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Original Marx Tom Corbett Figure Sculpts


dratomic

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Hello Doc, congratulations!

I do not collect figures this kind or size but I have to admid , these are extremely beautiful and very well made.

This must be heaven for you!

And thanks that we can participate in this great moment in a collectors life!

I hope you did not have to sell out too many good other toys to get these, but I understand, it is only one chance in a lifetime to get such a collection.

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Thanks, Gernot.

I lucked out and only had to sell one robot -- the rare silver/gold Lantern Robot variation. A tough toy to find, and I was able to get a good chunk of money for it. It wasn't too hard to let the toy go, either... Honestly, I like the standard version of the Lantern Robot more, and I'm sure I'll be able to find a nice one if I take my time. So in the end, I'll have the sculpts AND the version of the robot I like. :)

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Small edits to correct mistakes.

After speaking to Toy Memories, I now know the hardened clay on the base of some of the figures was most likely used to make them easier to mold. And the holes in some of the figures' hands and feet and ankles were actually made by wires. These wires helped stabilize the figure when it was used to make molds. When the sculpt was removed, sometimes the wires were pulled out, leaving a hole. Sometimes small pieces are left in the holes -- my figures show evidence of both.

These edits have also been added to the individual posts earlier in this thread.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another round of edits/corrections.

I spoke to Mike again today and he told me the black marks on the figures are likely the remnants of mold release. They're not sculpting guides, as I'd previously thought. (On the sculpts of more recent toys, you can sometimes see guide marks -- I thought these marks were the same thing.)

Anyway... You learn something new every day! :)

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As always, I'm late to these posts. However, Doc mentioned a side-by-side comparison, so I thought I'd help out. Of the figures in the set, I only have some of the aliens and the robot.

post-656-0-54932700-1350243517.jpgpost-656-0-30951200-1350243529.jpg

This fist alien, with the big ears, definitely shows the loss of detail when production molded. Obviously, the soft plastic will not hold sharp lines like the sculpts; the horns and nose are much more pointy in the original, and the mouth has lost it's personality.

post-656-0-49463500-1350243541.jpgpost-656-0-46246600-1350243552.jpg

Likewise, the robot has softer lines than it's prototype, the eyes are less like cylinders and more like rounded cones.

post-656-0-49404500-1350243568.jpgpost-656-0-55189300-1350243577.jpg

This Ming type character also has lost much in translation, particularly his gun, which looks more like a blob on the finished toy.

post-656-0-25953900-1350243698.jpgpost-656-0-46909700-1350243706.jpg

Lastly, I did not have the exact same alien with the thick eye-shields, but one in a different pose, but, you get the idea.

Now, with that having been said, remember you are looking at production figures that have been played with for many years. I'm sure when they were new, the details were somewhat cleaner.

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Thanks for the comparison photos, T6. It should be noted that some of the production figures -- including the big alien -- were available with and without the bases. I've been told the versions with bases are later... but I don't know if that means they were recast or if the Marx toy sets came with both versions. Or even if they were, in fact, later...

Anyone know for sure?

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Brian, you've proven yourself yet again as a collector's collector. These sculps are wonderful as part of the history of early space toys and the old west tin forts which were re-litho'd with a space theme. This stuff brings a whole new dimension to a collection as compared to obtaining a tin 'bot and placing it on a shelf. Amazing someone in the 60-odd years didn't think these were just something to be tossed out, the artwork involved is astounding and it's great they're being preserved by such an archivist of these great works.

Great going! You always make for an interesting read, thanks for posting. :thumbs:

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.

The Tom Corbett Space Academy playset turns up in both the Sears and Montgomery Ward 1952 Christmas catalogs. The illustrations show all the figures without bases.

The 1954 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalog shows the Rex Mars Planet Patrol playset. All these figures have bases.

Let me see if I can find some photo links of the different sets.

.

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Thanks, Joe. Pretty effectively answered that question! :)

You can see in the photos that Brady posted how different the figures are -- for instance, look at the feet on the alien with the ray gun. No toes!

I'd like to see the same piece without its base, maybe the details are sharper (and the ray gun less blobby).

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.

Here's the Alien with big ears (and no base), tan color:

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/3/1/1/9/2/9/webimg/604564524_tp.jpg

And here he is in gray (no base), or is this just a different angle of your sculpt?:

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/3/1/1/9/2/9/webimg/604564623_tp.jpg

Which one came with the first production run of the Space Academy set?

.

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.

Could this photo have been the inspiration for the sculpt?

http://www.solarguard.com/tc2cast5.htm

It does look more like actor Al Markim (Astro) than Frankie Thomas, Jr. who also struck a similar pose as Tom Corbett:

http://www.solarguard.com/tchome.htm

.

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Dunno fellas...perhaps after the original figures kept falling over, they added the bases for better balance. :blush:

Actually, the resemblance ain't half bad...

post-656-0-93578200-1350341062.jpgpost-656-0-17674500-1350341177.jpg

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