A Couple Unidentifieds

I got a bunch of figures at a flea market yesterday, a couple interesting ones were unidentified.

First, I have no idea of species, maker (not even marked with China), or anything. I'm choosing to call it a member of my Paleozoic sea scene.
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Second was this really rather lovely billfish. Once again, no marks at all. Pictured with my 1999 Safari sailfish. The paint on the billfish is metallic and has a deep glow, a neat attempt to mimic the real fish. It is a keeper.
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I can't help with the brands, but the paleozoic creature looks like a poor attempt of a Pterygotus, while for the billfish I would say is a marlin in the genus Makaira (not a Tetrapturus as it don't have stripes)

I love that fish

The green critter is fun, - looks like he can hold on to something round both with his claws and tail
I admire you for spotting it, - I would just have thought it was some kind of lobster from a playset

So do I, the fish is marvellous

I have that fish too, but no idea for the brand. I think something like Chap Mei sets

The little green thing is a eurypterid of some kind, probably a Pterygotus-ish one (based on overall body shape and the paddle and claw shapes), with elements of a Mixopterus telson and Megarachne legs (there's none that looks exactly like the figure though, but Pterygotus is the closest)

They were small accessories with the first line of Imaginext prehistoric animals. Some of their others were really neat, like small early horses and reptilomorphs. No official names though.

Thanks for the help with those figures, here are a few more I dug up while going through a bin of stuff to put in my trade/sell thread. Will edit in info shortly, I have to use a separate computer to download pics.
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pipsxlch wrote:

Thanks for the help with those figures, here are a few more I dug up while going through a bin of stuff to put in my trade/sell thread. Will edit in info shortly, I have to use a separate computer to download pics.
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The skunk and giant anteater look like Britains recasts. The aardvark is neat but I don't recognize it.

And no idea on the bug thing!

Just got with the figures in decent light, I was wondering about Nayab on the skunk- but it's marked only Hong Kong, so a Britains knockoff makes sense. The giant anteater is also marked Hong Kong, but also has a brand which I couldn't see before- Larami. Guess that answers that one. The aardvark is marked Rae 1972 Made in Hong Kong. No marks at all on the ? butterfly emerging from a chrysalis? if that's what it is.

I must find a way to trade with you Kelly! I'm surely interested in that aardvark and anteater.
I didn't know Larami released anteaters. Actually, it looks a lot like the RAE anteater female on TAW
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On the other hand, the aardvark doesn't look the same as we see also on TAW, unless there is a male and female too.

I'm sure something can be figured out, Roger! I will refrain from putting those figures up for now.

The anteater and aardvark look different stylistically. Of course, that doesn't mean they may not be from similar model runs, or even the same manufacturer.

Perhaps Larami in their early days was buying knockoff molds or having runs made by companies that will self brand for them, like Wing Mau nowadays? That anteater does look the same as that RAE one you show.

pipsxlch wrote:

I'm sure something can be figured out, Roger! I will refrain from putting those figures up for now.

The anteater and aardvark look different stylistically. Of course, that doesn't mean they may not be from similar model runs,  or even the same manufacturer.

Perhaps Larami in their early days was buying knockoff molds or having runs made by companies that will self brand for them, like Wing Mau nowadays? That anteater does look the same as that RAE one you show.

Why will you refrain?
I bet you are right. Larami and RAE operated these figures almost at the same time and both are made in Hong Kong, first half of 1970's was dominated by Hong Kong toy industry. Both were also brands that targeted their products with very low prices and that was only possible when partnering with HK manufacturers. Thus, you are almost surely correct.

I will refrain from putting them up with my other offerings until I can see if there's a way for me to get them to you. I have a couple ideas, and a couple other figures set aside.

I don't think I will have time to do more photographing for my listings until next weekend anyways. So they are safe with me in the meanwhile.

The butterfly chrysalis was part of a set made by AAA that showed the life-cycle of a swallowtail butterfly, these figures weren't marked with the AAA logo. (I have the entire set)

Thank you, Adam! That makes it sound quite interesting

pipsxlch wrote:

Thanks for the help with those figures, here are a few more I dug up while going through a bin of stuff to put in my trade/sell thread. Will edit in info shortly, I have to use a separate computer to download pics.
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The anteater looks like a deformed Elastolin copy - the Britains version had the tail on the ground. The skunk maybe a Marx copy as Britains never made a figure of this animal. Agree the Aardvark is really nice and is the pick of the bunch.

The Aardvark may be Prior (or a copy):
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Very interesting link rogerpgvg, thanks for sharing.

Not that I know much about vintage figures but I have seen the aardvark sold as RAE on ebay...

But the RAE aardvark on TAW looks different: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

My theory is that Prior was the first to produce the aardvark (plus a couple of others like a pangolin, anteater and armadillo) and that several Chinese companies copied it. It's just a theory, but Prior seems to have been slightly more original than other Chinese companies, even though they also made many copies of especially Britains. They also started the production of their plastic animal figures quite early, in the late 50s.

RAE produced two different aardvark in a Noah’s ark Style. Some RAE models used the same moulds as Prior, with a lesser quality result for the one I met.