High Quality Museum Lines
A museum line has a endorsement from a museum or educational organisation. Most common are solid vinyl figures that are painted and done to scale.
Batatt: briefly produced a Museum line in conjunction with the Boston Museum of Science. The dramatic postures and colorful paint were off set by an indifferent quality control. There was a 1/40 scale series and mini pantograph versions. There was also a smaller Tyrannosaurus figure produced separate from the pantograph line. It was brought to market in only very small numbers. Considered among the best Dinosaur toys ever made. No longer tin production. The figures are copied by Vinyl figure makers in China.
Bullyland: of Germany a veteran figure maker from Germany that has produced many dinosaur lines and an extensive Prehistoric Mammals line. Not common in the US. There is a Museum line, via the Natural history Museum in Stuttgart Germany with some of the best figures produced. there also individual figures cusom done for Museums. The ownership has changed.
CollectA: previously Procon, an UK-Hong Kong company that partners with educators. Anthony Beeson a regular contributor to Dinosaur Collector provides the key technical input for the designs and figures choices. Has begun producing individual figures for museums on request. Museum of Lourinhã partnered with CollectA to have a model made of Lorinhanosaurus.
Invicta: the grandfather of the Museum lines, the was a 1/45 scale series of unpainted Dinosaurs with British Natural History Museum.. Later most of the series was sold in painted versions. Most of the unpainted series can still be found. There is also a plaster cast set of 4 figures based on Museum figures. The British Natural History Museum has developed new museum lines none as sucessful.
K&M has several medium to very small dinosaur and prehistoric animal lines. They purchased Dinosauria line as their British natural History Museum museum line. Several of their Wild Republic Lines are still in production; the bin style tubes have custom painted figures. K&M seems to be establishing a place in many Museum shops selling low priced sets. The yearly release of new figures is a mix of common submuseum and chinasaurs.
Marolin: (VEB Plaho) an East German company that marketed figures possibly based on old molds dating back to the 30's. The figures were reputed to be done in conjunction with the Leipzig Museum. The Brontosaurus was included in an electric train set.
Melbourne Museum small set of Australian dinosaurs.
Play Vision: established a relationship with National Geographic and briefly produced several series of Prehistoric Mammals, Dinosaurs and Prehistoric reptiles and Amphibians. First there was the small dinosaurs, then a Habitat Earth series the final dinosaur series was associated with the American Natural History Museum. The was also a series of large prehistoric mammals and small prehistoric mammals. More interesting was the selection of small prehistoric marine reptiles and another of prehistoric amphibians. The figures were mostly drawn from the illustrations in Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures. Only the small dinosaur bin series is currently known to be in production others are becoming very collectible.
Royal Ontario Museum: (ROM ) in Canada, produced a line of Dinosaurs. Similar in style to Invicta and Marx figures. Knocks offs of the figures are still being produced in China. A Burgess Shale model series is currently being produced.
The Safari Ltd. Company: has the premier Carnegie Museum line with largest range of dinosaurs figures. Carnegie Safari represents the industry standard in modern dinosaur figures and established the 1/40 scale as a standard used by many museum lines. Safari produces several other dinosaur series
Schleich: of Germany produced its Museum line in conjunction with the Humboldt University of Berlin. High quality production and an expanding line have recently made them a major company in the US market. They seem to be especially popular with independent toy stores. They released a series of mini dinosaurs "Schleich Jr" and a line of Prehistoric Mammals. There also several less well known sets. In 2007 changed ownership.
Toyway: in England has marketed a variety of Dinosaur plays sets and Dinosaur series. They are best known for the BBC Walking with Dinosaurs (WWD) figures that are being put out of production. These were extremely faithful to the documentary even to the point of replicating the error of the Allosaurus eye horns. They were thought to own the old Timpo molds. Last Toyway rleased a new series with the British Natural history Museum. In 2008 they changed ownership but BNHM figures not in production IMEX is possible new owner.
Tyco 1988 - 1992 produced The Dino Riders series of action figures and prehistoric animal figures in 1/24 scale. The Dinosaurs were used later by the Smithsonian dinosaur series and finally as the Dinosaurs and Cadillac's actions figures. Some of the figures are quite good, they are the first series of quality articulated figures, Bob Bakker was reputed to be associated as a consultant with the figures. Highly collectable uncommon.
Wild Creations Dino Dan series endorsed by the Drum Heller Museum in Canada.
Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved
