Always on the look out for new LEMS here's one from the archives of the blog along with a new sighting.
Its the Penn Plax Sealab Explorer from 1971 seen in red and white below.
Yes, the Sealab Explorer is an underwater LEM! Penn Plax were and are the kings of plastic fish tank ornamentation.
Here's another more recent sighting of a red and metallic green one on the Minipetsupplies site.
The Penn Plax LEM reminds me a lot of my Tri-ang SpaceX LEM toy.
Here's a picture of one courtesy of Bill B.
Has anyone got the Penn Plax LEM for some more close-up photo's?
The Penn Plax frogman reminds me very much of the Placo Flippy Frogman toy. Here it is in black https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/0316/23/1960s-placo-flippy-frogman-scuba_1_ec0cf9877877e54a3f3a05aa4f6d02bc.jpg
ReplyDeleteBoth companies came into existence about the same time.
The frogmen have quite a few similarities, more than differences. Leg angles, the bends of the flippers, the air tank having a rectangular box to slip inside the figure's back. Even the arms are the same although one has the right arm outstretched and the other aong its side but that'd be an easier cut and reposition job.
I presume the Penn Plax has a hole in the stomach for the post to go into. Placo has one that allows the water to come inside and keep the tablets working. Both seem to have small holes at the top of the tank to allow the air/gas to bubble out/vent.
I've no idea who came up with it first or even if there is a third frogman out there that was the source of these two.
Funny thing is, I had just taken some pics of my Placo frogman as I just refound him a day before you posted this.
Frogmen are great Lance and I know Flippy is popular judging by the number of times he's come up [no pun intended] on MC. I wonder if there's a patent on the US Patents site for this type of toy? Bill Breugman's Toys of the Sixties says that the first soda-powered frogmen were released by Kelloggs in the 50's and then Sea Hunt on TV renewed interest and Inco brought out Flippy Frogman in 1964. I'll dig out an old flippy post and re-run in.
DeleteSelling the Sealab Explorer in original boxing if anyone is interested in saying this go to a good home
ReplyDeleteHi, did i see that someone is selling a penn plax sealab explorer? If. It hasn’t sold, i would be interested. Contact at beaumart89@gmail.com
ReplyDelete