COLLECTOR’S GUIDE
A Comprehensive Guide to Five Decades of Monsterous Collectibles
BRADLEY BEARD
Feed your MONSTER
CONTENTS
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aurora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The 1960’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The 1970’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The 1980’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The 1990’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000 & Beyond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Cast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vital Statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Collecting Monsters
INTRODUCTION
By Bradley Beard
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C
ollecting movie memorabilia is a phenomenon that every American is familiar with and a hobby that a majority are involved in. It has been largely popular for the past 50 years. Prior to that however it had been a hobby that was limited to non-movie related items such as comic books, sports memorabilia, and toys. In the 1960’s Universal Studios changed the face of collecting forever. In 1961, Aurora models began producing the first ever monster model by including the newly licensed Frankenstein monster in their current product lineup. It was an immediate hit with young children and they were being bought off the store shelves nearly as fast as the company could produce them. The demand prompted Aurora to produce them 24 hours a day allowing the company to turn out 3 kits a minute or 8,000 kits a day. The success of the Frankenstein model led Aurora to develop and deliver a total of 13 monster kits in six years, 8 of which were under license from Universal Studios. The characters licensed from Universal in addition to Frankenstein included Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Creature
From the Black Lagoon, The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Bride of Frankenstein. With the high profile success of the Aurora models Universal Studios license, many other toy and novelty manufacturers sought to cash in on the success. Companies began to produce monster memorabilia in nearly every imaginable way. Companies produced puzzles, paintby-number sets, plastic wall art, wallets, t-shirt transfers, and toys in every shape and form. The most popular of this new monster craze was the Don Post studios calendar masks. Don Post studios was a very popular and successful company that produced a line of Universal Monster masks known to collectors today as the Calendar Masks. This was a highly
realistic line of latex masks that people could purchase in the back of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. The Don Post line of Calendar Masks are the most sought after collectible from the Golden Age of monster collectibles, some of them demanding prices over one thousand dollars depending on their condition. The Universal Monster collecting craze started to slow during the 1970’s but continues through to today. Nearly any item a collector can imaging has been produced during this 50 year period including chess sets, shot glasses, bobble heads, and even underwear sporting all your favorite monsters. Although production runs are nowhere near as high today for new Universal Monster items, a clear demand keeps companies producing high quality products for the fevered collector.
The Creature Walks Among Us Limited Edition Lithograph Signed & Numbered by artist Bradley Beard This is your last chance to own this beautifully reproduced acrylic masterpiece painted by the renowned monster artist. Visit our website to order yours today.
www.bradleybeard.com
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AURORA
Opposite Left & Above: The Aurora models that started the craze with amazing box art by James Bama.
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THE
1960’S
Opposite Top: The wildly popular set of 4 figural Soakys produced by Palmolive. Opposite Bottom: The complete set of 6 Dell comic books adorned with beautifully painted covers. Above: A set of Universal licenced Don Post masks. These are arguably the most popular vintage item among collectors today, orignal mint condition masks can sell for more than $1,000. Below: A complete set of jigsaw puzzles produced by Jaymar. The images on the puzzles were considered too graphic and disturbing for children so after much protest from concerned parents, the line was cancelled making these instant collectibles.
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1970’S THE 10
Above: The complete set of AHI action figures. The Creature figure can sell for as much as $5,000. Below: A complete set of API puzzles featuring art from fan favorites Basil Gogos (The Phantom & The Creature) and James Bama (Frankenstein).
Above: The complete set of Aurora Monsters of the Movies Models. These were the last set of models produced by Aurora before going out of business. Below: The popular Monstrous Monster Bisque Decorating Sets and the Famous Monsters Plaster Casting Kits produced by Rapco.
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1980’S THE 12
Top: A complete set of extremely rare Vic’s Rubber Bendees. Center: A complete set of Illco Monster Balls. Bottom: A complete set of Imperial Monster Masher Paddle Balls. The Mummy likeness is Klaris from Abbott & Costello Meet The Mummy.
Above: The complete set of Remco 8” action figures. The Phantom of the Opera is the rarest of the set & currently sells for around $600. Below: A complete set of Remco Monsters At Home hand puppets. A very unusual item & very popular with collectors.
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1990’S THE 14
Above Left: A complete set of 60th anniversary Bend-Ems produced by JusToys. Above Right: A complete set of Universal Studios Park only figural water sippers. Below: A complete set of Talking Head Crushers, when the heads are “crushed”, they speak several different phrases. Opposite Top: A complete set of Christopher
Radko Christmas ornaments. Each ornament is beautifully hand painted and frosted. Shortly after production, the Wolfman ornament was pulled from production making him the rarest piece in the set. Opposite Bottom: A complete set of jigsaw puzzles with amazing painted images produced by Golden Books.
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2000
& BEYOND... 16
Above: Condsidered by many collectors as the “lost” Aurora model kit, The Invisible Man was produced by Moebius models to complete the Universal Monster line-up. Below: One of the most beautifully produced items of all licensed merchandise is the Monsters Chess set sold exclusively through Spencer Gifts.
Above: A character set of the realistically sculpted 8” action figures produced by Sideshow Toys.
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THE CAST
THE HUNCHBACK
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FRANKENSTEIN
THE PHANTOM
THE MUMMY
DRACULA
INVISIBLE MAN
THE BRIDE
THE WOLFMAN
MR. HYDE
THE CREATURE
THE MUTANT
THE MOLE MAN
VITAL STATISTICS CHARACTER
MOVIE
YEAR
ACTOR
The Hunchback
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1923
Lon Chaney Sr.
The Phantom
The Phantom of the Opera
1925
Lon Chaney Sr.
Dracula
Dracula
1931
Bela Lugosi
Son of Dracula
1943
Lon Chaney Jr.
House of Frankenstein
1944
John Carradine
House of Dracula
1945
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
1948
Bela Lugosi
Frankenstein
1931
Boris Karloff
Bride of Frankenstein
1935
Son of Frankenstein
1939
Ghost of Frankenstein
1942
Lon Chaney Jr.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman
1943
Bela Lugosi
House of Frankenstein
1944
Glenn Strange
House of Dracula
1945
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
1948
The Mummy
1932
Boris Karloff
The Mummy’s Hand
1940
Tom Tyler
The Mummy’s Tomb
1942
Lon Chaney Jr.
The Mummy’s Ghost
1944
The Mummy’s Curse
1944
Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy
1955
Eddie Parker
The Invisible Man
1933
Claude Rains
The Invisible Man Returns
1940
Vincent Price
The Invisible Man’s Revenge
1944
Jon Hall
Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man
1951
Arthur Franz
The Bride
The Bride of Frankenstein
1935
Elsa Lanchester
The Wolfman
The Wolfman
1941
Lon Chaney Jr.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman
1943
House of Frankenstein
1944
House of Dracula
1945
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
1948
Mr. Hyde
Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll
1953
Boris Karloff
The Creature
The Creature From the Black Lagoon
1954
Ben Chapman / Ricou Browning
Revenge of the Creature
1955
Tom Hennesy / Ricou Browning
The Creature Walks Among Us
1956
Don Megowan / Ricou Browning
The Mutant
This Island Earth
1955
Regis Parton
Mole Man
The Mole People
1956
Various
Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
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THE END?
