Are Supertoys BHS?

I'm a bit confused. We've covered Explorer 12 toys many times but here's three I saw on eBay, which are branded Supertoys 1986.

I know about the Supertoys connection but these three look like BHS toys.

Are all Explorer 12 toys branded as Supertoys?

SPACE AGE PINK TOY FURNITURE

 Even after 30 years rummaging around with old toys its always a thrill to come across something I've not seen before.

Amongst a pile of second hand dolls furniture the Missus bought at an outdoor sale last summer where bits of pink and beige plastic furniture.

Seeing them again recently I thought, hmmm, they look a bit space age.

A playmobil astronaut modelled the sofa for me.

Underneath the sofa its says Made Exclusively for Debenhams. So, a UK department store made them. In that sense they recall the Explorer 12 toys made by British Home Stores, another UK department store from the 80's. It always amazes me when general store chains like these enter the world of exclusive toys.

Alas both BHS and Debenhams are now gone or almost gone.

Here are the two space age chairs we have from the set.

A little googling and I found a boxed set online.

What we have is the Lounge Furniture from a range called Sarah Louise!

Result!

It looks like the 70's to me.

Digging a bit more I found this description of the garden furniture set on Worthpoint.

Sarah Louise was a 6 1/2" tall doll made by Pedigree in the 1960's and 70's exclusively for Debenhams. She was in fact a miniature Sindy.

So, a mini Sindy. You can see Sarah reclining on her lounger on this lovely boxed set I found pictured on Worthpoint too.

So, Sara Louise furniture ID'd.

Re-Discovering Explorer 12

 British Home Stores excellent, but oft overlooked toyline Explorer 12, now has a permanent blog, thanks to the efforts of expert collector Joe Lang. Joe has been hunting down the origins and variations of the toyline for many years and has just presented his findings on a new dedicated blog, which you can visit here: https://explorer12.co.uk

Joe will be posting regular updates and new material including some gorgeous Mike Noble artwork on the E12 story books!

EXPLORER 12 FROM BRITISH HOME STORES

Its always interesting reading other toy fan's lists of fave toys. I stumbled across flatuswalrus' list this week and was pleased to see BHS's Explorer 12 range at number 28.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/flatuswalrus/my-top-35-favorite-childhood-toys/

We've covered it many times on Moonbase like here on Wotan's excellent https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-evolution-of-explorer-12-toys.html

Joe Lang also has a brilliant blog devoted to the BHS range. Its now sadly dormant I think. http://explorer12s.blogspot.com/

There's a great Mike Noble connection too.

Do you remember Explorer 12 toys?

MORE PLASTIC EXPLORERS

BHS Explorer 12 is a firm favourite on Moonbase. I've covered it several times and Bill B is a keen fan too having helped another site devoted to the line.

Never bored of Explorers and their relatives here's a few more!

First up is this mystery. We've featured this red Blue Box monster before but its name is unknown.

Other than this new picture I found of a green version I'm none the wiser regarding its name. I understand that underneath it says Blue Box Patent Pending.

What is it?

Here's a toy new to MC i think, the M-12 Explorer. More akin to the Galgo line than BHS it's still related I think. The 12 certainly connects them and refers to the number of wheels.

Its has tons of actions and features and came in 3 colours.

I can't see a maker's name other than the model number HK 208.

The cars on the front box art are interesting. I recognise a black Pontiac Trans-Am in the Explorer's claw but not the other. Which toys are they?

Anyone know any more?

Next up is another newbie. This is a relatively modern Japanese Space Crawler. It has 14 wheels and a remote control.

At the rear of the blister pack is a leaflet depicting the vehicle - coloured a sort of military green-yellow - in action.

Here's the same vehicle in blue [top right] in this montage from Unusuallocomotion.com

Having perused You Tube as well here's an Explorer - style articulated truck. Again its more in the Monster style but still recognisbly Exploreresque.

Here's two stills of the same make of truck again from unusuallocomotion.com. It says FAUN on the cab. Is that a real make of trucks?



The picture above of the striped monster brings me to Galgo proper. An Argentinian toy company, Galgo released several different multi-wheeled monster-style explorers called Multiruedas or multiple wheels.

Here's the pale blue version with the make's distinctive cab-roof gear-stick.

You Tube offers us this short action clip as well.

Then there's the red version.

With a little video action as well to finish.

Another Explorer range was the Star Explorer. These had grabber arms and came in window boxes or loose from a shop display box. 

This one is Neptune in purple.

This is heading away from the BHS Explorer style and moving more towards a monster/SHADO2 design, which many multi-wheeled toys had.

I love the features:

Super Friction [ wow - super!], Striking Colour and just plain Awesome!

Finally we close with an old favourite and a definate relative of the BHS style Explorer 12 toys.

This is the Mars Mission by Tandy Radio Shack.

The toy was always dark purple as far as I know and battery operated.

It came in two different boxes.

One.

Two, the GO version.

Mars Mission was a cool Explorer.

The maker's mark for Tandy Radio Shack appears to have been a sticker on the base.

Can anyone supply some short video of this toy actually working?

Have you any explorer toys?

G A L O O B G I A N T C O M M A N D

Now isn't that just fabulous!

AKA the Truckapillar from 1982

What do you think readers?

coming soon.....

BHS EXPLORER 12 DAY!