There are a few toy lines that have found a place in my heart throughout my time as a Transformers and pre-Transformers collector, and when I imagine what my dream collection would look like, something I could fit into a single room and be able to appreciate properly and fully in terms of quantity just by looking around, it's a pretty clear picture. It involves stuff I have now, stuff I am buying and definitely stuff I have already sold. Apologies in advance for recycled photography.
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| Binaltech |
I've never sold a Binaltech toy from my collection, and I have all main variants and releases from BT-01 to BT-18 - yes that does include BT-17 Black Convoy which I have recently re-acquired through trade. It will be a small matter of prioritisation to pick off BTs 19 to 22 and finally sign this most evocative and significant of collections off. A toy line that brought back all the joy of collecting in 2004 for me, and something that has survived all my collection purges and sales. They are spectacular, seminal and everlasting talismans of the modern post-90s Transformers era and I wish to have a complete shrine to them in the future fully on display. That includes somehow finding a way of locating and acquiring the BT-08 one off pink Meister that was signed and designed by a Japanese actress/model. If I could afford the space and the toys, I would have loved to display my BTs in car mode and robot mode duplicates alongside, with collector's card displayed. But this is a fantasy post, so let's just say that's what I am going to do.
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| Transformers GT |
Mercifully this is already done. I just hope I won't find it necessary to liquidate my Transformers GT collection, but actually be able to add the paperwork (calendars) I am missing and the 30th Takara TF anniversary Team Mach Convoy figure. I don't feel the need to display duplicates here, just the toys I have out of package and alongside the associated paperwork and manga. Super GT racing cars that Transform, couldn't be more me if it tried.
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| Transformers Animated |
Few toy lines and series have touched my heart as TF Animated did, I remember watching new episodes on my iPod, yes iPod (not iPod Touch, but a tiny bloody iPod screen) in 2008 as I flew back and forth between Iceland and London. The toys were so unbelievably well engineered and animation accurate at the same time, with so much character just in those face sculpts, so fresh and unforgettable, that despite selling my collection I never lost the love. I have since started to buy Animated toys back and in this one week alone have added considerably to the depleted Animated ranks. I dream of having a complete loose collection of Animated, including Activators, exclusives, Takara versions and even production samples of unreleased figures.
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| Finnish Diaclone and Microman |
Finnish Diaclones, that most exclusive of Diaclone foreign dignitaries. Black Tracks leads the line here proudly but the real gems of the line(s) are the undiscovered figures and super-rare "boring" figures like pre-Inferno, a possible Walther P38 pre-Megatron and pre-Grapple. I am two toys away from having a complete run of known/confirmed Finnish Diaclones and one Browning variant away from the MC equivalent. Despite the rarity of these figures and the cost, I know exactly where the toys I need are and hope in the next 10 years or so to be able to add them to my own - and at the same time try to avoid having to sell any of my 3 Finnish Diaclone cars and my Browning. This is as obscure and exciting as Diaclone gets, and I feel it is a representative collection of what I may be best known for or recognised for in the community.
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| Alternators box artwork |
Transformers artwork is huge for me, I have always found as much enjoyment in the artwork and animation associated with toys as the toys themselves. When I was a child my friends wanted to play with the toys, I wanted to act out scenes as the TFs. Fiction and presentation are as important as the items themselves, sometimes moreso. I already have a significant Alternators box artwork collection purchased piece by piece from the artists themselves. Coincidentally, the one piece I bought through an intermediary I have sold, that would be Wheeljack. My dream is to have these pieces of exquisite box artwork displayed on the wall of a future man cave alongside my Binaltech collection, to buy back the Wheeljack I sold, and also pick up all the other remaining pieces of Alternators artwork I don't have. Again, I pray that I will not have to sell any more of the art I currently own.
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| Ceji G1 Transformers |
Had and sold virtually all of these. Ceji variant G1 Transformers variants like yellow Constructicons, orange chested Insecticons, plastic nosed and wheeled G1 jets, red-foot Optimus Prime, made in France Megatron and Soundwave, "Puffer"...I wrote so much about these, I loved them so much for being so utterly obscure and actually beautiful, if I am dreaming, then I would wish to one day have a complete run of all the G1 Transformers that Ceji produced for Hasbro and Milton Bradley between 1985 and 1986. I would want them all packaged too. I very much doubt anyone has such a collection even now.
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| Car Robots / RiD |
How many of us can say we were not affected by Car Robots and Robots in Disguise bringing back the classic Generation 1 Autobot symbols and transforming vehicles? I was massively into this show as well and the toys were mindblowing at the time. My JRX sale is a big big regret and rediscovering my Car Brothers recently has been a revelation. My dream future collection will have one of every Car Robots toy beautifully displayed in Detolfs or custom made LED-lit glass cabinets. I feel this line that brought together so many excellent modern and ancient elements, with new diamonds like the trainbots and Super Fire Convoy, that it deserves a tribute. I would also be wanting all the clear plastic and exclusive repaints of the main moulds. God Fire Convoy, Clear Car Brothers, Clear Spychangers etc. Yes please.
