| Star Trek Galore Pewter Figure Set - Unpainted | |
| Update: January 2021
This set of cast metal figures was sold by a mail-order outfit known as Star Trek Galore. The set consists of figures copied from gaming miniatures produced by Archive Miniatures (no relation) plus four newly sculpted pieces representing Han Solo, C-3PO, R2-D2, and the Stormtrooper. If you look closely, I think you can tell those four are much cruder than the others. As the ad featured here makes clear, the set was available unfinished (pictured) and with three different finishes: painted, nickel, and gold. Though, well over 20 years ago now, I described the set as deriving from a miniatures company called Heritage, this information was wrong. Heritage had absolutely nothing to do with these figures. A similar set, in a blue case, was sold by a different mail-order company. It included a second Bantha, this one without a saddle. I've retained the old entry below for the sake of history. For more information see here.
It can be interesting looking at the hobby's past, at "old" collectors and what they collected. When doing so, one will find that what was considered highly valuable to the collector of 15 years ago is often of little consequence to those of today. This set of pewter figures, produced without a license by the Heritage company soon after the onset of the initial Star Wars craze, fits into this category of collectables that fell by the way side. Though few today are even aware of their existence, they represent perhaps the first Star Wars "figures" and were considered quite desirable during the early years. They were produced by Heritage and apparently were distributed, both individually and as a set of 15, through Star Trek Galore. The set consists of Luke, Leia, Han (a late add-on that was not present in early sets), Chewie, Threepio, Artoo, Vader, Ben, a standing Tusken Raider, Bantha, two riding Tusken Raiders, Stormtrooper, Imperial "snitch" and a Jawa; and was available in both painted and unpainted versions. A set of similar style Cantina band members, once thought to also be Heritage figures, was produced. As time has passed, collectors now believe the Cantina band members were produced by a different company.
As Heritage never did obtain a license to produce these figures, Lucasfilm soon shut them down, an occurrence that perhaps accounts for some of the draw the set once seems to have had. Its notable for its inclusion of a Bantha and "snitch" figures and as a possible pre-cursor of Kenner's Micro Collection which also featured posed metal miniatures. As the close-up images show, while not technically precise, the sculpting of these things exhibits a kind of quirky charm that is easy to appreciate. |
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| Description by: | Ron Salvatore |
| Photo: | Ron Salvatore |
| From the collection of: | Ron Salvatore |
| Country: | United States |
| Film: | A New Hope |
| Licensee: | Star Trek Galore |
| Year: | 1977 |
| Category: | Pewter Items |
