It is with much trepidation that I attempt to review my next figure. It’s actually one I’ve intended on reviewing for years but when you write for a blog owned by a plesiosaur expert you’re naturally a bit hesitant to review a plesiosaur model, especially based on accuracy. Honestly I’m a bit shocked this classic hasn’t been reviewed yet, but I digress. I’m talking of course about the Invicta “plesiosaur”. I put plesiosaur in quotes because we don’t get a specific name with this model, just that generic plesiosaur label. Based on the length of the neck it’s clear we’re not dealing with Plesiosaurus proper, to my untrained eye this appears to be Elasmosaurus. It shouldn’t make much difference with this review anyway. And oh yes, a note on the pictures. Please pardon the chew marks on this model. They weren’t there when I bought it, but they quickly appeared when I temporarily housed a kitten in my home. Needless to say I’m on the lookout for a less damaged specimen. Cats are why I don’t have nice things…like Sideshow models.
The Invicta plesiosaur is a modest but elegant model. It lacks the intense detail that most of the Invicta dinosaurs possess but this makes sense for this aquatic reptile where a streamlined no-frills body plan was likely. Produced in 1978 this model actually stands up fairly well for its age. The neck is raised up in an inaccurate swan-like pose as was common in reconstructions of that time, but it’s not raised dramatically so. The head is fashioned in the classic plesiosaur style with the skull more lizard-like than it is like the flatted skulls of actual plesiosaurs. The eyes are placed on the side of the head instead of angled towards the top as they should be and the model also lacks the gnarly teeth that the exceptional Safari version possesses and we know actual plesiosaurs had. The body is shallow in build, the flippers slim but capable looking, and the tail fairly short. In fact, once you get past the head and the slightly elevated neck the rest of the model is fairly accurate.
As stated before, the details are sparse. There are a few wrinkles where the flippers meet the body and a ridge down the back but aside from those and the facial features we’re left with a pretty basic model. That’s not an insult though, it’s appropriate for an aquatic animal. The monochrome variation is blue in color; the painted version has a brown back with dark brown spots down the spine and a white underside. The pose is basic with the neck slightly leaning towards the right but with plesiosaurs there are only so many ways you can pose them anyway.
As with all the Invicta models the age of this figure needs to be taken into account when judging it. It has all the inaccuracies you would expect but it’s still a handsome and graceful model essential to any collection consisting of aquatic reptiles. Naturally you’ll need to check out eBay to find this plesiosaur but it’s usually one of the more inexpensive figures in the Invicta line.
Available from Ebay.com here.
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Hello,
Are you aware there are at least 3 text versions plus color variants?
1a) text is in two spots- chest (2 lines) & belly 3 full lines, the 4th line is one word). Reads “A Plesiosaur” on first line.
1b) text is only in belly (3 lines fulls of text, the 4th is only 1 word). Also Reads “A Plesiosaur” on first line.
2) Four full lines of text. No ‘A’ before Plesiosaur.
Also a shiny metallic version (which I own), seen others.
great site
Thanks, Fred, for that information – I really had no inkling that this was the case, though I’m not surprised. I’m assuming that the ‘metallic’ one was painted golden – I saw one years ago, here in Toronto. We don’t see Invictas anymore in thrift shops, though they used to be rather common.
This model was totally my Loch Ness Monster toy as a kid. I greatly appreciate your review and the information on the inaccuracies. I also can relate to having a feline that reigns terror down upon all of my nice things. 😀
Haha, I grew up with this one too. Mine was even more badly chewed than that… and I didn’t have any pets!
[…] and that’s precisely what we have here. Behold the Larami Plesiosaur, a cheap imitation of Invicta’s classic sculpt. This toy actually came as part of a wedding package from a dear old friend of […]
I had the Laramie (spelling?) knockoff as a kid. Not nearly as good, but serviceable. Also worked great in the bathtub…and pool. Along with the Carnegie Elasmosaurus.
I had this one as a kid. Used to play with it in the swimming pool.