I would be interested in learning more about these. ToySoldierHQ.com describes them as "Space Minis" offered from comic book ads (very bottom of their page linked above). These three pieces are all hard clinky plastic and I am fairly certain everything shown here is from the 1950s.
Space Coupe
This one missing a "wheel" though it's just one molded bit of bling, no moving parts.
Comparison with full size Archer spaceman in the same pose. One excuse for having a weakness for these guys is using them to force perspective in diorama pix, instantly making the smaller one seem further away. Though I'll also admit to thinking they're just totally cool and collect as a completist. All variants on the favored forms end up on the list of things to score.
The figures at either end are soft plastic. I am aware that H.G. Toys also replicated this form for use in their late 1970s flying saucer playsets but am fairly certain these are soft plastic variants on the figure at center, all manufactured prior to 1960. Would enjoy learning more if anyone can shed further light.
These figures came with two small Flash Gordon type ships which are also shown in ToySoldierHQ's graphic of the complete toy line.
With other reduced size Archer & Premier style figures by Tudor Rose.
Was at the right place at the right time to bust a move on a dream come true score of reduced sized spaceman figures produced at the behest of Miner Industries' Multiple Toymakers division for their Golden Astronaut toy line.
For those unfamiliar with the toy line's story there's actually an exhaustively researched website on the subject here http://www.triangspacextoys.info Be warned: You will be up for a week reading every page over twice then searching e-bay religiously for a month trying to find some, which are scare but not impossible to find including as still New Old Stock (which speaks for how much of the stuff was manufactured). The line first appeared in 1968 and flourished until 1971/1972 when the bottom fell out of the space toy market; NASA's Project Apollo coming to an end had something to do with it. The British versions of the toys were sold under the name "Spacex" and may have had something to do with inspiring the aerospace company bearing the same name.
I first became aware of the franchise while searching for spaceman figures which would be close in scale to Hot Wheels and Matchbox car scales (1:64) to use in my space art. Most toy soldier like plastic figures fall into a 1:32 scale range, and quite by chance I came upon an online item listing for a Golden Astronaut figure and was like, dude ... To heck with the diecast cars, give me some of them space plastics. They're the Willy Wonka Bar Prize of vintage spacemen, gilded, tiny and fragile. I am not sure if they are precisely 1:64 scale but it's close enough to be convincing and I've learned all I could about the toy line while amassing figures. This post chronicles the score of an 18 figure "Lot" of them which have some interesting oddities about the sculpts that collectors will find fascinating, to others a massive geek-out. I can live with it.
That's a nice heap. The detail pix of the figures which follow will likely be of more interest than watching me open my mail, but here is how we first met:
Eighteen in all here sorted by variety. The "dream come true" part are the five figures at center/front, which are of an even smaller scale than the standard size Golden Astronauts which made up the bulk of the order. I had specifically been hunting for the seated pilot figures at very bottom for want of spacemen to be seen riding in some of the vehicles I've collected as well.
I'd made the purchase under the intention of painting most of them, or otherwise utilizing them as figurative elements in small sized diorama paintings. But the closer I look at them there's subtle differences between the figures including those in the same pose.
All eighteen are downsizes of either 52mm or 5.5 inch MPC/Multiple Toymakers spacemen. None in the poses originated by LP Toys (Lik Be Plastics and Metal Factory) who manufactured the standard sized Golden Astronaut figures for Multiple Toymakers. A page on LP's figures from the Spacex/Golden Astronaut toys website can be found here.
Figure at center missing 75% of his chrome layer.
Five of the MPC Pistol and Lunch Box Guy pose, with three more in the even smaller scale, landing me a mind boggling eight Pistol and Lunch Box Guys. Irony being that I try to avoid using figures holding guns in these artworks, though a Golden Astronaut is a Golden Astronaut. Even when someone apparently doused him with some freak batch of stain like the one at front to the left. Never seen that before.
Rock stars of the batch. Five of the ~25mm figures Multiple Toymakes shrunk down for their marvelous Golden Astronaut "Moon Exploration HQ" playset. A third pose was shrunk down as well so, there's more spacemen to find, and having a Moon HQ set (or the Spacex equivalent) is a Holy Grail item along with Marx's "Operation Moon Base". Before they shovel me under I'll have one of each, complete and boxed, on the table, lookin' at me.
Figure at the right lost his hand, so he became my first painted Golden Astronaut (see last pic). As far as my eye can detect they are more or less identical.
Showing their backs to allow others to take note and evaluate for themselves.
Now the weirdness begins. To my eye all three figures have slight differences to their detailing and the one at center is half a head shorter, stouter and has a different face. The detailing of the two at either end also appear to differ including that sprue mold circle visible on the one to the right but missing from the other two.
Different body proportions to all three though that could also be due to sloppy molding.
Standard size Golden Astronaut with three Moon HQ staff figures, one chromed & gilded.
Standard size 1:32 scale 52mm MPC Pistol and Lunch Box Guy with its offspring.
The four "standard size" Pistol and Lunch Box Guys from the bundle, with one of them looking mighty peculiar and about half a head shorter, porkier and leaning forward. The facial detailing on the other three is also inconsistent -- Was this the secret hoard of some crazed collector who sought out oddly formed Golden Astronauts?
Insanely rare ~22mm pilot figures from the Moon Exploration HQ set.
<3
The two pilots compared with their 1:32 scale full sizer.
The "This Guy Isn't Screwing Around" image comparing the size of the Moon HQ pilot figures with pilots by Marx Toys from one of their Miniature Lunar Landing boxed sets (in white, 1970) a somewhat larger example from the "Mystery Space Ship" playlet (in green, 1962) with a full-sized Marx "Operation Moon Base" sitter pilot in silver, also 1962.
The Marx figure easy to differentiate from the MPC figure (in blue) by the positioning of his right arm, stuck in an extended manner which I call the Werhner Von Braun pose, recalling the famous picture of the rocket scientist with his arm immobilized after having a fracture re-set. I have always wondered if that pose was a playful homage by Louis Marx.
Merkwuerdigliebe
Not sure what's up with this guy. At first I thought he'd been painted.
I am pretty sure the back of his helmet reflects the plastic's true color. So whatever substance was applied seems to have dissolved the chromed layer. Or, whatever. He's cool.
Oddly shrunken Pistol and Lunch Box Guy.
Compared to two (more or less) standard versions of the same pose.
Three sizes of the same pose. What a grab bag!
Moon HQ ~25mm Pistol & Lunch Box Guys, one chromed and goldenized.
The chromed guy alone.
What appears to be a D stamped into his base -- The only one of all 18 figures to have anything resembling a mark on their base.
Pretty sure that's a D.
The bundle also included the gilded Geiger Counter Guy at left, the silver example one I'd previously obtained, both standing at about 25mm. I am not sure if these are the "standard" size for the pose or Moon HQ staff downsizes, will check with higher ups & report back.
Then this crew, all of which are based on a Multiple Toymakers 5.5 inch astronaut pose. Specimen at far right is missing the round accouterment which would be in his left hand, and look at the deformity of the two at far left. Below is some video examining their weirdness up close in HD.
They all look different to my eyes. Can't explain it, just reporting it. Further updates as events warrant.
The GA from the bundle with the broken off hand now part of my Orange Suit Crew. I only paint the broken or play-worn figures: No vintage space toys will be harmed in the creation of my artwork!!
