Rtas' main collection

From major companies there aren't many elephants I like but I think the Bullyland, f.i., is better.
However, I don't recomend it to you based on three reasons:
1. Eyes are not beautiful,
2. Your elephants are too small when compared with it,
3. I also need one and there aren't many left.
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I looked at TAI after asking you this question and I was almost sure you would choose this one !

I feel like I am starting to know your tastes very well guys, and I think you now know mine too.

I perfectly understand your choice and I don't think its eyes are so bad. However, I would need to replace all my elephants by this one if I chose to get it and I don't think I am ready to do that.

I am more and more surprised by Bullyland. I see now that this brand produced pretty good figures. Bullyland is availble in French shops and all the models I have seen from them are AWFUL. I mean, not just bad, AWFUL. I would not even buy them for a child.

Did the quality of figures decrease significantly over the years ?

Like Rogério, I am also struggling with the way modern model elephants look, in particular the Schleichs. I like the Bullyland, shame it isn't in my scale. My favourites are still the Britains elephants (similar in size to the modern elephants including the recent Schleichs), in particular their earlier elephants. More recently I have found a few by modern companies that are OK for me too, like the large Eikoh, the Safari African bull elephant 295629 and the Mojo Asian elephant.

V Mammals

K) Primates

1) Lemurs

Species : Ring-tailed lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14827 Ring-tailed Lemur (2019-still in production)
- Papo 50234 Ruffed lemur (2018-still in production)

Fun facts :
- I am planning to get both ring-tailed lemurs from Mojo, as well as the CollectA model in order to have a group of them. I will probably not get the Papo female with baby as I find it too bulky.
- Both lemur species are too big for my collection but I can accept it as lemurs are displayed separately from other animals since they live in Madagascar.
- I bought the ring-tailed lemur in my favourite Schleich shop and the ruffed one in that toy shop close to my job.
- I have never seen ring-tailed and ruffed lemurs in zoos.

Spoiler:

As you know I have eight ring tailed lemurs, and the white ruffed lemur too. They are also my only two lemur species, I am hoping to add the Safari Coquerel's safika and the Yowie and Nayab silky safikas to my collection. The Yowie one will be coming around October time and the Nayab possibly next year.

Roger pointed a few other great elephant figures!
I'm glad I'm predictable, it means I am coerent.
It doesn't make sense that you replace all these elephant figures , I'm just giving my personal opinions. Besides of that, Schleich releases new elephants regularly and I am sure next generation will be a little better.
My reaction with Bullyland was not different from yours. When I saw their assortment in a local shop, I didn't liked them at all. Actually, when we see a lion, a zebra or something more common, Bullyland figures are really less interesting than the majority of the other brands. They are also often very large and the lightweight material gives a kind of cheap feel to them.
Though, if we don't assume a radical rejection, we will discover that among their range, we can find some very nice figures. I have a few of them and I love their wisent, red panda, previous black rhino, or this elephant that I do not have yet, those are just a few examples.
About lemurs, I have Mojö figures but I also like CollectA's and even that simple but nice Schleich. They're nicer than my Safari, for instance. I have the Papo you're showing.
I am surprised you've never seen ring-tailed lemurs on zoos, they are more than 2000 around the world. You can find them easily in Lisbon Zoo together with a few other lemur species.

Like Roger I find it surprising that you have not seen Ring tailed Lemurs in a zoo.If a zoo is going to have any lemurs it will be Ring tails.Also I have been to a number of zoos with Ruffed Lemurs as well and would think by the amount of times I have seen they they would be the second most common lemur.

Roger wrote:

I am surprised you've never seen ring-tailed lemurs on zoos, they are more than 2000 around the world. You can find them easily in Lisbon Zoo together with a few other lemur species.

Who's trolling who now?

nice lemurs

Roger wrote:

It doesn't make sense that you replace all these elephant figures , I'm just giving my personal opinions. Besides of that, Schleich releases new elephants regularly and I am sure next generation will be a little better.

