News:

The official blog of the Animal Toy Forum is now LIVE! Check it out at Animal Toy Blog!

Main Menu

Disclaimer: links to Ebay.com and Amazon.com on the Animal Toy Forum are often affiliate links, when you make purchases through these links we may make a commission.

avatar_bmathison1972

Bugs n' Jug (Imperial Toy Corporation)

Started by bmathison1972, May 27, 2017, 02:57:41 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

bmathison1972

Review of the complete set of Bugs n' Jug by the Imperial Toy Corporation (Imperial Toys, as it's often referred to on this forum) from 1990. The set consists of 12 beetle figures, a pamphlet, plastic forceps, a small magnifying glass, and a small mesh insect net, and the whole set came in a plastic jar. The set was clearly designed to introduce children to insects and promote insect collection!

The figures are on average about 30 mm long and a slightly soft rubber/plastic, characteristic of many vintage figures. Some represent interesting and bizarre families; half I still cannot confidently place. I have been holding off posting this until I could confidently identify everything but finally decided to post them, in hopes maybe someone can recognize some.

I have 'knock-off' figures of a few of these, although I am not sure who came first (I do not know how 'original' Imperial Toys tended to be...). Each figure is marked on the underside with their vintage 'crown' stamp but no name, common or scientific.

Group shot with pamphlet:

photo uploading

Individual beetles, the 'known' species to families followed by the unknowns:

1. Wedge-shaped beetle, family Ripiphoridae. This is a neat one, and to my knowledge the only member of this family in toy form (not including potential knock-offs--I think I have seen one on eBay).

photo uploading

2. Stag beetle, family Lucanidae. Nothing exciting and probably too generic to ID further...

photo uploading

3. Click beetle, family Elateridae. This figure actually has a prosternal process sculpted on the underside, solidifying its placement in Elateridae (my specialty group!). I also have a lavender-colored knock-off of this guy.

photo uploading

4. Tumbling flower beetle, family Mordellidae. Like the ripiphorid above, another unique one at the family level!

photo uploading

5. Primitive weevil, family Brentidae. I have a few of these in various sizes but all influenced from one another. I have yet to hunt down the genus or species but it looks familiar...

photo uploading

6. Giraffe weevil, Trachelophorus giraffa, family Attelabidae. This figure is identifiable by its shape, but it really should be red instead of green. The only figure in the set I can currently identify to the species level.

photo uploading

7. Unknown #1. The shape suggests Chrysomelidae but the mandibles are unusual...(Histeridae?)

photo uploading

8. Unknown #2. I am pretty sure this is a flea beetle (Chrysomelidae: Alticini). In the U.S. one might consider the genus Orthaltica!

photo uploading

9. Unknown #3. This is most-certainly a fungus beetle of some kind, probably in the family Erotylidae or Endomychidae (maybe a glorified Tritoma?).

photo uploading

10. Unknown #4. Another possible chrysomelid? Very generic; the form is actually dytiscid-like but the antennae are awfully long.

photo uploading

11. Unknown #5. I have seen this general morphotype a few times in toy form. I always considered them checkered beetles (Cleridae), but who can say?

photo uploading

12. Unknown #6. This one strikes me as a possible member of Tenebrionidae. Maybe a glorified Bolitophagus?

photo uploading



widukind

Very interesting. You collect the same style what i prefer. Do you know other sets of that brand?

bmathison1972

#2
Quote from: widukind on May 27, 2017, 11:31:47 AM
Very interesting. You collect the same style what i prefer. Do you know other sets of that brand?

Sorry Andreas I do not. I know of individual large figures but no sets of small bin-style. Surely they have more, and I assume lots of non-insects.

EDIT: After I responded I went to the US eBay and found a couple farm animal sets:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Imperial-Toy-Farm-Animal-Play-Set-29-Pcs-2009-Sealed-/322515407330?hash=item4b176a91e2:g:YTMAAOSwFMZWq3Cz

and

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Imperial-Creatures-of-the-World-Farm-Animals-21-Piece-Play-Set-New-in-Bag-/322518966735?hash=item4b17a0e1cf:g:PPIAAOSwEzxYUzi7

widukind

Quote from: bmathison1972 on May 27, 2017, 01:55:49 PM
Quote from: widukind on May 27, 2017, 11:31:47 AM
Very interesting. You collect the same style what i prefer. Do you know other sets of that brand?

Sorry Andreas I do not. I know of individual large figures but no sets of small bin-style. Surely they have more, and I assume lots of non-insects.

EDIT: After I responded I went to the US eBay and found a couple farm animal sets:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Imperial-Toy-Farm-Animal-Play-Set-29-Pcs-2009-Sealed-/322515407330?hash=item4b176a91e2:g:YTMAAOSwFMZWq3Cz

and

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Imperial-Creatures-of-the-World-Farm-Animals-21-Piece-Play-Set-New-in-Bag-/322518966735?hash=item4b17a0e1cf:g:PPIAAOSwEzxYUzi7

Thank you :)

bmathison1972

@Beetle guy have you seen this post? Maybe you can put a name on something starting at figure number 7?!?  ::)

thanks!