The Unlisted - a deep dive search of lost models with forgotten names

[sbell]

I had the Picasso triggerfish, pufferfish, and filefish. I think I may only still have the filefish back at home, but it'll still be a few more months before I can go check. They're all hollow and squeezable because they're intended to be squirt "guns." I'm pretty sure that they are Club Earth but I have long since thrown away the tags.

Not sure I've seen this brought up before on the site, but the Kenner girdled angelfish, pufferfish, piranha, etc are from a series of plastic aquariums called Wonder World. You could fill the aquariums with water and gel and then suspend the marine life, making it look like they're swimming.

Here's some '90s nostalgia for anyone who remembers the commercials.

I remember the Wonder World sets! I had the piranha and manta ray! Long gone though

[widukind]

I had the Picasso triggerfish, pufferfish, and filefish. I think I may only still have the filefish back at home, but it'll still be a few more months before I can go check. They're all hollow and squeezable because they're intended to be squirt "guns." I'm pretty sure that they are Club Earth but I have long since thrown away the tags.

Not sure I've seen this brought up before on the site, but the Kenner girdled angelfish, pufferfish, piranha, etc are from a series of plastic aquariums called Wonder World. You could fill the aquariums with water and gel and then suspend the marine life, making it look like they're swimming.

Here's some '90s nostalgia for anyone who remembers the commercials.

Filefish sound interesting, can you please share a pic?

[MudpupWaterdog]

[ignore this accidental double post]

[MudpupWaterdog]

Filefish sound interesting, can you please share a pic?

Unfortunately I'm still in Vietnam for a few more months, but I'll try to find one online or, failing that, post pics when I return to America.

[NSD Bashe]

It's really cool how some people actually remember having these, they are new to some of us and vintage nostalgia for others.  Something I will be discussing one of these days I'm definitely hoping can be at least partly identified by someone out there, and I almost can't wait to bring it up...  But in the next post I'll be discussing something we know about, just not very much.

[NSD Bashe]

So next I'm going to briefly explore two sets that have been discussed somewhat, although we don't know a ton about them - that is the K&M jellyfish set and the Play Visions nudibranch set.  Let's start with the jellyfish.  To begin with, how many figures are actually included in the set?  Well there are five of them shown on the Toy Animal Wiki, plus a 6th shown separately. (I'll link to those for reference)

(set of 5)
https://toyanimalwiki.mywikis.wiki/wiki/K&M_Jellyfish_Set

(the other one)
https://toyanimalwiki.mywikis.wiki/wiki/K&M_Jellyfish

Now that last one does not seem to be in the same set per se and is somewhat bigger; also to note there is a greenish blue version of it not shown on the wiki (which I do happen to have somewhere).  Regardless, it does not seem to be part of the main set and nor is it the reason I'm bringing this up.  Rather I bring this up because there indeed was a sixth jellyfish that was part of the set, that has not been catalogued on the Toy Animal Wiki, and in fact I don't think has ever been shown anywhere except on one promotional image @widukind posted on this very forum:

https://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=533.msg4794#msg4794

As you can see from that image, there is an elsewhere unmentioned member of the jellyfish posse to the far left, a round purple bell with thick meaty arms.  I really want to know what species it is, not to mention see it up close.  So I dug through WorthPoint...


I found this listing of several jellyfish which included the large K&M jellyfish, along with an apparently purple variant (I wonder just how many versions of that one exist):

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/jellyfish-toy-rubber-fish-ocean-set-504172806


I found this listing, which had all five of the ones seen on the wiki:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/set-rubber-jelly-fish-toy-science-1931689112


And I found these two listings, which seem to both include jellyfish models I can't identify at all:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lot-31-ocean-sea-life-toys-figures-3779261338

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lot-17-ocean-sea-life-15-safari-3865131126


But no sign of the mysterious other K&M jellyfish.  For now, that one remains a mystery.


* * * * * *


Now for the Play Visions nudibranchs, there wasn't so much a particular mystery I wanted to clear up, more I was just looking for anything that would give more information on them.  And lo and behold, I found just that - a listing of the complete set in their original box:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtg-toys-grow-creatures-deep-3861333078

So the full name of this set was Creatures of the Deep Discovery Box #39 Nudibranchs (Sea Slugs) and it was produced in 1996 by Toys To Grow On (as you can see in the listing). This also indicates the complete set consists of those eight, if that was at all in question before.


Now, that would be the end of it, except that while still searching for the other K&M jellyfish I happened to stumble on this:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lot-12-realistic-rubber-fish-sea-life-2020924441

This at first appears to contain one of the Play Visions nudibranchs.  However, looking closely you can see it is in fact, not one of the eight known figures in that set.  Could there have been more after all?  I'm going to say not quite, since we've seen the complete box, and the pamphlet that comes with it shows exactly 8 of them.  It does look very similar to that style though.  I'm guessing it's some kind of knock off, or possibly just a similar model that was inspired by that set.  But this does imply that other versions exist out there.  Is it just one or two or a full set?  Who knows, but it's fascinating that such an already rare and little known set of figures has even more obscure imitations out there. 

