Animal Figure Scales ?

We discuss here many about scales. Some of our members work with fantastic dioramas and try to put their figures in scale.
I remember Phil with 1:22, the same scale as Ana works and Dany, in 1:12 scale, classic dolls scale. Even Harriet uses 1:22 scale often for the same reason as many members talk in Schleich scale. All of them uses new Schleich zebras as a reference and naming it Schleich scale because the Schleich figure fits in 1:22. :)
Vintage brands, as most of you know, used animals in scale. 1:32 was often used, I'm experiencing it with Britains figures that are really well done but also Starlux, Hausser Elastolin, Reisler, etc, worked in this scale. (acording with Willy)
The denomination modern brands is used often to talk about Bullyland, CollectA, Schleich, Safari, Papo and Mojo brands. All of them donnot work with scales, except some series:
1:12 scale: Schleich dogs and Bullyland birds, for example;
1:15 scale, Safari VW series
1:20 scale, Schleich prehistoric mammals,
1:24 scale, Bullyland Museum series, Noah's paws?
1:32 scale, Schleich sea animals
1:40 scale, often used to large prehistoric figures.
Of course many other scales are used, I remember Safari LTD using many multiples of 5, The CollectA large velociraptor and the Bullyland Procynosuchus in 1:7 scale, etc., etc.

It was nice for us having some figures in scale. I'm not wanting all figures from all brands because I know large figures would turn very expensive and small figures not accepted in some countries due to children safety rules. But why not some series?

What I really want to know from you is your opinions about it and sugestions for a scale. We can always use as reference the best already done from brands and see in which scale they fit.

Only for your reference:
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Here a picture with a real giraffe and zebra, see the proportions

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Here the giraffe and zebra in 1:32 scale from Britains

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Here the Schleich 2009 female zebra and the 2011 Mojo giraffe,, the same size of female giraffe from Schleich


Incredible the difference, isn't it?

oh yes!! I want also one scale for the animals or most of the series. I like the small scale (VEB Plaho, Safari toobs, Playvisions). I think that is 1/32 , but i dont know really. But i will also accept a bigger scale.

But any Safri Ltd animals (and big AAA)a too big for my zoo. I know, wooden trains for kids have a international scale, every brand can you combine with a other. That is very good.

I think it would be very nice to have a series of animals in scale with each other. I do like 1:22.
Some of the AAA animals are too big and I don't really like them in my collection. I make an exception for some though

As you know I only collect horses, but I like to see the same scale in the animals, like these zebras and giraffes!

widukind wrote:

oh yes!! I want also one scale for the animals or most of the series. I like the small scale (VEB Plaho, Safari toobs, Playvisions). I thinkl that is 1/32 , but i dont know really. But i will also accept a bigger scale.

But any Safri Ltd animals (and big AAA)a too big for my zoo. I know, wooden trains for kids have a international scale, every brand can you combine with a other. That is very good.

Exactly as You wrote, the scale limit is the only reason for me not to collect some "too big for me" animal models incl. nice pieces, e.g. Hunter Dan deers, Fat Company capybaras, Breyers cougar etc.

Thanks friends for helping me not feel alone in this task! All of your comments are important for me. If I ask it is because I think it is possible!
I'm under the influence of modern brands, so any scale between 1:18 and 1:24 would be welcome. Andreas, I'm sure Safari toobs are not 1:32 but sometimes we can find in these small figures some that fit in that scale. Why not some sets in 1:32 scale??? It would be nice to those that already collected it.
This question works with all series. I don't know if horses are in scale but it would be nice and I know dogs are often used in 1:12 scale because some are really small and also to fit with doll houses.
I was thinking more in 1:24 scale, not too big and not too small, elephants in real proportions would not work giants and smaller species could be done in toobs.
Why not, for example, inspite of Safari making their WW series withtout thinking in scales, why not make them in relative sizes? ...or any other brand!

