The Carnegie Collection Mosasaurus (1991)


Name: Mosasaurus
Species: Mosasaurus missouriensis
First release: 1990-1991
Retired: 1999
Model number: 420-01
Schleich number: 15420
Size: 18 cm
Advertised scale: 1:40
Actual scale: 1:35 - 1:50
Sculptor: Forest Rogers

Forest Rogers sculpted the Carnegie Mosasaurus at a smaller size for its scale than we are used to seeing today, especially following the popularity of the titanic mega-mosasaur featured in the film Jurassic World. It should be noted that, based on its release alongside Elasmosaurus and the various pieces of Carnegie artwork showing the two doing battle, this model likely represents Mosasaurus missouriensis, not the much later and larger Mosasaurus hoffmanni.

Rogers also have it a fringe along its back, which was based on an outdated interpretation of soft tissue remains in a Platycarpus specimen, which turned out to be displaced remains of the trachea. The supposed presence of these structures in several mosasaur specimens led artists to guess that the fringe was a universal feature of the group.

As with Elasmosaurus, there is some question about when this figure was first produced. Most variants have two dates listed on the belly imprint - 1990 and 1991. At least one rare variant has only 1991 listed and omits the word "Carnegie". It is likely Safari told the factory to add the line "(C) CARNEGIE 1990" at some point. Was this an attempt to correct one mistake (the omission of "Carnegie") or two mistakes (the Carnegie attribution and the date)? If the former, the difference in date could just be a mix-up that wound up staying with the mold through the rest of production. If the latter, it's possible that for copyright reasons the date needed to be changed to 1990. But in that case, why the old date was left and not etched out of the mold as typically happens remains a mystery.



Version: 0
Release: ?
Status: Prototype
Material: ?
Paint: Glossy. Kelly green body, dark green back and stripes, bright green vertical stripes, pale green underside with beige wash, yellow and black eyes, white teeth, pink mouth.
Stamp text: ?
TDR rating: 11/10

This version of Mosasaurus appeared in early 1990s Carnegie Collector's Guide booklets, as well as on the earliest full color info tags in 1996. It is unclear if this version was ever actually released, or if it was just a prototype.

Mold 1



Mold: 1
Version: 1
Release: c. 1990
Status: Original
Material: Gray vinyl
Paint: 9 colors. Light green (base coat); green (back, airbrush wash); pale green (belly); olive green (wash); beige (belly wash); dark green (eye outlines, stripes); yellow (eyes); black (pupils); white (teeth); pink (mouth).
Stamp text: Left-aligned. MOSASAURUS / 12 meters long / (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. CE
CE mark: Medium
TDR rating: 8/10

This version of Mosasaurus lacks the word "Carnegie" on the belly imprint text, and "1991" is the only copyright date given. It has a distinctive olive green wash missing from later versions.


Mold: 1
Version: 2
Release: c. 1991
Status: Original
Material: Gray vinyl
Paint: 9 colors. Light green (base coat); green (back, airbrush wash); pale green (belly); olive green (wash); beige (belly wash); dark green (eye outlines, stripes); yellow (eyes); black (pupils); white (teeth); pink (mouth).
Stamp text: Left-aligned. MOSASAURUS / 12 meters long / (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. CE
CE mark: Medium
TDR rating: 4/10

This version of Mosasaurus lacks the word "Carnegie" on the belly imprint text, and "1991" is the only copyright date given. It lacks the olive wash and beige belly wash of the earliest versions, and has thicker, more obviously airbrushed stripes - an overall simplification of the paint job.



Mold 2

Mold: 2
Version: 1

Release: c. 1990
Status: Retool
Material: Gray vinyl
Paint: 8 colors. Kelly green (basecoat); dark green back and stripes, pale green underside with beige wash, yellow and black eyes, white teeth, pink mouth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. MOSASAURUS / 12 meters long (C) CARNEGIE 1990 / (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. CE
CE mark: Medium
TDR rating: 2/10

The this version is similar to the original but with a somewhat simplified paint application lacking the olive wash. It has the added "(C) Carnegie 1990" on the belly imprint text, which seems to have been added after the initial production as there is no hint of covering up any mold details.




Mold: 2
Version: 2

Release: c. 1991
Status: Minor repaint, retool
Material: Gray vinyl
Paint: 8 colors. Yellow-green (base coat); green (back, airbrush wash); pale green (belly); dark green (eye outlines, stripes); yellow (eyes); black (pupils); white (teeth); pink (mouth).
Stamp text: Left-aligned. MOSASAURUS / 12 meters long (C) CARNEGIE 1990 / (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. CE
CE mark: Medium
TDR rating: 6/10

This version of Mosasaurus has a much more yellowish base coat than most other variants, with very little dark green wash on the head. It lacks a beige wash on the belly. 



This sample seems to be the same variant as the other photos above, but has been made with significantly more yellow on the head. This is probably individual variation rather than a distinct version.

