I thought this interesting set in this post deserved a closer look.
The kit was made at a time when the educational value of plastic modelling was being heavily promoted by model companies. Doubtless in an effort to convince parents that modelling was not a waste of time and pocket money.
Renwal was a US company, based in Mineola, New York. This set contained six plastic model insects, mounted on a display stand that stood an impressive 16 inches high. There was a large cut-away model of a Field Cricket, showing the internal organs of the creature, and smaller models of the Blue Bottle Fly, Malaria Mosquito, Red Admiral Butterfly, Giant Water Bug, and Polistes Wasp.
The set came with an illustrated Handbook on insects. The set was Created in Consultation with, John C. Pallister, Entomologist, Dept. of Insects and Spiders, The American Museum of Natural History, New York City. The kit was moulded in several colours, including brown, turquoise, and clear plastic for the insect wings. Kit number 801:298; the suffix means it had a US retail price of $2.98. Scalemates give the release date as 1960.
Other firms have also done insect kits. Due to the small size of insects, most of these have been several times life size. Given the rarity of these kits, and the lack of re-issues, I would assume they were not big sellers.
Here is a detailed look at an assembled set, and its box. From a site called Time Passages Nostalgia.
An entry on Old Model Kits.
The entry on this kit from the Scalemates site.
From Sturgis Antiques and Collectables, a look at the kit parts in their box.
From Max at maxsmodels, a history of the Renwal company.
Two photos, both from Worthpoint.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Another great post, Paul! I'm endlessly fascinated by anatomy kits. As you probably know, there is a sub-genre of Anime robots featuring cut-away workings with subjects such as Astro Boy showing his internal mechanisms!
ReplyDeleteBack onto the subject of proper "Educational" anatomy subjects, the last time I was in England, I picked up this Revell visible Giraffe -as you do...!
http://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=1343.0
Glad you are enjoying them. I never had any of these kits, but once I had started delving in to the subject it was hard to stop. In addition to the human and animal anatomy kits, there are also a number of Visible engine kits, and some aircraft kits with clear parts to show off the interior. The Revell X-Ray models all seem to be re-issues of the 4D Vision models from a company called 4D Master. They have been sold under a number of company names.
ReplyDeleteI was not aware of the cut-away Anime robots. Anime seems to be a vast and confusing field. It would clearly take a lot of time and effort to even begin to understand it, while kits are a subject that I know and understand. Even if 'new' kits from the 1950s and 1960s do keep popping up that I have never seen before.
Great article Paul. Its amazing just how many insect and scientific kits were made back in the day. I wonder if there's a new generation of model makers now?
ReplyDelete