H is for How They Come In - Recent Charity Lot

Continuing in the same vein as the Chris Smith posts, there will be a bunch of posts with stuff from Peter Evans shortly, interspersed with Toy Fair/Spring Gift Fair stuff, but we'll have a bit a change first, and before that change, I'll throw a few other bits up; this was a Charity Shop purchase a couple of few weeks ago.

 

Three bags, rabbits, dinosaurs and other animals!

 

We saw these before, the Ubisoft Rayman Raving Rabbids, or 'Rabid Rabbits'! Each has a costume or theme, they are blind-bag collectables, and the best way to get a sample is like this as I bet they're not cheap out there in retail-land! They are more fun that those Kid Robot Dunny Bunnys or Medicom's dead Bearbricks, but still look quite unsettling with their lack of rabbit nose, and bulgy-eyes!

 

I believe they are connected to a video game for the Nintendo Wii, and there seem to be hundreds of them! I thought the Rabbid in a rabbit onesie, with a toy rabbit in the pocket, was quite the existential conundrum, in the thought-provoking department, and judging by the look on his face, so does he!

 

Skeletal dinosaur bits, the two Stegosauruses, are so similar, one has to be a piracy of the other, but subtle differences and a more obviously bent tail, suggest they are not from the same house? The Dimetrodon is disappointingly Spinosaur-like!

 

A mixed lot, hard to say anything about something you know nothing about, one or two of them may be from the same set, and some are better quality than the others, but until they are sorted thought the rest in the stash, they won't make much sense like this. The Tyrannosaur is probably the nicest here, with the salmon-pink stretchy, possibly by Henbrandt?

 

I think the figure may be Kinder, modern and missing something? Likewise, the purple alien thing? The Panda too, looks like the recent/current ranges and lines of natural-history related sets from Kinder.

 

The sucker snow-bear will go in the novelty sucker zone, and the big blue chap is an unmarked soft silicon stretchy, knocking off the Panosh/Novalinea types, probably from a 1990's Lucky Bag or capsule? And two snakes for the snake bag, you always keep them in a bag, so you can firmly knot the top, or they get out!

 

I think we saw a large Amazon/Ali Baba set with two colours of the same octopus, so I should be able to attribute these to some sort of branding at some point, they came with the turtle which may or may not be from the same set?

 

Three (?) kittens and lots of puppies, I think most of these may be the ones which get given away with kids comics/magazines, I've seen loads but not purchased any as they are a bit off the Blog's beaten track, and were bound to come-in, in the end, in lots like this, but I suppose I should look out for them to get a title? Or even try to get the issuer's ID, off the card, but they tend to be quite firmly attached to the publications!

News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events; Saturday 8th-Friday 14th February 2020

Saw my first bumble-bee today, and the mirabell started to flower, god knows what either of them will make of the two day storm they're promising us, but the viewing of them both, was a good sign!

Let's buy toys . . . 

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Toy Fairs

Saturday 8th February 2020

Chester - Tony Oaks Toy Fairs

The Cheshire Country Club Sports Club, Plas Newton Lane, Upton, Cheshire, CH2 1PR

Internet presence unknown

Tel. - 01270 652 773

Mob. - 07825 631 323

10:30 - 14:30hrs

Admission £2.00

Free Parking

Hawkinge - SRP Toy Fairs

Hawkinge Community Centre, Heron Forstal Avenue, Hawkinge, Kent, CT18 7FT

Web. - http://srptoyfairs1.co.uk/

eMail - srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Mob. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

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Sunday 9th February 2020

Birmingham - Barry Potter / BP Fairs - 'NEC'

Hall 18, National Exhibition Centre, Birminham, B40 1NT

Web. - www.bpfairs.com

Tel. - 01604 846 688

Mob. - 07966 527 177

Fax. - 01604 771 070

Hours unknown (probably 10:30-15:00hrs)

Admission £7.50, early-bird (from 08:00hrs) £12, OAP's £7, Children £2

Free parking

 [Which also made it into Waitrose magazine this week, which either means BP Fairs are becoming an institution, or the editors were short on event-dates?!!]

