The Carnegie Collection Elasmosaurus (1990)
Name: Elasmosaurus
Species: Elasmosaurus platyurusFirst release: 1990
Retired: 2015
Model number: 419-01
Schleich number: 15419
Size: 34cm
Advertised scale: 1:40
Actual scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Forest Rogers
Mold 1
Version: 1
Release: 1990
Status: Original
Material: Medium weight gray vinyl
Paint: Matte. 8 colors. Beige (body); dark brown (back, spots, stripes); light gray (stripes); red-brown (wash); yellow (eyes); black (pupils); white (teeth); green (face stripe).
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1991 SAFARI LTD CE
CE mark: Small
TDR rating: 7/10
The first release of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus was painted in a light grey or pale beige base color over soft gray rubber. The plastic was fairly rubbery to allow pliability in the long neck. It has a pattern of brown stripes and spots forming arcs across its body, as well as brown highlight on edges of the front flippers. This initial release seems to be much scarcer than the one with an updated information stamp.
Version: 2
Release: c. 1991
Status: Minor retool
Material: Soft gray rubber
Paint: Matte. Beige body, dark brown back, spots, and stripes, light gray stripes, brown highlights, yellow and black eyes, white teeth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1991 SAFARI LTD CE / (C) CARNEGIE 1990
CE mark: Small
TDR rating: 3/10
This second release of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus is an odd one. It is more common than the original and probably replaced it shortly after the initial release. Weirdly, the belly stamp on this one lists two separate copyright years, 1991 and 1990. I wonder if the first one was actually released during 1990 rather than 1991 as originally planned, and Safari felt the need to correct this on the stamp. The Mosasaurus seems to follow this same pattern, though I have not yet seen any Mosasaurus models that list only the 1991 date.
As you can see, my sample used to be attached to a store display mountain, hence the missing paint on the bottom of the flippers.
Mold: 1
Mold: 2
Version: 1
Release: c. 1991
Status: Minor retool
Material: Soft gray rubber
Paint: Matte. Beige body, dark brown back, spots, and stripes, light gray stripes, brown highlights, yellow and black eyes, white teeth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1991 SAFARI LTD CE / (C) CARNEGIE 1990
CE mark: Small
TDR rating: 3/10
This second release of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus is an odd one. It is more common than the original and probably replaced it shortly after the initial release. Weirdly, the belly stamp on this one lists two separate copyright years, 1991 and 1990. I wonder if the first one was actually released during 1990 rather than 1991 as originally planned, and Safari felt the need to correct this on the stamp. The Mosasaurus seems to follow this same pattern, though I have not yet seen any Mosasaurus models that list only the 1991 date.
As you can see, my sample used to be attached to a store display mountain, hence the missing paint on the bottom of the flippers.
 |
| Original Elasmosaurus (bottom) compared with first revision (top). Note the subtler paint application with more dark wash of the original, and the yellower base paint with blotchier details of the second version. |
Version: 3
Release: c. 1992
Status: Minor retool
Release: c. 1992
Status: Minor retool
Material: ?
Paint: Matte. Beige body, dark brown back, spots, and stripes, light gray stripes, brown highlights, yellow and black eyes, white teeth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1991 SAFARI LTD CE / (C) CARNEGIE 1990
CE mark: Small
TDR rating: 4/10
Paint: Matte. Beige body, dark brown back, spots, and stripes, light gray stripes, brown highlights, yellow and black eyes, white teeth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1991 SAFARI LTD CE / (C) CARNEGIE 1990
CE mark: Small
TDR rating: 4/10
This appears the same as the previous version of Elasmosaurus but with more vertical flippers capable of propping up the front of the body, similar to the condition in Mold 2. This was either a slight retooling or, more likely, a change in the plastic and/or the way the models were allowed to cool after being removed from the mold. It's likely all Elasmosaurus molds were intended to have slightly upright front flippers, but possibly sitting the models on a flat surface to cool straightened them out for the first few production runs.
