Rtas' additions - Birthday gift from El Desperado

I went on a date with a girl this afternoon (thought the snow would create a lovely romantic atmosphere but it had already turned into dirty mud) but, as usual, that was not leading anywhere so I was a free man at only 4pm, with two hours before everything close and the Milice starts to arrest people for being outside (as it is a scientific universally accepted truth that the SARS-CoV-2, such as lycanthropy and the gremlins, only becomes dangerous after sunset).

So, as I hardly take a shower and have lunch before 5 pm these days, that was the perfect opportunity to enjoy that wonderful cold weather and go to the toy shop in order to look at elephants' genitals for Adam (note that this sentence would sound absolutely weird anywhere outside of this forum).

There, I did not resist doing some shopping and bought two models I had in mind for quite a long time.
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The Papo marmot is a very nice model but I already had the old Schleich one I love so much and never had my heart set at replacing it. But I have recently decided to stop that ridiculous sentimentalism and replace my outdated models when obviously better renditions are easily available to me. It started with the puma and the badger and the marmot is the next victim.

The brown bear though, is not going to replace anyone. My favourite grizzly remains the growling Schleich but I missed a standing male to face it as the only standing bear I have is a female looking way too kind. I am also still very nostalgic about my very fisrt brown bear, the standing male from the 90s, this was a way to pay tribute to it.

Although being solitary animals, I allow myself to own numerous brown bears since they tend to gather in large groups to fish salmons in North America.

However, I totally forgot to take the pheasant ! Indeed, I have recently decided to replace my old outdated poultry for more recent renditions, that's why I was looking for a Papo peacock. Never mind, I would come back tomorrow as I now have plenty of time to kill.

After a quick walk to the supermarket to visit our former intern who lost his internship with our shop's closure (I learnt that he now starts work at 4 am in his new internship, that poor lad, and thus he is not here in the afternoon), I decided to go back home. But, before taking the bus, I remembered a small toy shop not far from there which sold a few Papo. I visited it, in case they had the peacock (I was not very hopeful) and... they actually had two of them, carefully hidden behind three alpacas ! One of them was brilliantly painted, you were able to see the shining "scales" around the head and neck, while the other one was boringly painted, the blue was absolutely uniform, without any shades. Probably two different generations of peacocks, we are all aware of that shameful quality downgrade issue about Papo figures. I obviously took the best one.
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My new peacock would have felt desperately alone that night so, I decided to go back to my usual shop to take the pheasant I had previously forgot. But I was stopped at the exit of the shop by a street fundraiser, you know, those vultures who stalk you in the street in order to get your bank informations for NGOs. I'm sure you have the same ones in your respective countries. Well, I was one of them a few years ago and actually loved the job even if it destroyed me psychologically so, I shared some "war stories" with my fellow who had just started in the business and gave him some tips to extort people more easily.

While we were talking, a former colleague of mine (when I was a street fundraiser actually) saw me and greet me. That was such a coincidence as I had not seen her for several years and met her today while I was precisely speaking with another street fundraiser !

Usually, I give those guys my bank informations to help them in their job as I know how hard a job it is and then, cancel the subscription before paying anything, that's a common fraud in that field. But, for once, the association he was representing really appealed to me as it was the animal protection society which cares for dogs, cats and all sorts of pets and try to find them families to live in. So I will stay a member and give 10€ every month.

With all that shit, I had still forty minutes left to reach the shop and choose between the five pheasants they had, that was more than enough. But I met my former colleague again and shared a few news with her. I finally saw her boyfriend I had so much heard about, physically Meh/20 and not the greek god she described me but I'm sure he is a nice person inside. Once I had finished to explain her how the downfall of human civilisation gave me the opportunity to live my best life as a nearly 30 YO lazy teenager, there was only twenty minutes left before the shop's closure and the curfew but I managed to get my pheasant !
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That's a very nice model I am going to give my vote to since there is no more chance for the mole to win now. The reason why I did not get it before is that I was too attached to my old Schleich model and did not want to replace it. But that replacement was necessary, so was the peacock's. And I am sure they will fit better with my other Schleich fowls such as the new turkey and even the capercaillie which, despite being as old as the pheasant and peacock, was much better than these too and still very decent. Anyway, the Schleich pheasant was very oversized, the new one has a much better size to go with other fowls. Here is a reminder :
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Wonderful new additions my friend! And when you mentioned the elephants and I wonder what the shopkeeper would have thought :0

Nice additions

Advicot wrote:

Wonderful new additions my friend! And when you mentioned the elephants and I wonder what the shopkeeper would have thought :0

She actually came to see me and ask me the usual "are you finding what you are looking for ?"

She already sees me as a weird one, always telling me "you know, they're all the same" when I spend a long time comparing two samples of the same model and saying "oh what a nice donkey" if I buy an okapi (she perfectly knows it's not a donkey, even if she ignores what it's exactly, she only does that to bother me).

At least, this one. There is another one who is much nicer, I can talk about animal figures with her and she knows what a manatee is.

