AAA on TAi

As you may have noticed, AAA is a pretty confusing company. They produced a very wide range of animal figurines, and no one knows exactly what they made. But they also manufactured molds for other companies. They also made the same species in different scales. There are a lot figurines which we labelled as 'large' and 'small' variations. How do we keep track of all these animal figurines? I must say, I have no clue

AAA does not seem to sell under their own name at all. Companies that sell AAA molds include ELC, Mamejo, Ravensden and Yolanda. In the 1990s Schleich and Bullyland sold several figurines with AAA molds. Identification is by either a triangle of three As or a single A in a circle.

There are a few lists with animal ranges online on TAi at the moment. When adding animal figurines, we keep noticing 'new' figurines. And there's the problem of naming all the figurines.

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You can find the AAA section on TAi by clicking here. These are the ranges you can find there:

• Amphibians
  
• Arthropods
  
• Birds
  
• Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life
  
• Dogs and Cats
  
• Farm Life
  
• Mammals
  
• Molluscs
  
• Reptiles
  
• Sea Life
  

To obtain a complete list of AAA figurines (as far as we can get it complete), we need help of all STS members. Besides, we have a very specific question about AAA elephants.. You can help us with:

1. Information about the AAA company in general
   
2. Information (photograph and/or clear description) of figurines that are missing on TAi
   
3. Information about all AAA elephants: different sizes (small/large), poses, adult/calf, etc.
   

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If you have any information about any of the above matters or any others concerning AAA, please comment on this topic or send one of the TAi contributors a PM. We would be very happy with any information of photographs to add to TAi!

Thanks in advance!

Great topic, Julie

With some good teamwork, we may make TAI the only REALLY good site about AAA

PS : For people who are so kind to make photos, please put a Lego block, AAA battery, or other World-Wide-Wellknown thing close to the model.
As Julie writes, there are many similar models, where only the size makes the difference.

I have a map on my computer with photos of some AAA animals (that I also sent to Susanne in the past ).
I have no other information about AAA at all

Hope others can help and that we indeed can make the AAA page on TAI a great informative page

I was looking through the list of AAA mammals listed on TAI. And noticed that there are some animals without picture that I have on my shelf and should be able to take a picture of.
Those animals I believe are:

- Elephant calf
- Two (grizzly) bears cubs. One older one that's eating a leaf and a newer one
- Panda cub (not even listed I think)
- A jaguar/leapard cub (also not listed)
- And I have a ringtailed lemur that is grey instead of brownish grey that's listed, though I'm not sure if colour variations are also important.

I can't take any pictures right now (it's dark here so the pictures would be horrible).

Shall I take some pictures for TAI when I can? I don't know how to upload them to TAI but I'm sure I can figure out a way

A-J wrote:

I was looking through the list of AAA mammals listed on TAI. And noticed that there are some animals without picture that I have on my shelf and should be able to take a picture of.
Those animals I believe are:

- Elephant calf
- Two (grizzly) bears cubs. One older one that's eating a leaf and a newer one
- Panda cub (not even listed I think)
- A jaguar/leapard cub (also not listed)
- And I have a ringtailed lemur that is grey instead of brownish grey that's listed, though I'm not sure if colour variations are also important.  

I can't take any pictures right now (it's dark here so the pictures would be horrible).

Shall I take some pictures for TAI when I can? I don't know how to upload them to TAI but I'm sure I can figure out a way

Anne-Joke, thanks for your reply! That would be great! We are waiting with uploading the elephants, for we have to figure out how many there were made and in which scales and such. I can tell you how to upload the pictures to TAi (you first have to PM/e-mail Tim for an account), but you can also send the pictures to me so I can upload them.

Thanks in advance and take your time!

I can create a contributor account to Anne-Joke if needed. :)

AAA is a big problem indeed. It is basically a manufacturer or the branding of a manufacturer that works mostly in ODM (original design manufacturer) projects.
It means that AAA designs and produces these figures that can be later be sold to other companies. That's the reason why we see the same molds in brands like Mamejo, Ravensden, Yolanda, long ago in Bullyland, Safari or even Schleich. ELC seems to be a slightly diferent story, most of their figures we don't see being sold under other brand names what could mean that ELC worked in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) , it means the buyer copany developes the project and another company manufactures them according with what is requested. I know ELC also sold some molds that we can see in other brands. Though, some figures like the marten, hedgehog and others from ELC I can't remember seeing reused.
So, it puts us in a never ending task and we have to simplify a little in my opinion.
I suggest that, instead of different pages to color variations, that are really a lot, we use a single page to each mold under each picture, we can tell the brand name it was sold if known as I did with your manatee. Just edit it to see how to do it.
We can use different pages to same mold figures in traditional situations like white tigers, different species or subspecies, etc.
So, no pages to Mamejo, Yolanda or Ravensden collections that use AAA. If we ever find a catalogue with a complete selection of figures used by these brands, we can make the lists in these brand pages but linking directly to AAA figure pages.
It is being already done with Wildepedia sets from Wild Republic. As they use small Nayab figures, we're linking directly to Nayab figures as you can see with the North American Animals.
Obviously, we know that most brands use other manufacturers and we won't do it to the majority of other companies. But AAA is another story.
I think I have also a few AAA missing on TAI but my pictures are a pain. If nobody provides them, so I take pictures to upload there too.