Anyway that's about all for now.  The quick summary, there is an almost unknown K&M jellyfish that I can't find any clear images of, we know what the packaging for the Play Visions nudibranch set was like and there is a mysterious other sea slug model for which I have no name.  Hopefully that was interesting for those who would be interested in this. 

Next time, we reach the absolute depths for a stunning reveal that will be unlike anything most of us have probably ever seen, and one of the main reasons I started this thread...

[MudpupWaterdog]

I have that mysterious purple jellyfish with the round meaty arms. 99% sure I got it from VegHead back in the day. Once again though I'll be unable to send any close-ups until I get back to my collection in America in February next year. But dang, this is so exciting!

Excited to help solve a mystery, even if it takes a few months before I can check on it.

@NSD Bashe, I think you and I probably have quite the Venn diagram of late 1990s/early 2000s American-made sea creature toys.

[NSD Bashe]

Very cool indeed      My best guess in the meantime is maybe a lion's mane jellyfish, that's what keeps coming to mind anyway; but we'll see how close I was

Can't wait to see if anyone has any leads on what I got next...

[widukind]

I have that mysterious purple jellyfish with the round meaty arms. 99% sure I got it from VegHead back in the day. Once again though I'll be unable to send any close-ups until I get back to my collection in America in February next year. But dang, this is so exciting!

Excited to help solve a mystery, even if it takes a few months before I can check on it.

@NSD Bashe, I think you and I probably have quite the Venn diagram of late 1990s/early 2000s American-made sea creature toys.

What is Venn diagram? Sounds interesting, are there coral fishes?

[widukind]

I have these K&M jellyfishes (older pic)

https://servimg.com/view/16102119/2478

[NSD Bashe]

Whoa what is that inverted looking one?  Is that the moon jelly turned inside out?

What is Venn diagram? Sounds interesting, are there coral fishes?

Means we have a bit of overlap in the figures we own, but also each have unique ones      probably true

[NSD Bashe]

Now we've reached the very heart of the abyss in our metaphorical deep dive.  Today's topic: unexpected finds you stumble across while looking for something else.  First off, a relatively small but rather intriguing "discovery" found while searching for the completely unrelated (possibly Club Earth) boxfish:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-rubber-jiggler-monster-sea-1886104818


If you don't see it, look to the bottom left.  This may not seem like a big deal to everyone, but for me it's a rather significant reveal.  It is, undeniably, a vintage double barbed anglerfish.  I've long theorized in my mind that it would make sense for a figure like this to exist as an old rubber "jiggler" toy, since those are the very kind of "monstrous" creature they would typically represent, and images of the fiercesome "deep-sea devil" were fairly iconic.  While this doesn't really change much in practical terms, it means there was in fact a representation of this animal available even in the west (presumably).  The recent DeAgostini figure (that's basically unobtainable here) was never the only one.


 * * * * * * * *


And now, an utterly insane listing I stumbled across while searching for the mysterious "other K&M jellyfish" - and something I can only describe as the absolute mother-load; BEHOLD:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ocean-sea-animals-fish-rubber-big-lot-1950412799


That's right, this exists.  This incredible mound leaves me with so many questions.  While some of it looks familiar - hello deep sea Safari set, mini AAA set, several of the K&M jellyfish, Club Earth giant triggerfish, and various other obscure K&M, Play Visions and Bullyland figures...  But so many of these, I have no idea what they are.  And the more I look at it, the more I see that I don't think I've ever seen.  You could look at this for hours and still not notice everything in there.  This is both fascinating and infuriating for anyone who likes to see these things catalogued.  What brand is that green pufferfish that sort of looks like the Safari one but different?  Or that large realistic spotted cowfish?  Or that other brown pufferfish type fish with the bumps all over its face?  Are those all part of a set?  What's that long black eel looking thing near the bottom?  Or that long guy right under the triggerfish?  And so many smaller and partly buried figures I wish I could see better.  But stuff like this, is what makes the search worthwhile.  Knowing that however much we think we've found and catalogued, there is always bound to be more out there, just like in the actual ocean.  Who ever knows what we'll stumble across tomorrow...

[BlueKrono]

I don't know what brand that fuchsia pink anglerfish on the right side of that big lot is, but I got one on eBay many years ago.

[NSD Bashe]

I think the bright pink anglerfish is Imaginext; they come in several bright colors along with a spider crab, a nautilus and an unspecified toothy eel

[NSD Bashe]

One small mystery I've cleared up, there was a mysterious pirate anglerfish hand puppet I found before and knew nothing about; I have discovered it is associated with a property called Capt'n Sharky:

https://www.flipkart.com/generic-die-spiegelburg-rubber-hand-puppet-animals-deep-see-capt-n-sharky-puppets/p/itmf776cfuh76mrk

In fact if you Google "capt'n sharky anglerfish" you find images of that very puppet and also drawings of a very similar looking character.

