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Post by acroray on Mar 1, 2012 19:32:24 GMT -5
The parts are cast in a swirled combination of several shades of grey. This is one of the best sculpts in the series, with hide textures that are elaborate and sharply cast (much nicer even than Lindberg's modifications of the Stego's textures). The cast color is different than what I recall from my childhood one, which I believe was a light grey shade, maybe even a rusty grey. This Cory's plastic is very reminiscent of the 'silver' series of Marx dinosaurs from around the same era.  |
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Post by acroray on Mar 1, 2012 19:38:00 GMT -5
One thing I did observe was that both the legal line on the parts and the box note a copyright of 1968. The box says "Manufactured under license from Pyro", which none of my other Life-Like boxes - even the ones of earlier members of the collection - say. In the "Bronto's Long Tail" thread, Desslock noted the different Life-Like pressings in the art-box series. I suspect there are other Cory Life-Like white art boxes that have this legal line deleted.  |
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Post by desslock on Mar 2, 2012 2:00:48 GMT -5
The two Life-like boxes I have - protoceratops and Steggie, as I posted above, both DO have that "manufactured under license from Pyro" language. They also have the copyright 68, so they're from the same issuance, it seems.
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Post by acroray on Mar 2, 2012 10:50:55 GMT -5
I'd be inclined to believe those are the earlier issues, but I could be wrong. The relationship between Pyro and Life-Like is somewhat nebulous, and who knows what their legal identifier requirements were, and how they were enforced...
Probably the only way to really tell would be to access sample Life-Like catalogs or price/order sheets from the end of the 60s through the 70s, and see what item numbers are applied to the kits. Then we'd have a better idea.
Does anyone out there have any Life-Like catalogs from those periods? Some were recently offered on eBay, but I didn't pick any of them up.
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Post by acroray on May 2, 2012 11:18:15 GMT -5
Two of the rare "World Of" diorama kits from Life Like surfaced on eBay. Prices are pretty high at $188, but the auctions have a lot of great pictures to file away. These kits really packed in the accessories. An associate of mine who remembered them from his childhood says the bases were styrofoam. Here are the auctions for the Stegosaurus set: www.ebay.com/itm/Dinosaur-Life-Like-Hobby-Kit-World-of-Stegosaurus-/230784950389...and the Triceratops set: cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330726257593I'd love to have one, and they do seem to be remarkably rare. But if i got one, I'd HAVE to build it... And here are a couple of images I snagged from the auctions for posterity.  |
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Post by acroray on May 2, 2012 11:19:15 GMT -5
The World of Triceratops box:  |
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Post by acroray on May 2, 2012 11:19:42 GMT -5
And the box-side featuring all three kits:  |
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Post by desslock on May 2, 2012 21:55:13 GMT -5
Wow, I've never heard of these before! Very cool to check out, even though I have no interest in buying them - much appreciated for the links
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Post by acroray on May 3, 2012 12:05:41 GMT -5
You're welcome! It looks as though a slightly-updated version of the chart from the "World Of" LifeLike kits was included in some of the 1993 Jurassic Park kits by Lindberg. From what I've seen, the Rex image was updated to reflect Lindberg's current kit. This is from a current eBay auction for the Lindberg JP Raptor kit.  |
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Post by acroray on May 3, 2012 12:07:20 GMT -5
Auction shot of the full chart.  |
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Post by acroray on May 3, 2012 12:09:20 GMT -5
The chart as previewed on the back of the "World Of" Stegosaurus box.  |
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Post by TAY666 on May 4, 2012 16:38:25 GMT -5
I think I still have some of those filed away with my JP instruction sheets.
Remind me a few weeks after wonderfest and I should be able to pull them out and get some clear pics, if not actually scan it.
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Post by acroray on May 4, 2012 19:35:04 GMT -5
Actually, just today a Lindberg Stegosaurus from the 1987 261 assortment came in my mail, and it included the poster as well. Not mentioned in any of the package text or marketing material.
It's like a giant black & white photocopy of the Life-Like one, with the name & address of Life-Like replaced with Lindberg. But it still has the original art.
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Post by TAY666 on May 5, 2012 11:20:41 GMT -5
Yeah. All the kits had that.
I know because I bought all 5 at the same time at K-mart.
I was so excited to see any dino kits on store shelves at the time.
Though that was in 93 or 94 in conjunction with the JP movies.
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Post by desslock on May 6, 2012 17:40:30 GMT -5
It looks as though a slightly-updated version of the chart from the "World Of" LifeLike kits was included in some of the 1993 Jurassic Park kits by Lindberg. From what I've seen, the Rex image was updated to reflect Lindberg's current kit. This is from a current eBay auction for the Lindberg JP Raptor kit. So I ended up buying both of these after all. I made an offer for both of them at a significant discount to the list prices, and I guess he didn't have any better interest because he accepted them. Found them too novel to pass up, so let me know if you want any more pics or anything. |
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Post by acroray on May 6, 2012 21:40:54 GMT -5
Wow! I'm glad you got 'em! I'm sure there was interest, but not enough to fetch nearly $200 each. :-)
If you open them, I'd be interested in shots of the contents.
Also, I have to correct myself about the '87 stego poster: it does say "Kit Includes 14" x 20" wall chart" on the front of the box. D'oh...
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Post by desslock on May 7, 2012 10:59:18 GMT -5
FWIW, he accepted an offer at a discount of more than $50/each kit (and combined shipping), so maybe it was the first offer he received, as he didn't even try to haggle. That said, I have bought a lot of kits off of him, on and off of ebay, and he knows I pay instantly, so maybe that was a factor.
Still probably more than I should have sensibly paid, but I love dioramas, and would have swooned over these as a kid if I'd ever seen them.
I'm definitely opening them - I'll video it and upload it to dropbox so you can nab 'em.
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Post by acroray on May 7, 2012 12:57:09 GMT -5
Good man! I can't wait to see them!
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Post by TAY666 on May 7, 2012 17:33:49 GMT -5
I know when I was still wheeling and dealing, I would always cut my repeat customers a break on price.
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Post by acroray on May 8, 2012 9:27:03 GMT -5
Protoceratops, from my childhood years, Life-Like edition. He's molded in purple, and painted with a green which I think was a Pactra 'hot rod' assortment color back at the time. This is one of the best kits in the series, I think. He doesn't come with a base, though. I'm looking forward to picking up a more recent Lindberg edition and building it anew.  |
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