Steve's Collection (08/03/20)

Hello to old acquaintances and new faces. I took a seven year intermission from the forum and collecting animal figures. I cannot be sure exactly why as I never lost interest but about 7 years ago I met my wife. I imagine new priorities appeared. I now have a wife and 2 year old daughter. My wife recently bought a Schleich horse (sorry I do not know which one), now she has 7 and it has reminded me of how much enjoyment I had here and collecting. So here I am...when I can.

I have made a new blog as I couldn't edit my old one and according to blogger I had no blog anyway but it has been fun to do!

It is virtually identical and up to date, same pictures copied over, but lacking other mammals section as I'm not sure how I want to do that yet. Snakes are a new addition! Most of my Collection isn't with me for now but I want to take new photos early in the new year when I have everything together.

I look forward to trying to catch up

Welcome back

Hello Steve,
very nice see you back!     Yes, life situations are changing and so our priorities too. Seven years is really a long time! Well, maybe the time has come to start a new common chapter together with your family in the world of animal figures. I'm looking forward to see your old and new animal figures.

Welcome back from one of the "new faces". I will look at your blog: by the pics on this page your collection looks like quite interesting!

Thank you all

75senta75 wrote:

Hello Steve,
very nice see you back!     Yes, life situations are changing and so our priorities too. Seven years is really a long time! Well, maybe the time has come to start a new common chapter together with your family in the world of animal figures. I'm looking forward to see your old and new animal figures.

Yeah I don't think my wife will stop at 7 horses now and my daughter has already learned the species of my snakes! She does really need to quickly learn what "be gentle" means though .

Schleich komodo Dragon from a zoo visit today
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Schleich snake nest snake
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It really makes me happy to see an old member back. 7 years is a lot but now you are back with a complete family of collectors. Your child is quite young yet, just give one more year and you will see the toy animal addiction. There are so many beautiful horses these daysso I hope your wife find the way to enjoy this hobby too.
Congratulations for your new reptiles and please keep posting.

Roger wrote:

It really makes me happy to see an old member back. 7 years is a lot but now you are back with a complete family of collectors. Your child is quite young yet, just give one more year and you will see the toy animal addiction. There are so many beautiful horses these daysso I hope your wife find the way to enjoy this hobby too.
Congratulations for your new reptiles and please keep posting.

Thank you for your kind words. Yes I have told her she is lucky she likes horses! It's been a pleasure to be back looking here on a daily basis again.

A couple of new additions. I missed posting a Christmas bundle and am still yet to take proper new photographs of my collection.

The papo gharial has been on my wishlist for years and so it's great to finally add it. I like the newer arctic fox from schleich, it replaces their older version which I never quite liked
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Papo gharial is stupendous. It is a kind of Pinocchio in crocs world. Haven't you considered the Papo Arctic fox? Actually I like it slightly better than the new Schleich Arctic fox.

Roger wrote:

Papo gharial is stupendous. It is a kind of Pinocchio in crocs world. Haven't you considered the Papo Arctic fox? Actually I like it slightly better than the new Schleich Arctic fox.

Haha yes it is a great model of a fascinating animal so well designed for both fishing and lying. I spent a few weeks choosing between the papo fox and the schleich, I found it difficult and was changing my mind from time to time! Papo really are excellent at making their toys seem alive, and the arctic fox is one of them. I think papo's sculpt is more detailed and superior too. I was not a fan of the colour so much and also the tail, I didn't find any pictures of the real animal with a tail quite like it. And even though the face of the Schleich version looked too cute, it seemed to resemble pictures of the real animal more than the papo to me! Maybe googling 'arctic fox' shows the cutest and whitest foxes only! Seeing the papo in person may well have swayed me towards it, this was a tough choice but I enjoy it like that

Congratulations

Steve170 wrote:

Roger wrote:

Papo gharial is stupendous. It is a kind of Pinocchio in crocs world. Haven't you considered the Papo Arctic fox? Actually I like it slightly better than the new Schleich Arctic fox.

Haha yes it is a great model of a fascinating animal so well designed for both fishing and lying. I spent a few weeks choosing between the papo fox and the schleich, I found it difficult and was changing my mind from time to time! Papo really are excellent at making their toys seem alive, and the arctic fox is one of them. I think papo's sculpt is more detailed and superior too. I was not a fan of the colour so much and also the tail, I didn't find any pictures of the real animal with a tail quite like it. And even though the face of the Schleich version looked too cute, it seemed to resemble pictures of the real animal more than the papo to me! Maybe googling 'arctic fox' shows the cutest and whitest foxes only! Seeing the papo in person may well have swayed me towards it, this was a tough choice but I enjoy it like that

I love the face of the Papo Arctic fox. It may be not as cute but they captured the traditional foxy expression.
The Schleich figure is quite nice and easily acceptable as a good competitor to the Papo counterpart. Contrarily to their current red fox that has no possible comparison with the current Papo red fox , but that is always a question of personal taste. I get all of them in anyway.