Unlike you, I have no problem with Schleich elephants ! It's just a matter of size, since you told me Bullyland's was bigger.

Roger wrote:

Though, if we don't assume a radical rejection, we will discover that among their range, we can find some very nice figures. I have a few of them and I love their wisent, red panda, previous black rhino, or this elephant that I do not have yet, those are just a few examples.

Yes, I agree, the wisent is great. I would probably replace my old Schleich one by the Bullyland version if I had the chance to.

spacelab wrote:

Who's trolling who now?

Yes, are they serious telling me that ?!

The ring-tailed lemur is arguably one of the scarcest species in captivity, you are a liar if you pretend you have seen it many times in many zoos. I am not even sure Pardo saw it once in his life.

I would sell the shirt off my back to see a ring-tailed lemur, that's the dream of my life.

That bad Admin from Portugal doesn't even visit your zoo pictures topic Benjamin.

No, he prefers my pics in natural habitat so I don't blame him

I think he was busy changing the Favicon of the forum, it's light blue now!

V Mammals

K) Primates

2) Monkeys and apes

a) Monkeys

Species : Mandrill, Diana monkey, common squirrel monkey, hamadryas baboon, Celebes crested macaque
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Figures on this picture (from left to right and top to bottom) :
- Schleich 14716 Mandrill, Female with Baby (2014-2017)
- Schleich 14715 Mandrill, Male (2014-2017)
- CollectA 88673 Diana Monkey (2014-still in production)
- Schleich 14723 Squirrel Monkey (2014-2017)
- Schleich 14308 Baboon Female (2003-2004)
- Schleich 14309 Baboon Young (2003-2004)
- Mojo 387182 Black Crested Macaque (2014-still in production)

Fun facts :
- The mandrill male was one of the first figures I bought in this toy shop close to my job when I started collecting again.
- The CollectA Diana monkey is universally admitted to be the absolute reference figure as far as size is concerned. When someone says a figure is too big or too small, it is heavily implied "compared with the Diana monkey".
- I am quite fond of my squirrel monkey. I have never seen a better painted sample than mine. It's one of my favourite figures as well as one of my mother's.
- Except these Schleich figures and the CollectA models, there are not many serious standard sized baboons on the market. I feel lucky to have these old Schleich, still in perfect condition, unlike most of my vintage figures. They were not marketed as a particular species but I am pretty sure they are hamadryas because of their greyish, rather light hairs and their pinkish faces. I suggest you to identify them as hamadryas baboons on TAI. Of course, I am open for debate.
- The black crested macaque is the only Mojo figure I ever found in a shop. It was in a small seaside town close to which I sometimes go on holidays with my parents. The shop owner explained me that he was angry about Schleich's new sales conditions (like many independant sellers are) and tried to replace Schleich by Mojo in his shop. However, he had supply problems with Mojo and was finally forced to go back to Schleich... Such a shame. He only had a few prehistoric animals left when I visited his shop, as well as this black crested macaque I bought to have a souvenir from this shop and a Mojo representative in my collection. It was before I ordered Mojo figures on Ebay and I would not have bought it if it had not been Mojo since it is way too large compared with my other monkeys.
- I have the baboons from my childhood, found the mandrills and squirrel monkey in local shops, ordered the Diana monkey thanks to Pardo's more or less wise advice and I have already told you the story behind the Celebes crested macaque.
- I have seen mandrills, hamadryas baboons, common squirrel monkeys and Diana monkeys in zoos but I have never seen a Celebes crested macaque.

Update : Were added to the collection
- Schleich 14846 Proboscis Monkey (2021-still in production)
- Safari 229129 Howler Monkey (2017-still in production)
For further information, please check the addition topics.
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I also think there are not good baboons around, even the schleich and the collecta are old and not the best animal replicas.. I would like a new male baboon with big hair and everything!

Thanks Roger for illustrate us about the Bullyland elephant! As you said is bigger, it could maybe THE model that can fit in my collection. Skin texture seems enough realistic for me too, and proportions are great. I would prefair a better trunk texture but this is a minor detail I can pass. Eyes are certainly too big, but also can pass. Do you know the exact measurements of this elephant, and if it's retired? I'm happy that maybe finally after so long years I can accept an elephant in my collection!

