Rtas' main collection

Wonderful models, and some really interesting species!

interesting and beautiful models!

CollectA does not use to discontinue its models but here are some cetaceans that we will not see often at this scale. Besides being unusual species, Schleich model included, they are all very beautiful. I really started some time ago with this kind of animal figures but no, I decided to trade because I cant colect everything and whales are always easy victims.

V Mammals

M) Even-toed ungulates

7) Cetaceans

c) Baleen whales

1. Grey whales

Species : Grey whale
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Figures on this picture (from top to bottom) :
- Schleich 16082 Grey Whale (2001-2012)
- Schleich 16094 Grey Whale Calf (2007-2011)

Fun facts :
- Although it may be the least impressive of the three big whales from the 1:32 series, the grey whale from Maia & Borges remains a spectacular model whose mould was re-used by Mojo with a more modern painting.
- That's the only whale from that series I ever found in shop during my figure hunts. I did not buy it as I already had it but I should have, I'm sure someone would have been interested here.
- I have it from my childhood and bought the calf from another collector, the same I am always talking about.
- I have never seen grey whales.

In my opinion, despite the humpback whale is marvelous, the M&B grey whale mould is the best and, with the Mojo painting makes this figure the best whale that has ever been released (ignoring Kaiyodo blue gigantic whale).

I love these older Schleich whales

Two amazing whales!

A figure that is in my wishlist (but with the Mojo paintjob). An stationery near my hove have the CollectA grey whale since ages, but I never bought it because I want the M & B sculpt

But you other whales are CollectA so won't there be a size incompatibility ?

V Mammals

M) Even-toed ungulates

7) Cetaceans

c) Baleen whales

2. Blue whales

Species : Blue whale
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Figures on this picture (from top to bottom) :
- Papo 56037 Blue whale (2018-still in production)
- Papo 56041 Blue Whale calf (2019-still in production)

Fun facts :
- If you care about size (and I think size should definitely be taken into account when the largest animal that has ever existed on earth is concerned) and you're not ready to invest in the Kaiyodo materpiece, then the Papo model is your only alternative. It is still ridiculously small, being only a few centimetres longer than the Schleich humpback whale, but at least it is longer and thus, it respects the "size hierarchy", unlike any other one from western brands.
- That's certainly the least convincing of my big whales. The sculpt is fine, nothing to complain about that, but the painting is quite "toyish", not contrasting enough. I especially don't like that too clear delimitation between the blue body and the white belly. The articulated jaw also bothers me for two reasons. First, it creates small holes at the corners of the mouth wich tend to accentuate that toyish look. They are not visible on my picture because I used wet paper to fill them. Then, the articulation gets loose very quickly and now, my model is unable to keep its mouth closed... However, I am criticizing a lot but I do really like it. Although it's not at the same level than the M&B whales, it is far to be shocking next to them.
- That baby blue whale, despite belonging to my largest whale species, is the smallest of the calves ! (and thus, the youngest)
- Despite being a recent model, I found the blue whale during one of my figure hunts, ignoring it was a new release ! Just saw it whille looking for retired Schleich and though "that's exactly the size I need for my blue whale !". Bought it without hesitation thinking I had found a rare retired Papo while it was exactly the opposite ! I bought the calf in my local shop as soon as it arrived one year later.
- I have never seen blue whales, only the skeleton in the grand gallery of evolution in Paris.

My blue whale is the Schleich one (have been thinking to replace it by the newest CollectA). I display this one together with the Safari Sei Whale separeted from the rest of my cetaceans and pretend they are at different scale (well, they are at a different scale).
It's the only way to avoid buying the Papo AND including the Sei whale in my collection.

Beautyful whales

Fantastic models, I love how Blue Whales are so amazingly huge, it really makes them stand out in a collection!