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| Generation 1 / Masterpiece |
I don't long for an absolutely complete Generation 1 collection, but my dream would be to have every 1984 to 1987 G1 Transformer displayed alongside the Masterpiece or 3rd Party equivalent depending on what's available and released at the time. The above picture gives you some idea of what I'd be looking to display. A G1 box (with a duplicate figure inside!) behind each character set would be absolutely ideal. Certain reissue exclusives would be a must too, Crystal Rodimus, Shining Magnus, Anime Astrotrain, Sunstorm, Ghost Starscream, Fire Guts God Ginrai...sod it, all the reissue exclusives, thanks.
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| More Than Meets The Eye comics |
I'm crazy about IDW's MTMTE, as of last August only though. I have a feeling the love will go on forever, though, so my dream is to have every cover wall-mounted. If the series ends in the near future then they will be easy to display and manage as wall-mounted specimens alongside choice pieces of original MTMTE artwork, and if the series goes on for years and years, even better! I'll just wall mount season 1!
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| Macross 1/55 Valkyries |
It may currently be a One Year project, but that doesn't mean I'd want to sell any of them. In my dream collection I would have every single 1/55 Valkyrie variant and have them displayed loose in jet mode. That includes vintage Takatoku, vintage Bandai, reissue Bandai, vintage and modern KOs, and all G1 Jetfire variants. This mould deserves that kind of devotion and display, no matter how subtle the differences are from one version to another of, say a VF-1S, they are worthy of purchase and display. What a toy line, what a mould, what an undertaking. That's what I dream of.
If I had the cash and space, I'd do the same with Dorvack and Beetras too, anything Takatoku inspired is bound to be wonderful.
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| Gold box Classics Generation 1 |
They were released in the UK, I remember them fondly and vividly from buying them both here and abroad during childhood holidays, they are criminally underrated in both quality and rarity, and if I could I would own every single one of them MISB or MIB unused for research and display purposes. I love gold boxes and having had a few at the same time, I can vouch for how much joy they brought to me and how the "local" Generation 1 trip is highly addictive.
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| Movie Human Alliance |
If I had my way and my space, I would have one of every Movie Human Alliance from the first movie and ROTF (because I just don't like the look of the DOTM HA figures) in each mode on display. They are THAT good and Masterpiece-quality without a shadow of a doubt. Every time I handle these figures I am impressed, and the 2007 movie trilogy has been huge for me, I did enjoy them and it did take Transformers to another level for me and the rest of the world. It deserves its recognition and so do these toys. Essential toys to own, they are not going anywhere and I have just bought my first duplicate on the road to realising this ambition.
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| C-325 Greatshot |
Surely, SURELY, one day I will finally bloody buy and own a Japanese exclusive C-325 Greatshot from Transformers Victory?!
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| Ceji Joustra Diaclone |
Finally, my true love. My biggest quest and no doubt the hardest of all, yet to be completed by any collector on Earth I am sure. A complete collection of Ceji Joustra "Diaclone" toys from 1984 and 1985. This would include packaged specimens of absolutely all copyright and moulding variants for wave 1 (nearly there), all carded items from wave 1 (sorted), all of wave 1 unused (nearly there) and all complete packaged wave 2 toys (8 toys and 1 card away from this, and probably 20 years), not to mention all dealer catalogues featuring Ceji Joustra Diaclones (who even knows how many there are) and all language variants of the wave 1 comics (more than halfway there). I would also venture that one day I would like to own all of the packaging samples and prototypes that the Brizzi twins sold last year that I so nearly managed to be a part of, and the original artwork for the Ceji Joustra Diaclone comics and box artwork. For me this would be the absolute crowning collecting achievement of my lifetime and the most meaningful.
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| Minibots |
What about minibots? Mexican Transformers? Japanese Diaclone? Milton Bradley Transformers? All these are things I have been extremely closely associated with in the past because of my collection and writing for over a decade. Even fantasy has its limits for me, and I guess somewhere in my heart I actually believe all of the above things I featured are possible to complete and have one day if I somehow join all the dots in my life. But, the prospect of embarking on a complete minibot, Mexican, MB TF or Japanese Diaclone collection - knowing what and who would be involved - exhausts me just to consider it. I would need to have free time to burn and a six figure budget. In THAT position, I'd take on the challenge, because what I've sold...I am pretty sure I will never see toys of that quality in my collection again at the same time, such is their growing appeal and rarity.
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| Diaclone Car Robots |
A few things - exceptions - though, they somehow need to stay or be re-bought.
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| Diaclone Sideswipes |
Did I forget anything?
All the best
Maz
Maz
I have to hand it to TF Animated I owe it for making me the TF collector that I am today, that was brought on by the TF movies which I also enjoyed. Its great someone with your depth of knowledge can appreciate the many facades of the TF universe. If only Beast Wars got some love from you haha.
ReplyDeleteYou been a great influence Maz, when you reminisce and write about toys no longer in your collection, it makes for great reading :D. Wouldn't be fun if you never sold anything :) . I too have embarked on a dream, at the end hopefully there will be treasure, there will be many demons to fights along the way, hardships I will need muster inner strength for, I will encounter many busty beauties but I know the journey is more important than the end. I think putting too much effort in achieving everything is wasted energy, but I know you have your priorities sorted.