Kirkby-in-Ashfield - Townsend Toy & Train Fairs (Malcolm Townsend)

Festival Hall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 7DJ

Web. - www.tttf.co.uk

Mob. - 07951 072 790

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission fee unknown, aaccompanied under-16's free

Free parking, refreshments

Orpington - SRP Toyfairs

Crofton Halls, Orpington, Kent, BR6 8PR

Web. - www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk

eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

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Tuesday 11th February 2020

Elsecar - Newcomen Fairs Ltd. - 42nd Elsecar Toy & Train Fair (evening fair)

Elsecar Heritage Centre, Elsecar, Nr. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S74 8HJ

Web. - www.newcomenfairs.co.uk

eMail - sales@newcomenfairs.co.uk

Tel. - 01226 744 425

19:00 - 21:00hrs

Admission £1.50p, children 50p

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Wednesday 12th February 2020

Burton-on-Trent - Townsend Toy & Train Fairs (Malcolm Townsend) - Evening Fair

The Town Hall, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 2EB

Web. - www.tttf.co.uk

Mob. - 07951 072 790

18:00 - 20:30hrs

Admission unknown, accompanied under-16's free

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Thursday 13th February 2020

Theydon Bois - Joe Lock Fairs (evening fair)

Village Hall, Coppice Row, Theydon Bois, Essex, CM16 7ER

Internet presence unknown

Mob. - 07866 641 215

19:00-21:00hrs

Admission £1

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Auctions

Saturday 8th February 2020

Bury St. Edmunds - Lacy Scott & Knight

Web. - www.lsk.co.uk

eMail - oleggett@lsk.co.uk

Tel. - 01284 748 600 (general enquires)

Tel. - 01284 748 623 (Oliver Leggett - auction)

Toy and Collectors Models

Poole - Cottees Auctions Limited

Mannings Heath Road, Poole, Dorset, BH12 4NQ

Web. - www.cottees.co.uk

eMail - info@cottees.co.uk

Tel. - 01202 723 177

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Wednesday 12th February 2020

Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis Auctions

Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 9JZ

Web. - www.vectis.co.uk

eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk

Tel. - 01642 750 616

Sales commence at 10:30hrs

Toy & model soldiers & figures, kits & AFV's

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Other Events

From Thursday 6th February (yesterday) - until Monday 20th April 2020

Manchester - Nathan Sawaya (Lego builder) - The Art of the Brick

Great Northern Warehouse, Peter Street, Manchester

Web. - www.aotbmanchester.co.uk

[Seems to be a re-hash of the show which actually started 19th Jan and was flagged-up here then - Fri. 10th Jan.?]

Added interaction/participation building?

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Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th February 2020

Exeter - Westpoint - Antique & Vintage Home Show

Web. - www.westpointexeter.co.uk

Antiques, collectables and vintage - 400+ dealers

Sheppton Mallet - Bristol Classic - Great Weastern Classic Car Show

Bath & West Showground, Sheppton mallet, Somerset

Web. - www.bristolclassiccarshows.com

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Saturday 8th - Sunday 23rd February 2020

Norwich - The Forum - Norfolk Makers Festival

The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich

Web. - www.norfolkmakersfestival.co.uk

Crafting, spinning & weaving, printing, painting, drawing & sculpting, knitting, crochet & embroidery etc . . . workshops, displays and traders.

