Robby-boxing clever!!!!

[chilli]

Hi,

as you might know I have started to make replica boxes of the boxes I own.

Last night I had an interesting request asking

" I was wondering if you had access to and the ability to make a replica of the box for the c-cell version Mechanized Robot.  I understand the boxes for the rare c-cell version may have come in a slightly different smaller box. "

At first I thought, no chance, I did not even realize there there was a "c-cell" robby box made, but the emailer went on to reference this link on alphadrome

http://danefield.com/alpha/forums/topic/14952-definitive-mechanized-robot-thread/#comment-135446.

where Steve actually shows the c and d cell box side by side. The c-cell box is a little shorter, cropped closer to the stars.

This is Steve's picture ( I hope you dont mind me using it Steve )

Then I remembered something a bit odd about the box I own which I had bought with the d cell Knurl battery door Robby, the first version on sale.

When i was photographing it and working on the digital restoration of the front face there had been a couple of "trim" marks just below the top and above the bottom.

{these are used when the sheets have been printed and an operator then lines them up on a guillotine to use as a guide to trim the boxes to the exact size, cutting off a bit of spare coloured card.)

These are the marks on my box. ( I was going to retouch them out but thought they make it more authentic)

You can see the top one looks like they tried to cover the black line with a blob of ink.

To me, it looks like this is what  happened, they had geared up the printing of the box and run the prints ready for the c-cell production to take place, probably a few boxes were made up to fit the c-cell robot for salesman samples. its a great looking box and would have helped sell the new toy.

Then there was the problem of the c-cell not having enough power and a longer leg was fitted for the d-cell battery and knurl fastener. Problem was the box was just too small, luckily by cutting the 'trim' a bit less they could squeeze the extra height needed, hence leaving the "trim"marks showing on my box. No doubt they would not have scrapped a whole print run for the sake of a couple of little lines.

The artwork itself was not changed, which is why the lettering is the same.

Having used this print run up they would have adapted the plates to remove the trim markings for the next run of boxes as this was a popular toy as we know.

I had a beautiful boxed example of the second Robby with the"key"locking battery door and have checked back to the pictures of the box. These show no 'trim" marks as shown below, by this run they had been removed.

So, remarkably, to get back to the emailers request, I do have access to the original c-cell box and in fact have one from that run, only mine has the extra trim showing, if it was cut to the trim guides it would be an exact size box for the c-cell, so on my replica boxes I can make an exact sized C-cell Robby box, trimmed as it was originally meant to be.

Also of interest, from this early box of mine, there was one piece of insert left, which is a half moon shape single piece of card.

Shown below

When I compared it to the inserts that were with my later box ( robby with a key battery door) there was no matching insert, the curved piece is now on a larger 3 sided card stapled to a leg fit piece on the left hand side below,they must have changed the packing inserts some where along the way

.

Anyhow that's my "Clouseau" hat put aside for another day!!!

cheers

Chilli

 

 

 

 

 

 

[steve]

No problem using the pictures - your box theory makes a lot of sense.

[chilli]

Thanks Steve, I am guessing that in the picture of the 2 boxes of yours the larger is from a key battery door robby? It could also be from the second run of printing I suppose.

cheers

Chilli

[Lunik]

There seems to be a difference to the text below the Nomura logo. Shorter text on the shorter box. Any close up or higher res photo?

[chilli]

Well, my first box commission,a c-cell robby box, if you look at the first in this post I have Steves ref to the smaller  box

this is my take on it, my original box with the trim markings on the right and the shortened c-cell box on the left.

On the inner box I have cut the staples short so they will never cause any scratches to anything in the box. I have also copied the curved robby holding card that was in my original box.

It took 3 attempts to get the box near enough for me to be happy with, which is about 5 hours work.

Hopefully in a couple of weeks we should see a picture of a c-cell robby tucked up comfortably in a manner he has not been since 1956.

If anyone would like a box making give me a shout at www.old-vintage-robots.com

cheers

Chilli

 

 

[Ranger]

Nice work Chilli !

[Dirk]

Yes looks great Chilli!

[chilli]

Many thanks,

one of the odd things is that some old boxes fade and some go darker, so choosing what colour to match is a guess. Does anyone know why some go darker, fading I understand but not the darkening thing.

The other robby box I owned, with the key battery door robby, was in absolute mint condition but was lighter than the one I have copied above.

cheers

Chilli

[roboz]

Excellent Job !