The Carnegie Collection Australopithecus Female (1988)
Prototype
Species: Australopithecus afarensis
First release: 1988
Retired: c. 1995
Model number: 409-01
Schleich number: 15489
Size: 11cm
Advertised scale: 1:15
Actual scale: 1:15
Sculptor: Forest Rogers
Though forming a set, the male and female Australopithecus (with baby) were sold separately. Like Smilodon, these were made to a much larger scale (1:15) compared to the Carnegie dinosaur figures. Despite this, they were intended to be displayed together as a single collection. In fact, the central alcove of the Carnegie store display mountain was designed to perfectly fit this hominid pair.
Interestingly, when Schleich released these models under their own brand overseas, they were labelled "Homo neanderthalensis" on their Schleich variant info tags. However, they are clearly meant to depict Australopithecus, not Neanderthals. Some sources have them labelled simply as "prehistoric humans". Unlike Safari, Schleich sold the two as a pair, resulting in the hybrid model number 15489, combining the male's number (15408) and the female's (15409).
Two reliable ways to tell the earlier releases from later releases is the detailing on the eyes (painted outlines with pupils, rather than solid dots as in the 1990s versions) and more paint complexity and washes over the model. These don't seem to have suffered quite as much mold fatigue as other Carnegies, likely due to lower demand and therefore lower numbers produced. But if you look closely, the sculpting on the earlier versions is slightly sharper. It's hard to tell, because the sculpts are fairly soft to begin with, and most noticeable by looking at the clarity and sharpness of the stamp text, which is on the back of each figure rather than the bottom.
Both Australopithecus figures seem to have been unceremoniously retired around the same time as the original Maiasaura model around 1995 (though they did appear in the 1996 collectors' guide alongside Protoceratops and the new Maiasaura). They are not included in any of Safari's official "Retirement Program" lists, which begin in 1998. The figures simply vanished from catalogs and, later, even from collectors' guides. By the mid-1990s Safari had positioned the Carnegie Collection solidly as a line of children's educational toys rather than the initial marketing as a more adult collector line, which may explain why they'd want to distance themselves from these not-so-kid-friendly figures.
Version: 1
Release: 1988
Status: Original
Variant type: Dull wash
Material: Beige vinyl
Paint: Matte. 4 colors. Dark brown (hair, back, eyes, adult's mouth, eyebrows); beige (skin); red (baby's mouth); gray (base, wash).
Stamp text: Center-aligned: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD., MIAMI, FL / AUSTRALOPITHECUS FEMALE / 1.4 METERS / MADE IN CHINA
CE mark: None.
TDR rating: 9/10
Material: Beige vinyl
Paint: Matte. 4 colors. Dark brown (hair, back, eyes, adult's mouth, eyebrows); beige (skin); red (baby's mouth); gray (base, wash).
Stamp text: Center-aligned: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD., MIAMI, FL / AUSTRALOPITHECUS FEMALE / 1.4 METERS / MADE IN CHINA
CE mark: None.
TDR rating: 9/10
The earliest version of Australopithecus had black detailing / wash to simulate black hair over brown and beige skin. The base was gray rather than dark brown as in all later releases, and the plastic underneath was soft beige vinyl. The mouth was a simple black line rather than having painted teeth. The mouth of the infant was painted red.
Mold: 1
Version: 2
Release: 1989
Status: Minor repaint
Mold: 1
Version: 3
Release: 1989
Status: Minor repaint
Version: 2
Release: 1989
Status: Minor repaint
Variant type: Gloss Wash
Material: Hard dark gray vinyl
Paint: 6 colors. Burnt yellow (base coat); dark brown (hair, highlights); light gray (rock); black (eyes, nails, eyebrows, nostrils), chocolate brown (base); pink (mouth).
Stamp text: Center-aligned: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD., MIAMI, FL / AUSTRALOPITHECUS MALE / 1.4 METERS / MADE IN CHINA
CE mark: None.
TDR rating: 9/10
Material: Hard dark gray vinyl
Paint: 6 colors. Burnt yellow (base coat); dark brown (hair, highlights); light gray (rock); black (eyes, nails, eyebrows, nostrils), chocolate brown (base); pink (mouth).
