Changing Scale

[MikeG]

Can anyone tell me why some of the dinosaurs in the Carnegie Collection from Safari, Ltd. are of varying scales? 
Examples: 2011:  Miragaia 1/30
                          Carnotaurus 1/30
                2012:  Concavenator 1/25
                2013: 

They look all wrong with the 1/40 scale dinosaurs.

[tyrantqueen]

I don't know why they stopped making their toys in a consistent scale. Maybe they wanted the freedom of being able to make certain dinosaur species in whatever scale they wanted. For example, Cryolophosaurus in 1/40 would have been pretty small. A bigger scale showcases Forest Rogers' talent quite well.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

That's my guess as well...it also allows them to charge a certain price.  What was the last really small Carnegie we had ?  Protoceratops ? Deinonychus pack ?

[Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus]

I'd say, like TQ, it gives flexibility to Carnegie so they're not left with tiny models.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

..but they have done smaller pieces in the past..maybe those just weren't good sellers.

[ZoPteryx]

Seems like they're just trying to make them all roughly the same size, maybe they got some marketing data saying that was the size that sold best or something.

[SBell]

..but they have done smaller pieces in the past..maybe those just weren't good sellers.

Tiny, loose figures are terrible for retailers as well--too easy to steal, difficult to display in store, far less likely to sell than a larger figure that generally doesn't cost much more. This is likely true of the Monterey series as well (the little ones, like the otters, disappeared early on I beleive, but don't quote me on that).

Hence, the used of toob and box sets--it's easier to put small figures in sets. Of course, Carnegie won't do that.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

..but they have done smaller pieces in the past..maybe those just weren't good sellers.

Tiny, loose figures are terrible for retailers as well--too easy to steal, difficult to display in store, far less likely to sell than a larger figure that generally doesn't cost much more. This is likely true of the Monterey series as well (the little ones, like the otters, disappeared early on I beleive, but don't quote me on that).

Hence, the used of toob and box sets--it's easier to put small figures in sets. Of course, Carnegie won't do that.

Unfortunalty little children like to pick up small things and walk off them..and parents usually don't notice either.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I felt this was a very good question so I posed it to Forest Rogers, however she has not been able to answer so far. Once I get a response I will post it here.
I am sure if anyone would know the answer it would he her since she has been on board as the sculpter since the first issues.

[SBell]

..but they have done smaller pieces in the past..maybe those just weren't good sellers.

Tiny, loose figures are terrible for retailers as well--too easy to steal, difficult to display in store, far less likely to sell than a larger figure that generally doesn't cost much more. This is likely true of the Monterey series as well (the little ones, like the otters, disappeared early on I beleive, but don't quote me on that).

Hence, the used of toob and box sets--it's easier to put small figures in sets. Of course, Carnegie won't do that.

Unfortunalty little children like to pick up small things and walk off them..and parents usually don't notice either.

In my experience it's almost never children--and if it was, the parents (or staff) always caught it and prevented any real problem. It's the 18+ crowd that is more likely to try and be 'clever'.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

..but they have done smaller pieces in the past..maybe those just weren't good sellers.

Tiny, loose figures are terrible for retailers as well--too easy to steal, difficult to display in store, far less likely to sell than a larger figure that generally doesn't cost much more. This is likely true of the Monterey series as well (the little ones, like the otters, disappeared early on I beleive, but don't quote me on that).

Hence, the used of toob and box sets--it's easier to put small figures in sets. Of course, Carnegie won't do that.

Unfortunalty little children like to pick up small things and walk off them..and parents usually don't notice either.

In my experience it's almost never children--and if it was, the parents (or staff) always caught it and prevented any real problem. It's the 18+ crowd that is more likely to try and be 'clever'.

really ? I've never had any problem with older kids like that here..probably the nature of what I sell...mostly cheap stuff.  It's usually the really young ones who just pick something up and stick it in their pocket..and the parents really aren't paying attention.  I recall one time a few years ago, a kid in stroller had about 10 things stuck in it he picked up off shelves as mom shopped..lol he wasn't actively stealing just play " shopping " and the items were returned...but they can have sticky little fingers.

