Recent acquisitions

[Gecko08]

Cool figures JimoAi. I need to get that Marble Ray sometime.

I received this Aliexpress Pufferfish today and am still open the suggestions regarding the species.



I went to an aquarium and bought some new figures.

Safari's Deep Sea Jelly (Genus Benthocodon)


Safari's Bonnethead Shark


Safari's Ocean Sunfish


And Lastly Safari's Manatee

[bmathison1972]

very nice @Gecko08 - I am contemplating that deep sea Safari jellyfish. How big is it?

some new arrivals in the last week:

For my 50th birthday earlier this month I treated myself to the CollectA cephalopods. I had originally not collected these, as I would prefer such critters to all be the same size as Kaiyodo, etc., but the more non-arthropod inverts I added to my collection, the more I realize that size and scale are out the window. So, here we are. Five of the taxa are unique. It now means I have two chambered nautilus figures in my collection, but that's OK.

Cooperoceras sp.
Passaloteuthis apicurvata
Orthoceras regulare
Pleuroceras sp.
Nautilus pompilius
Pravitoceras sp.



Next, the 1:1 bee hummingbirds by SO-TA. I got the flying male and perching female. The female also comes with a semicircle so it can be worn on the top of a finger, like a ring. These appear to be the first in a series of high-quality 1:1 figures; the dung beetles coming out in July are in the same line. Given they started with birds and then doing insects, makes me wonder if this will be a taxonomically diverse line (of small critters).



Lastly, three more 2022 Papo. Papo has been releasing their 2022 figures quite regularly already! Of the 11 I wanted, I now have 10 already (only the great tit has yet to be released):
1. Charloais cow (like the leatherback turtle, this was retired in 2019 and re-released in 2022)
2, African sea eagle
3. European stag beetle, and with a corrected head (promo pics showed the head upside down) - my next Blog review!

[Gwangi]

Oh wow, I really like that Charloais cow, definitely adding it to my list. You'll probably enjoy my next review. 

[bmathison1972]

Oh wow, I really like that Charloais cow, definitely adding it to my list. You'll probably enjoy my next review. 

I was on the fence about the cow initially, but WOW, in-hand it is really nice. This pic doesn't quite do it justice. Amazing sculpting and texture. I don't know how good the original was, but this re-release is stellar!

[Gwangi]

Oh wow, I really like that Charloais cow, definitely adding it to my list. You'll probably enjoy my next review. 

I was on the fence about the cow initially, but WOW, in-hand it is really nice. This pic doesn't quite do it justice. Amazing sculpting and texture. I don't know how good the original was, but this re-release is stellar!

Well the picture has me sold so I can imagine how great is looks in person.

[Gecko08]

I've identified this figure as Benthocodon hyalinus and at its widest, it's around 2.5 inches making it twice life-size. Despite its scale, I would recommend picking it up from Amazon. Cnidarians are hard to come by in figure form. Anyway here is a picture of it with a ruler. Also thanks for Identifying the Collecta Belemnite as Passaloteuthis. I will update my thread.

[bmathison1972]

I've identified this figure as Benthocodon hyalinus and at its widest, it's around 2.5 inches making it twice life-size. Despite its scale, I would recommend picking it up from Amazon. Cnidarians are hard to come by in figure form. Anyway here is a picture of it with a ruler. Also thanks for Identifying the Collecta Belemnite as Passaloteuthis. I will update my thread.

I got the CollectA belemnite name from an ATF/DTF forum member who got the info from CollectA themselves, so the ID should be sound 

that jelly is a good size for me I think, thanks!

[Isidro]

My newest additions, again by exchange with my friend @RtasVadumee

My yellow sponge was a success and he asked for another one for a friend. In exchange he sent me this stupendous ELECTRIC EEL (Electrophorus electricus) by Kaiyodo, it was in my wishlist.

Unfortunately the sponge resulted way smaller than the previous one so I'm doing a third one. I always had problems with doing correct sizes for my own models, as you may remember from other models I did.

But the electric eel is fabulous. Very well sculpted, with the ondulating anal fin, the flattened head, the tiny eyes and the rows of electric pores just in the perfect position, not to mention a totally accurate paintjob.




Here with my other eel, the ribbon moray (tough as you know, electric eels are not eels).


And here, my Amazonian fishes growing, now one more member welcome to the family

[Isidro]

But things doesn't end here. We also did a move that I found fun and nice, introducing the surprise element. I would send him a surprise homemade figure, and in return he send me a surprise branded figure of my taste. Knowing him, I chosed the European avocet, a bird that we talked about before and that is part of his childhood, and also a species that never would be done accurately by any brand because if any decides to do one, the bill would be always too thick.




