buttheadsmate Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I've recently been fortunate (?) enough to acquire some packaged, production figures from a toy line that was apparently made in the UK in 1978 . The packaging describes them thus " .......... ,with their many movable,removable & interchangeable parts,provide children with many hours of amusement ." The design was registered in 1978 & the trade mark applied for . I took them out of their packaging .............. So can you guess what they're called ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellpop Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 The Bullet Club? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessex Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 They're not... Minimates are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Obviously the trademark lapsed. Interesting, and not just because of the name but because of the product category and play pattern. It's like an alternate reality where Minimates are... British. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigvis497 Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Very cool. Surprisingly detailed for a product from 1978! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Netglow Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 The googly eyes are so adorable! looool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke314pi Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 They are actually quite charming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnim zola Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Ohh I like them. Will have to hunt some down one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappy Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 So, how tall are those guys? Are they very mini? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Ohh I like them. Will have to hunt some down one day.Good luck to you, but this is the first I have ever heard of them (and it seems this was also the case for BHM) despite having followed and searched eBay for Minimates for years. I don't think we'll see these popping up again anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniFiend UK Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 They get a german soldier but we dont. Poor Cap Am and the Invaders nothing to punch on still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 To truly appreciate these critters let me first explain that the packaging says that these were 'made in the Channel islands' which may mean little to anybody outside of the UK . The Channel Islands sit way closer to France than the UK but are part of the UK & a popular British holiday destination & a tax haven . That's about it really apart from the fact that it was occupied by the Germans during WW2 who thence used slave-labour to build a hospital underground on the main island Jersey http://www.jerseywartunnels.com/ ...........I recall that this was a major tourist attraction after the war & probably still is . The only other thing I can think of when I think of the Channel Islands is milk ,if you like milk then you'll love theirs . All that is kind of relevant when you consider the 5 Minimates which were....in my opinion..... undoubtedly holiday souvenirs from way back in the late 70's . The 'Life-boatman ' is typically the local coastguard type hero in any coastal holiday resort in the UK ....probably unique in the world as they are volunteers who get paid nothing to save the lives of seafarers . The 'Policeman' is undoubtedly featured out of sheer embarrassment ....... British coppers were employed by the 'friendly' German tourists who arrived in June 1940 ! I'm not saying that I blame them but it always seems bloody odd that we always seem kind of proud about it ! The 'WW2' Tommy (British soldier) is my favourite & in 1978 would have been a must for anyone who watched 'Dad's Army' on the TV back then ........'Dad's Army' was a TV comedy about the War , still repeating to this day . That brings us nicely to the 'hun' in his Wehrmacht uniform What can you say ? A jolly little gun-toting,invading, German soldier to take home with you from your Channel Islands holidays. Last but not least ....The Red Coat ! Loved by us English Folk & as we were told in our history lessons........ 'peace-keepers' wherever they went They all come smiling as they all have the same face.....except perhaps for the copper ...they're always two-faced aren't they ? Joke!! So that might explain why we have these five figures . There might be more ,if there was then I expect Wave 2 had a nurse , striped-shirted moustachioed,bereted, onion-selling Frenchman & a variant SS Waffen officer . Rare? No case numbers available as yet but I have never ever seen these before & TBQH I wouldn't worry if I never saw another . They stand with their helmets at about 3+ inches & have no painted parts ,each of their bodies has a wrap-around (paper?) sticker .Their hands are typical 'minifigure' but have four fingers moulded on one side & a peg that fits into the unarticulated arm which, in turn, hinges at the shoulder via a typical ball joint . The crotch-piece is, once more, very similar to what we see today ,ball joints & plug for the torso which is a one-piece small tube with a rounded head with a hole in it to accept the peg from the helmet . The legs have no knees but they do have ball-jointed ankles ...something that in my time here has been suggested more than once for Minimates . The feet ...they all have black shoe 'feet' which accept the ball joints at the end of the 'legs' . The eyes are...er....articulated....& I'm embarrassed to say I had great fun making the Jerry cross-eyed . So, how tall are those guys? Are they very mini? Especially for you Cappy ,the comparison shots ......... Here's the crunch.... Ye Olde Minimates are completely interchangeable with these dang new-fangled Yankee critters . Finally a Minimate Shredder that can stand upright ........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellpop Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Their eyes are articulated? Damn, that's hard core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Netglow Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Yooooo. Thanks for the history lesson, Mr. Butt! Definitely cool figures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 That is fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediJohnson Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Awesome, BHM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksun1520 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Nice find Rob! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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