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Desk top model companies
« Thread Started on May 1, 2010, 3:41pm »

OK, I'm trying to get my head around the world of desktop models but I'm getting confused trying to distinguish between companies, lines, and distributers.

Here is how I have broken it down so far, can anybody confirm if this is correct?

--------

Company: Sideshow
Desk Top Line: Dinosauria

Company: Dinostoreus
Desk Top Line: Dinostoreus (includes skulls, skeletons and life restorations)

Company: Favorite Co. Ltd.
Desk Top Line 1. Kinto/Favorite (this line also includes non-desktop figures)
Desk Top Line 2. Mike Trcic
Several other unnamed lines or one off pieces.

-----

For example, is Kinto the same company as Favorite Co. Ltd or is it just the name of the line? If Kinto is the line name, then is Favorite another name for the same line, or just the company name, or both?

Yes, I'm a pedant.

Thanks!

« Last Edit: May 1, 2010, 3:42pm by Dinotoyforum »

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #1 on May 1, 2010, 9:25pm »

I've always been puzzled by "Dinostoreus". I'd say it's identical with Favorite, maybe only Favorite's subcompany in the U.S.?

Dinostoreus.com also carries the Favorite desktop models we're all familiar with:
http://www.dinostoreus.com/finished.html
By the way - I have 11 of these skull models now and it was always "Favorite" on the box.
And I'd say that the so-called "Flavio supervised models" (Archaeopteryx, Scipionyx and Compsognathus) are a third desktop line.
A fourth would be the "Scene models" (Brachiosaurus life scene, Tyrannosaurus & Edmontosaurus, Duel of Triceratops).

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #2 on May 1, 2010, 9:39pm »

I believe that Favorite and Dinostoreus used to be sister companies, but then split.

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #3 on May 2, 2010, 1:10am »

That's correct. I talked with Troy from DinoStoreus and here's what he had to say:

"Regarding Favorite, you are partially correct. Actually, the Favorite Collection was produced by our sister company in Japan, and was intended to be sold overseas (mainly Europe and Asia), while the DinoStoreus brand was intended for the US market. However, there was a distributor importing the Favorite line into the US, and that's where the confusion began. We are the manufacturer and distributor of the DinoStoreus brand, and they can be purchased directly from us or from a number of our retailers throughout the US. We have never offered the Favorite Collection brand models, although both brands share many of the same sculpts. While both brands were originally produced in the same factory, there were subtle differences between the two, mainly in the painting, and of course in the packaging. For example, the DinoStoreus Skulls and Skeletons were all done in the brown color finish, with the red-mahogany color wood base, like your Apatosaurus, whereas the Favorite line offered many of the skulls and skeletons only in a black color (as was the case with their Apatosaurus). They also always used a dark chocolate brown color wood base for their skulls and skeletons, so that's how you could tell them apart. As far as I know, most of the Favorite product line has been discontinued by Favorite Co., including the entire Skeleton series, with only a handful of the Skulls and Finished Models remaining. We have not discontinued any of the DinoStoreus products, and at this time have no intentions to do so. Also the products are no longer produced in the same factory and the two companies are no longer affiliated.

We do have some new items in development. One is a large Triceratops Skull at 1/4 scale, to go along with our large T.rex Skull. We have also created some new Framed Art pieces based on our skull models (using just the skull buried within the rock instead of the entire skeleton). And we have a Pteranodon Finished Model in the works. We hope to introduce some of these items by the end of summer. Right now, our primary focus is to get all our inventory back up, as we are out-of-stock on many items due to some manufacturing issues, which thankfully have now been resolved."

That said, I live in the US and have had absolutely no problems with DinoStoreus. Their products have always arrived in perfect condition - and their customer service rocks, too. Hope this helps.

~ Michael

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #4 on May 3, 2010, 5:06am »

Also, Favorite was formerly known as Kinto, and is still popularly known as such. For this reason, I often refer to them as "Kinto Favorite", though they seem to prefer calling themselves "Favorite Co. of Japan" or somesuch.

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #5 on May 3, 2010, 3:32pm »

I used to call them 'Kinto Favorite' based on the witterings of you guys

but call them Favorite now. All the Favorite stuff I've bought makes no mention of Kinto.

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #6 on May 17, 2010, 1:00pm »

May 2, 2010, 1:10am, darko2300 wrote:

That's correct. I talked with Troy from DinoStoreus and here's what he had to say:

"Regarding Favorite, you are partially correct. Actually, the Favorite Collection was produced by our sister company in Japan, and was intended to be sold overseas (mainly Europe and Asia), while the DinoStoreus brand was intended for the US market. However, there was a distributor importing the Favorite line into the US, and that's where the confusion began. We are the manufacturer and distributor of the DinoStoreus brand, and they can be purchased directly from us or from a number of our retailers throughout the US. We have never offered the Favorite Collection brand models, although both brands share many of the same sculpts. While both brands were originally produced in the same factory, there were subtle differences between the two, mainly in the painting, and of course in the packaging. For example, the DinoStoreus Skulls and Skeletons were all done in the brown color finish, with the red-mahogany color wood base, like your Apatosaurus, whereas the Favorite line offered many of the skulls and skeletons only in a black color (as was the case with their Apatosaurus). They also always used a dark chocolate brown color wood base for their skulls and skeletons, so that's how you could tell them apart. As far as I know, most of the Favorite product line has been discontinued by Favorite Co., including the entire Skeleton series, with only a handful of the Skulls and Finished Models remaining. We have not discontinued any of the DinoStoreus products, and at this time have no intentions to do so. Also the products are no longer produced in the same factory and the two companies are no longer affiliated.

We do have some new items in development. One is a large Triceratops Skull at 1/4 scale, to go along with our large T.rex Skull. We have also created some new Framed Art pieces based on our skull models (using just the skull buried within the rock instead of the entire skeleton). And we have a Pteranodon Finished Model in the works. We hope to introduce some of these items by the end of summer. Right now, our primary focus is to get all our inventory back up, as we are out-of-stock on many items due to some manufacturing issues, which thankfully have now been resolved."

That said, I live in the US and have had absolutely no problems with DinoStoreus. Their products have always arrived in perfect condition - and their customer service rocks, too. Hope this helps.

~ Michael

This is great news! I spoke to troy about two years ago when I ordered my allosaurus. They were also working on a marine reptile possibly liopleurodon.

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Re: Desk top model companies
« Reply #7 on Jun 16, 2011, 1:42am »

Kinto is the OLD name for Favorite, when they were not producing toys really. Always refer to them as Favorite Co Ltd.

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