So many wonderful additions, especially the beautiful peacock you were so lucky to find!

RtasVadumee wrote:

Advicot wrote:

Wonderful new additions my friend! And when you mentioned the elephants and I wonder what the shopkeeper would have thought :0

She actually came to see me and ask me the usual "are you finding what you are looking for ?"

She already sees me as a weird one, always telling me "you know, they're all the same" when I spend a long time comparing two samples of the same model and saying "oh what a nice donkey" if I buy an okapi (she perfectly knows it's not a donkey, even if she ignores what it's exactly, she only does that to bother me).

At least, this one. There is another one who is much nicer, I can talk about animal figures with her and she knows what a manatee is.

That is something frustrating about toy shopping in person. I have been asked if I needed anything and if I actually do ask (usually I politely reply that I am just browsing) they have no idea what I am talking about. Whether it be a quokka (the employee asked me what it was when I bought the Schleich) or ask about wild boars (the person showed me domestic pigs after) or they ask me how to spell "okapi" when they search their inventory on their computer.  

Congrats on the new models at any rate!

For a while I thought the first picture was illustrating the date but later I figured there's no snow on it. Kidding, it is really interesting to read your detailed adventures about your new acquisitions, besides a very unusual sense of humour, it also adds something special to each of your figures. I like very much all your new models, I only miss the pheasant but it will be in my collection soon or later. It is a fantastic one. I also like best the Papo marmot than the Schleich but I haven't replaced anything, they are both in my collection. I ejoy the picture with your fowl, I only think you can find a better turkey. However, if it fits your personal taste, it goes nicely too. I have a hard task for you, can you see the clock marking on your peacock? I think the clock can be one of the secrets to find the best production batches. You'll need a magnifying lens.

Haha, could have, but she was more of a crane than a marmot and I really would like to be that bear (however, your joke is even funnier if you implied that I was the marmot and she was the bear )

Roger wrote:

I also like best the Papo marmot than the Schleich but I haven't replaced anything, they are both in my collection.

Actually, I could not wait for you to comment as I remember you have several marmots and from pictures I see on the net, it seems that my Schleich is not so outdated as I thought and there may be a way to make them fit together. So could you please take a picture of both together or, as I know you don't have your figures with you, find an old one where they appear next to each other ? (I remember a picture for a birthday or something like that

That would be great if I didn't have to replace my old Schleich as I truly love her and there is no such thing as sad as a lonely marmot

Roger wrote:

I only think you can find a better turkey. However, if it fits your personal taste, it goes nicely too.

Not especially, the turkey (I use it as a wild turkey of course) is simply not exciting enough as a species to make me choose anything else than the most easily available model.

Also, that turkey has a quite unusual story too, but I won't tell that one as it is a respectable forum here

But indeed, I love the idea that my collection tells a story. You probably noticed that I have often much less to say on my collection topic when the figures I show are from CollectA or Mojo didn't you ? That's because they were ordered online and ordering online leaves no memories, unlike getting figures in the real world. These newest acquisitions are one more example : I will always remind this afternoon through this peacock and this pheasant, I will always remind your joke with the bear and the marmot.

The clock arrow is pointing the 6 on my model, what does that mean ?

RtasVadumee wrote:

and go to the toy shop in order to look at elephants' genitals for Adam (note that this sentence would sound absolutely weird anywhere outside of this forum).

Haha, since I read this I'm very intrigued to actually say to my colleagues at work "Sorry, I have to go to the toy shop to look at elephants' genitals for Adam."

I like your additions and your post was wonderful. I agree with Roger for the turkey, I got the CollectA and I believe it's an absolutely amazing model, not just for a turkey. For a peacock, CollectA was again my choice, a quite different technique, more sculpting and a better size for me. But I like the Papo too. The marmot is fantastic. Pheasant looks OK, I'm not excited, but I might get it at some point since I have none.

As for Toy shops, well imagine the scene with the way I look. Especially when after being for 20 minutes in front of the stand, comes that moment to search for my magnifying glass in the pockets of my long black coat to choose for a specific sample... I'm always waiting to hear from someone "Mister, you are scaring the children.."

I checked the different turkeys after reading Roger's comment and the CollectA is indeed the best.

I did not even know there was a CollectA peacock, I don't pay much attention about CollectA figures representing animals I already have. I do not regret my choice, I prefer the Papo, especially its head, but your CollectA has better feathers.

Yes, it would even be weirder with you as the protagonist Do you REALLY have a magnifying glass you bring in toy shops to look carefully at the models ?

At least they don't take you for a pedophile. When I was unemployed, I used to go every day to the educational farm as my daily walk and the farm keeper once asked me suspiciously why I was always here and what I was looking for there, as I was the only single man among families.

RtasVadumee wrote:

Do you REALLY have a magnifying glass you bring in toy shops to look carefully at the models ?

Sure! Much easier than glasses. Don't worry, it will happen to you too. Nobody escapes presbyopia...:p

At the biginning of my revival collection, I didn't collect birds but I Couldn't resist when this Papo peacock was released!