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Overseas Events

Saturday 8th February 2020

Schertz (USA) - Attic Antiquity Dolls - Hill Country Doll Show & Sale

Schertz Civic Centre, 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, TX 78154, Texas USA

Web. - http://www.dolldr.com/5.html

eMail - dmeredith@dolldr.com (Dorothy Meredith)

Tel. - ++8306 065 868

09:00-16:00hrs

Admission $6.00, children $2.00

50 dealers, dolls, bears and miniatures

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Sunday 9th February 2020

Wallingford (USA) - Classic Shows - Model Railroad Show

Zandri's Stillwood Inn, 1074 South Colony Rd, Wallingford, CT 06492, Connecticut, USA

Web. - http://www.classicshowsllc.com/Zandris-Directions.shtml

eMail - LSpinelli49@aol.com

Tel. - ++2039 261 327 (Lud or Tina Spinelli)

09:00-14:00hrs                                                                              

Admission $5, children 12 & under - free with accompanying adult

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If you are an event promoter/show curator/auctioneer and you want your toy, model, collectable, military, historical or popular-/youth-culture type sale/exhibition/event listed here -  FOR FREE  - or linked to; please eMail me -

maverickatlarge[at]hotmail[dot]com

- stating the date/s of the event, address of event, contact details, opening/viewing times, admission pricing and any other relevant facts/details or features - parking, travel notes, disability access, availability of refreshments, event subject matter &etc. And a link; if the event or your organisation has a web-page.

And please mention any flyer-art or poster-/leaflet-scans but send by separate eMail, in case they go to the 'junk' folder, from where they can be recovered and marked safe, but only if I know they're there!

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Link

I hate Funko and the horse it came in on, but how can you not like this!

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H is for How They Come In

I found a new old Charity shop, or that is - one which has been closed every time I've been past it, but which was staffed this time, and not just staffed, two ladies were running-out of places to put stuff. They had a drawer of mixed figures for 20p from which I selected this little lot!

The weird insect with a prehensile tail looks to be from that McDonald's set of Smurfs we looked at the other day; I think the two girls are from a board-game (looking at the bases) and possibly Barbie-related, although they look a little younger and more anatomically realistic than Mattel's Miss.

The Sci-fi's are a Hasbro whatsit (seen 'em here before) and a small rubber Cyberman who may be from those advent calendars from which the Philosophical Toad gave a Dalek to the Blog years ago.

A [probably] Kinder kangaroo and an Indian made up the group, I got him because although he's a common enough looking figure (from Timpo Swoppets) in PVC-rubber material, he's not the expected Hong Kong marked offering, but clearly marked 'China'.

Also in the shop was a shelf of what had been someone's fairy collection, of which this one around the 54mm mark joined the growing pocketful.

The Asian importer gave up what I think is another from that Ubisoft lot we looked at a few years ago, although it's unmarked . . . the fact that it involves a mushroom (with a pair of eyes pocking out) and a weird sluggington sitting on it, might have something to do with my assumption!

The evilBay lot arrived, very useful stuff, two or three posts should be the result.

Invicta Plastics for the British Museum (Natural History); I know, I've got one; but I thought it had a slightly chewed tail, so considered this an upgrade! In fact; there was nothing wrong with the last one and I think I might have three, but the others can make for useful swaps.

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This Week I Are Been Mostly Sortin' . . .

. . . Hay! And Straw!

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Other Toy Stuff

Chocolate

Look what I found in my suit-jacket pocket! Another freebie from Toy Fair 2020! A chocolate I shall enjoy (well . . . I already have!) and the Hornby Group posts (three I think) are in the long queue, that's the tardy queue!

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Barbie

I saw a story about the ethnic Barbie's (mentioned here passim), but which added that there will be disabled Barbie's as well, already there is an African-American Barbie with Vitiligo (the contrasting skin-patch thing) and another with a prsthetic, while plans are afoot for wheelchair and hair-loss Barbie's.

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Other Stuff

Spot the 'deliberate' mistake . . .

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No; look properly . . . !

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One of the snowdrops picked up a 'hat' made of a hollowed acorn shell! Skin? What are the chances of that happening? Probably not that great in a snow-drop wood with lot of oaks! Indeed the way they open and then drop the flower may be a mechanism for shedding such collected empty acorns or hazelnuts? I blame the squirrels!

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And finally;

Whaaaaat?!! Sometimes I need a box . . . aaaaand sometimes . . . I don't . . . have you seen it? It's far too big; I could easily fit in it . . .  and now you've emptied it! Where's the fun in that?