[widukind]

Now we've reached the very heart of the abyss in our metaphorical deep dive.  Today's topic: unexpected finds you stumble across while looking for something else.  First off, a relatively small but rather intriguing "discovery" found while searching for the completely unrelated (possibly Club Earth) boxfish:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-rubber-jiggler-monster-sea-1886104818


If you don't see it, look to the bottom left.  This may not seem like a big deal to everyone, but for me it's a rather significant reveal.  It is, undeniably, a vintage double barbed anglerfish.  I've long theorized in my mind that it would make sense for a figure like this to exist as an old rubber "jiggler" toy, since those are the very kind of "monstrous" creature they would typically represent, and images of the fiercesome "deep-sea devil" were fairly iconic.  While this doesn't really change much in practical terms, it means there was in fact a representation of this animal available even in the west (presumably).  The recent DeAgostini figure (that's basically unobtainable here) was never the only one.


 * * * * * * * *


And now, an utterly insane listing I stumbled across while searching for the mysterious "other K&M jellyfish" - and something I can only describe as the absolute mother-load; BEHOLD:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ocean-sea-animals-fish-rubber-big-lot-1950412799


That's right, this exists.  This incredible mound leaves me with so many questions.  While some of it looks familiar - hello deep sea Safari set, mini AAA set, several of the K&M jellyfish, Club Earth giant triggerfish, and various other obscure K&M, Play Visions and Bullyland figures...  But so many of these, I have no idea what they are.  And the more I look at it, the more I see that I don't think I've ever seen.  You could look at this for hours and still not notice everything in there.  This is both fascinating and infuriating for anyone who likes to see these things catalogued.  What brand is that green pufferfish that sort of looks like the Safari one but different?  Or that large realistic spotted cowfish?  Or that other brown pufferfish type fish with the bumps all over its face?  Are those all part of a set?  What's that long black eel looking thing near the bottom?  Or that long guy right under the triggerfish?  And so many smaller and partly buried figures I wish I could see better.  But stuff like this, is what makes the search worthwhile.  Knowing that however much we think we've found and catalogued, there is always bound to be more out there, just like in the actual ocean.  Who ever knows what we'll stumble across tomorrow...

And what brand is the box fish? And i can see a another K&M seahorse. Many many treasures

[widukind]

Whoa what is that inverted looking one?  Is that the moon jelly turned inside out?

What is Venn diagram? Sounds interesting, are there coral fishes?

Means we have a bit of overlap in the figures we own, but also each have unique ones      probably true

That is true

[NSD Bashe]

So in this post we actually won't be exploring any lesser-known toy fish potentially still available somewhere, rather this is something truly obscure and forever lost to time.  That being said let's take a quick look at these defunct listings of old Disneyland models once available at auction...

Green anglerfish:
https://www.icollector.com/Submarine-Voyage-Angler-Fish-Prop_i33002233

Various tropical fish:
https://issuu.com/vaneatongalleries/docs/souvenirsofdisneylandissuu2/288


(you can also easily find the individual profiles of these and several others on WorthPoint by typing in "disneyland fish prop")

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-fish-prop-3822891492

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-fish-prop-3822891491

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-blow-fish-prop-3823137385

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-orange-fish-seaweed-3823135245

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-blue-fish-prop-3823135247

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-viper-fish-prop-3823137807

While I don't normally discuss theme park props, these do have a very fun aesthetic I couldn't help wanting to share here.  Besides which they were technically models of fish that were available for sale at one point, and their especially defunct nature fits nicely enough with the overall theme of this thread; although I don't really have much else to say about them.  But how cool would it be if these were made into mass produced figures available for collecting (unbroken of course)?  I bet they would've sold pretty well. 
(Interestingly enough, they may have actually designed some to be sold in gift shops that were similar to their props:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/195801293907 ...so who knows what other models were available once upon a time?)


I do have one mystery here I've been trying to solve; what exactly is this type of fish?  Does anyone recognize it?  It looks vaguely familiar but I can't place it:
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/submarine-voyage-undersea-fish-prop-3823135241

[MudpupWaterdog]

So I'm back and I finally remembered this thread! No idea how it slipped my mind for so long...

Here's the filefish. It's hollow and the rubber is flexible enough to squish it, and there's an opening in the mouth for you to squirt water out of. It has no branding or identifying prints anywhere on it.



And here's the mysterious K&M jellyfish:



As for species ID, the top of the bell is printed with Scypho medusea, which doesn't appear to be a valid species. I'll leave the taxonomy for someone more qualified.



This era of toy fishes/inverts was my childhood. I'm glad I didn't fall out of the hobby or lose these toys to various garage sales or moving accidents. Hope this helps us collectively add a few more toys to the "we can prove that they exist" category!

[MudpupWaterdog]

Double posting to add that I went back through the thread and also saw the stretchy piranha mentioned, so I grabbed it for some pics. I got it as a kid on a visit to the Columbus Zoo (you can see the $3.75 price tag in the corner), I remember I was allowed to pick one toy and between this and the Safari Ltd. ornate horned frog I chose the former....not the choice I'd make today haha. I kept the box so that it wouldn't collect all the dust and dirt around the house.