V Mammals

M) Even-toed ungulates

7) Cetaceans

c) Baleen whales

3. Humpback whales

Species : Humpback whale
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Figures on this picture (from top to bottom) :
- Schleich 16083 Humpback Whale (2001-2012)
- Schleich 16093 Humpback Whale Calf (2007-2011)

Fun facts :
- Here we are. At last. The pinacle of my collection, the flagship of my fleet ! That plan I follow since one year was made so that this one appears the last. Is it my favourite figure ? Maybe not. Is it my most precious one ? Undoubtedly. Even more precious than the condor and armadillo. Released in 2001, that humpback whale is still unbeatable today. Mojo re-used that mould for their last rendition of the species but, unlike the grey whale, the new painting is not near as good as the old one in my opinion. The Mojo model lacks that glossy effect of the Schleich one. Yes, you heard me right, I usually hate when animal figures are glossy but on that one, it makes all the difference. In a good way. I even took hundreds of pictures before being able to render that glossy effect properly. Everything about this figure is great. The sculpt, the paintjob, those kind and so baleen-like peaceful eyes... But the most irresistible feature are those shells on the chin and flippers Makes it so real, makes it so alive. Mark my words, if I ever get badly in debt, I'd rather sell my organs than this whale. If I did not have it yet and was not so afraid of what happens in the prison showers, I would murder any of you to get it without hesitation. Period.
- For a long time, I kept all my figures in a single huge box and whales were in the bottom, under all the other figures. That's a miracle they remained in such a good condition, with only minor scratches.
- The calf was the last of the whale calves I got from that collector I often talk about. Indeed, she wanted to keep it as a souvenir but I managed to convince her not to. Of course, she kept the adult, noone sells his/her humpback whale. I have the adult from my childhood, got it with the two others for Christmas if I remember well. At that time, those were pretty expensive toys and these Christmas with huge Schleich were my favourite (I also got humongous dinosaurs from the Replica Saurus series some years, they are still very dear to my heart even though I do not collect dinosaurs anymore).
- I have never seen humpback whales.

Wow- I can understand why you love it, this Humpback Whale is a beauty!

Really great looking model for a beautiful ending!
Thanks for your collection photos, they have been very helpful and most amusing for me!

I wish to thank all of you for commenting on this topic and making it alive.

Since I started reading this forum my collection evolved a lot as I did not know any brand except Schleich and Papo. The help provided here was very valuable and the company is also quite enjoyable. When I decided to join and become a regular member I knew showing my collection was necessary, I didn't see myself staying here without having my own collection topic. Your collection topic is like your identity card on that forum and its easier for collector friends to advise you on new additions when they know what we are talking about. However, I would have never had enough time to photograph everything without the first confinement nor would I have had enough motivation to share those pictures every day with detailed review without the two others.  I decided to take my pictures using only the natural light of the sun (no flash) so it was a long, hard and sometimes much annoying task but I do no regret it. So, many thanks to the Chinese government for creating the SARS-CoV-2 in its secret laboratories in order to accelerate the downfall of Western civilization. Or the pangolins.

It was a pleasure to spend those three lockdowns with you, I already said it several times. Of course, the adventure continues on the addition section of the forum ! I will soon be reviewing a new brand in my collection, there are a few Schleich left to arrive, even some Japanese acquisitions plans (Rtas is moving on to the next step !) and, of course, there is my very secret project

Many thanks again !

That is surely a stupendous figure. It is a very pleasant feeling to hold it in our hands. There's no picture that could replace the experience of enjoying this model in real. Inspite of it, I don't have mine anymore. It has museum quality and looks super realistic. See, the pinacle of your collection was released 20 years ago and made in Portugal.
Thanks also for all the joy you provided with this topic, it is a very interesting way to show a collection.

Roger wrote:

Inspite of it, I don't have mine anymore.

In a perfect utopia where I would be the enlightened despot, you would surely get sentenced to death for that.

More seriously, special thanks to you (and Isidro), you contributed a lot to this topic, maybe more than anyone else. You had a huge influence on the evolution of my collection as you provided most comparison pics I asked for, many pieces of advise takink my tastes into account and many websites to order from (a few viruses too). And many constructive comments I enjoyed very much reading and disagree with I was very glad to face you on the SchleichVSPapo battlefield, even if we are actually both double agents

Gratulations and amazing I wished it would go on forever, but maybe we see more coming in the future? :)
I love your presentation style, your stories and it was always very interesting reading the description why you chose this figure instead of another. I´ve gotten a good overview on different sculpts by different brands and when I someday start to change my regular common figures by newer more accourate ones, I will definitly look in this topic, too :9

Great end :)

Grand finale! I enjoyed following this topic. It has given me a great overview of what modern companies produce (I don't usually collect them) and your photos and descriptions have been fantastic. Have you seen the Safari Monterey Bay humpback whale? I don't know whether it is better than the Mojo, which I don't have, but it's an impressive figure too. I don't know whether the Safari fits with the rest of your whale collection, it's slightly larger than the Mojo.