#933 FX SCHMID - SIGFRIED DIE NIBELUNGEN (60720) (1966)

There was a time in which big movie events were rare, really big movies that children were waiting for months to come, premiered only a couple of times per year. Among these superproductions, some even had merchandise produced to be sold in kiosks or toy stores. Nowadays, this is something very common.

Each country had their own favorite themes, many of them related to their historical epic events or literary works. In this case, Germany was looking back at "the Nibelungs", the German epic poem written around the year 1200. In 1966 and 1967 it was taken to the screen in two parts in a production of Constantin Films. The first part was Siegfried von Xanten and the second one Kriemhilds Rache.

This deck was done for the first movie from 1966, and is the classic card deck with 9 families, that when read in order explains the plot of the movie with one rather big picture and a short line of text in each card. I haven´t seen the movie, but the pictures are great, I guess it was a big success in Germany and Scandinavia.

There is a second deck for the second part of the movie, but I do not have it yet.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name:  SIGFRIED DIE NIBELUNGEN (60720)
• Year: 1966
• Company: FX Schmid (Germany)

#932 ZISS-MODELL/ EURO-MODELL - OPEL STADTCOUPE 1908 (Around 1983)

I found this car by chance at a flea market. I saw it is was old, complete, in a relatively good condition, and I bought it. The model has no brand on the base (we will come to this later), so it was also some kind of challenge to me.

Ziss-Modell was a subbrand of Mini-Auto, also proprietary of R. W. Modell and Wittek Modell. Mini-Auto was active during the 60s and the 70s, but at some point during the late 70s, that name was swiftly replaced, probably due to the similarity with other die-cast brands, first by R.W. and then, again gradually by Ziss, although these two were active simultaneously under Mini-Auto or Wittek appelation, as some brochures showed both logos. Interestingly, no R.W. model was sold as Ziss (with Ziss marking in the base).

The company was founded in the 60s in Lintorf (West-Germany). According to David Sinclair was a relatively small family operation. Wittek was the family name of the founder, and Ziss also seems to be a family name.

Although Ziss had contemporary models, they are best known for their classic vehicles, like the one shown in this entry. Classic models also included vans and trucks and consisted basically of German carmakers. There are also some promotional models.

Matchbox had the famous Models of Yesteryear series, but there were many other manufacturers following that trend especially in the 70s and the early 80s.

Ziss stopped producing toys in 1978, but the same models were then sold under the Euro-Modell brand, with Ziss removed in the base, like this model. Euro-Modell should not be confused with Euro Modell.

The models are in general well casted, with several excellent models. The wheels in this model are made of plastic, which are not especially good looking or durable. They are not very expensive at this point in time.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: OPEL STADTCOUPÉ 1908
• Scale: Approx. 1:43
• Year: 1983
• Company: Ziss-Modell / Euro-Modell (West-Germany)
• Size: approx. 8 cm

#931 MAJORETTE – CITROËN VISA CHRONO (Nº 201) (1984)

This model has had several decorations while it was available, as every other Majorette model, but, for some reason, all decorations except the one shown in these pictures are quite rare and difficult to find.

The model was introduced in 1984 with number 201 (the first reference in the 200 series) and carried this “Chrono” tampographies.

In 1986 it was updated by replacing the tampographies by some rally decoration, although the base colour remained white. This version was available until 1988

And finally, during the mid to late 90s, the car was brought back to life in yellow with the previous rally tampographies and the iconic wheel type from these years.

By searching the Internet, it is also possible to find several promotional Citroën Visa “MajoPub” with the most different tampographies, but all of them in white. Wouldn't it have been nice to hace other colours as well?

Some nice details I can highlight: It came with practicable trunk, the headlights are clear (part of the windshield piece), suspension is great (the usual one) and although the scale is smaller than for other models (the scale in this Series 200 is 1:box, so being the Visa a rather small car, the toy model is bigger than some of its partners...) it looks great even when placed near other models.

Currently, this is the only model in my collection among all mentioned above.


