The Carnegie Collection Kronosaurus (1997)
Species: Kronosaurus queenslandicus
First release: 1997
Retired: 2015
Model number: 4029-01
Size: 33 cm
Scale: 1:40
Sculptor: Forest Rogers
Version: 1
Release: 1997
Status: Original
Material: Hard white vinyl
Paint: Glossy. 5 colors. Dark blue-gray (back); light gray (underside); black (eyes); pink (mouth); white (teeth).
Stamp text: KRONOSAURUS / (C) 1996 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd, Miami FL / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 3/10
Interestingly, the earliest release of Kronosaurus appears to be fully painted. Despite the fact that Safari had made the switch to colored vinyl for all of the other new releases and re-releases by 1997, Kronosaurus at least was a holdover from the "old style". It's possible this model was intended for earlier release and been delayed, or had been planned and molded before the switch occurred. Either way, paint rubs on my sample show that this Kronosaurus is made of semi-translucent, hard white vinyl, painted over with dark navy blue, and then the light gray underside color was added.
The paint scheme and overall design of Kronosaurus seems to have been based on an illustration by John Sibbick, shown below.
Release: c. 1998
Status: Retool, minor repaint
Material: Light gray vinyl
Paint: Glossy. 5 colors. Dark blue-gray (back); light gray (underside); black (eyes); pink (mouth); white (teeth).
Stamp text: ?
CE mark: ?
TDR rating: 4/10
Subsequent versions of Kronosaurus were released in base colored vinyl, with only the darker stripe pattern painted on. They also had slightly remolded front flippers, which pointed slightly downward in order to prop up the front of the model. The same thing was done with the other Carnegie marine reptiles at about the same time, in the late 1990s.
Release: c. 2007
Status: Retool, minor repaint
Material: Light white vinyl
Paint: Matte. 4 colors. Dark gray (back); black (eyes); pink (mouth); white (teeth).
Stamp text: KRONOSAURUS / (C) 1996 THE CARNEGIE / Safari Ltd, Miami FL / Made in China / CE
CE mark: Large
TDR rating: 2/10
2000s era versions of Kronosaurus returned to the horizontal flipper posture and were cast in much lighter, almost white, plastic, with airbrushed matte gray paint. The mold and belly stamp appear to have remained unchanged. This version was in production through the end of the Carnegie line in 2015.
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