Peter Bergner’s Treasures October 2018 our friend Peter Bergner has sent us some photos of some space figures. He got them from Italy. He is allowing me to share them with you.
Peter Bergner’s Treasures October 2018
The first one is Peter noted the vehicle said Marx on the tires. he had the figure to go with and wonder if this vechile was made for it. The astronuat he is talking about is the Marx Johnny Apollo. It was Marx attempt to get into Gi Joe Market. Also it was done with a Jane Apolllo it capitalized on the space race.Marx made two different vechiles. The one in the picture is the moon rover. The other vechile is space crawler. Sadly the windshield on the rover is damaged. 
Processed Plastic space figures are the next group of figures Peter got. They were originally sold by Processed Plastic as Star Patrol. This color variation is from Victory Buy. They are sold under the name Galaxy Laser Team and recent production.
Our next group of figures are from Comansi of Spain. The figures are 70mm and I believe they were first used in a UFO playset. These are later reissues.
The blue spaceman is Lido. Also the silver spaceman with hand on hip could be Lido. the red spacemen are Thomas Toy. This version is either from Poplar who used the mold or a copy. On the other three the light blue is from Europe. I have no idea on the others.
I do not recognize any of these figures.
Peter Bergner’s Treasures October 2018 Marx and Lido
Marx did several different space figures. The final figures they made of spaceman or astronuats were more realistic.
Marx did space figures in the early 50’s. The 45mm space figures are from the Tom corbett playset. On bottom of the photo is a 60mm bin toy spaceman. Both figures had separate helmets which are hard to find.
We are back again here with Lido spaceman. Kent Sprecher on his site they are called Futuremen. Blue helmets are not easy to find. The red spaceman is from Ajax.
Peter Bergner’s Treasures October 2018 Gladiators and Romans
Peter also acquired these 70mm romans and gladiators. They are from Oliver.
The light blue space man is west germany by Dom or Leyla I think,missing space clear helmet.Detlef from Germany post then no long ago I believe.
The two silver small Alien are original designed by rare italian maker ,there some copies made around too and sold by Solpa else too,copied by HK too.
The robot in bottom was sold as premium or vending machine by RES and others,the red in next to is from ITALY Prb and sold by others as a set blister card and also as premium,there 4 poses I got all them.
Best
I remember my neighbor getting a ton of space toys just before and after the first moon landing. I recall the name ‘Major Matt Mason’. This may be spelled wrong. Who made that stuff and was Marx competing against this line of space toys, too? I think the poseable figures were 6 inches.
Matt Mason was done by Mattel.
Hi Paul, check your email,
It wasn’t an attempt to enter GI Joe’s world, Marx was already well known for his action figures (Johnny West series for ex), it was to compete with Major Matt Mason’ line, and Johnny Apollo could be bought as souvenir in Cape Canaveral touristic tours. His orange UK version is called ‘Mark’ Apollo.
COMANSI: I’ve collected the full set of poses (sent a pic in email), they were reissued so many times and change in colors and base (marked just ‘comansi’ or OVNI (UFO in Spanish) with the number. There is also a set of Aliens to be put together (I’ve sent pic of all the poses) Only White and Fluo colors are ‘later reissues’. All were sold in bags or boxes, just one box called the Invasores (from the tv series The Invaders) was issued with a flying saucer and 2 civilian figures (very rare, I am still looking for them), rest of boxes were classic space sets, even mixed with their Thunderbirds line.
Hands on hip figure is LIDO too, from the Spacemen series 54mm.
The alien with a mask near the blue one is from Plasticraft space expedition, remade by Linde. The one with 2 guns is from Bonux and same pose was reissued by Pech Hermanos,
The two small aliens with big head are italian, the famous Selenites made in various colors, even in bakelyte and clear transparent by CO.MA, they are numbered on the back 6 poses I sent you the pic in email of my full set. They were very popular in 1950s and sold firstly as a premium in Tide washing powder.
Thanks for the updates and small world of where got the figures. Yes Johnny Apollo was to be competition against Matt Mason. My feeling the Johnny West and other figures in the line were reactions to the GI Joe.