I would say the model is very interesting for collectors because the real Citroën was very popular at the time in France, Spain and other countries as well.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: CITROËN VISA CHRONO (Nº 201)
• Year: 1984
• Company: Majorette (France)
• Size: Around 7 cm.
• Scale: 1:52

#930 GUISVAL – LAND ROVER GRÚA (1976, 1977, 1980)

This model of Land Rover with crane is one of those few models by Guisval that are difficult to find complete and in good conditions. And all because of the small yellow plastic hook. I had these four models in quite a good condition for many years waiting to recover their missing parts, knowing that it was virtually an impossible mission to get them. I have that orange model since I was a kid, since 1985 or so. Maybe that is why it is in a slightly worse condition.

The good and unexpected news is that a Spanish collector cloned this part and is selling repro hooks for this particular models in several colours. To my knowledge, all models came with yellow hooks, but the hooks are also available in red or black. If you want some of these, leave a comment below and I will forward you to the person who sells them.

I bought all four straight away to finally restore my models. I have three models, but one of the models have a variant, can you notice it? The military model comes with blue or green windshield and siren. The one with the blue windows seems to be rarer than the one with the green windows.

This is one of my favorite models by Guisval. It is very similar to the one made by Corgi Juniors, but still have some differences.

There is another Land Rover model which is older than this one. I have some of these as well, but they are difficult to get complete, since they came with accessories/decoration (a missile/rocket, a tiger…).

Checking the catalogues year by year, I observed the following variants:
1976

• Nº19 Grua Municipal (Red with black hook): the catalogue image looks like a prototype, based on the older model. The produced toy seems to have been sold with a yellow hook.

1977-79

• Nº19 Grua Municipal (Red)
• Nº50 Grua Militar (Dark Green with green windows, some have been spotted with black hooks)

1980-1983 and Beyond

• Nº19 Grua Municipal (Orange with black stripe at sides and blue windows)

The model has been for sale until the early 90s. These later model are easy to identify because of its wheels, which are different to the ones that these four models have (See for example this model in entry #502). There are several decorations of these.

UPDATE (Feb/2020): One new model with "Rescate" stickers, from the 90s (note the four spoke wheels)

 FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: LAND ROVER (GRÚA MUNICIPAL and GRÚA MILITAR)
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: 1976 to around 1990
• Company: Guisval (Spain)
• Size: approx. 3’’ or 7 cm

#929 BULLY - TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1989)

The Ninja Turtles were a real phenomenon, and they still are. Beside the action figures, there were several series of plastic figures, like those made by Yolanda, the small chewing gum premiums or this series made in Germany by Bully.

There are two interesting facts about them. First they depict rather slim characters, compared to the more muscled ones we were familiar with. Long legs, long arms, thin shells make them look like something between Eastman and Laird´s and the cartoon turtles.

The second interesting fact is that some characters have magnets in their backs (all except the four main characters), maybe they were intended to be put in the fridge.

The series is complete except for four turtle figures coming out of a manhole cover. These are represented only from the waist up, and are so different to the ones I present today, that could actually be considered as a different series. I do not own any of these, they probably sold much worse than these.

Something remarkable is that the characters also include Splinter, Shredder, Bebop, and a Foot Soldier, which is something unique to all plastic PVC series of TMNT. To my knowledge, this is the most complete regarding the number of characters, despite missing Rocksteady.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: LEONARDO, RAPHAEL, DONATELLO, MICHELANGELO, SPLINTER, SHREDDER, BEBOP and FOOT SOLDIER
• Year: 1989
• Company: Bully (Germany)
• Size of the figures: Around 7 cm

#928 FIGURAS EN ACCIÓN (F.E.A.) Nr. 20

With around one month delay, we bring this new issue of Figuras En Acción. We wanted to make a special issue dealing with G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, but it was very difficult to achieve this because some colleagues are not familiar with this toyline, so we changed the topic to military/war toys.

The magazine more than 120 pages (more than ever!) and includes articles dealing with Madelman, Plastic Toy Soldiers, H.E/M.A.N., Termitors/ Army Ants, Food Fighters and, of course, G.I. Joe. We have a new collaborator and also an old friend returns for this issue.

This time we interview Jesús Cansino, initiator of a one of a kind, vintage toy museum in the historical town of Osuna. The city has a huge art heritage, being a very rich city in past centuries. In the last years it has become very popular because it was chosen as a filming location for the TV series Game of Thrones, for which there is also a museum there. Please read more about it in the magazine (in Spanish), or in the following links:

http://www.osuna.es/en/turismo/ (in English)

https://www.facebook.com/regresoalainfancia/

The download link can be found in our oficial blog to the magazine. Click HERE.