I almost failed in your trap about lemurs in zoos, hahaha. Fortunately I've read the spoiler at time

Black crested macaques are the last of the mentioned species that I've seen in captivity, so that means also probably the rarest. Maybe you don't see one in a zoo, but being French, you always can visit our friend Kikimalou I also would wish Mojo did a smaller black crested macaque, but it's a black crested macaque, a very favourite species for me, so I can forgive the enormous size

Below is the link to the walkaround of the Bullyland elephant that you can see its size. I can't say I like it that much though... It's retired from 2013 according to TAW, but not that hard to find.
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Thanks a lot, spacelab!!! 115 mm height at shoulder, this is PERFECT for me! Finally I can accept an elephant in my collection! I will add to my wishlist now. Many, many thanks!

Very nice primates, I have all these figures except for the baboons and someday I'd like to find them. It's interesting that you've put them as Hamadryas, and I already have two baboon species in my collection

I see you're having fun with lemurs and crocs.
About these monkeys, I have the same squirrel monkey from Schleich more a Chap Mei version, obviously the diana monkey and the crested macaque. My mandril is Papo's and I really like it better than Schleich's while baboon is CollectA but that's a old school model as it is the Schleich. I have a few other monkeys.

I was just to give the link of the walk around but Kostas antecipated it.
Obviously the Bullyland figure is not perfect as I pointed but I still think it makes me happier than any of the Schleich dwarfs.


Here a picture from Harriete's collection.

Roger, this beautiful photo by Harriete, actually present the Safari Wildlife Wonders, which is very nice, but I think bigger than the Bullyland one :)

V Mammals

K) Primates

2) Monkeys and apes

b) Apes

1. Asian apes

Species : Bornean orangutan, lar gibbon
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14306 Orangutan Female (2003-2009)
- Schleich 14307 Orangutan Young (2003-2009)
- Schleich 14315 Orangutan Male (2003-2005)
- Schleich 14717 Gibbon (2014-2017)
- Schleich 14718 Gibbon Young (2014-2017)

Fun facts :
- This orangutan family is the only vintage family to remain in my main collection. I think they are wonderful models that still look pretty good nowadays. I prefer them over the new Schleich female and baby, that's why I did not replace them.
- However, the CollectA male is an absolute masterpiece and I am willing to add it to my collection. Since it is smaller than my Schleich male and I don't want to replace my old family, I am going to pretend it is a Sumatran orangutan and use the Schleich family as Bornean orangutans.
- The gibbon was one of the first figures I bought in that shop close to my job when I started collecting again, along with the mandrill and the sloth.
- I have the orangutan family from my childhood and bought the gibbon and her baby in local shops.
- I have seen orangutans, both Bornean and Sumatran, as well as several gibbon species, including lar, in zoos.

Very beautiful, I have the CollectA as a Sumatran in my collection and it is soon to be joined by the US Yowies figure. My gibbon family is the same but includes the Papo figure. I have realised the UK Yowie figure is a whit handed so I must rename it when I get time.

I love that family of orangutans, they are still my favourite models of this species despite their vintage touch.
My gibbon is Papo's a really great figure too.

costicuba wrote:

Roger, this beautiful photo by Harriete, actually present the Safari Wildlife Wonders, which is very nice, but I think bigger than the Bullyland one :)

You're right, Kosta! There aren't good glasses for me and things are worsening, but with an observant and wonderful partner as you are, I think I won't need them.
Yes, this figure is much larger than Bullyland's and actually much more adjusted to Harriet's project of using figures around 1:22 scale. She was not trying to make it just looking good or illusively good but taking that scale task seriously. I should have noticed its size. I remember she used a Bullyland figure but now I remember it was the black rhino instead. I edited my post to a link, I assume the mistake but the picture doesn't make much sense. Thanks once more, my friend.