Toys For Tots fundraiser nets $37K in Great Falls
2014/12/09 Update
9 Game Day Food Hacks & Grilling Tips
It is football season! That means get-togethers and friends; barbecues and tailgating. So you need the perfect grill for the perfect party and Northshore Fireplace has the perfect match for you! They offer up a variety of grills to meet your individual needs, ranging from gas grills with Weber and Broilmaster, to smokers with the… [read more]
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Burning Chop – “Ermahgerd! Pergs!!!”
Frozen, Super Mario and Peppa Pig counterfeit toys seized
Just Who Is This Remarkable And Rare Steiff Rodent?
What is the tale behind this rare rodent? Here we have a 22 cm, begging Steiff sweetheart. He is made from shorter tan mohair and is unjointed. His hands are made from double thick felt. His prominent tail is made from very long, wavy mohair. He is expertly hand airbrushed all over with tan, brown, orange, and black highlights. His adorable face is highlighted with over-sized black eyes, a simple black hand embroidered nose and mouth, clear monofilament whiskers, and single sided mohair ears.
His IDs help just a bit in identifying him. He retains all of his original Steiff IDs including a large colorful bear faced chest tag, his raised script button, and yellow ear tag with the article number 2029/02. This combination of IDs suggest he was made no later than 1969. However, his actual article number doesn't translate into anything that actually describes him or his size. This is possible because in 1968, Steiff started to give each item its own unique number, rather than relying on its traditional numbering system that had alot of redundancies to it.
So just who is this guy? Given his configuration, detailing, and era, is possible that he could be a squirrel, a chipmunk, or a marmot. Steiff has a legacy of creating all of these fuzzy friends, and they share many similar general characteristics. These include body position (begging); double thick felt hands and/or feet; large and fluffy tails; and eager faces detailed with oversized eyes and whiskers.
It took an international effort to crack this nut - oops, case! Thanks to a tip from Steiff Super fan Alaina Russell from Canada, it appears that this example appeared in the FAO Schwarz toy catalog in 1968-1969, and is indeed a sensational squirrel! His picture appears here on the left. It is interesting to see that he is grouped with another field and forest friend, Dormy the Edible dormouse.
The squirrel's FAO Schwarz catalog description reads as follows...
"Tame and friendly, this begging grey squirrel in soft plush, has a long bushy tail and looks very natural. 7-1/2" tall. Ship wt. 2 lbs. $6.95"
It is not possible to tell from the information at hand if he was produced exclusively for FAO Schwarz or not. However, regardless of his manufacturing status, it is clear that he is quite rare and was produced in extremely small numbers overall. Have you ever seen another one? He really is fabulous!
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on the mystery FAO Schwarz squirrel has left you bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
Peter Kato Holiday Batch Release (12.11)
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Kotobukiya: Jubilee Added To Marvel Bishoujo Collection
Spidey 2099, new Venom, and two other Pop!s coming exclusively to Walgreens
It wasn't that long ago that I never had a reason to step foot inside a Walgreen's but, within the past year or so, the small pharmacy has managed to land exclusive after exclusive. The retailer's most recent coup is four of Funko's Marvel Pop!s: Spider-Man 2099, Venom, a black-suited Spider-Man, and the Punisher.
While the news had me at "Spidey 2099", I also find my eyes drawn to that Venom and his wickedly evil face (and claws!). Thoroughly impressed, I figured I'd see how he stacked up against the previous Pop! Venom(s) and... I couldn't find any. This *might* be the first-ever Pop! Venom, who easily numbers among the most popular Spidey rogues, and yet he's an exclusive for a marginal (as far as collectibles go) retailer. Say whaaaaaa?
Although it's not unusual for Funko to give retailers exclusive Pop!s (in fact, *most* retailers seem to get an exclusive Pop!), but usually it's just one or two items in a larger wave and they're often just variants of a character in that same wave (like a white-robed Raven). However, this crazy news is making Walgreens -- which also scored Hasbro exclusives -- suddenly seem relevant.
These figures are slated to release in January and hopefully won't be hard to find. Some of Walgreens' previously held exclusives were on its website (and as a pre-order, no less!) months and months before popping up at retail.
Read more...
Kotobukiya: Iron Man Marvel NOW! Armor ARTFX+ Statue
FIRST EVER BATMOBILE SOLD FOR $137,000 THIS WEEKEND The earlier...
FIRST EVER BATMOBILE SOLD FOR $137,000 THIS WEEKEND
The earlier known licensed Batmobile was sold this weekend at an auction for $137,000. The car is a customized 1956 Oldsmobile 88 that was built in a New Hampshire barn. It was created by 23-year-old Forrest Robinson and his friend Len Pherham in 1963 simply for the two to drive around.
The car caught the attention of DC Comics licensee All Star Dairies, who leased Robinson’s car for a promotional campaign. They recolored the Oldsmobile and sent it on tour as “Batman’s Batmobile,” eventually returning to Robinson in 1966 who ended up selling it for $200. Flash foward to 2008, it ultimately was restored and authenticated for last weekend’s auction selling through Heritage Auctions, with an opening bid of $90,000.