Tuesday, May 21, 2024

G1 Dinobot Slag - Glacier Toys - Glacier Enterprise (GE) Knockoffs

Dinosaur Robo: Glacier Enterprises GE-1298 series to Robosaur to Transistor Robots.
Dinobot Slag bootleg - "Made in Taiwan" 

Dinosaur Robo Taiwan bootleg
G1 Transformers Slag - Dinobot and...well, some distant cousins.

Back in the 1980s a Taiwanese manufacture would emerge and begin to produce a long line of knockoff transformable / convertible robot toys. This group was Glacier Enterprise Co., Ltd., abbreviated down to (GE). The GE logo, for a span, would appear on their packaging, instructions and often would be stamped directly on their figures. Over time Glacier Enterprise (GE) would begin to remove their identifying labels. Eventually, they would sell their manufacturing services to other private label companies such as: Wales Industries Inc., Emson, Four Star, Videl Dist. and many more! GE dominated, for much of the 1980s, as the silent manufacturing workhorse for many knockoff/bootleg toy lines. For the majority of the collecting community, the name of Glacier Enterprise would be a hidden mystery, leaving us with nothing more than "Made in Taiwan". Today, we f-i-n-a-l-l-y know who 'GE' actually was.

For many KO collectors, we actually have Glacier Enterprise to thank for a lot of what we now have and love!

Sludge Dinobot variants: (Click here)

This post will follow and catalog the chronological lineage of Glacier Enterprises 'Slag' or Dinosaur Robo figure through it's evolution. Takara Dinosaur Robo, Prehistory Animal, Ancient Animal, Dinosaur Robot, Transformers Slag, etc. will be picked up in a subsequent post.
 

Glacier enterprise toys dinosaur robot bootleg
Glacier Toys promotional print. This image comes from a larger toy print/catalog that we acquired. The catalog highlights toys which Glacier could manufacture for other private label toy companies.
(See Wales Industry Inc. V7 below)

8 box variants (V1-V8)
Chronological order of release.

(V1) Dinosaur Robo

GE-1298 dinosaur robo knockoff
(V1) GE-1298
Dinosaur Robo 1 Triceratops
Green mountains, star background.
Photo Credit: Baldrok. Litardi SPA Italy stcker.

GE-1298 dinosaur robo knockoffs
Photo Credit: Baldrok

GE logo upper left corner. The color scheme of the figure is almost a direct copy of Takara's Diaclone Dinosaur Robo 2.

(V2) Dinosaur Robo

Glacier dinosaur robot KO slag
(V2) GE-1298
Dinosaur Robo 1 Triceratops
Black mountains, red grid floor
Photo Credit: gavitrontransformers
 
Glacier dinosaur robot KO slag
V2 figure appears to be the same as the V1 figure.
Photo Credit: gavitrontransformers
 

(V3) Dinosaur Robo

Glacier dinosaur robot KO slag transformer
(V3) GE-1298
Dinosaur Robo 1 Triceratops
Addition of the yellow circle burst behind the figure.
Litardi SPA Italy stcker

This particular example has the Italian distributor sticker in the front. 

Glacier dinosaur robot KO slag transformers
(V3) GE-1298
Blue chest with red accent.
Extendable fist with sword and blaster.


vintage dinosaur robot KO slag transformer
(V3) GE-1298


(V4) Dinosaur Robo

(v4a red chest)

vintage dinosaur robot KO slag transformers
(V4a) GE-1298 (Clear Silver head)
Dinosaur Robo 1 Triceratops
All new retooled figure.
GE logo upper left corner has been removed.

vintage dinobot KO slag transformer
(V4a) GE-1298 (Clear Silver head)
Italian VDM distributor sticker: Vi Da Me, SAS Milano.

GE logo in the upper left corner has been removed now. Figure now has blue limbs, tan sides and red chest. Figure also has texturing to the body verses smooth surfaces on earlier versions. Figure no longer has extendable fists, in fact it doesn't have any fists at all.
Sharp teeth on lower jaw.


vintage dinobot KO slag transformers
(V4a) GE-1298 (Clear Silver head)
Red chest, blue limbs. Figure does not have extendable fists.

vintage toy dinobot KO slag transformer

(V4a) GE-1298 (Clear Silver head)
Comes with some pre-applied stickers and an optional sticker sheet.
Figure has sharp teeth now and mini spikes across the top of the head.
Includes a sword and blaster.

(v4b blue chest)

vintage toy dinobot KO slag transformers
Photo Credit for all v4b pics: Plastic_Crack_Dealer
(V4b) GE-1298 (Clear Silver head)

blue bootleg slag dinobot triceratops toy
(V4b) GE-1298 (Clear Silver head)
Blue chest, blue limbs. Figure does have extendable fists.

blue bootleg slag dinobot triceratops toys


(V5) Dinosaur Robo

LONG HORN version. Addition of the orange head and limbs with orange circle body accents.

blue bootleg slag dinobot triceratops vintage
(V5) Dinosaur Robo GE-1298 (Orange Head, long horns)


blue bootleg slag dinobots triceratops vintage
(V5) GE-1298 (Orange head, long horns)
Blue with Orange chest, blue limbs. Figure does not have extendable fists.
Figure comes with lower jaw.

