Considering how much Susanne gives to this forum, it was inexcusable to refuse Susanne's request. So, here goes a humble walk around of the Schleich 14688 black panther released in 2013 and only available until 2016.
It was one of these Schleich multifunctional models. In some catalogues it was in America while in other catalogues it was in Asia & Australia.The last year even presented something bizarre, it was together with the Schleich leopard but the spotted version was labeled as a jaguar.
Toy Animal Wiki has it placed in Africa, nice!
It was marketed just as "Schwarzer Panther", black panther, letting the discussion open to which species it represents.These geographical incongruences do not help too much because both jaguar and leopards generate black panthers.While presented in America it works a jaguar once presented in Asia it is a leopard.
In 2017 it was replaced by a black jaguar, a more robuste sculpt and with ghost rosettes.
It is a modestly sized figure, weighing just 31g while the current black jaguar weighs 53g, being a much more massive figure.
That difference in size indicates clearly that the retired figure is supposed to be a leopard, the conformation is also more correct for a leopard and the long tail is another indicator.
It is 5 cm tall at the shoulders. There is a huge variation in sizes among Asiatic leopards, though the scale can be between 1:12 and 1:15.
I haven't removed the tag, I don't collect black leopards or alternatively colored species. I didn't remember having it and it was surely bought for a trade or someone was searching it but for any reason I lost track of it and I ended with this figure in my collection.
The figure is snarling and show some tention. It has big eyes with pupils painted
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Fur is pleasantly sculpted showing a well brushed animal as traditional in Schleich figures of this period.
The muscular expression is correct for a leopard and contributes to the sensation of tension it shows. Legs are particularly defined.
Ribs are clearly sculpted and it is a detail that I appreciate but I know it is not very popular among children. It may be one of the reasons that explains the short life of this model.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]It looks a slender figure when we see it laterally but it is actually somewhat bulky.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The pose is elegant with the head turned slightly to the right side with the body following the movement.
Pawpads are sculpted and painted in a lighter color.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Teeth and mouth are better painted than what it looks in this picture because I haven't noticed the shadows were making their work.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Now some comparisons:
Here presented with the wonderful 2017 Schleich cheetah female.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]... and here with the superb 2019 CollectA African leopard.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
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