Dimetrodon (Marx)

This review marks a somewhat significant milestone on the blog with regards to Marx reviews. This is the last review for the toys released under the small mold group, PL-755; they’ve now all been covered here. There are still plenty of Marx toys left to write about but for this group in particular, we’re done! Not bad when you consider that not much longer than a year ago, there weren’t any Marx reviews here at all. This is also my final Marx review for the time being, I have a backlog of other stuff I need to review, and my next review will return us back to our regularly scheduled program…Jurassic World toys. But I’m not done collecting Marx toys, so expect more in the future. And I’m also calling out our own Adam Smith who has at least two of his own Marx reviews in the pipeline.

Today we’re looking at the Marx Dimetrodon, and although it has been discussed before, it is clear that Dimetrodon has been a required animal in every line of dinosaur collectables, right since the beginning. Although this toy is not the first Dimetrodon collectible, it is the first toy Dimetrodon, dating back to 1955.

Interestingly, and perhaps shockingly, Dimetrodon is not the only Permian animal produced by Marx. The Dimetrodon was one of three, the others being Moschops and Sphenacodon. The Marx Dimetrodon measures just over 3” in length. The name Dimetrodon is written along one side of the tail, with a length of 7’ on the other side.  

The Marx Dimetrodon appears inspired by the art of Charles R. Knight, particularly in the skin details which consists of large, oval, raised scutes. Other big name paleoartists of this time depict Dimetrodon with smoother skin. The head on this toy is much less menacing than in the artwork of the time, being somewhat cute and concerned looking. There is no snarling grimace or exposed teeth, just a closed mouth with a slight frown. The sail is thin and somewhat flexible which means it is also prone to breakage. 

The pose of this toy is rather static but that’s true for Marx toys in general. It’s standing with its belly off the ground, supported by its four sprawling limbs. The tail curves gently towards the right. The aforementioned head doesn’t much resemble an actual Dimetrodon skull; the bulging eyes make it look amphibian-like. There are four digits on each limb and the sail starts from behind the head and curves down at the hip. At the hips the sail continues down the tail as well, giving it a ridged appearance.

Although originally released in 1955 the Dimetrodon would also be re-released for the revised mold group, PL-977 in 1959, along with the previously reviewed Triceratops that was also originally released in the small mold group. Subtle differences do exist between these releases but they’re not significant enough for me to bother with. For more in depth write ups about Marx toys and their variants I suggest checking out the Dinosaur Toys Collectors Guide. The Marx Dimetrodon can be found on eBay for an affordable price but you’ll get a better value if you pick it up in a lot, make sure to check the sail for breakages before purchase.