Somebody posted on STS lot of catalog pictures from Italian vendor Edilio Parodi. Not complete all-time AAA range but the best source about AAA animal production I ever found...

Roger, thanks for the information! I think it's a good idea to put colour variations in the same page, such as Anne-Joke's brown instead of grey ring-tailed lemur. But except for the different (sub)species, such as the orange/white tigers indeed!

jarda wrote:

Somebody posted o STS lot of catalog pictures from Italian vendor Edilio Parodi. Not coplete all-time AAA range but the best source about AAA animal production I ever found...

Indeed, I found it [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. I made a list in Word with all figurines and product numbers (pfew, that was a lot of work xD). Some interested paterns can be seen there. The reason that I didn't rename the AAA figurines on TAi with these product numbers is because we're not sure if this catalogue is an original AAA catalogue or some sort of product guide from the Italian vendor, Edilio Parodi. I contacted Thitanium Prince (the one whom shared these pictures) if he can help us out with the origin of the catalogue pages.

Tarunyada wrote:

Roger, thanks for the information! I think it's a good idea to put colour variations in the same page, such as Anne-Joke's brown instead of grey ring-tailed lemur. But except for the different (sub)species, such as the orange/white tigers indeed!

jarda wrote:

Somebody posted o STS lot of catalog pictures from Italian vendor Edilio Parodi. Not coplete all-time AAA range but the best source about AAA animal production I ever found...

Indeed, I found it [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. I made a list in Word with all figurines and product numbers (pfew, that was a lot of work xD). Some interested paterns can be seen there. The reason that I didn't rename the AAA figurines on TAi with these product numbers is because we're not sure if this catalogue is an original AAA catalogue or some sort of product guide from the Italian vendor, Edilio Parodi. I contacted Thitanium Prince (the one whom shared these pictures) if he can help us out with the origin of the catalogue pages.

Julie, I am glad you like my suggestions. It is better to ignore these numbers while creating pages on TAI, you can use them on the ifgure info table as you see with the anteater, once it is easy to change if needed. When opening links to new pages, it is better without numbers once I find several different numbers to the same figures. Emma [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], used to sell AAA in here online shop, maybe she has a catalogue or some more info she can provide.

Roger wrote:

Tarunyada wrote:

Roger, thanks for the information! I think it's a good idea to put colour variations in the same page, such as Anne-Joke's brown instead of grey ring-tailed lemur. But except for the different (sub)species, such as the orange/white tigers indeed!

jarda wrote:

Somebody posted o STS lot of catalog pictures from Italian vendor Edilio Parodi. Not coplete all-time AAA range but the best source about AAA animal production I ever found...

Indeed, I found it [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. I made a list in Word with all figurines and product numbers (pfew, that was a lot of work xD). Some interested paterns can be seen there. The reason that I didn't rename the AAA figurines on TAi with these product numbers is because we're not sure if this catalogue is an original AAA catalogue or some sort of product guide from the Italian vendor, Edilio Parodi. I contacted Thitanium Prince (the one whom shared these pictures) if he can help us out with the origin of the catalogue pages.

Julie, I am glad you like my suggestions. It is better to ignore these numbers while creating pages on TAI, you can use them on the ifgure info table as you see with the anteater, once it is easy to change if needed. When opening links to new pages, it is better without numbers once I find several different numbers to the same figures. Emma [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], used to sell AAA in here online shop, maybe she has a catalogue or some more info she can provide.

I understand that it's best to avoid these product numbers in a figure's name, but sometimes it could be helpful with figurines that have great resemblance. For example, product numbers could avoid names like 'tiger sitting roaring left paw up, white', if you know what I mean

May I ask on which you based that giant anteater's product number? I found the same figurine on eBay here; it has the same product number. The anteater's product number on the AAA catalogue pages from Thitanium Prince has another product number (34110), which may conclude that these pages are indeed just a product guide of Edilio Parodi, and not AAA originals.

Thanks for the tip, I'll contact [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], see if she can help us any further.

Thanks, Roger!

Tarunyada wrote:

May I ask on which you based that giant anteater's product number? I found the same figurine on eBay here; it has the same product number. The anteater's product number on the AAA catalogue pages from Thitanium Prince has another product number (34110), which may conclude that these pages are indeed just a product guide of Edilio Parodi, and not AAA originals.