Mold 2
Mold: 2
Version: 1
Release: 1998
Status: Minor repaint, retool
Material: Beige vinyl
Paint: Dark brown back, spots, and stripes, light gray stripes, brown highlights, green face stripe, yellow and black eyes, white teeth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1998 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd. / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 2/10
The second mold of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus was cast in beige plastic, with only the other colors painted. Its neck was also given a more upright posture, and the front flippers point more strongly downward, lifting up the belly (this presumably was meant to correct an issue where the original mold would tip forward, leaving the back flippers up in the air). The most obvious paint difference between this version and the older one is the addition of a much more noticeable bright green stripe on the face - the first version had a barely noticeable, darker green stripe that was dropped in later releases. Notice that the paint on the neck is much, much lighter, being reduced to a faint wash. Also note that "Made in China" and a larger CE mark have been added to the info stamp, and the old "1991" date has been removed entirely in favor of the updated "1998". Note that the "8" in 1990 seems to just be a modified "0" from an older version that read 1990.
Mold: 2
Version: 2
Release: 2007
Status: Repaint
Material: Hard light gray PVC
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1998 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd. / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
The 2007 version of Elasmosaurus was a straight repaint of the 1998 version, using a blue and beige reticulated spotted pattern. Note that the flippers are upright and the head sculpt is the same as the previous version.
Mold: 2
Version: 3
Release: c. 2008
Status: Minor repaint
Material: Beige vinyl
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: 4 lines. Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1998 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd. / Made in China CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
This version of Elasmosaurus is the same as the original 2007 repaint model, but with a simplified paint application lacking a blend/wash and with a more sea-blue base color. Due to their darker color and lack of wash, the spots are more prominant. (Photos by Smith-Patient).
Mold: 2
Version: 4
Release: c. 2008
Status: Repaint
Material: ?
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: ?
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
The 2007 version of Elasmosaurus was a straight repaint of the fully-upright flipper version, using a blue and beige reticulated spotted pattern. Note that the flippers are vertical and the head sculpt is the same as the previous version. This may, once again, be due to a change either in material, cooling process, or both that resulted in more upright flippers than other variants.
Mold: 3
Version: 1
Release: c. 2010
Status: Retool
Material: Hard beige vinyl
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: 3 lines. Left-aligned. Carnegie Elasmosaurus / (C) 1998 Safari Ltd. Miami, FL USA / Made in China CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 4/10
The 2007 version of Elasmosaurus was cast in very hard beige PVC and given a blue-gray wash with a reticulated blue pattern across the back and neck. It was also at least partially resculpted, with an all-new head sculpt and a few added wrinkles to the back and shoulder joints. The diameter of the body also appears to be narrower.
Mold: 3
Version: 2
Release: c. 2012
Status: Minor retool
Material: Hard light blue vinyl
Paint: Blue-gray back, blue spots, orange and black eyes, white teeth
Stamp text: 3 lines. Left-aligned. Carnegie Elasmosaurus / (C) 1998 Safari Ltd. Miami, FL USA / Made in China CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
The final release of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus was slightly recolored. Cast in light blue plastic, it had a reticulated pattern of blue spots with a blue-gray wash on the back.
Status: Minor repaint, retool
Material: Beige vinyl
Paint: Dark brown back, spots, and stripes, light gray stripes, brown highlights, green face stripe, yellow and black eyes, white teeth.
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1998 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd. / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 2/10
The second mold of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus was cast in beige plastic, with only the other colors painted. Its neck was also given a more upright posture, and the front flippers point more strongly downward, lifting up the belly (this presumably was meant to correct an issue where the original mold would tip forward, leaving the back flippers up in the air). The most obvious paint difference between this version and the older one is the addition of a much more noticeable bright green stripe on the face - the first version had a barely noticeable, darker green stripe that was dropped in later releases. Notice that the paint on the neck is much, much lighter, being reduced to a faint wash. Also note that "Made in China" and a larger CE mark have been added to the info stamp, and the old "1991" date has been removed entirely in favor of the updated "1998". Note that the "8" in 1990 seems to just be a modified "0" from an older version that read 1990.
