Plio-scenes

"Megatherium" (= gigantic beast) from Starlux) :

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 Sometimes called "Giant sloths" (in french langage), megatherium were originated from South America and reached North America when the both continents were joined by panamean isthmus.

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 Their big size and terrific claws protected them from predators like Smilodon (here from Impro) and they lived a very long time from Pliocen to late Pleistocen..  until men arrived. We have evidences of hunting in South America, later, by paleo-Indians who even drew them on rock faces!

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  Mr Massat the Starlux brand Sculptor respected the characteristic orientation of its hugue claws which bothered it to speed..
Megatherium has been rather commonly edited by vintage (Heinkel and Lido nabisco premium, Marx, Timpo..) and modern brands (Bullyland, schleich, Safari ltd, Geoworld, K&M..)

I know that before going to bed I have always a story to dream about. Either long claws or huge teeth are always assured. I really love it, Alain!
There's now a slow fever around ground sloths, it may explains why more recent brands like Papo, CollectA or Mojö never released it. It was before almost mandatory among prehistoric mammals.

Yes Rogério, Megatherium seems to have been during a very long time, a "star" among prehistoric animals like mammoth or smilodon. I noticed the importance of North American fauna among prehistoric replicas from past to now, even among Starlux ones, maybe due to early increase of paleontology and books edition with beautiful illustrations in this area. When I was a child, most of books for kids about prehistoric animals were from US origine. Later, at the end of seventies, we discovered french editions of the wonderful Burian's paintings and drawings!.. who was from an "East side state" originated (Czechoslovakia).

Ooh very nice :)

SUSANNE wrote:

Roger wrote:

Caracal wrote:

rogerpgvg wrote:

Great to see these photos and good to have nature at home when you can't go out to see it. I wondered: was Starlux the first company to produce prehistoric toy animals?

..in France yes it was, but in Great-Britain, Cherilea and in USA, Marx, produiced some dinosaurs during the fiveties!..

Thank to you both Taos and Roger! :)

I think the Italian Chialu also released series of dinosaurs during these years.

Right after WWII , the Danish brand Neo-Form made 7 rather large dinosaurs in composition material.
Back then they were already so expensive that they were mainly sold to schools in Germany and USA.
As they were rather brittle, there are extremely few left, and they are probably the most expensive toy models at all now, and can go for large three-digit dollar prices.

I would concur that NF (top row, dark plesiosaur) is even rarer than the Chialus (top left). Both are from the 50’s and very hard to find. The bronze SRGs (shiny gold-looking figures) from the 40’s are actually far more common. But the oldest French line (and oldest true line of dinosaurs ever made) was the Mignot line (top center, light grey) from the 20’s.

Thank you for your informations, Bluekrono, you are right, there is the old CBG Mignot line with very beautiful, large and rare pieces:

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(from french forum "Soldat plastique 1/32ème" from.. probably net.)

According to french forum member Polinefred, the dino were released in 1927 and the mammoth in 1950 but as rare and expensive pieces to collect, not at all in toys mass production context!..

WOW ! Those are wonderful

yes they are.. and now very expensive!

Advicot wrote:

Ooh very nice :)

Thank you Adam! :)

Thank you Andreas! :)

Gigantocamelus (= gigantic camel!) from Starlux:

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Its scientific name is "Gigantocamelus spatulus" because of its spatula like incisors. It lived during Pliocen and early Pleistocen epoch in North America. Its humpback was due to dorsal vertebral development as the one of bisons.

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I used here a calf of Starlux dromedary to get a little family!

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here with a bactrian camel from Omo for size comparison:

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I don't know any other replica of this spectacular animal from historical or modern brands.

In spite of its too marqued break between hump and back, it's rather a well proportionned representation, and the hump is correctly positionned on shoulders. Its only defaut is its too little size! I don't know the model which inspired Mr Massat, the Starlux brand sculptor..

Interesting figures

It may be a little small but I wasn't expecting it to be larger than Papo's camel.
To the common eye, this figure is not very different from a dromedary so it explains why it is never released in toy figure. Once more Starlux demonstrated why it was such a special brand. Maybe you can use Papo's dromedary as a Syrian camel.

I've found this chart, I think it is interesting.
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Thanks for showing these prehistorical Starlux mammals. Very interesting to see them.

Thank you Andreas, Rogério and Roger! :)

Rogério, I don't understand what you mean for Papo's dromedary is already a syrian camel ..

anyway, thank you for this very iteresting comparative picture! :)

Caracal wrote:

Rogério, I don't understand what you mean for Papo's dromedary is already a syrian camel ..

anyway, thank you for this very iteresting comparative picture! :)

Now I'm lost! I was not saying Papo's dromedary is already a Syrian camelalthough I'm not surprised if it is.
As Syrian camels are very similar to extant dromedary camels and Papo's figure is almost 10 cm tall, it could work as a †Camelus moreli , Syrian camel although these were 4 metters high! :shock. Papo's figure puts it around 3 metters but I think it works. Ah, but not with your gigantocamelus, of course.

Ah Ok, so syrian camel is a disapeared species I did'nt know!

As dromedary lives in Syria nowadays, I believed you were talking about it under this name of "syrian dromedary"!

It's true that Papo one is very large,.. and very beautiful too..

Caracal wrote:

Ah Ok, so syrian camel is a disapeared species I did'nt know!

As dromedary lives in Syria nowadays, I believed you were talking about it under this name of "syrian dromedary"!

It's true that Papo one is very large,.. and very beautiful too..

Yes, the name Syrian camel is not very enlightening.
I have Papo dromedary and I love it and it size is more than fine.

from my 2015 crèche:

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(Machairodus and Deinotherium from Bullyland)

Wonderful!
- I am not afraid of your tusks... my little pussy cat.
-

Thank you Rogério and Andreas! :)

european jaguar (Panthera gombaszoegennsis)


He actually lived during late Pliocen and early Pleistocen.



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from Papo!