I used the exact same source as you linked. That shop/seller is very consistent with these numbers, though, I dont' have any warranty they represent the manufacturer product numbers and that's the reason why I haven't used them on page names.
I understand and agree that it will be hard to find names to all figures if we don't use these numbers, but we can always rename later these pages when we find a trustworthy source.
I am really happy you're working AAA section... really!!! :)

Tarunyada wrote:

Roger, thanks for the information! I think it's a good idea to put colour variations in the same page, such as Anne-Joke's brown instead of grey ring-tailed lemur. But except for the different (sub)species, such as the orange/white tigers indeed.....

Soory if I missed something, - but colour variations does apply to variations meant to be different species like these ? Or ?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

BTW, does anybody have the black/white one with tail up ? And what species is he ? A Vari ?

These three use the same mold but they represent different species.
According with my suggestion, we should creat an individual page to each of them.
- AAA Ring-Tailed Lemur
- AAA Red Ruffed Lemur
- AAA Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur

Different species, different pages.
Then, the traditional animal color variations also different pages.
The same tiger in orange has a page and in white as a different page.
Normal leopard has a page, same mold black leopard as a different page.

Though, I don't think we need to create different pages for grey elephant, light grey elephant, dark grey elephant, when they are the same mold.
... or the same cheetah with fewer spots and the same cheetah heavily spotted. Though, if the same mold of that cheetah is used to make a king cheetah, so a new page to that figure is needed.
More examples:
The same horse in chestnut and in bay colors are not the same figure even the mold and the breed are the same.
The same giraffe mold used for a reticulated giraffe and an Angolan giraffe, are also different subspecies and figures, so different pages.
But, if we have the same mold representing Reticulated giraffes but with different quality finish, no different pages are needed, we just put both pictures in the same page.

Dogs and Cats, the same as horses. A black labrador will probably use the same mold as a golden labrador but they are different figures.

My suggestion is actually the same as most major companies do, Safari black fox and red fox are different references, though, Papo spotted hyena in earlier painting and later improved painting, are the same reference.

Susanne, incredible lemurs!

So ! Roger, now even I understand it

Susanne, those are beautiful I didn't even know they made any other lemurs besides the ring-tailed one. Thanks for sharing

Well Roger explained everything perfectly

Here, have a look at the two brown variations of the ring-tailed lemur on the bottom left side of this catalogue page:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm not a lemur expert, but I think this still represents a ring-tailed lemur? So these and your normal gray version will be added to thesame page on TAi!

Those are ring-tailed lemurs indeed. They can be gray or rosy brown backs with lighter gray or brown hind legs (ADW), I think it is better to use both variations in the same page as I explained before. If we use, AAA brown ring-tailed lemur it will result confuse once it will look like the name of another animal. Also, it will prevent that a collection that is already very extensive, turn non plausible to wikify. I also have a brown grey wolf, isn't it a funny name? Though, I know my wolf was branded Mamejo and I'll add that info to the lying grey wolf page when uploading my pic.

By the way, you're forbidden of showing me catalogue pages with aardvarks that I don't have in my collection!

I fount this: AAA site???

Maybe it is of some use?

And I still have some AAA photos as I said earlier

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Here are three of my giant versions of AAA: Crab, Muray Eel and Lobster.

Arrrhw

Fantastic models How big are they ?

SUSANNE wrote:

Arrrhw

Fantastic models  How big are they ?

The Muray Eel is around 50 or 60 cm long, while the Crab is about 35 cm wide. The Lobster is smaller, maybe 25 cm long.

I moved these Bowhead's giants to this topic once Valérie is being so kind to let us to use these pictures on TAI. So Julie, 3 more for your eternal list.

Roger wrote:

By the way, you're forbidden of showing me catalogue pages with aardvarks that I don't have in my collection!

Roger, is this better?

Tarunyada wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

NightLioness wrote:

I fount this: AAA site???

Maybe it is of some use?

And I still have some AAA photos as I said earlier

Thanks Karin! I'll have a look into it!

Valérie, those are some wonderful AAA figurines, thanks for sharing! I think I have the smaller version of your crab

Roger wrote:

So Julie, 3 more for your eternal list.

I'm on it! Thanks for letting us use your picutres, Valérie

NightLioness wrote:

I fount this: AAA site???

Maybe it is of some use?

And I still have some AAA photos as I said earlier

In this site, I see beautiful animals, specially the owl on tree.

which is the minimum number of animals that can be bought there ?

Is possible buy few models ?

landrover wrote:

NightLioness wrote:

I fount this: AAA site???

Maybe it is of some use?

And I still have some AAA photos as I said earlier

In this site, I see beautiful animals, specially the owl on tree.  

which is the minimum number of animals that can be bought there ?

Is possible buy few models ?  

I have absolutely no idea who, what, how many or where you can or can't buy animals from the site I just found it on the Internet and thought it might be helpful with information and photos in it.... XD Sorry!

Oh! I forgot to photograph my AAA Tiger Shrimp! I'll do it tomorrow morning.