Last year, when I wrote my review for the Hammond Collection T. rex I stated that, “I can finally say with some degree of confidence that I will never buy another Mattel T. rex, certainly not from the main line.” Well, I guess I’ll have to eat those words, because here we are. Although in my defense I also stated...
Hello, who’s this? Takara Tomy is a prolific toy manufacturer which has produced a number of dinosaur-related toys in the past. Most of these toys have been released under the ANIA (sometimes “Animal Adventure”) line, but some have received more unique lines of their own. One such line, short-lived as it appears to have been, was the Dinosaur Colosseum, which...
Review and photos by Faelrin, edited by Suspsy The year was 2000 and I was 9 years old. I remember sitting wide-eyed watching the BBC Walking with Dinosaurs documentary series on the Discovery Channel on the big television in my family’s living room, with my parents. I eagerly anticipated every episode, which introduced me to familiar and new dinosaurs and...
Japan has a prolific industry for collectibles and merchandise, although it is a fairly insular market that western collectors might find tricky to break into. There are always new surprises to uncover from riches of new releases each year. One such item which caught my attention in 2022 was a set of minifigures produced by The Access, a company dedicated...
Marbhtach’s crimson eyes are fixed on Banrigh’s as he carefully lays the freshly caught pachycephalosaur still oozing life on the ground before her. Whereupon he slowly backs away, nodding his head and cooing softly with each step while Banrigh sniffs and scrutinizes his offering. And it must indeed be to her liking, for she enthusiastically yanks off one of the...
Today, dinosaurs have become a permanent fixture in our pop culture, from toys to multi-million blockbuster movies, dinosaur seems to be everywhere. But there was a time when dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals were confined to the sterile walls of museums, a scientific curiosity that were outside of the mainstream. With the staggering and often overwhelming toy and models choices...
This derivative dinosaur toy draws its inspiration from a surprisingly modern and good-quality source; but like all knockoffs, the nature of that “inspiration” might leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. Knockoffs are an ever-present element of the toy industry, and a persistent quandary for collectors. A knockoff is a product which imitates another, original product, usually without copying it...
“Ho, ho, ho there, fellow dinosaur lovers! Yes, it is I, Dr. Bella Claus, at your service once again! And where would I be without my loyal and trusty steed, Bethdolf?” “I told you not to call me that, Doc!” “Oh, come along, Beth, you were the one who refused to wear the elf hat again. Now, for this year’s...
Schleich can be seen as the equivalent of McDonald’s in that, despite the sometimes lacklustre quality of their products, they are still the most globally successful of all the companies specializing in PVC scale models of extinct and extant fauna. Take for example their 2012 Tyrannosaurus rex mould. It’s by no means the most impressive or the most accurate rendition of the...
This solidly-built stuffed toy represents The Field Museum’s star dinosaur attraction at its latest, biggest and best. The ubiquitous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex has seen many incarnations and reconstructions in the two centuries since its discovery by human scientists – and plenty of merchandise has been produced to match. One particular specimen – the famous Sue of the Chicago Field Museum...
Right when it was announced, I was keen to lay my hands on Rebor`s new release, „Kiss“, the lipped Tyrannosaurus. Now, back in the time I grew up a lipped theropod was nothing exotic, it was the standard way a carnivor dinosaur would be depicted, though, admitted, most often had their mouths wide open and expose their teeth to fresh...
These six little dinos, sculpted by the Carnegie Collection’s own Forest Rogers, may look pretty dated today; but they manage to blend old and new aspects of science to produce a charming set as a whole. Safari ltd. stands as one of the giants of educational, scientifically accurate dinosaur & animal toys today; but it’s easy to forget the company...
