The Carnegie Collection Tyrannosaurus (2014)
Photo from the 2014 Safari Ltd. catalog.
Species: Tyrannosaurus rex
First release: 2014
Retired: 2015
Model number: 4113-01
Size: 25cm long
Advertised scale: 1:40
Actual scale: 1:35 or 1:40 (see text)
Sculptor: Forest Rogers
Release: 2014
Material: Hard olive green plastic
Paint: Glossy. 7 colors. Dark brown (stripes); dark olive green (wash); light gray (underside); red (face, mouth); white (teeth, mouth); gold (eyes); black (pupils).
Stamp text: Carnegie Tyrannosaurus Rex 1:40 / (C) 2014 Safari Ltd. Miami, FL USA / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 4/10
The third and last major version of the Carnegie T. rex, this one was produced in late 2013 for a 2014 release (note the manufacturing stamp on my sample indicates a November 2013 production date). Proportionally, this is probably the best Carnegie rex replica, with a barrel-chested build and very well sculpted head. The skin texture is very smooth, as it would be at this scale given the minute pebble scales, though it seems a little too shiny due to the kind of plastic used and glossy paint. The head has a light wash of red, and the corners of the mouth, oddly, have a solid white coloration identical to the teeth. Many collectors were impressed by the sculpt of this model but not its final paint application, which is noticeably lower quality compared to the promotional images of the prototype. I wonder if paint applications were simplified early in this case. Usually, more complex paint applications go on sale the year a replica is released, and then are simplified in later years to devote more resources to new releases. As this came at the tail end of the Carnegie line, it may be that paint applications were reduced even before production began in order not to sink costs into a line that was about to be cancelled.
A note on the scale: As advertised, this model is 1:40 scale when measuring the full length (at 25 cm, it would be 12 m long in life). However, the proportions seem to be off - at first glance, it looks like the head is too large and the tail is too small. Measurement confirms this. When measured, the skull of the replica is 4.3 cm long, which would equal 1:34 if assuming a Sue-sized skull. The fact that the overall model is 1:40 scale for length but the head is 1:34 scale confirms the proportions are off by quite a bit.
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| Prototype version with more complex paint apps. Not released. |
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