CLEMENTONI MOON

I don't often like modern space toys but this one impressed me when I saw it online. The NASA Space Exploration set by Clementoni, made In Italy.

Have a look. See what you think.

https://amzn.eu/d/adGWw4t 

NATURAL SCIENCE INDUSTRIES ANATOMICAL KITS BY PAUL ADAMS

While looking for some information on Palmer kits, I discovered that at least three of their educational kits were also released by another company. These being the Dissecting Frog, along with the Mastodon and Brontosaurus skeletons.

The company was Natural Science Industries Limited, of Far Rockaway, New York, 11691. So this adds another name to the list of companies making anatomical kits.

I have never heard of this company before, and they are not listed on Scalemates as far as I can see. There is no mention of any re-issues for any of these three Palmer kits by NSI, or anyone else.

I found a Natural Science Industries still listed, in New York City, which looks as though it may be the same company. This is a maker of mainly educational and science sets for children, and various craft sets.

Anatomy kits would have been a natural extension of their educational range. I do not know if NSI actually made these kits, or if Palmer Plastics just made a batch of the kits for them.

There do not appear to be any dates on the boxes or instruction sheets that I can see. My guess would be 1960s or 1970s.

The NSI issue of the Dissecting Frog has been re-numbered from 800-198 to No.78. The Mastodon and Brontosaurus, numbers 110 and 111, kept their original Palmer numbers.

The Palmer issues had the retail price as a suffix to the numbers, which was common with US kit makers in the 1950s and 1960s, but the NSI kits did not have any suffixes. No scale is given on any of the kits, as usual for Palmer, but the length is mentioned.

Some of the kits appear cleanly moulded, while on others flash looks to have been a major problem. The plastic used for the prehistorics ranged from white to a creamy bone-white; while the frog was white with a clear plastic outer shell (the Palmer version had a transparent green shell).

The NSI boxes are not as common as the Palmer boxes, and they are hard to tell apart as NSI just used the existing Palmer box art. There is just a small NSI logo in one corner.

There appear to be three versions of the box. Palmer name and logo; Palmer logo and NSI name (at least on the Mastodon); and finally NSI name and logo.

The Palmer Dissecting Frog have already been covered.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2022/11/palmer-plastics-dissecting-frog-kits.html

Four photographs from Worthpoint

Paul Adams from New Zealand

CENTURY 21 SPECIFICATION SHEETS: THE REPROS

The subject of Century 21 Specification Sheets has come up a few times on MC in the past. In particular years ago reader and Anderson collector Bill Earle was tracking them down.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/search/label/Captain%20Scarlet%20Specification%20Sheet

So I was interested to see that Fanderson now offer all of them as facsimiles on their website. Alas, for Fanderson members only [I'm not one].

https://fanderson.org.uk/product-category/specification-guides/

Have you a real Century 21 Specification Sheet readers?

I always thought there should have been a Project SWORD sheet!

CLAYTON'S CABINET

 American reader Clayton sent me these snaps of some of his cabinet crew.

Enjoy!

THE BOX BRUBAKER

 I chanced upon this online snap of an old wreck found in a barn.

I had to find out what that amazing design was.

Turns it it was called the Box Brubaker.

What a van-car!

How totally futuristically-Hot Wheels-looking is that!

Incredibly the Box Brubaker has had a comeback too. Here's the Brubaker promo pic.

What do you think? The van-car for you?

BLUE MONDAY

I had to look twice at the light blue car at the right of this auction bundle I saw online, next to the orange crane.

I thought, hmmm, a light blue Investigator Car?

Well, here's a battered Investigator car, also seen online, and you can see the similarity, so I'm not completely daft.

I'm still unsure what the light blue car is. Do you know?

TURNING JAPANESE

 For sheer locomotive creativity I think You Tube's 8atelier get's my top vote.

Perfection on tracks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmaE1pn-lKE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRtBsVoXVoE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf0h4afDxN4

A BUNDLE OF OLD SCRAPPERS

 This old mixed bundle of Matchbox scrappers given to me recently by my Missus has kept me busy on the die-cast bench this weekend.

Here's before I got work on them.

Here's after.

It was a lot of fun trying out the different paint pens I have now.

Its always takes a little time to find the right colour.

I tried Sharpie markers, matt and gloss paint pens and metallic paint pens too.

I was pleased with these three as the finish came out really smooth. The Matchbox train took the metallic pen paint especially well.

It was a great mixed bag to do up.

Hmmm. I need more now!