Model building is a hobby that has always appealed more to boys than girls. But that has not stopped model companies trying to expand their market by producing lines they hoped would attract girls - most of which quickly sank.
Most of these lines were aimed at the craft market, and the kits themselves tended to be fairly simple - often snap-together - and came with various other elements, such as paints. Everything needed to complete the model came in the box.
The Monogram Artorama sets are an example of this. They were three-dimensional pictures, that came with paints, brushes, picture frame, and even a pre-painted background.
The box tops showed the whole family working on one of the sets. Monogram Hobby Kits - For Family Fun said the advertising.
The range was launched in 1961 , but only ever ran to three kits, in two sizes. They were priced at $2.98 and $4.98, making them a lot more expensive than a typical model aeroplane or car kit.
All the sets depicted groups of African animals in natural settings. The home decorator angle was heavily promoted - they were clearly aimed at a different market to most hobby kits.
CR101-298 The Zebras
CR102-298 The Lions
CR103-498 The Giraffes
The sets included plastic parts for a family group of animals, moulded in cream coloured plastic. There were usually accessories, such as a tree or other animals.
A deep shadow-box frame in black plastic, with contrasting white strips. Moulded, vac-formed 3-D plastic background, that was already painted.
A jar of the usual Adhesive/paint Solvent; a plastic pallet of six paint colours suitable for the subject; two paint brushes. There were no clear parts or decals.
According to Monogram Models by Thomas Graham, the three sets were sculpted by Hans Jernstrom. An Elephant scene was planned, but was dropped due to poor sales of the initial three sets.
No scale was mentioned. The sizes are difficult to read, but I think they are as follows:
The two smaller sets were 9 7/8 inches by 7 3/4 inches, and 2 3/8 inches deep; while the Giraffes were 15 1/2 inches by 12 1/2 inches, and 3 1/4 inches deep.
These sets were very short-lived, and have never been re-issued.
Ten photographs from Worthpoint.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
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Thing is, the females I know or have known who build models build/built 'traditional' models; model trains, model rockets, model ships, RC towboats. Julie is building an RAF museum on her model railway layout. My Mom used to build stick and tissue free flight airplanes. I guess it kind of depends on the specific person in question.
ReplyDeleteWowee, yet another lost plastic model series! I too think that the addition of animals to the plastic models genre was an ill-fated attempt to attract a larger audience (girls and families), but as I’ve mentioned before, these “organic” subjects would be much harder to paint well, and hide the seams, so I wonder if that turned folks off? (I know I learned quickly I couldn’t paint figures worth a damn.) Or maybe these companies eventually realized that plastic models were for boys only, and boys like me cars, planes, boats and tanks? And spaceships! Fascinating history. SFZ
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, existing kits of planes, trains, and automobiles sold to those girls with an interest in models. Trying to produce kits that model companies (mostly run by middle-aged men) thought would appeal to girls and women usually resulted in models that did not appeal to anyone. Remember the Lady Lionel fiasco of the 1950s - Lionel made a train set with the engine and wagons moulded in various pastel colours, which they thought girls would like. Sales were terrible, and today surviving examples are rare items coveted by model train collectors. It does seem that more girls are now becoming modellers, often coming in to the hobby through fantasy wargaming.
ReplyDeleteGreat article Paul, a kit from the golden era, I love how the whole family gathers round the set on the box art. Idyllic stuff. Sorry I didn't insert the pics into the right points on the text, I just ran out of time.
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