The Curious Compendium 2023-2025: The end!

[bmathison1972]

I am sorely behind on the "big 6" models, but those are definitely on the wishlist from CollectA! I just got the orthoceras randomly with my much more rare k&m/pv haul from recently. And the Japanese models can be harder to find for myself, but within the last year or so I have one ebay seller I like to use. I just haven't come across any of those in his inventory. But again, they're on the list! **I need to post my wishlist here but its enormous and easily described az overwhelming... despite my chipping away at it**

Ain't that just the way? I can't keep up with my wish list, it grows too fast. That's why I don't mind small or slow reveals from companies. In fact, they could all take a couple years off, I wouldn't mind.

I am up on everything (mainly because I get things when they released, namely because that's when quality is at its best). But I too don't mind small or slow reveals and would love a year when only a few things captured my interest. 

[Gwangi]

I am sorely behind on the "big 6" models, but those are definitely on the wishlist from CollectA! I just got the orthoceras randomly with my much more rare k&m/pv haul from recently. And the Japanese models can be harder to find for myself, but within the last year or so I have one ebay seller I like to use. I just haven't come across any of those in his inventory. But again, they're on the list! **I need to post my wishlist here but its enormous and easily described az overwhelming... despite my chipping away at it**

Ain't that just the way? I can't keep up with my wish list, it grows too fast. That's why I don't mind small or slow reveals from companies. In fact, they could all take a couple years off, I wouldn't mind.

I am up on everything (mainly because I get things when they released, namely because that's when quality is at its best). But I too don't mind small or slow reveals and would love a year when only a few things captured my interest. 

I'm a latecomer to the extant animal hobby so I try to focus more on what has been recently retired or is due to be retired rather than new releases. New figures will have a longer period of availability. It might mean paint quality decreases but I haven't noticed a tremendous drop-off in quality with too many figures, and nothing I can't usually look past. It's also getting to the point where I practically refuse to place orders unless I can take advantage of a sale or free shipping. All that said, I have children, so frivolous spending needs to be approached cautiously.

[sbell]

I am sorely behind on the "big 6" models, but those are definitely on the wishlist from CollectA! I just got the orthoceras randomly with my much more rare k&m/pv haul from recently. And the Japanese models can be harder to find for myself, but within the last year or so I have one ebay seller I like to use. I just haven't come across any of those in his inventory. But again, they're on the list! **I need to post my wishlist here but its enormous and easily described az overwhelming... despite my chipping away at it**

Ain't that just the way? I can't keep up with my wish list, it grows too fast. That's why I don't mind small or slow reveals from companies. In fact, they could all take a couple years off, I wouldn't mind.

Yeah, I'm okay with the reduced release schedules of most companies. I remember the anxiety of the massive CollectA releases as well as the huge array of Safari models.

And yet, they cost so much less then...

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I have gotten to be the same with announcements. There was just a point where I was trying to catch up to yearly releases with the big 6 (I did manage to with Schleich give  their world domination and Safari until the last 2 years I have not kept up given their staggered release schedule and stocking). Lately I uave either been tracking down old retired items (gotten quite a few grails in the last year!) or I get distracted by new budding companies like Toymany, TNG, etc. that I fumble across. So its a vicious cycle but I try!

I did look up the kaiyodo ammonites on ebay and there are only 3 and all are well out of my price range atm. But it'll happen someday!

Feel free to keep discussing releases and getting behind if you like- I enjoy this kind of discussion, but here is my next presentation batch:

Next up!


I don't have quite the same sentimental attachment to these species, but fish in general fascinate me and that extends from coelacanths and modern sharks to mawsoniid coelacanths (like this axelrodichthys) and prehistoric alien looking sharks!

[sbell]

Fun fact, only about half the species are actually sharks in the shark toob! The rest are holocephalans or related to them.
At the time they were still sharks, I think...

And keep your eyes out for the Kaiyodo ammonites (and there's an orthocone too). @brettnj could probably hook you up.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Thanks for the info!The prehistoric sharks and close relatives are intriguing to me but I didn't realize most of these had been moved out of that group.

I forgot to mention, one of my favorite professors in college was someone who worked quite a bit with helicoprion as it was a locally found species (one of few in the area I grew up, in Southeastern Idaho). Dr. Leif Tapanila (at the time) had quite a few incredible tooth whorls in the museum collection on campus! They were pretty special to see in person.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Another group of early animal oddities!