I picked up the roy thinnes figure fromUFO at PW years ago and sold him to collector in France. C
And again, the orange space patrol man with rifle, is from Torgano, Italy, ask Detlef, he’s recently acquired some of them.
By the way, Peter bought all these spacemen, Marx buggy included, from me 😉
alaine lapointe is the new Erwin!!!
looks a great compliment, thanks, but sure there are people more expert than me 🙂
Dear Alain with all respect.
It amazes me all your info and update response so quickly. You nail the CO MA rare figures and many more, but I differ in some recognition of some figures with all respect please.
I own many of these sets, not all and but I will use links to show samples rather dig mine out and do photos as will take me days probably more.
Bonux a washing powder brand used toys by others such REX. (most premium figures used were copies or special request made x then by true original toy makers. The figures with two guns are original made in 50s by Pech Hermanos from Spain belong to 4 poses sets and it was Bonux who copy /use it much more later.
Because Bonux as well many other premium often mark with company brand name or logo of the food or cleaner products the base in figures it adds to confusing as the maker. But it was not.
Bonux also did copied many poses of Jecsan original made space set as well here is a sale example of Jecsan copied sold under Bonux.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/jecsan-bonux-1960s-plastic-spaceman-245502666
Pech Heramnos never copied any set or space set at all. They close in 1957/58 approx. and their production was quite original designed as well Jecsan and COMANSI were.
It was Reamsa the one did copy some(few) others but not much, included a LIDO space set of 4 poses copies release by Reamsa and a set of 4 poses mix ARCHER PREMIER brand copies as well.
Pech Heramanos set is 4 original figures designed and made by them is not a copy of any body and released in 1952 and is among early soft plastic rubber made space figures sets with early Bakelite made along CO-Ma in first production.
I have full PH catalog as well Jecsan ,Comansi ,Reamsa books catalog and gladly working with fellow Spaniards collector in the making of PH company book history
Lafredo also did copied other brands such ARCHER brand that was also copied by Cherilea of UK.
The light blue figure is made in Argentina and sold there still with 3 other poses, it may be a copy of other of course and looks alike Manurba same pose but not quite same.
The figure with mask is not Plasticraft or the any of 6 poses used by LINDE coffee as premium that were made for Belgian coffee premium as well by the way.
Plasticraf poses of expedition set can be see here in this link from KEN Spretcher at close image here.
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/toysoldierhq/Newyork2.html
or in the main space link bellow with LINDE copies here as well.
http://www.danefield.com/data/thumbnails-24-page-2.html
The silver/grey pose with mask pose next to blue LIDO looks rather a very crude copy of LIDO 30 mm or else.
Lido produced their space sets in many scales and materials as well under T-Cohen
In 30,40/45 mm and 50/52 mm for Captain Video series set.
54 mm for space men other set (Like pose you mentioned with arms in hips)
In 90 mm for their Future men series set .Other makers and even Hong Kong copied some of the LIDO poses sets as well.(Two poses showed bellow in this post by Admin)
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/toysoldierhq/Lido.html
The red/orange with cross rifle as I say before was from Italy but could had been copied.
It can be see it in same link of space toys I post above too along other poses .
The Oliver Roman romans and Gladiators are only ever army soldiers or military thematic made by Oliver.
Rest were nativity sets civilians and of course all former PH molds sets they acquire and reissued from late 60s till 80s
Romans included a nobleman are 12 poses with 4 gladiator (only in action poses) and were intended to represent a Circus arena along x the Nativity sets.
Spain after Italy was the main place during roman era that romans build more circus/Gladiator arenas during roman Empire and before, there several ruins of it all along the country .
Best regards.
Yep I expected some correction, and I agree on the release date of Bonux/Pech, not completely on Comansi , It took almost 2 years to collect all the Comansi poses with aid of spanish collectors and we all agreed that generally, bigger and/or less detailed soldiers of same poses are the ones made after, not before. Someone also remebembered having had the Bonux before the Comansi. Another useful info was that some Comansi spacemen look to be added in new poses in following releases.
I know the sites you mention, and are very useful, but on european products, especially italian ones, often show some lack of precision. I would recommend also http://soldatini-spaziali.blogspot.com which also has some imprecisions, but offers a wider variety to think on.