Version: 2
Release: 2007
Status: Repaint
Material: Hard light gray PVC
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1998 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd. / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
The 2007 version of Elasmosaurus was a straight repaint of the 1998 version, using a blue and beige reticulated spotted pattern. Note that the flippers are upright and the head sculpt is the same as the previous version.
 |
| Photo by Safari Ltd. - prototype sample |
Version: 3
Release: c. 2008
Status: Minor repaint
Material: Beige vinyl
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: 4 lines. Left-aligned. ELASMOSAURUS / 14 meters long / (C) 1998 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd. / Made in China CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
This version of Elasmosaurus is the same as the original 2007 repaint model, but with a simplified paint application lacking a blend/wash and with a more sea-blue base color. Due to their darker color and lack of wash, the spots are more prominant. (Photos by Smith-Patient).
Version: 4
Release: c. 2008
Status: Repaint
Material: ?
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: ?
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
The 2007 version of Elasmosaurus was a straight repaint of the fully-upright flipper version, using a blue and beige reticulated spotted pattern. Note that the flippers are vertical and the head sculpt is the same as the previous version. This may, once again, be due to a change either in material, cooling process, or both that resulted in more upright flippers than other variants.
Mold 3
Version: 1
Release: c. 2010
Status: Retool
Material: Hard beige vinyl
Paint: 6 colors. Blue-gray (wash); blue (back); dark blue (spots); orange (eyes); white (teeth); black (pupils).
Stamp text: 3 lines. Left-aligned. Carnegie Elasmosaurus / (C) 1998 Safari Ltd. Miami, FL USA / Made in China CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 4/10
The 2007 version of Elasmosaurus was cast in very hard beige PVC and given a blue-gray wash with a reticulated blue pattern across the back and neck. It was also at least partially resculpted, with an all-new head sculpt and a few added wrinkles to the back and shoulder joints. The diameter of the body also appears to be narrower.
  |
| Original 1990 Elasmosaurus (left) vs. the 2010 mold (right) |
 |
| Original 2007 repaint (left) vs. the 2010 retooled version (right) |
Mold: 3
Version: 2
Release: c. 2012
Status: Minor retool
Material: Hard light blue vinyl
Paint: Blue-gray back, blue spots, orange and black eyes, white teeth
Stamp text: 3 lines. Left-aligned. Carnegie Elasmosaurus / (C) 1998 Safari Ltd. Miami, FL USA / Made in China CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 6/10
The final release of the Carnegie Elasmosaurus was slightly recolored. Cast in light blue plastic, it had a reticulated pattern of blue spots with a blue-gray wash on the back.
Hi there
ReplyDeleteI am kind of confused here. In the models page, the list says Elasmosaurus was retooled and re-released in 1996, but in this page you list the date of 1998. The model itself says 1998 in the belly, so was this version ever sold before 98? Also, my Elasmo has the same belly stamp and color as yours original first version, a bit darker paint and the belly stamp only says 1991, so I assume it is also a first edition, right?
Yes, sorry about that - when I originally created the model page I was basing the dates off of the list on the animal toys wiki, which listed a blanket date of 1996 for all of the color vinyl/retool releases, but this is obviously incorrect. I forgot to switch the date on that page after working on this one, but it's been corrected now. Thanks for the catch!
DeleteAs far as I can tell, the version that lists ONLY 1991 on the belly is the original. I don't know why 1990 was added later, but my guess is the model actually came out in 1990 even though it had been planned for a 1991 release, so they attempted to "correct" the date. The darker paint also suggests this is the original release - year-of-issue models tend to have more paint layers and overall more "refined" paint jobs which get simplified in later years as they devote more resources to making the next new release look good.
My mold 3, version 2 has this stamp:
ReplyDeleteCarnegie Elasmosaurus
(c) 1998 Safari Ltd. Miami, FL USA
Made in China CE
CE is large There is no scale If one with a scale appears, perhaps this is another version, making a hypothetical scaled figure a version 3 of mold 3?