KO dinobot triceratops vintage
(V5) GE-1298 (Orange head, long horns)
Comes with some pre-applied stickers and an optional sticker sheet.
Figure has sharp teeth on a lower jaw & a smooth upper jaw.
Includes a sword and blaster.


(V6a & V6b) Dinosaur Robo

SHORT HORN version. Box art has been completely changed to laser lines and artwork figure vs. a photograph of the figure on the front of the box. All references to GE have been removed now.
KO dinobot triceratops vintage toy
(V6a) Dinosaur Robo (pointed frill)
1 Triceratops
GE logo and GE-1298 removed.
Photo Credit: gavitrontransformers


KO dinobot triceratops vintage toy variant

KO dinobot triceratops vintage figure
(V6b) Dinosaur Robo (rounded peg frill)
1 Triceratops
GE logo and GE-1298 removed.
 
KO dinobot triceratops vintage transformer


KO dinobot triceratops vintage transformers
V6b - No lower jaw. Sticker over orange plastic where lower jaw used to be.
Samples exist with Shopko price tags.


(V7) Robosaur Triceratops #116
Robosaur triceratops robot wales industries
Front of the box
Robosaur triceratops robot wales industries toy
Back of the box
Despite the package photography with tan sides, the actual figure came with gray sides.

Robosaur Triceratops #116.
In 1985 Glacier Enterprises Inc. Ltd (GE) began manufacturing for:
Wales Industries Inc. New York. Samples exist with Toys "R" Us & Playland price tags. Playland price tag was $9.99.

Wales Industries would find themselves in a legal dispute with Hasbro.
In Wales Indus.Inc. vs. Hasbro Bradley Inc. it said:
"
Plaintiff Wales Industrial Inc. ("Wales") plans to import and distribute into the United States its own version of several convertible robot toys, which are manufactured in Taiwan by third party defendant Glacier Enterprises Co., Ltd. ("Glacier"), a Taiwanese company".
 
Robosaur triceratops robot dinbot transformer
(V7a) Robosaur Triceratops

Box says, "A Futuristic Dinosaur That Transforms Into a Powerful Robot".
A. Face is unpainted blue with defined features.
B. No lower jaw
C. Gray sides
 
Robosaur triceratops robot dinbot transformers
(V7b) Face is unpainted blue with undefined features.
This version of Robosaur has a melted play-doh look to the face.
***Chest sticker variant***
(mostly red background)
This sticker matches the Robosaur Triceratops box photography.
Most samples do not match the box photography.
 
vintage dinosaur transformers G1 blue
(V7b) Robosaur #116 The chest opens up as if a Diaclone figure could fit it in.






vintage dinosaur transformers G1 blue dinobot

(V7a) Robosaur Triceratops
Note: Gray body sides and sword with bumps vs. the typical smooth swords.
We are also now introduced to the rounded wavy orange upper jaw without a lower jaw at all.
Also shows another example of the
unpainted blue face with defined features

(V8) Transistor Robots (Four Star) - Dinosaur II Robot
Dinosaur Robot Transistor Robots
(V8) Transistor Robots Dinosaur II Robot, Dinobot Slag KO.
Distributed by Four Star International Trading Company in 1985.
Sidenote: Dinosaur I Robot was a Dinobot Sludge KO.
"Dinosaur converts to robot"
Transistor Robots were sold primarily at Kmart.

Dinosaur Robot Transistor Robots four star
(V8) Four Star complete package contents


Dinosaur Robot Transistor Robots four star taiwan
(V8) Transistor Robots Dinosaur II Robot
A. Inside of the tan side is a sticker "1985© FOUR STAR".
Most Four Star figures had "Four Star" stamped directly on the figure's plastic. Here we see the use of a sticker on the Glacier Toys figure.

Dinosaur slag Transistor Robot four star
(V8) Transistor Robots Dinosaur II Robot, Dinobot Slag KO.
Painted silver eyes. Chest sticker and bumpy sword like Robosaur Triceratops.
Photo B Credit: Robert Padilla - Twitter X
Note: textured weapons similar to Robosaur (V7)
(click photo to enlarge)

Dinosaur slag Transistor Robot four star KO
Right: (V8) Transistor Robots Dinosaur II Robot, Dinobot Slag KO.
Note: tan sides. It also has the rounded wavy orange upper jaw without a lower jaw.


Figure Variants inside of V5-V8 boxes

Horn Variants - Long vs. Short


Dinosaur slag Transistor Robot four star variants
Silver horns on top of the head

A. Is a (V5) figure with LONG horns.
B. Is a (V6a) figure with SHORT horns.
Photo credit B: Gavitrontransformers

Frill Variants - Rounded Pegs vs. Pointed
toy slag Transistor Robot four star
Two variants

A. Is a (V8) Four Star - Transistor Robots figure with rounded peg frill, tan sides.
B. Is a (V6a) figure with pointed frill, gray sides.
Photo credit B: Gavitrontransformers

Side Variants - Tan vs. Gray

Dinosaur slag Transistor Robot four star toys

 A. (V8) Four Star - Transistor Robots figure with rounded peg frill, tan sides.
B. (V7) Robosaur figure with rounded peg frill, gray sides.