Caracal wrote:

At the biginning of my revival collection, I didn't collect birds but I Couldn't resist when this Papo peacock was released!

I got it thanks to you since I did not know it existed until you showed a picture on my collection topic

I wasn't implying you or the girl to be a marmot or a bear. I was only trying to explain why it was not leading anywhere. Maybe the girl is not a crane but a heron instead and next year you know where to find her.
You have a good memory, I am showing the marmot's Easter below but if you want I replace the picture for a link. They go nicely together, Schleich's is slightly smaller and chubbier. Yes, no lonely marmots, that's deeply sad.
I couldn't agree more about buying locally, I miss it a lot but it is not possible to everyone. My avatar figure has a story and it makes me like it even more and please don't tell the turnkey story.
The clock pointing to a 6 means that it is a manufacturing batch from June, to check the year you must find the numbers to the sides of the pointer. If it is 2013, you'll find number 1 at the left of the pointer and number 3 at the right side.
That clock avoids that we have these ugly numbers painted in our figures as I have in my cormorant.


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With my local toy shop the shopkeeper knows me very well, as she has seen me come into this shop ever since I collected animal figures and not to mention my mother went to school with her. So she has been used to a two year old right up to a fifteen year old meticulously look at toy animals

When I got some of the new Schleich we discussed how much smaller the penguin was from the last rendition, how similar the vulture was etc

All in all I don't look crazy in the mind of the shopkeeper, only the fellow customers

Thanks for the pic Roger ! The marmots are not really next to each other but I think it may work, anyway I'll have my answer next time I come back home to see my new badger. Is it the Eikoh prairie dog I can see ?

Yes, I remember the story of your avatar, that's the symbol of your heroic resistance again Schleich's supremacy (just kidding again )

It seems that my peacock was made in 2020, strange... I have seen the 2020 snow leopards yesterday and they are even worse than the two others I had before getting Alain's marvellous one. I was even tempted to get it for my "Papo snow leopard collection" whose sole purpose is to show how bad the paintjob of this model has become. It seems that not every Papo figures suffer from this issue as I see no difference between my peacock and Alain's this time.

Is your peacock stamped 2020, or manufactured then?

As I have the hammerhead shark by Papo and its stamped 2012 and manufactured in 2018

The marmots works together, I thought I had a comparison pic but i can't find it. Because of lack of space, I let my Schleich one go and I regret it, it was nice with the Papo. Macaques are doing silly things sometimes

By the way, congratulation for your new adds

I know you're kidding but no heroism on it. Maybe just an unshakable faith in the potential of a company that was then devoted to ostracism. Actually not exactly it either but time demonstrated I was right about CollectA. Your peacock is manufactured in June 2020, likely the most recent batch. I know it sounds silly to many of us but I am convinced we have a lot to learn about these clocks, especially regarding Papo and its manufacturing inconsistencies. I want everyone looking at the clocks.
The lighter model is the Eikoh prairie dog, you are right. All these figures belong to a small part of my collection that is at home, it is me who is not there. I can take a picture when back but I am afraid it will take longer than I wish. So, I am posting here a picture from Susanne where you can compare them.
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I got the Schleich marmot recently after getting it from Roy Swetsie (that reminds me I need to post my additions from him and Paige) and I think it's a wonderful figure.

In my marmot colony, I have the Papo (my only marmot from maybe 2011 till 2020), the most recent Bullyland (my second), and the Schleich my final addition, unless another marmot is introduced by Western brands

What a wonderful forum this is !!!

RtasVadumee wrote:

Yes, I remember the story of your avatar, that's the symbol of your heroic resistance again Schleich's supremacy (just kidding again )

 Rogério never needed to fight against a possible supremacy of Schleich. It never existed on STS. We only fought with a few suprematists to open their eyes to the alleged qualities of their favorite brand. That said, like Rogério, I have some beloved Schleich in my collection ... even if ...

Indeed, they fit ! Thanks for the pic Roger !

I went to a toy shop in the suburbs for a very secret project of mine and did not found what I was looking for. But they had received the two last figures from the first Schleich 2021 batch and they were decent enough for me to buy them :
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As some of you may remember, I was looking for a larger llama since the old Schleich I own is slightly smaller than the alpaca family and way smaller than the Papo guanaco.
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I am not really sure this one will be a good replacement on that matter but, at least, it is less stocky than its predecessor and has longer legs and, generally speaking, better proportions. However, it lacks the typical quiet, peaceful, and "not very intelligent" llama look of the former model. The eyes seem too widely open for a camelid and the muzzle too thin. And, of course, it is smiling even though I tried to choose the less smiling one.

I am not sure the swan will fit perfectly with my female with cygnets on her back, it looks a bit smaller and the figure is certainly lighter. The plan was to use it as a replacement for my old male which, even if its not so outdated and still in pretty good condition, has become yellowish with time :
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However, I think there will be no replacement, I will just have three mute swans in my collection and our two young British friends will agree I still need many more to populate the Thames