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E is for Egg Soldiers But Not Toast!

Or at least they are in a folder marked Egg Soldiers and have been edited as the above title for some time san's blurb, but, now I've looked them up, the blurb is here to say they aren't eggs, they're 'Rabbids', geddit? Like rabbits but . . . well, you know all these 'Art Figures; and 'Designer Toys' it all seems to be about death, un-death, disease and/or nihilism!

Anywhoos - These are they! They do look like eggs, and there is an obvious egg-soldiers joke in there for anyone to spot (which is why the title stands), but sadly out of all the Raving Rabbids issued (and they are legion) these happen to be the only two who's ears are hidden by headdress! But Rabbids they are.

A Rabbid Guardsman and a Rabbid Cossack from UBI Art, part of the whole Ubisoft empire, I'm not sure if they are straight-to-store 'art toys' or some sort of game-related characters, my bad, but I don't game and I don't follow designer figures and  . . . I don't care!

God knows what they cost new, but like the Un-Disney-Dunny-Bunny-Bare-Bear-Tiger thing a few Christmases ago, these were among others in a charity-shop pound-bag, and were going to post on Easter Sunday, but have been moved now I know they're not egg-soldiers; bloody imposters!

D is for Dragon Roundup

Dragons are building-up in Picasa, and given their volatile nature, best to get them up here and away in the attic before they do any real harm!

From Ubisoft who I think we've visited before (might even be these dragons?), but all in Spanish so obviously clearance - here in the UK. Imported by Heathside Trading and sold through The Works about a year/18months ago, I seem to have taken some shots (which may have appeared here?), then got another dragon or two.

Each comes with a flyer/rule sheet in Spanish and Portuguese, three game cards and a jewel, there are a total of 30 dragons to collect.

This may have appeared before, or he may be the addition (or I may not have Blogged them yet!), with the limits of the Library for posting I can't check. They are a cut above the rack-toys below, but they're not that good either, trying too hard to be as spiky as the characters in the World of Warcraft franchise, if you ask me.

The full set of 30, some sculpts seem to have been re-used several times, others are unique, there's no real reason for this I can see, but it may be a familial thing hidden in the rules?

Imported into the US by JPW, these shots were sent in to 'Smallscaleworld Towers' by Brian Berke and this is a current rack-toy on the far shores of the pond. Standard 'Chinasaur' type dragons, they would look better for a proper paint-job, but as fantasy air forces, you can't get them cheaper!

Key Ring I got last Christmas, a 'proper' Chinese sea-serpent style dragon coiled in a heap, don't know for sure if it's modern or vintage, but I suspect (from the simple ring and chain) mid-1970's to the mid-1980's?

[added at library - yes, I've blogged them once already...click Ubisoft in the tag list...at least I know there are 30 now!]

U is for Ubisoft

Credited to Ubisoft, a French 'games' manufacturer (originally Ubi Soft) - I use the inverted commas as it's 'games' as in interactive, on-line, X-Box type stuff, not Parker, Spears or Waddington's type stuff!

Presumably to support one of their gaming titles...Combat of Giants, Dragons. These were on clearance in The Works back in March/April, and - at 99p each - didn't last long. The bi-lingual spelling looks like these were originally also destined for the Spanish market?

Nothing to get excited about here, a transparent plastic jewel (presumably part of the game-play?), a points card and a collectors card or two...I think, I didn't study any of it, just took the shots and kept the figurine! This stuff is becoming two-a-penny, both games companies and pay-per-view TV companies try new lines all the time, like prepared meals in supermarkets, some work and become household names, some disappear after a few months or a few episodes, and occasionally there's a tie-in toy line, this is one of those! I haven't even Googled the game title...I really don't care!

The animals are OK and useful for 20/30mm role-play or sci-fi/fantasy war-gaming, but they are pretty crude as well as being distorted by the packaging, also the pinky-orange one is more robot or rock-like than he/she is dragony or dinosaury!

I don't know how many different sculpts there should be either, I'll have to look it all up for the A-Z one day, but that day's not today!