Thank you!

#927 RUIZ - SEVERAL VEHICLES + UNKNOWN PARACHUTISTS (2017)

During my last holidays in Spain I visited one little village, and while strolling, I passed by this shop window:

Of course I had to go in and buy a few of these. I explained the shopkeeper, that I hadn´t seen these since maybe 20 years, and so he corresponded by saying that he also used to play with them. He confirmed that they are new, that is, that they are still being manufactured. As we mentioned in a previous entry (see #865), Baratijas Ruiz is using the old casts to keep producing toys. I would say that the plastic in the early 80s was a bit thicker and less shiny, and the wheels were always black. Now it seems that the new models all carry light blue wheels.

Inside the shop, there was a big box full with this kind of vehicles, and I searched all 6 different models available, one of each, trying not to repeat colours.

The cars are very interesting. Any die-cast aficionado will be able to recognise some of these models as Matchbox knock-offs from the 70s, especially those buggys with impossible motors.

Land Rover with cage and giraffe (5 pieces): a similar model was already analized in the entry mentioned above. That time, the Land Rovers were tow-away trucks. And had a very small sign on the roof. This time that sign is missing (I checked the whole box, they are not mounted in the cage model, and they all had giraffes in them).

(sorry, I forgot to picture this model)

Amphibious vehicle (4 pieces): This is maybe the one I like most, for its rarity. I cannot recognise it being made out of another toy.

Jeep (5 pieces):  I would say this model is based on a Superfast model from 1971: Nr.2 Jeep Hot Rod.

Buggy 1 (4 pieces): This one is clearly based on Baja Buggy, Nr. 13, also from 1971 in Matchbox's Superfast series.

 

Buggy 2 (4 pieces): This one is based on a Guisval model from the 70s and the 80s.

Buggy 3 (5 pieces): This one is also based on a Guisval model, this one has rounded forms and two bulges on the bonnet that are supposed to be the headlights. In this case, it comes with a roof. From the two models made by Guisval, this one came a few years earlier than the previous one.

Back to the initial story, the cars were being sold at 0,30 euro each. So, when I was about to leave, the shopkeeper (who was undoubtedly a good seller) offered me another vintage toy that was popular in the same days than the plastic cars: a plastic parachutist figure with a funtional parachute. I was delighted to see these too, so I bought again all three available models.

Note that one of the figures seems to be a general looking through a pair of binoculars. Rare choice for a parachutist! The other two are infantry soldiers, a bit more suitable for the action they perform. These are not produced by Ruiz, since they are available almost everwhere on the internet. There seems to be 6 models of these, and they come in random basic colours.

So, I left the shop with the six cars and these three parachutists. They are all new and they might not match the aim of the blog, but still the whole story has some connection with vintage toys.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: LAND ROVER SANTANA, BAJA BUGGY, HOT ROD and OTHERS
• Scale: Approx. 1:64
• Year: 2017
• Company: Ruíz (Spain)
• Size: approx. 6 cm

• Name: PARACHUTISTS
• Scale: Approx. 1:32
• Year: 2017
• Company: Unknown Manufacturer (China)
• Size: approx. 6 cm

#926 PIATNIK – BLUMEN (Nr. 278) (Around 1973)

Unfortunately, all quartett and children decks that do not show cars or very specific licenses or themes are not very interesting for collectors these days.

Flowers and plants (or botanical) decks are maybe among the least-liked ones, and that´s is a pity.

I already showed a Flowers deck by Piatnik a very very long time ago. That first version showed drawings, while this newer version has already colour photographs. I personally like the one with the drawings better, but this pictures and card style is also quite charming, it exemplifies the design in the years in which it was made and sold. The pictures do not have a great resolution (or maybe it was the printing press that did not have the quality standards we are now familiar with, and the soap-box (pink plastic) today looks ugly. I guess at the time it was different.

Comparing the older version of the deck with the new one, I have to say, that a few flowers are different, although many are the same and also ordered in very similar families. The reference number is the same.

 The first deck is from 1955, this one could be made around 1973. It still has the same reference number than the original one.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Name: BLUMEN QUARTETT (Nr. 278)
• Alternative Names: „FLOWERS QUARTET "
• Year: Around 1973
• Company: Piatnik Wien (Austria)