Review and photos by Charles Peckham, edited by Suspsy
Dinosaur Habitats is described as a book, but it’s not bound with pages in the traditional sense. Rather, it stretches out like an accordion to reveal three pop-up displays that each include a paragraph talking about the geological period and area they represent.
The final set of Safari’s first forays into dinosaur miniatures features a charming blend of aesthetics, and also serves in retrospect as a tribute to a dawning hobby and its burgeoning artists.
In 1994, Battat was commissioned by the Boston Museum to produce what would become one of the most praised toy lines in dinosaur collecting.
Larami’s Museum set is looking pretty dated now, but it’s a charming playset all the same and one of the more memorable imitators out there.
It’s said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; by that metric the dinosaur toy industry has been incredibly generous towards the leading toy brands.
The Chap Mei Elasmosaurus no doubt has to be the antithesis of what the real Elasmosaurus looked like. While the actual animal would have no doubt been smooth and elegant the action figure we’re reviewing today is none of those things. With its ragged teeth, twisted and misshapen head, and body covered in wrinkles and bumps this toy is an Elasmosaurus in name only.
Elasmosaurus is a genus of long neck plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous and lived in what is known today as North America in one of the most famous ancient sea, the Western Interior Seaway.It rivals Plesiosaurus itself in both fame and name recognition, as well as being one of the most produced marine reptiles in toy form.
A year or so ago, Geoworld was preparing to bring out their fourth series, split into a line of six marine reptiles and six ancient crocs/croc-like animal. Then, it all went silent, as the company almost went bust. It was bought out however, and the first half of this fourth expedition began to see sales online.
Elasmosaurus was a magnificent and charismatic marine reptile that had an incredible neck. This sea dragon reached an estimated length of 43 feet (13 meter). The head and neck comprised half of its length. It might not have been the most powerful animal in prehistoric seas but it is one of the more elegant and recognizable plesiosaurs.