Mold 3


Mold: 3
Version: 1

Release: c. 1997
Status: Retool
Material: Black vinyl
Paint: Glossy. Yellow-green (base coat), Kelly green paddles and head, dark green back and stripes, yellow and black eyes, white teeth, pink mouth.
Stamp text: MOSASAURUS (C) CARNEGIE 1990 / 12 meters long (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. / MADE IN CHINA / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 2/10

A later variant of the re-released Mosasaurus, this one has paddles that stick out straight to the sides, rather than propping the front of the body up. This results in the model resting on its belly. The neck also seems slightly shortened or pushed downward. The color scheme is lighter compared to the previous release. 



Mold 3
Version: 2

Release: c. 1998
Status: Minor repaint
Material: Bright green vinyl
Paint: Glossy. Dark green back and stripes, light green sides, yellow and black eyes, white teeth, pink mouth.
Stamp text: MOSASAURUS (C) CARNEGIE 1990 / 12 meters long (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. / MADE IN CHINA / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 2/10

Unlike most other Carnegie models, the Mosasaurus did not receive a new paint scheme when it was re-released in colored vinyl as part of the 1997 line refresh. This model seems to be an intermediate release between the colored vinyl and original versions of Mosasaurus. Note the darker wash over the figure and the slightly different tag featuring the prototype.




Mold: 3
Version: 3

Release: c. 1998
Status: Repaint
Material: Light green vinyl
Paint: Glossy. Kelly green body, dark green back and stripes, yellow and black eyes, white teeth, pink mouth.
Stamp text: MOSASAURUS (C) CARNEGIE 1990 / 12 meters long (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. / MADE IN CHINA / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 2/10

The flipper posture is highly asymmetrical, with the right flipper reaching down more vertically and the left sticking out more to the side.


Mold 4




Mold: 4
Version: 1

Release: c. 1995
Status: Retool
Material: Black vinyl
Paint: Glossy. Yellow-green (base coat), Kelly green paddles and head, dark green back and stripes, yellow and black eyes, white teeth, pink mouth.
Stamp text: MOSASAURUS (C) CARNEGIE 1990 / 12 meters long (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. / MADE IN CHINA CE 2
CE mark: Small
TDR rating: 5/10

Very similar to the first version of mold 3, but this has a small CE mark and number 2 indicating it is a second mold in concurrent use.


Comments

  1. V.4 , rests on belly, stamp info:

    MOSASAURUS
    2 meters long c CARNEGIE 1990
    c 1991Safari Ltd CE

    CE is large

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow actually now that I've entered that info, I'm having trouble figuring out which color tag version came first. Is any text obviously etched out on yours? As you can see, the upright flipper version seems to have the second column of text moved down a row, and Made in China is present (added?) under the left column.

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    2. Well, I do believe that I've mislead you. What I thought to be a V. 4 is no such thing! I scraped the bottom and behold - grey vinyl. Furthermore, the flippers appear to have sagged somewhat with time and pressure, I suppose, and may not be actually originally staight-outers from the mold. The belly stamp is that of v. 1, except that the CE is considerably larger than the capitals of the rest of the text. The green of the belly is quite bright, not like the pale green of your picture of v.1. Could this be a version 2?

      My apologies for the confusion on my part!



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    3. Yes, that sounds like it must be version 2. Thanks for the update!

      P.S. - based on the pattern seen in Elasmosaurus, I think there must be an earlier version than my current version 1 that lacks the "1990" extra date. I wonder if this could be on the "prototype" version.

      Delete
  2. I have a Mosasaurus, and I'm not sure what version it may be.
    It's paint scheme is most reminiscent of Version 5, however anywhere I see paint chipping there is gray vinyl underneath. Additionally, it's a flipper-rester, not a belly-rester.
    The stamp text reads -
    MOSASAURUS / 12 meters long / (C) 1991 Safari Ltd. CE
    (The CE mark is slightly larger than the rest of the text)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Based on your comment, I decided to go back and revise the info on this page, as I came to realize I had a few of these mixed up, and I was able to find the version I think you have, which would now be numbered version v. 3. Does that look like the one? Thanks for your help!

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    2. It's close; pretty much everything except it's still, strangely, lacking any mention of Carnegie. (There's also no raised, smoothed out bump where the original text would've been either)
      Thanks for your help as well! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you!

      Delete
    3. Fascinating! Based on the gray vinyl an the lack of "Carnegie", I'm going to assume this is the oldest version currently identified. It would help explain the double date imprint if "Carnegie" was added later - it might even have been a miscommunication between the factory and Safari, like Safari told them the date imprint should be 1990 and to add "Carnegie", so the factory just added both...

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  3. I have 2 of those- similar to first run Elasmosaurus (makes sense)- 3 lines of print, one date (1991) and NO Carnegie in text. Also a slight difference in weight (also a little lighter than 2 90/91 models I have). I agree & speculate that these 2, like the 1991 only Elasmo, are older/original versions.

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    Replies
    1. Wow, do you have pics of the version without Carnegie on the imprint?

      Delete
  4. May have been in error- let me get back when I find them (packed away).

    ReplyDelete

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