In 1970 the US Imperial Toy Corporation gave us Apollo Moon Exploring, which I know form part of many readers' collections. The carded helicopter and space sled are pictured here [on Ebay some years ago]:
What else were Imperial doing in 1970? A quick search revealed nothing else space-related but a couple of novelty items did pop up, cute but standard rack toy fare. A quaint Air Hostess set and a Freddy the Frog, which I think Imperial may have trademarked.
When I first saw the Golden Astronaut legal notice [pictured below from Ebay 2011] warning against piracy of Multiple Toymaker's toy range I had assumed they meant Imperial specifically, but I'm not so sure. Apollo Moon Exploring only knocks-off Multiple's P3 Helicopter and Moon Prospector as far as I can remember. Were they enough to warrant legal threats?
Or were Imperial's two knockoffs simply the final straw for Multiple, as there were other Golden Astronaut/ SpaceX knockoffs like the Hover, Hippo and Futuristic Vehicles sets, though I'm unsure of the chronology of these. LP must have had the same beef with Imperial as many of the Apollo Moon vehicles appeared in LP sets too. Or?
Imperial Toys did trademark some of their toys from the very off in the Sixties right up into the Eighties You can check yourself here [no Apollo Moon Exploring though!] http://www.legalforce.com/company-imperial-toy-corporation-595310-page-6-2. So they weren't the knockoff kings I thought they were. They did appear to run into legal hot water a few times, including Topps, though, but maybe that's par for the course for a plastic toy company?
So, what do you think readers? Were Imperial Toy Corporation basically plastic pirates in the 70's? Was the Apollo Moon Exploring toy range a blatant knock-off or does it stand alone on its own merits do you think?
Imperial basically repackaged the line of space toys by LP. Who supplied astronaut figures for Spacex/Golden Astronauts and possibly a few other plated parts as well. With LP being a bona-fide supplier, I think their own toys will have been condoned.
ReplyDeleteMy contender for the litigation mentioned in that announcement would be Roxy, who closely copied five Spacex toys (the odd detail change notwithstanding) and esp since they initially sold them in packs that were also blatant rip-offs of Spacex/GA packs.
Best -- Paul
A bit OT here, but I think I've found the origin of the SpaceX LAMA:
ReplyDeletehttp://sciencefictiongallery.tumblr.com/post/45515483139/ed-valigursky-sinister-barrier-1966
Grif
Deffo Grif, but youre a bit late, Woodsy found it some months back on a book!
ReplyDeleteDeffo Grif, but youre a bit late, Woodsy found it some months back on a book!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article.
ReplyDelete