Catalog: 1970 Masudaya Toys

[Joe K.]

See:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=5964119408

 

The catalog cover:

 

http://i17.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/a8/3a/60_12_sb.JPG

 

Although I was not the high bidder on this auction, thanks to the generosity and co-operation of Larry Waldman of Cybertoyz and zzrobot, I've received photocopies of the 23 different space toys contained in this 1970 Masudaya Catalog. Surprisingly, there are absolutely no robots whatsoever!.

I'll be posting photos ASAP, but for now, let me just list the space toys illustrated, their catalog numbers and cross reference info.

Eleven of them are designated as a "1970 New Item" which indicates to me that this was the first year they were produced and offered for sale.

The remaining twelve were available in previous catalogs but most of them have been Alphadrome TIME LINE sighted for the first time in this 1970 copy.

 

New for 1970:

 

#3783 - B/O Apollo Rocket -- See the Sotheby's London Catalog, Sept. 17 & 18, 1991, page 72, item #396(right).

#3784 - B/O Apollo Spacecraft -- See Future Toys, page 119, item #175.

#3785 - Mech Mini Apollo -- See Morita, page 147.

#3791 - B/O Space Patrol -- See the Christie's Amsterdam Catalog, May 2, 1988, page 40, item #72.

#3831 - B/O NASA Control Center -- See Collecting the Space Race, page 85.

#3840 - B/O Docking Apollo -- See Morita, page 146.

#3841 - Space Capsule w/floating astronaut -- See Morita, page 146.

#3844 - Lunar Transport -- See Future Toys, page 205, item #384. Previously documented to 1970.

#3845 - B/O Space Scooter -- See Future Toys, page 106, item #157.

#3852 - B/O Space Car -- See Morita, page 181.

#3853 - B/O X-11 Flying Saucer -- See the Sotheby's/Griffith Catalog, page 121, item #366. Here, the box names the toy as Space Ship X-11. The toy, itself, is maked Satellite X-11 and the Catalog identifies it as X-11 Flying Saucer.

 

The remaining space toys illustrated are:

 

#1994 - Space Explorer Ship X-7-- See Future Toys, page 196, itm #355 (Vinyl Headed Pilot as depicted in this 1970 catalog). Previously documented to 1967.

#3147 - Space Surveillant X-07 -- See Future Toys, page 184, item #328.

#3175 - Space Survey X-09 -- See Morita, page 184 (Vinyl Headed Pilot as depicted in this 1970 catalog).

#3304 - Moon Rocket -- See Future Toys, Page 172, item #294.

#3441 - M-41 Space Tank -- See Vintage Toys, page 131.

#3521 - Space Vehicle 3 Assorted (Space Patrol, Space Radar Scout/Pioneer, Space Sight Seeing Bus) -- See the Christie's Amsterdam Catalog, May 2, 1988, page 33, item #s 54, 55 & 56.

#3660 - Radicon Space Pathfinder -- Unable to find anywhere.

#3678 - Space Explorer Ship X-8 -- See Future Toys, page 169, item #285. Previously documented to 1968.

#3679 - Space Patrol "Fire Bird" -- See the Sotheby's/Griffith Catalog, page 109, item #327. Previously documented to 1968.

#3735 - Space Ship X-5 -- See Morita, page 184. Previously documented to 1969.

 

I'm still trying to find auction catalog/book photos for #3660 - Radicon Space Pathfinder.

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

And the cover.

It still blows me away that the X-11 and X-12 saucers are actually later than the X-15, X-16 and X-17. And I'm not the only one who thought the X-11 was an early saucer either. The Griffith catalog lists it as being from circa 1955!

[Joe K.]

I think I have an explanation for the seemingly out-of-chronological-order of these saucers, Don.

Masudaya recycled the names and the stampings, sometimes only slightly changing the lithography. They produced tin-headed pilot versions originally in the 1960's and then released vinyl-headed pilot versions in the 1970's using the same/similar saucer names. Generally, the box artwork was changed as well.

This 1970 Masudaya Catalog documents the newer issued toys.

For example, see Future Toys, item #355 and #359.

More to follow...

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

I think I have an explanation for the seemingly out-of-chronological-order of these saucers, Don.

Joe-

Actually it's not the fact that a saucer like the X-7 is still being offered in 1970 (and seemingly out of chronilogical order) that seems weird to me. It's more that the X-11 is (in my opinion) such a superior member of the "ice cream scoop style" line of saucers which include the X-15 (robby litho), X-16 and X-17 (Future toys pages 134 and 135) as well as the Satellite X-107 (also FT pg 134). It just goes against the commonly expected pattern that the quallity and complexity of a toy line will decline over time. It appears that in 1970 Masudaya decided to really go all out and come up with a really cool new design and action for the X-11 and never mind about cost cutting.