MOONBASE CENTRAL

Monday, 6 April 2020

MYSTERY LP STAR SET

This is unusual.

A carded space set on an old Vectis auction.

The four chromed aliens are clearly LP inspired but the chromed spaceman looks like a much later Britains Star System.

A strange combination.

So what date will this be?

THE OLD WINDOW

I took this snap of this old Barber's window a while back.

The ramshackle toy display just appealed to me.

You don't often see windows like this now.

What can you see?

Have you seen an old window display?

QUATERFACT

Here's an interesting fact, the actress who voiced Tin Tin Kyrano and Grandma Tracy in Thunderbirds, Christine Finn. Also played Barbara Judd in the TV version of Quatermass and the Pit!

As soon as I heard her voice I recognised her.

Bill Everatt

DUNGEONS, DRAGONS AND STRANGER THINGS

I enjoyed watching this old TV ad above for TSR's Dungeon's and Dragons from 1983. I never got into this whole thing unfortunately as I reckon I would have enjoyed the social fantasy vibe.

Were you a TSR fan?

Did you like the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon or the film with Jeremy Irons?

Watching the TV ad reminded me of the now famous opening of Netflix's own homage to TSR Eighties childhoods, Stranger Things. Here the young heroes enjoy a frenetic game of dungeons and dragons that either causes or reflects what happens next with the Demogorgon.

Have you seen Stranger Things? All episodes?

Was the Demogorgon a real TSR figure?

Sunday, 5 April 2020

DON'T MAKE A DIORAMA OUT OF A CRISIS!

Eagle-eyed reader Tony K has spotted this neat card diorama of Quatermass and the Pit and the Knightsbridge Apemen.

Its available on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/638712871/quatermass-and-the-pit-toy-theatre

Its being advertised standing on a rather lovely pile of DVD's! Now that's some TV right there!

What do you think?

MJ'S Revell Sunbeam Alpine

https://www.toymart.com/Revell-R3851-Sunbeam-Alpine/14845

Hi Woodsy, I didn't imagine this, mine was actually 2 tone burgundy and cream white, a joy to race, the metal frame stuck in my single brain cell!!

Regards

Mark J

Southcoast Base

KINDER EASTER EGGS-IBIT

It's nearly Easter, so I'm rolling out my favourite Kinder Surprise Egg toys. These little miniatures are big business, especially in Germany and Europe, where they are actively collected. Due to restrictions on the inclusion of small parts, they haven't really reached the US, but are available in the UK.

Probably the biggest market is on Ebay though, which is where I buy my pieces. The chocolate eggs retail for just over a pound and have a plastic capsule inside with a small toy, randomly inserted. If I buy off the shelf, I usualy end up with some rubbish cartoon character, so I tend to buy from a german dealer who provides the full set of models for a set price.

As a result, I have been able to gather many of my favourite sets quite easily, although older models are more expensive, when available. These two ranges come from 1998 and 96 respectively and are mini concept cars.

The only problem with photographing such small vehicles, each is about an inch long and are assembled by the buyer, that I should have checked that they were all properly snapped together first!

One or two of them have popped apart slightly, leaving gaps between the body and windshield etc.

But failings aside, they are neat little models, extremely well moulded and designed and are all prepainted. Most models have at least one colour variation too, making it even more taxing as a casual collector, to get them all!

Ferrero have a long history of making toys in the eggs and each year a catalogue is produced by dedicated collectors, called the O-Ei-A and although printed in German, is an indispensable bible for collectors, giving year of release, variations and rarity guide.