Typically in our clamour for essentially the most spectacular, costly, scorching new dinosaur figures, we are able to neglect there’s nonetheless loads of pleasure to be present in plain, low-cost, cool outdated dinosaur figures. And you’ll’t get cheaper than free! The German Margarinefiguren, or Margarine Figures, by Wagner, got here free with packets of ‘butter’ (and perhaps different merchandise, I don’t know) within the Nineteen Fifties. This Iguanodon was a shock present to me from Libraraptor, who has previously featured a few of these German Margerinefiguren on the Dino Toy Weblog. He has beforehand defined that the identical moulds, or a few of them no less than, had been later launched exterior of Germany by Nabisco as promotional give-aways with Shreddies breakfast cereal (similar besides for various markings on the underside). However that is the unique model.
It’s clearly Iguanodon, the thumb spikes give it away, however the identify on the underside is simply “Dinosaurier-Kreidez”, or Dinosaur-Cretaceous. It’s additionally marked “Belgien”, so we could say it’s meant to be I. bernissartensis from Belgium. The Wagner emblem can also be on the bottom, together with “X 11”, the variety of the determine within the sequence. The determine has a delightful upright ‘retro’ tail-dragging design, with the arms giving the ‘thumbs up’ in approval. It’s truly fairly delicately and neatly sculpted, with a slender neck and legs, and another particulars of wrinkles and bumps. There’s no paint, only a monochrome base plastic in a cream color, probably discoloured over time.
These margarine figures are compressed back and forth, so all of them seem like they want a superb meal. Nonetheless, this design was most likely a intelligent design alternative to suit them into meals packets to save lots of house and minimise breakage. You’ll be able to see the bottom of my determine has buckled barely. Certainly, the plastic is kind of delicate and simple to snap, and whereas I presume this was additionally the case within the Nineteen Fifties, certainly the figures have turn into extra brittle with age. As can we all.
The determine is miniature, solely 4.5 cm lengthy and 4 cm tall, so it’s tough to {photograph} in focus with no particular lens. The width, as I’m positive you’re , is 6 mm (with the bottom barely wider at 9 mm). The bottom makes it straightforward to placed on show with out it falling over.
Though these collectible figurines had been free on the time, nowadays after all they arrive at a small value, however you’ll be able to see how these small historical figures might turn into addictive for collectors. Thanks once more to Libraraptor for the present!
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