[Georassic]

I may be a little unorthodox, but I group my models in the following scale groups: 1:12, 1:18, :25, :35, :40, :55.
I use a tailor's flexible measuring tape measure to carefully measure each model along the spinal column, snout to tail-tip, to get an accurate length. Then I compare that to the known or estimated length of the real animal. It's not an exact science, but I can categorize almost every model that way. (Exceptions to the scale categories include the 1:5 Carnegie Microraptor.)

Using that method, here is how I scale each Carnegie in my collection:
Acrocanthosaurus 2001      1:40
Allosaurus 2007         1:35
Ankylosaurus 2004      1:25 or :40, whether you subscribe to the large or small theory of their size
Beipiaosaurus 2005      1:12
Corythosaurus 1991      1:40
Deltadromeus 1997      1:55
Dilophosaurus duo 1993   1:40
Dimetrodon 2001            1:12-25 (Different Dimetrodon species ranged from about 2 to 16 feet long.)
Diplodocus 2006      1:40
Giganotosaurus 2007      1:35
Iguanodon 1992      1:40
Maiasaura with Nest 1995   1:40
Microraptor 2008        1:5
Miragaia 2010         1:25
Oviraptor 2006         1:12
Plateosaurus 1994           1:18-40 (Adult Plateosaurs displayed wide size ranges.)
Quetzalcoatlus 1997      1:55
Saltasaurus 1996      1:40
Sinraptor 2003         1:40
Tanystropheus 1999   1:18

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I had said I would ask Forest this question and I did. She responded today and gave a few sensible reasons for the change in scale originally.


                     " it was because we began to run short of subjects that pleased both the Carnegie  and Safari that were big enough to both show lots of good detail and also not to be legal choking hazards in the toy world! Now, we add to that the high cost of plastics for the largest subjects...  All pretty pragmatic things! "

For me that still leaves the question why the larger dinosaurs and reculpts seem to wander from 1/25 to 1/40 as the mood suits, however.It would seem once the choice was made to abandon the 1/40 scale, there is no longer a set scale, so the dinosaurs are being made at whatever scale each piece best suggests, balancing all of those factors .

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Interesting.   Though smaller pieces could have bases added to be safer I think.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Interesting.   Though smaller pieces could have bases added to be safer I think.

And if you think about it, that is exactly what you see in the smaller pieces like the raptor pack, and the protoceratops. This was obviously a concern from the start of the line they were working to circumvent, using bases.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Interesting.   Though smaller pieces could have bases added to be safer I think.

And if you think about it, that is exactly what you see in the smaller pieces like the raptor pack, and the protoceratops. This was obviously a concern from the start of the line they were working to circumvent, using bases.

Exactly..which means small pieces could still could have been feasible.

[MikeG]

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my question and there were lots of very good answers. Special thanks to Amargasaurus who went to "the source - Forest"  and got the ultimate answer . Blade also gave great ideas.  I appreciate y'all very much. I'm new here but I really like this forum and all the contributors who, like me, love dinosaurs.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Very welcome Mike.  Hope you enjoy your time here !

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my question and there were lots of very good answers. Special thanks to Amargasaurus who went to "the source - Forest"  and got the ultimate answer . Blade also gave great ideas.  I appreciate y'all very much. I'm new here but I really like this forum and all the contributors who, like me, love dinosaurs.

I had always wondered that question myself, and your asking reminded me, so I was quite happy to ask her and see what she would say. I was glad to do it, although I hope she does visit us after Christmas here at the forum and add her own ideas and thoughts to the forum directly, that would be amazing

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my question and there were lots of very good answers. Special thanks to Amargasaurus who went to "the source - Forest"  and got the ultimate answer . Blade also gave great ideas.  I appreciate y'all very much. I'm new here but I really like this forum and all the contributors who, like me, love dinosaurs.

I had always wondered that question myself, and your asking reminded me, so I was quite happy to ask her and see what she would say. I was glad to do it, although I hope she does visit us after Christmas here at the forum and add her own ideas and thoughts to the forum directly, that would be amazing

I really hope she does. Would be great to talk with her again.