Mouth Variants - Straight vs. Wavy

Dinosaur slag Transistor Robot four star 1980s

A. (V6b) Dinosaur Robo with straight upper orange jaw.
B. (V7) Robosaur with rounded wavy upper orange jaw, no lower jaw.

Looking for more Dinobot bootleg fun?
For a review on Prontosaurus 3 - winged Sludge
CLICK HERE

Prontosaurus 3 swoop KO dinobot
Even more reviews on Glacier line knockoff Sludge Dinobot variants:
CLICK HERE

sludge bootleg KO dinobots taiwan

Colorful Grimlock Dinobot bootleg

Visit the Big Beast Guardlanship review
CLICK HERE
Big Beast Guardlanship Grimlock KO

 


Tuesday, May 14, 2024

3 Changeable Astro Magnum (Part 2)

Changeable Astro Magnum - (Part 2)
SPANISH VERSION
Made in Taiwan


This is a 3 Changeable Astro Magnum figure, similar to the (English version - Part 1). The Spanish box comes with either a gray or a killer stealth black figure. While the box actually contains a 3 Changeable figure, the outside of the box calls it a 4 Changeable figure... oh joy!

Astro Magnum - Spanish Argentina TV commercial, television GOLD!
Commercial says:
"Here comes the new ally of justice
Astro Magnum
The first electronic mutant robot
Astro Magnum can transform into the most powerful weapons
With flashing lights and double electronic sound
Challenge the future with the power of Astro Magnum!"

SPANISH VERSION 
(V1) Black

spanish min young astro magnum

Box reads: MODELO LUJOSO DE DADO FUNDIDO
or "Deluxe Diecast Model".

Robot Electronico - 4 Formas Cambiable Astro Magnum. It's 4 modes of transformation are listed as:
1. Astro Magnum : Robot mode
2. Cañonera : Gun mode
3. Cañon de Laser : Gunborg mode
4. Base de Cañon : Vulcan Base mode


The Spanish version of 3 Changeable Astro Magnum was released exclusively in Argentina via the distributing partner of MIN YOUNG. MIN YOUNG S.A was a Korean company working in Argentina at the time.
Their full name was "MIN YOUNG S.A. INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA". This figure does not have a printed or stamped country of origin, but we are confident it is made in Taiwan, similar to the English 3 Changeable Astro Magnum.


MIN YOUNG S.A would later change their name to: "TOYS WORLD S.A. INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA". (see below for more information)

spanish min young astro magnum robot
Box top & bottom with MIN YOUNG logo.

astro magnum black version vintage
Sides of the box feature photos of Astro Magnum in his various modes.

black astro magnum vulcan base
This is as close to a mint box & figure as we have ever seen.

The box has a clear window on the front. Figure is held in place by resting into a slotted piece of cardboard for display purposes. Sides of the box show pictures of the '4' Changeable modes. Side of box reads: "Robot Electronico 4 Formas Cambiable. Circuito integrado luz intermitente con 2 sonidos electronicos".

black astro magnum vulcan base laser
Figure is a wonderful unique jet black color aka killer stealth black.

black shockwave transformer G1
Clearly labeled with the MIN YOUNG stamp on the battery cover.

SPANISH VERSION 
(V2) Gray 

min young korea transformer toy
(V2) Photo courtesy: JCShockwave instagram

min young korea transformer toys
Gun mode
(V2) Photo courtesy: JCShockwave instagram

In our estimation, locating a grey MIN YOUNG figure is harder than acquiring the black version. The gray MIN YOUNG Spanish version is identical the English gray version except for the stamped MIN YOUNG battery cover. This version comes with a blank battery cover also.


Figure above currently FOR SALE on Ebay, click here

laser pistol gun vintage transformer
Photo courtesy: Amalgan.Toy.Store - Capital Federal, Argentina

MIN YOUNG S.A to TOYS WORLD S.A

According to the 1992 'Boletin Oficial de Republica Argentina' it appears Min Young was facing financial issues, namely bankruptcy proceedings.(click here) These bankruptcy issues would extend over to Toys World S.A. later in 1994. (click here)

Escort aire command argentina pistol
Escort Uno - pellet pistol. Box reads:
FABRICADO POR TOYS WORLD S.A INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
"Made for Toys Worlds Argentina"


3 Changeable Astro figures are a must have for any serious Astro Magnum collector! The double barrels, slick jet black variant and the exclusive MIN YOUNG battery cover make this a variant hunters paradise!

Previous reading: ENGLISH VERSION (Part 1) click here.

(Astro Magnum Home Page)

Have additional information or photos? Looking to sell a variant figure?
Please contact us at: astromagnumguide@gmail.com

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