Steve170 wrote:

I spent a few weeks choosing between the papo fox and the schleich, I found it difficult and was changing my mind from time to time!

Oh, I had exactly the same dilemma some months ago. I was actually at a store holding both foxes and looking at them for about 20 minutes and not able to make a decision..I felt like an idiot and left with no fox! After a couple of days I went back with my 4-year old daughter and she decided for me in a second... You guess right, Schleich!
I like both models, but I feel relieved now. Your kid's pleasure beats everything..he!

When I received the Safari arctic fox, I was a bit deceived and I planned to substitute it. After some time dilucidating I choosed the Papo one for the future. Seeing that the opinion of our fox expert is coincident, I will stick with the Papo arctic fox :)

Roger wrote:

I love the face of the Papo Arctic fox. It may be not as cute but they captured the traditional foxy expression.
The Schleich figure is quite nice and easily acceptable as a good competitor to the Papo counterpart. Contrarily to their current red fox that has no possible comparison with the current Papo red fox , but that is always a question of personal taste. I get all of them in anyway.

Yes the Papo red fox is a favourite of my collection. It's beautifully sculpted and in a brilliant pose, which I think captures some of the animals personality - at least, the majority of times I see foxes they are walking quickly just like this. From a side on view it is almost perfect for me. But I feel there is something not quite right about the shape of the head from the front view...I think the head goes up too far at the point between the ears...I am being very, very, exceptionally picky about this - because I like the face anyway - but it is probably the animal I have picked up and examined most and this seems to be the only problem for me. Schleich has a long way to improve on their red red fox!

spacelab wrote:

Steve170 wrote:

I spent a few weeks choosing between the papo fox and the schleich, I found it difficult and was changing my mind from time to time!

Oh, I had exactly the same dilemma some months ago. I was actually at a store holding both foxes and looking at them for about 20 minutes and not able to make a decision..I felt like an idiot and left with no fox! After a couple of days I went back with my 4-year old daughter and she decided for me in a second... You guess right, Schleich!
I like both models, but I feel relieved now. Your kid's pleasure beats everything..he!

Haha, I understand that situation! If it's too close to call then that's a smart idea asking your daughter, then everyone is happy

Pardofelis wrote:

When I received the Safari arctic fox, I was a bit deceived and I planned to substitute it. After some time dilucidating I choosed the Papo one for the future. Seeing that the opinion of our fox expert is coincident, I will stick with the Papo arctic fox :)

Please don't show me any pictures of it I have looked at it so much lately that the image is cemented in my head and I feel like it's going to haunt me until I buy it!

widukind wrote:

Congratulations

Thanks Andreas

Final additions for February, and something a little different. A set made by Hornby from the cartoon 'The Animals of Farthing Wood' back in 1992. The cartoon was based on a book first published in 1979 written by Colin Dann. I recently bought the series on dvd and have been watching it. I remember literally nothing at all in it but the memory of the cartoon itself is very strong from my childhood! It is very true to nature in the way that the animals represent their real life counterparts, in diet and movement to a degree. It can be quite graphic and sad, but that is nature.

After doing some research online, it looks like more sets were made after this one. Today I can just show a picture of the animals on my display but they came in a very nice presentation box which I will share later. They are vinyl and other than their size, they accurately represent their appearance in the cartoon.

Mole, badger, weasel, toad, fox and owl
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I loved these cartoons whose characters were animals of the forest. Obviously I enjoy especially the fox.

Steve170 wrote:

Final additions for February, and something a little different. A set made by Hornby from the cartoon 'The Animals of Farthing Wood' back in 1992. The cartoon was based on a book first published in 1979 written by Colin Dann. I recently bought the series on dvd and have been watching it. I remember literally nothing at all in it but the memory of the cartoon itself is very strong from my childhood! It is very true to nature in the way that the animals represent their real life counterparts, in diet and movement to a degree. It can be quite graphic and sad, but that is nature.

After doing some research online, it looks like more sets were made after this one. Today I can just show a picture of the animals on my display but they came in a very nice presentation box which I will share later. They are vinyl and other than their size, they accurately represent their appearance in the cartoon.

Mole, badger, weasel, toad, fox and owl
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Wonderful models. This cartoon was my favorite, when I was a child.

I'm glad you also watched this.