphibian, and here with my only other amphibian, a homemade olm:


For size comparison, with Papo gharial:

[bmathison1972]

welcome back Isidro - that's quite a haul

[Isidro]

A new batch, acquired somewhat impulsively after an alarm about the brand of them, that may be not survive the crysis that the pandemy provocked. I wanted to have all my remaining wished Southland Replicas figures before they become unavailable in the net.

1. Dingo (Canis dingo). The dog of controversial affinities that was bring by first conquers of Australia and became wild. The figure is really superb, the proportions of each part are really much better done than in many wild canids or domestic dogs from western brands. The pose is really magnific too, I love animals with a lifted leg as if they're walking slowly. However the fur is very plain, scarcely textured. Originally the figure have a white dot in each eye, supposedly representing the sun reflection, but I repainted the eyes so all reflections are only the natural ones.



This dingo is somewhat smaller than most western brand wild canids. Still the difference is not striking and works perfectly.


This scene was probably common during past centuries. Hey dog, get outta here! said the marsupial wolf, as she have a pup and became aggresive towards intruders. She don't know that more competitive dingos will substitute its whole species soon for became extinct forever!


2. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Being a too well known species it doesn't excite me so much, but anyway is a distinctive animal with unique appareance and very strange features, so I must have one. Western brands releasted countless koalas, but this one have the perfect size for me, while the others tend to be too big for my tastes. Also is absolutely well done and I love the pinkish spot in the lower mandible, a touch of realism on this model, as well as the black soles of the feet. The only flare is that (like other Southland models) it have very visible seams where arms join the body.




Oh no, Miss Wedgie will eat me and I'm very slow!
No, don't worry Miss Koala - said the eagle - I'm not hungry, I just have eaten a whole roadkilled kangaroo! So I will let you alive.
Oh thanks Miss Wedgie! Anyway you scare me so I will try to get out of here as quick as I can!
Yes I understand - said the eagle with a bit of sadness -. Nobody can trust a predator I guess.