What comes to mind for these would be about turtles and their relatives. From what I was taught in college in my comparative evolution class is how problematic they are to classify! And also, how many times things have evolved to look like turtles (a lot- surprisingly!). Maybe some day something will be discovered that better explains how turtles and friends came to be.

[BlueKrono]

The Play Visions amphibians were ridiculously difficult for me to acquire ~10 years ago. They seem a bit more attainable now. I spent entirely too much on them. Hopefully they weren't too painful for you. 💸

[sbell]

The Play Visions amphibians were ridiculously difficult for me to acquire ~10 years ago. They seem a bit more attainable now. I spent entirely too much on them. Hopefully they weren't too painful for you. 💸

I remember a set selling for $800 in 2007. Same as the Battat Diplodocus a few months earlier.

I sold my set for about 200 near then. Managed to replace them eventually for far less.

There was some crazy things happening back then.

Another funny thing, how our depictions of so many of those amphibian figures have evolved since they were produced

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I got incredibly lucky- most PV and older K&M were slated to be holy grails for myself most of my collecting life due to cost restraints (I certainly could never shell out 800$ for models for myself! But I don't blame those who might, we all have different circumstances) but having been in the collecting community for so long I have made 3 very well connected friends who have a talent for finding the impossible and parting with it for a much more reasonable amount. With that said, on ebay I paid over 100$ each for the PV prehistoric amphibians and reptiles sets- I think that was a pretty fair price considering. At the time it was (and mostly still is) a good chunk of change from my wallet, and these might not be the most accurate representatives of their species any longer, but I do really love them! There is a certain PV charm to them all...

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I love these next weird animals-


Again, it wasn't until college that I learned just odd and mysterious these guys are. Everything from how they could have hair, dorsal humps, or what their sails might have looked like- for both dimetrodon and edaphosaurus I love how utterly unconventional they might have been!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

More old world weirdos!



This image pretty much encapsulates my interest in this period. Just so many oddities and strange body plans that I can't help but want to learn as much as I can.

From the placerias (some will eventually become repaint projects) that I will never forget first seeing in WWD episode 1, to scutosaurus who to me looks like a Star Wars animal, or even the moose-like estemmenosuchus! My very favorites are the gorgonopsids, but really, I love anything from the pre- Mesozoic!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I don't have a strong attachment to any particular species or model here- but once again I do really like anything prehistoric that isn't a dino because they get overlooked a lot (not I *don't* like dinos too, but the oddballs get a special spot in my heart). For me, its probably the arizonazaurus that has the most attachment for me as it was given to me by a good friend.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

More crocodile type friends!


I love every species in this photo. Postosuchus because of WWD, National Geographic had a special on Sarchosuchus that premiered when I was a young 'un and really left an impression, and who doesn't love the galloping croc Kaprosuchus?

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Now we move into the marine sector:


Again, liopleurodon is my favorite because of WWD (despite the gross exaggerations it covered). But I have also enjoyed the discoveries of these monsters from the UK and similar sites over recent years.

[Gwangi]

The Invicta Liopleurodon is still my favorite. It has a natural elegance that none of those other models have.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Thanks @Gwangi, ai think that's my favorite too. It caught a certain spirit of this animal (at least I think that).

And now for the giraffes of the sea! Ha!


Whats not to like here? Such diversity in this group, several cryptids were inspired by the human imagination, and just such interesting body plans for each one!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Next up! Some more ocean predators.


I have loved the artistic style of the old Safari Tylo for a long time, and just recently added it to my collection. I still adore it and even more in person.

[bmathison1972]

I always thought the Carnegie Tylosaurus was a gorgeous figure, even if it may not live up to current opinions on how it may have looked.

And I believe Adam provided input for the design of the current Safari WS Tylosaurus!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Oh I 100% agree. I used to be of the preoccupation that the most modern science on X animal (prehistoric) is all that we should care about. But the older I have gotten and the more I have learned about older reconstructions of species, I think that history is very important too! And not just the scientific steps and leaps that are made in understanding as time goes on, but the artistic representation is something I really appreciate too. Crystal Palace dinos are where we started, and now look at each of those species in modern  representation!

The last of the marine reptiles are here!


The ophthalmasaurus again has nostalgic meaning for me from WWD. The Temnodontosaurus (again likely due to the scenes in WWD) is one I have a lot of fondness for though since its birthing new life (perpetually). And my most recent addition in the form of the Safari ichthyosaurus as it was a long sought after model is another favorite. But I do love them all!