He uses a different illusive scale for birds than for mammals while I try to keep everything more or less concordant. Knowing that, I did the avocet slightly bigger than my own Australian avocet done long ago. So, the new European avocet can fit good with the modern Papo water birds such as the grey heron and spoonbill.


And now here is in his collection already. He added a base to the figure in fear that it would fall and the bill can break.

[Isidro]

And now you would ask: but what he sent you in return for the avocet?
So... a very great figure from my wishlist: the unbeatable Papo cougar!!!!

That's de definite cougar undoubtely for my taste, even when I readed sometimes collectors not enough content and waiting for the release of a better one. But in my opinion a better one is almost impossible to do. The Papo cougar have everything: perfect size, a very interesting posture, correct proportions, very well done muscles and exquisite fur texture. The latter impressed me. The fur when looked from very close really looks like individual hairs sculpted, instead grooves impressed with a pin.



The new cougar is happy to meet the other Panamerican cats:


Also fits very well with other iconic USA animals:


While it have a decent paintjob, it could be done even better. I'm not a master of repainting felines like other forum members that did miracles with this very same model, however, what I did is at least an improvement in my opinion.

Before:


After:


I think the other side turned better, especially the black mark behind muzzle:

[JimoAi]

My newest additions, again by exchange with my friend @RtasVadumee

My yellow sponge was a success and he asked for another one for a friend. In exchange he sent me this stupendous ELECTRIC EEL (Electrophorus electricus) by Kaiyodo, it was in my wishlist.

Unfortunately the sponge resulted way smaller than the previous one so I'm doing a third one. I always had problems with doing correct sizes for my own models, as you may remember from other models I did.

But the electric eel is fabulous. Very well sculpted, with the ondulating anal fin, the flattened head, the tiny eyes and the rows of electric pores just in the perfect position, not to mention a totally accurate paintjob.




Here with my other eel, the ribbon moray (tough as you know, electric eels are not eels).


And here, my Amazonian fishes growing, now one more member welcome to the family

I just realized the electric eel is too small for me with the comparison with the arapaima

[EpicRaptorMan]

I still wanna find that arapaima.
It's Colorata, right, does it need assembly?

[Isidro]

It does not. None of the Colorata "fossil fish" set need assembly, unlike some of the fishes from other sets.

[EpicRaptorMan]

Newest ones:

Kakapo — Science & Nature
Red-Eyed Tree Frog — Safari Ltd.
Lumholtzs Tree Kangaroo — Southlands Replicas

[JimoAi]

While waiting for my stuff from Japan to arrive, I got myself this legacy collection brachiosaurus by Mattel. Since I'm back collecting Mattel jurassic, though now restricted to Hammond collection as well as the mosasaurus, I decided to get this huge girl as part of the side quest to complete the dinos from the original 1993 movie. 2 down and 5 to go. I've seen the pics of the Hammond collection trike and I'll say I'm saddened that it's undersized. Still, buying it though. Here's this behemoth compared to some 1:20 scale figures: pokemon scale worldtrainer red and Charizard as well as safari ltd pteranodon and sand tiger shark

[bmathison1972]

OMG that brachiosaur is enormous!!!!!!!!!!

[bmathison1972]

some new ones,

first the Eofauna Konobelodon atticus!

Next some Play Visions. First two from the Weasels collection, the marbled polecat and the tayra.

And finally....drum roll please...the LAST two of the figures from the Bees, Wasps, and Hornets collection, the sandhills hornet and tarantula hawk!! I should now have EVERY PLAY VISIONS ARTHROPOD! I can now retire LOL

[Ikessauro]

Great haul @bmathison1972 The Konobelodon is my favorite for sure, being prehistoric and so detailed.

I myself just received one of my most desired models. Perseverance in hunting it down paid off. Got this bad boy for just about 20 bucks plus shipping.

[EpicRaptorMan]

- Colorata Fossil Fish box (got it for the arapaima and alligator gar)
- Papo Hummingbird
- Papo Eurasian Spoonbill
- Papo African Sea Eagle
- Papo Emu & chick
- Mojo Gaur
- Mojo Ermine
- Safari Ltd. Raven
- Safari Ltd. Lorikeet
- Safari Ltd. Snub-nosed Monkey
- PNSO Thompson's Gazelle (first PNSO figure I think)

[bmathison1972]

- Colorata Fossil Fish box (got it for the arapaima and alligator gar)
- Papo Hummingbird
- Papo Eurasian Spoonbill
- Papo African Sea Eagle
- Papo Emu & chick
- Mojo Gaur
- Mojo Ermine
- Safari Ltd. Raven
- Safari Ltd. Lorikeet
- Safari Ltd. Snub-nosed Monkey
- PNSO Thompson's Gazelle (first PNSO figure I think)

Wonderful choices; I think I have all of them except the Papo emus