The Brachiosaurus is one of the few original Carnegie Collection sculpts, as far as I can tell, that has remained unchanged (with the exception of a new paint job) since it was released in 1987. As explained by Randy Knol on the Dinosaur Collector Site, the majority of figures from the original line have been tweaked or retired. The figure I’m reviewing is stamped 1988 so it’s important to bear this in mind when assessing the figure for scientific accuracy. The ‘Brachio’ part of the name on my figure is intriguingly raised relative to the rest of the text on the stamp, seemingly indicating that the figure was previously stamped as something-else-osaurus. Maybe one of our Safari Ltd collecting readers could check an original figure to clarify if this is the case?
This is one gargantuan figure and quite a significant hulk of plastic, ‘hulk’ being the operative word given the incredible green hue to the skin. The head towers above the rest of the figures in the Carnegie Collection – this Brachiosaurus stands 35cm tall. It is a heavy beast too, I don’t have any scales on me but I’d estimate it at a little less than a kilogram, worth keeping in mind for effects on shipping costs.
The anatomical proportions are good although the animal is a little overweight perhaps, and the posture of the legs is a little uncomfortable looking. The tail is raised (although the very tip touches the floor), the neck is almost vertical and the back slopes towards the hips. A ridge runs along the neck indicating the underlying muscle mass.
The skin is covered with large scales and is wrinkled, especially on the flanks between the ‘arms’ and legs, and at the base of the neck. The ‘hands’ possess five claws including an enlarged thumb claw. Brachiosaurus is now known to have only the large thumb claw so the figure is outdated in this regard. The cheery-looking small head has the distinctive macronarian ‘crest’. The jaws are open revealing a rather gummy looking mouth. The peg-like teeth are quite poorly defined, the sculpt is a bit poorly defined in several places but I think this is probably a result or the old age of the moulds?
The current colour scheme for this figure is green, with slightly darker green on the top and a grey wash, which highlights the surface details. The claws are black, the teeth are white, the mouth is pink and the eyes are yellow with neat black pupils.
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I have the original blue Brachiosaurus as well, and I would note that the definition of the claws on the hands and feet as well as the folds of skin on the side have been sharpened significantly. My model’s head is also significantly different: instead of sloping sharply downwards before plateauing towards the tip of the snout, it slopes very gently into the snout, giving it a retro-conjectural-titanosaur look, quite different to that of the model shown here or the Invicta Brachiosaurus. Furthermore, the eye is a different colour (yellow) with a much smaller pupil. My model’s tail does not touch the ground either.
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Very nice figure. 🙂
Sim,
It isn’t dust that you see but a thin grey wash of paint.
Interesting about the tail, sounds like the Brachiosaurus was tweaked after all.
I’ll have to remeber to take a photograph of the ‘tummy-text’ to illustrate the raised platform.
I’m not entirely sure about the release date.
Very best!
Thanks for clarifying the grey wash, plesiosauria.
I have to totally disagree with Sid, I prefer this one. Although I’d prefer an updated Brachiosaurus even more, but with the Wild Safari one coming up, it seems unlikely Carnegie wll redo theirs.
Yes, I was quite surprised they made changes to this figure. Makes me wonder if any of the other Carnegie repaints are more than just repaints…
Thanks, very best to you too! 🙂
It occured to me it’s quite possible the sculpt tweaking took place when this figure was re-issued in coloured vinyl in 1996 (the repaint was released in 2007, despite the date on the belly).
That’s when the head and back were changed for the Carnegie Parasaurolophus, if not even earlier, while it was still being produced in grey vinyl.
Hope that’s not confusing.
Is it me or is the pictured Brachiosaurus very dusty? I suppose its worth mentioning that the nostril location on this figure (and its previous guises) are based on an outdated reconstruction, as they are now believed to be located at the end of the snout. For its time though, it was an excellent replca in my opinion.
I have the original grey vinyl version from when I was a boy and I notice that the tail is shorter and stumpier compared to the one pictured here. It also ends pointing upwards, and doesn’t touch the floor. The tail tip is 5cm above the floor.
plesiosauria, it’s very odd the “Brachio” text on yours is raised. Mine has all the text at the same height (and it does say “BRACHIOSAURUS”).
By the way, I believe the Carnegie Collection was originally released in 1988?
I prefer the original paint scheme, blue and grey. Majestic figure either way 😉