"Good things come to those who want them for the right reason"-anon, and I cant wait for new discoveries and sharing this journey with you through your blog and website. Haha this sounds too much like a bromance....
Animated is completely wonderful, and I find myself concentrating entirely on it now, and it really helps that sealed figures can be had for less than £10 in the case of deluxes and Activators.
DeleteThanks for your kind words, I can;t say it makes for as pleasurable writing when I speak about what I've sold, it;s a reminder that I wasn;t able to find an alternative solution to whatever crisis was unfolding at the time in order to be able to keep everything I've had. Had I never sold anything, I could be so much more proud of the collection I'd have today instead of all the nice things I helped add to others' collections that weren't gifts!
Busty beauties, can't say I came across any of them in my collecting, but demons I could write a book on ;)
Bromances are mandatory for any who post comments on this blog. Consider yourself bromanced.
All the best
Maz
I don't mean to joke or make light about you selling nice items from your collection, I meant to say I enjoyed those post because there was always something you could relate too as a collector, also it gave you an opportunity to share something I wasn't familiar with.
DeleteIm interested to see what items you will add to your animated collection. At one point I was buying everything Animated , legends and activators due to frequent discounts at the chain stores. Eventually I culled the collection down to save on space but it was important to me to encompass all different types of toys into that collection. I dont mean to show-off but here is my old display https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicelybaked/5410281978/sizes/l
I skipped on the Starscream clones, Takara Hydro-drive BB and Wingblade Optimus, I felt I could do without them. I think about purchasing them sometimes but its not necessary. What do you think of TFCC Slipstream, I am still undecided on whether if its really an Animated toy.. Also consider the Bumper Battler, the sound quality and voice lines are awesome. Also thinking about it I don't know what production samples I would acquire if given the chance, If I choose one it would have to be Voyager Starscream as that character model was inspired by Macross.
Reading all the things you would like to purchase is crazy, I would hate to sneeze or pass gas in a room filled with all those toys.
Oh I certainly didnlt think you were making light of it, was just saying it's far more fun to read about it than live through it :D
DeleteFor Animated, I have a disgustingly sickening feeling that i get at the start of every new adventure. Full Metal Completist. And I really don't want that, having like 5 different Voyager primes is completely not the way I want to go. So I will aim for one of each character, but getting all class versions, settling for the variant I like the best in each character/class.
TFCC Slipstream, I think i would not be able to pass that off as Animated personally. The best part about the clones is that they are virtually identical :)
You do know my collection is housed in my daughter's playroom, right? Haha sneezing and farting is the least of my collection's concerns!
That is an astoundingly nice display of Animated you have there...very impressive. I see a Takara BB in there!
All the best
Maz
haha you noticed the gold Takara Bumbeblee, why wouldn't I use the Hasbro version? it would blend in better with the surrounding Hasbro toys, I wanted to show the irony of Captain Funzone having a nice clean sparkling new car. Notice him admiring it, since in the cartoon it was a running gag that his vehicle was totaled so many times
Deleteyou mean part of your collection right?, do you write in your ebay listings, 'Transformer comes from a smoke-free, pet free home but toy has been kept in infant daughters playroom' :)
Also it would be big news on the internet if you got a new detolf haha :), also what mini-bots do you have these days, dont see you displaying them.
Oh hehe nice touch with Bumblebee, then.
DeleteNo mate, that's MOST of my collection in those 2 cabinets. The only things not in there right now are my Binaltech, childhood G1, reissue Valkyries and the Animated toys that just arrived.
The minibots I have you can see in that first picture. The carded Ceji Joustra DIaclone ones bottom left and the Spanish KOs in the right cabinet. I have one yellow Mexican "Tailgate" too. I've written about a lot of minis, but I've never considered myself a minibot collector, they almost always get sold.
All the best
Maz
aside from the healthy bromance going on, I wonder what Sof is going to say about your 'one true love' being Ceiji Joustra Diaclones, haha.
ReplyDeleteLove the post. Love the reminiscing. Sometimes, I think that we are collectors do too little of that (and think too little about the future direction of the collection)... such that when there is doubt, just buy everything!
Haha one true plastic love, I should clarify :D And anyway, they pre date her by 2 years at least!
DeleteYes agreed, there's too much product and too much fandom, it's very rare that we can sit down and reflect and take stock. Without the writing I have no idea how empty the hobby would feel.
All the best
Maz
i think for me, i am enjoying the hobby a lot more now that 90% of the core G1 pieces are on display loose (and some boxed). Often times, i just sit in a comfy chair, sip some coffee and stare at the TFs. i don't even touch them much.
DeleteMakes the hobby all worth it.
(and then I write a bit in my spare time, haha)
I would love to be able to do this again, when I still had my Diaclone cars I would do this at night sometimes when my daughter wasn't using the playroom. I'd uncover the display and sit and stare. That phase didn't last long enough. Now I admire loose toys on various home surfaces because I have so many damn Animated and Valks!
DeleteAll the best
Maz