As for the Plasticraft, I see I had already mentioned Linde I just credited original producer for completeness.
I didn’t talk about the Manurba, in case I would say it’s not the common version from Argentina because of lack of the engraved pattern on his suit, while rather I’d say it’s one of the copies which were given as premiums in potato chips PAI bags here in Italy in early 70s (consider all these figures were mine, so I know from where I got each, which may give some light about their origins). In France, at this moment, I can only witness the release of (less detailed than Manurbas) white ‘Cosmonautes’, but it doesn’t mean they weren’t diffused in Belgium in french language bags, in various colors.
I didn’t mention the Romans at all, not my field. Regards
Hello Alain, I’m not correcting you, I’m just adding some info to your great information as general post to all to see.
I did not mention Romans and blue figures because of you, it was my addition comment to my post not related to it or regarding your post. It was intended for all rest to read.
I did not disagree or say any about Comansi, your information is correct and interesting. I do Not understand that sentence from you about Comansi. May be translation problem in my side? Sorry.
In my personal collector /seller experience. I do find Comansi easy to get in their unpainted 70/-80s version a lot. Unless too expensive for some the figures in all poses or in bags appear on sale off eBay and todollecion from Spain site very often and easy least to me. I got then years ago in a full bag.
Painted figures are of course harder to get.
In fact, took you small time to get them all.
Comansi release an early another first space set that has a pose very alike direct base in one MARX 60 mm pose. The odd rare pose was swapped replaced by other in the later more common set as the one you have.
Comansi also later under NOVELINA line sold Manurba brand and others sets under commission /relation business else. But these were not made by them and because pack under COMANSI some collectors till today think were made by it.
I aware not many blogs are 100% accurate, however the Adam (Alpahadrome) space site blog has Ervino from Italy and many others who comment and supply information in Italian brands and are very good in knowledges to it as well you do in same blog as commenter. So, I use it as one best reliable site.
Even so I know very few blogs and books cover space figurines from Italy.
Yet, three books so far, I know and have were made about Italian production in plastic soldiers that cover few space sets as well.
About rest European their plenty site from Spain, Germany, UK and else covering most made, along with books from several expert toy’s writers such COMANSI, REAMSA, JECSAN, LAFREDO books and many French brands/companies full colorful books done/Edited by Alain from Belgium where it covers most data include space sets by most French brands. Most of Germany is been cover by Andreas Dittmann first and by another later catalog prints available online from Manurba, LINDE, (Austria), Layla, Heinerle, KOHO as well other too.
Hong Kong did many copies, yet rare brand such LP did a nice unique set of 54 mms 8 poses action spacemen along their rare alien HO scale and nice 1/32 space vehicles and accessories.
I had managed get hand on it original not the later copies or SOLPA cloned made. This had not been covered much. There other HK original not made figures as well.
There other French forums, only in French that have great and may pass it to you if interested as well, but I bet you have or known then as well. One is” soldatplastique”.it cover a huge array of brands well cataloged with many experts and collectors add on information.
Again, as usual many figures were sold made under license by others or cloned and copied as well all around. But as well European, here in US there always some mysteries and discovered every time.
No long ago a rare set from Manurba that resemble MPC US made set was posted here by Admin.
http://www.stadsstuff.com/?p=2993
The set was not very well known as been from Manurba, least sold under it even by German experts.
Because sellers off eBay and other site often lost the space figures under different categories and even as divers/frogmen figures it add to confusing is finding most. Yet it will take years get all together.
I wish I can get all; but neither pocket/cost or time let me do it all. I like share many of my sets here, but as admin-Paul has a pipeline work and of course I love to see other collectors’ figures as well I rather hold and post mine in many other blogs off or Facebook groups in my own.
Recently because my busy work frame I relay most in phone search post and not much can do as that.
Many can be trace with original makers while other are disputed or barely any information left. Every year more packs and information should be added on and that is what we all use these great internet blogs and forums to update/discuss in this beautiful world of small hobby of us.
Greatly appreciating and enjoying your post here with your nice conversion as well.
Best
Great looking figures Peter ! As Always ! Nice job identifying Erwin and Alain, you guys always amaze me with your figure knowledge !
thanks, very kind 🙂