Alps Mr Brain, gold color version

[chilli]

Well, here I go again.

A few weeks ago I was looking through some auctions and by chance came across a miss named  robot for sale, this sale was for a ST-1 ( a Strenco)

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/41920497_german-tin-windup-robot-st1

 

I have a strenco but for a minute could not work out what the robot was. There were no red knees so that cut out it being Strenco and Alps Mr Brain.

The colour was wrong, funny hand colour, Then it struck me

Its a gold Alps Mr Robot, maybe colour sample.

I sweated for a week, put $3000 on as a bid ( I would borrow the cash off my dear old mum if I won, I would tell her then that she had bought a robot!!)

But only one person seemed to bid and it came in a reasonable price. I was scared to death they would break the bulbs in shipping and I could see they had left the battery in the head. Anyhow it arrived ok.

Right , lets have a think.

We kind of threw ideas about as to which came first , The Strenco or the Mr Brain. I think Gernot put an end to that when he said first sighting of the Strenco was the 1954 trade show.

My view was the Strenco was precise German engineering with out tabs. Then arrives the Japanese Mr Robot, without tabs for the first time.

Ok, so imagine at Alps HQ they have the Strenco from the trade show, copy it , change the head (by adding tabs) and dont need the utilitarian tin hands for pushing trolly's.

No, they want a space man, ray gun toting light up all singing dancing robot.

"Lets stick some flashing lights in the hands", complicates matters as it is a wind up, "stick a battery in the head" says chief designer.

"Ok, what colour shall we make it."

Of they go and do the illustration that is on the box.

Right so at the next meeting they have the artwork, red body , blue neck square, green legs yellow feet, yellow raygun bulbs.

"Eric, you have messed up mate, it will be a nightmare setting the painting up for this little fella."

They would have to spray parts red, blue,green, yellow. What other toys did they have with so many items to paint!!! Its not economical to do so many small runs.

"Go away and give me some colour way ideas that are not as expensive."

"Ok how about we paint the body, feet, top of head and shoulders gold and face and legs silver and give him yellow bulbs. Lets stand him next to the Strenco and have a look"

"Hmm, not so good, those yellow bulbs dont look very exciting do they. I think we might use the colour combination on that Radar robot with the battery we are working on.

Any other ideas"

"How about this honorable Boss man"

(picture pinched from Xris, cheers Chilli)

"WHAT!!!! " says honorable Boss man, "give him a cream hat and scarf then paint his nose RED, are you having a laugh???"

"Just paint it like the Germans did, it looks a lot better than these attempts "

So the production Mr Robot ended up like the Strenco.

Well thats my theory anyhow.

I wondered when I saw the auction if it was just reflections making the robot look gold. When we looked at the legs of Strenco and other similar Japanese robots the thin flat metal often turns a gold colour over time. But on this one the legs are silver and the body, shoulder plate and top of head are gold.The thing that swung it for me on the auction pictures and established it was not a repaint was the fact the knees were not painted or painted over and the small metal boxes added to the legs up under the skirt were gold. The robot would have had to have been completely dismantled to paint them gold. And as I thought , it is a very hard robot to dismantle as the metal boxes added to the legs work the electrical contact for the bulbs and they have a riveted plate that would need removing to dismantle.

Also the raygun bulbs are the colour shown on the box, just dont look great in reality.

Hence I think the swap to yellow and red then red and green bulbs with red knee caps for the production run

One other thing ties this robot and xris's odd coloured robot to make me think they are factory colour samples is both back packs are gold

and I am guessing the reason xris robot does not have any electrics and the bulbs were probably never fitted , is that these 2 robots were just colour samples to stand against that early 1954 strenco for comparision.

But that could all be rubbish, but it kept you busy for a while!!

cheers Chilli

 

 

 

 

[Roboto]

Excellent find and a wonderful story. 

[chilli]

Thanks Roboto, amazed that nobody else bid, I have to say thanks to Polishing his Robot, for not bidding against me, he had also spotted it, the keen eyed demon!!!

cheers

Chilli

[Morbius]

This one I purchased in 1982 (gave him to *Altaira when she was little) and had those 'gold' coloured legs even then, yes they did change colour over time.  WHY??  I still don't know.

[chilli]

The "gold" on the legs occurs on German and Japanese robots, so what do they have in common, my thought is the leg metal if always flat sheet metal, possiblly thinnner than pressed bodies, but more likey sprayed before sprayed before cutting, making it possible to spay a thinner coat than a 3d body. So it is either a "rust" or oxidation coming through the paint, or as Ranger suggested the oil in the paint rising to the surface, but what ever it is it seems to happen on flat metal with thinly pre painted panels.

The fact on my alps the body is gold and the legs silver suggest this is not just a paint "going off" situation.

cheers

Chilli

[plasticaugie]

A Mr Robot in that condition probably had his bulbs busted early on. Nice story though

[Ultrarobotman]

I think you were on a roller-coaster of emotions through the process of getting this unique robot in your hands.What a feeling it must have been to actually have it ! Congrats on this outstanding example of earlier robots.Nice story and happy for you,Chilli .

[chilli]

Not to sure what you meant by that comment Plastic Corgi but the fact it is a bit weather worn would suggest it has been past about a bit. Check the detail of the bulbs they have seen a bit of life. Say what you mean. We are here to discuss. I dont remember we were ever drinking buddies!!

cheers

Chilli

 

 

[David Kirk]

I don't mind the yellow bulbs! Interesting paint. I would think that if the yellow happens to be caused by yellowed varnish on silver on those pieces, you'd see spots where it was scratched back to silver paint. Is there anything like that, or do the scratches go to bare metal?

 

[chilli]

yes , first thought yellow varnish,  or rather clear varnish that yellowed. No , it.s paint. Gold paint.

yes if you check the corners there is wear. David , you are close enough to me to check and report back. I can meet you half way. That would be good evidence for a very odd robot.

EDIT,

also lets not forget Xris's Alps that is even more bizarre  than mine. These are not easy things to accept but it is great to share them.

lets hope Davids thoughts are as conclusive as mine. Remember the first photos are from an  auction , not from me

cheers

Chilli

 

 

 

 

[plasticaugie]

Not to sure what you meant by that comment Plastic Corgi but the fact it is a bit weather worn would suggest it has been past about a bit. Check the detail of the bulbs they have seen a bit of life. Say what you mean. We are here to discuss. I dont remember we were ever drinking buddies!!

cheers

Chilli

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I like beaters as much as the next guy but I doubt those are the original bulbs, we should have a few drinks some time.

If it really is a paint variation and not a patina/varnish then it really is special.

Here is my Mr Robot going out on the town.

[robot polishing his rocket]

very nice find chilli. the bot and bulbs look pretty much genuine to me. i have never seen this color combination before, everything about it looks legitimate.

[chilli]

Dont need patronising Plastic Corgi.

Bulbs are old RPHR. They dont work.

Nite

Chilli

[plasticaugie]

Dont need patronising Plastic Corgi.

Bulbs are old RPHR. They dont work.

Nite

Chilli

Chillax bro

[David Kirk]

Chilli, what is RPHR?