Stamp text: Center-aligned: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD., MIAMI, FL / AUSTRALOPITHECUS MALE / 1.4 METERS / MADE IN CHINA
CE mark: None.
TDR rating: 9/10
This version of Australopithecus has a predominantly glossy paint application, with a yellowish base coat and variably dark brown airbrushing to represent fur. The face details on these early gloss versions are much finer and cleaner than in later production runs. The base is glossy dark brown rather than the original gray. The original black line mouth has been replaced with pink.
Version: 3
Release: 1989
Status: Minor repaint
Variant type: Twilight
Material: Soft beige rubber
Paint: 6 colors. Peach (base coat); matte dark brown (hair); matte black (highlights); black (eyes, nails, eyebrows, nostrils), glossy chocolate brown (base), pink (mouths).
Stamp text: Center-aligned: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD., MIAMI, FL / AUSTRALOPITHECUS MALE / 1.4 METERS / MADE IN CHINA
CE mark: None.
TDR rating: 9/10
This version of the Carnegie Australopithecus had a more blended light brown body color with a warm, peach-toned base coat. It had dark brown/black highlights across the body, mimicking areas of thicker fur. It retained a complete, centered date stamp on its back, and had small, outlined eyes rather than large dots.
Material: Soft beige rubber
Paint: 6 colors. Peach (base coat); matte dark brown (hair); matte black (highlights); black (eyes, nails, eyebrows, nostrils), glossy chocolate brown (base), pink (mouths).
Stamp text: Center-aligned: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD., MIAMI, FL / AUSTRALOPITHECUS MALE / 1.4 METERS / MADE IN CHINA
CE mark: None.
TDR rating: 9/10
This version of the Carnegie Australopithecus had a more blended light brown body color with a warm, peach-toned base coat. It had dark brown/black highlights across the body, mimicking areas of thicker fur. It retained a complete, centered date stamp on its back, and had small, outlined eyes rather than large dots.
Version: 4
Release: 1992
Status: Minor repaint, minor retool
Variant type: Classic color version
Material: Dark gray vinyl
Paint: Glossy. Yellow (skin); brown (fur); black (eyes, eyebrows, nails); white (teeth); chocolate brown (base).
Stamp text: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD. / AUSTRALOPITHECUS FEMALE / 1.4 METERS/ CE
CE mark: Small.
TDR rating: 3/10
The later release of the Australopithecus model has a simplified paint application, with a brown "wash" and fur tone that looks airbrushed on. The eyes consist of a line with a dot, unlike the more defined eyes of the original. These don't seem to have suffered quite as much mold fatigue as other Carnegies, likely due to lower demand and therefore lower numbers produced. But if you look closely, the sculpting on the later versions is slightly softer. It's hard to tell, because the sculpts are fairly soft to begin with, and most noticeable by looking at the clarity and sharpness of the stamp text, which is on the back of each figure rather than the bottom. For the second release, both "Miami, FL" and "Made in China" were tooled out of the mold, leaving visible marks where the deeply stamped text used to be. A small CE mark has also been added, placing this last release c. 1992-1993.
Material: Dark gray vinyl
Paint: Glossy. Yellow (skin); brown (fur); black (eyes, eyebrows, nails); white (teeth); chocolate brown (base).
Stamp text: (C)1988 THE CARNEGIE / SAFARI LTD. / AUSTRALOPITHECUS FEMALE / 1.4 METERS/ CE
CE mark: Small.
TDR rating: 3/10
The later release of the Australopithecus model has a simplified paint application, with a brown "wash" and fur tone that looks airbrushed on. The eyes consist of a line with a dot, unlike the more defined eyes of the original. These don't seem to have suffered quite as much mold fatigue as other Carnegies, likely due to lower demand and therefore lower numbers produced. But if you look closely, the sculpting on the later versions is slightly softer. It's hard to tell, because the sculpts are fairly soft to begin with, and most noticeable by looking at the clarity and sharpness of the stamp text, which is on the back of each figure rather than the bottom. For the second release, both "Miami, FL" and "Made in China" were tooled out of the mold, leaving visible marks where the deeply stamped text used to be. A small CE mark has also been added, placing this last release c. 1992-1993.
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