| Unlicensed Ceramic Large-Size Figures | |
| When it comes to bootleg toys, the small action figures get all the love. But bootlegs of Kenner's vintage large-size figures are pretty tough to come by. So I was pretty chuffed upon discovering these ceramic replicas of several pieces from that line.
First up is Darth Vader, probably the most elaborate of the four figures I've obtained. The body, of course, is a near-exact duplicate of the licensed Kenner product, but the cape is totally unique. It flows all around the figure, Vader's hands being posed so as to appear to hold it open. Of course, it's impossible to make a mold of a cloth cape, which means that whoever made this thing had to sculpt it themselves, probably out of clay, then make a mold of figure plus its newly sculpted cape. The figure stands on a textured base, which is large enough to sustain its substantial bulk. In case you're wondering, no, you can't screw off his helmet an drink brandy out of him.
What would a Vader figure be without a Luke for him to chase after? Like the Vader, this item appears to have been cast directly from a Kenner large-size figure that had been modified with sculpted clothing. As you can see, the lightsaber accessory has been incorporated into the item as well.
Here you see two different Chewbacca figures, both drawn from the Kenner original. The one on the left is quite similar to the Vader in terms of weight and casting quality. The other is substantially cruder, though whoever made it went through the trouble of repositioning Chewie's arms so that they were capable of grasping his bowcaster in a natural manner. The other Chewie appears to have once had a weapon in his right hand, but it's broken off.
What have we here?! It's the only other figure in this "line" that I'm aware of, a nicely elegant representation of Princess Leia. Unfortunately, I don't own an example; I snapped this shot on a visit to mega collector Steve Sansweet's Rancho Obi-Wan. Obviously, this one is unfinished. I'd love to get my hands on one! Check out our special feature on unlicensed ceramics here |
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| Description by: | Ron Salvatore |
| Photo: | Ron Salvatore |
| From the collection of: | Ron Salvatore, Steve Sansweet |
| Country: | United States |
| Film: | A New Hope |
| Licensee: | Unlicensed |
| Year: | 1977 |
| Category: | Ceramics / Figurines |
