Sunday, December 2, 2007

Mini Boglins

Mini Boglins

Name of Toy Line: Mini Boglins
Production Company: Ideal
Distributor: Seven Towns
Years of Production: 1991 - 1994
Countries/Regions Available: UK, Italy
Size/Scale: Approximately 1"
Figure Trade Markings: none
Approximate # of Figures: Hundreds

Details: In 1991 Mini Boglins were released, as the name suggests miniature solid plastic versions of the original latex puppets. The line consisted of 36 sculpts split in to 6 equal groups, The Clumsies, The Freaks, The Greedies, The Jokers, The Rude Dudes and The Tough Guys. Each figure was originally available in blue, brown, yellow, grey, orange and dark green. Each group had a 'Cheif' bearing 3 horns that was available in all basic colors plus silver and a 'Pathfinder' also available in black. These black figures have been found in the normal softer plastic and also a rigid hard plastic.

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An example of 1991 packaging:

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The 1991 packaging had some very cool artwork on the back:

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1992 saw some big changes in the Mini Boglins line. Sculpts were available in more colors and a further two tribes were added, The Disgustings and The Army Guys. Each group was given a 7th member: The 'Scout', a new sculpt also available as 'glow in the dark'! They can be found in two variations, one with a green was one with a lilac wash, it is currently unknown if the two versions were available simultaneously or if they were introduced at different times.

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The Chiefs were also now available in gold:

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An example of 1992 single figure blind packaging:

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And the box stores displayed them in:

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And the 1992 20-figure box:

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If 1992 was big for Mini Boglins1994 was HUGE! Iniatialy two new tribes were added, now designed and sculpted by Timothy Young, the Medievals and The Prehistorics. A further 8th sculpt was added to each of the 10 tribes and some of the original sculpts were dropped and replaced with new ones. One member of each group was now known as The 'Spy' and was available in black like the original Pathfinders.

Then Mini Boglins changed from the original boxes and single blind packs to blister packs of 3 & 5 and even changed their name to Mini Boglins Tribes!

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Two further tribes were introduced: The Rare Dudes (an assortment of sculpts from other tribes) and the Samurai:

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Still in 1994, 4 new sculpts were introduced and these were exclusive to either the Mini Boglins Board Game based around a slime filled toilet or the slime filled toilet that was available stand alone. To date I have only seen these sculpts in bright blue and yellow. Packaging suggests they were also available in a slime filled skull but I have yet to see one. Here's pictures from the packaging of all three:

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The blister packs also showed a 12-pack of caged boglins and a mail-away offer for the cage on its own:

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If all that isn't enough in 1994 8 new sculpts were released (I told you 1994 was HUGE!) as premiums exclusively available in Kellogs Frosties (UK only). This new tribe known as the Cool Dudes were slightly smaller than standard Mini Boglins. Each sculpt was available in various neon colors and you may even have been lucky enough to find a limited edition GOLD (colored) Mini Boglin!

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You will notice the similarity of some of these figures to original 1991 sculpts:

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Here's a peek at yet another Mini Boglins store display.

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Related Web sites

Mini Boglins Color Information Archive

Mini Boglins @ Yowie Maggi

Wolfgang's Mini Boglins Collectors Archive

Timothy Young's Creatures and Characters

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

OH! I have a mini-boglins mail away cage, it came with my Action! Boglin "Spit" who was on sold to me not on a blister card but in a box reminiscent of how 1980's plush toys were sometimes sold.

I always wondered why the boglin never fit inside it just right, and now I know. Thanks for indirectly clearing this mystery up. :-D

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