Great topic!
As far as I collect horses preferably, I can speak on their scale mostly.
There's a funny thing about the scale even inside the line in Schleich. For ex. some horses go in 1:22 scale, and some- in 1:24. If you have a look at a new Arabian and the Clydesdale, for ex., you'll see that they don't have such a great difference in size as in real life. The same thing with the Safari horses.
As for the Safari toobs- I think it's sth like 1:35. At least- concerning human figurines. My father collects war miniature in that scale and you know, his soldiers feet the stuff from Safari toob very well:)


I would try to add some pics in the evening, as I am off for work now.

Roger wrote:

Thanks friends for helping me not feel alone in this task! All of your comments are important for me. If I ask it is because I think it is possible!
I'm under the influence of modern brands, so any scale between 1:18 and 1:24 would be welcome. Andreas, I'm sure Safari toobs are not 1:32 but sometimes we can find in these small figures some that fit in that scale. Why not some sets in 1:32 scale??? It would be nice to those that already collected it.
This question works with all series. I don't know if horses are in scale but it would be nice and I know dogs are often used in 1:12 scale because some are really small and also to fit with doll houses.
I was thinking more in 1:24 scale, not too big and not too small, elephants in real proportions would not work giants and smaller species could be done in toobs.
Why not, for example, inspite of Safari making their WW series withtout thinking in scales, why not make them in relative sizes? ...or any other brand!

Oh yes, relative sizes and one scale for all dogs, horses and so one. A dream.
I know the toobs are not 1/32, but i like the smaller size of animals (but any are than too small, like elephants), so snakes, frogs, turtles, monkeys (K&M) ...

Here are my example. The Safari Ltd toob is too small, the safari ltd gorilla too big, but they looks good.
The gorillas in the middle have a good scale for me, but the K&M ape looks not so nice.

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Cyhyraeth wrote:

Great topic!
As far as I collect horses preferably, I can speak on their scale mostly.
There's a funny thing about the scale even inside the line in Schleich. For ex. some horses go in 1:22 scale, and some- in 1:24. If you have a look at a new Arabian and the Clydesdale, for ex., you'll see that they don't have such a great difference in size as in real life. The same thing with the Safari horses.
As for the Safari toobs- I think it's sth like 1:35. At least- concerning human figurines. My father collects war miniature in that scale and you know, his soldiers feet the stuff from Safari toob very well:)


I would try to add some pics in the evening, as I am off for work now.

That's really interesting! Schleich and Safari use human figures to display with the horses so I thought they were careful with scales! Well, 1:22 and 1:24 are not a big difference, maybe in Schleich they work in G scale. Some examples would be nice because I only have 2 or 3 horses and are not enough to have a correct idea.

widukind wrote:

Here are my example. The Safari Ltd toob is too small, the safari ltd gorilla too big, but they looks good.
The gorillas in the middle have a good scale for me, but the K&M ape looks not so nice.

Well, I think I'm understanding what you mean. The only Safari toob I have is the sea life where a blue whale is almost of the same size as a starfish!

Roger wrote:

widukind wrote:

Here are my example. The Safari Ltd toob is too small, the safari ltd gorilla too big, but they looks good.
The gorillas in the middle have a good scale for me, but the K&M ape looks not so nice.

Well, I think I'm understanding what you mean. The only Safari toob I have is the sea life where a blue whale is almost of the same size as a starfish!

Yes.

Roger wrote:

That's really interesting! Schleich and Safari use human figures to display with the horses so I thought they were careful with scales! Well, 1:22 and 1:24 are not a big difference, maybe in Schleich they work in G scale. Some examples would be nice because I only have 2 or 3 horses and are not enough to have a correct idea.

What do you mean by G scale?

I would try to explain you what I mean.

The average height of a Clydesdale stallion is 175-185 cm. The average height of an Arabian stallion is 150-155 cm. Unfortunately I have no pics of a Shire or Clydesdale standing next to an Arabian, but I think you can imagine those horses standing together. The difference in their height is great, it's about 20-30 cm. The same is with the Shire and Arabian.
But if you look at the Safari/Schleich figurines of those breeds, that are supposed to be in the same scale, you'll see that an Arabian and a giant draft horse are nearly of the same size.
Safari Ltd- Shire Stallion and Arabian mare.
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Schleich- Clydesdale gelding and an Arabian stallion.
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I think, i would agree on the 1:20-1-22 scale for the bigger brands.
But i wouldn't mind if the manufacturers would go back to the 1:32 scale...
For several reasons...
First it would be easier for them to make their model-lines in the good scale to eachother, without getting to big...
Secondly they would or could be cheaper because of the fact, that they wouldn't have to use so much material.
And third, it would give us much more room on our shelfs and in our cabinets!
A third scale could be 1:24-1:25, if neccesary...

In the modelcar world it works about the same, standard sizes, HO 1:88(to smaller railroad), 1:80(like Matchbox for example), 1:43(like Dinky and Corgi on average), 1:24(like the mediumsized Bburago), 1:18(the most seen bigger size), and finally the very big ones in the 1:8 scale.

Thanks Daria and Willy!
About horses it is nice to see thm in relative sizes and it was nicer if all brands worked all in the same scale to introduce more correctly different breeds, coats or genders from different brands.
G scale is a designation for trains that fit in a range of scales that use the same gauge size.
Very useful pictures, nice to know more about horses series.

With cars the brands are very careful with scales, they use different scales but it works like different series, many times we have the same replica in 1:43 and 1:18 because collectors usually donnot mix them. It was ridiculous in that industry to see larger cars in smaller scales and smaller cars in larger scales as we see in animal figures.

Is there a preferred or ideal scale for extant animal toys? Like, a scale that most people prefer to collect, or a scale that most companies prefer to use?

Occidental modern companies are reputed to make 1:20 extant animal replicas. The truth is more between 1:32 to 1:12 and sometimes more in the same brand.
Vintage companies like BRITAINS (1:32) and LINEOL (1:20) were more serious about scales.

Dear Seijun, dear Kikimalou, a topic already exist about this wonderful subject.

I will merge the two topics

Kikimalou wrote:

Dear Seijun, dear Kikimalou,

Hi!! I am organizing my African fauna into the different scales. I would like to know your experienced opinion. I have distributed them into four scales that you can see in the following photos. I have two questions:
  a) Do you think my groups are correct or do you suggest some changes of animals that should be in a different scale?
  b) Which are the specific scales of each of the following groups? (I have no idea!!)

Thank you for your answers and here we have the pictures:

SCALE 1
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SCALE 2
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SCALE 3
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SCALE 4
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I'd love to be able of helping you but putting animals in scale is a hard task.
First because the same species in real life can be of different size.
You can calculate it in the classic way, try to find online the height height at the shoulders for the real animal represented and then measure the same in the figure representing it. Dividing the real height for the toy height, you'll obtain a nice scale approach.
Obviously the method is different for a crocodile, bird and some more animals where you should use the length instead.
I use a very strange method in alternative, for figures made of the regular pvc material, I make it based on mass, the ony advantage is that you have a 3d based calculation. Are you ready?
A=average weight of a real animal, multiplied by 1.4
B=weight of the figure representing that animal
Now, using the same unit (grams) divid A by B and find the cubic root of that result. If the result is 10, the scale is 1/10.
Well, that's confuse and probably it won't be more eficient than other methods. If you want to take too much seriously that task, you still need a bigger effort to find figures that look perfect together. If you want just that they look reasonably nice, I think your selection is very well done.

Roger wrote:

......
I use a very strange method in alternative, for figures made of the regular pvc material, I make it based on mass, the ony advantage is that you have a 3d based calculation. Are you ready?
A=average weight of a real animal, multiplied by 1.4
B=weight of the figure representing that animal
Now, using the same unit (grams)  divid A by B and find the cubic root of that result. If the result is 10, the scale is 1/10.  
Well, that's confuse and probably it won't be more eficient than other methods. If you want to take too much seriously that task, you still need a bigger effort to find figures that look perfect together. If you want just that they look reasonably nice, I think your selection is very well done.

What an exceptional crocodile we have in STS

Thank you very much for the complete answer, Roger.