Hello,
As I mentioned in the BASA thread I have an unusual, Display arena piece. I got it just before C5 and took it there where no one had ever seen it before nor could they place the country of origin. The slip cover wraps around the box for the traditional ESB display arena, the instructions are different. The slip cover adverstises that it includes 2 figs, unfortunetly it came to me without any figs.

Any thoughts?


Thanks
Todd

Very interesting piece, Todd.

I have never seen that ROTJ sleeve before for the display arena.

Preproduction?

Very interesting piece. I haven't seen a ROTJ version before.

Thanks for sharing.

I had almost forgotten about this Todd and glad to see you bring it back up. I'd certainly love to see some more info surface on it as well. The lack of a Kenner logo on the wrapper certainly makes me think it could have been store made, but it is odd that it'd have a different instruction sheet though. Do you have a box to go with it? I'm curious of it isn't as thick where it should have 2 less display bases and cards.

Shawn,
The toy contents are identical as is the box. The only differences are the instruction sheet and the slip cover.

Todd

ToddG wrote:

Shawn,
The toy contents are identical as is the box. The only differences are the instruction sheet and the slip cover.

Todd

Oh okay. That's odd that the instructions were updated to say only two stands and two backdrops were included if it had all 4 like the mail away.

Could the ROTJ sleeve be fan made? Perhaps Kenner was planning to release a ROTJ version and this is as far as they came with it. One of a kind item?

It could be fan made, but my gut tells me it is not. Store produced would make more sense to me. I orginally posted this after C5 on rebelscum. http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1055435/


"So Here is what is different/what has been noted about the item
1. The outer packaging
No Kenner or other company logos on it, No Trademarks or Lucasfilm marks either
The unusual dots after Star Wars logo
ROTJ figs pictured
Advertises It came with 2 action figures (I did not receive these so not sure what or how they came)


2. The Instruction sheet
It states it only came with 2 bases and 2 backdrops, not 4 like the US version
No Kenner or other company logos on it, No Trademarks or Lucasfilm marks either
The use of Bullet Points on the instruction sheet
Inserted text advertising 2 figs, 2 bases and 2 Backdrops, and Collect all 4 for more fun
On the back the Removal of the Kenner we care info replaced by the Micro advertisement

The general thought is that it is Asian which matches up with how I got it. And that it was maybe a store produced/packaged item to move out old stock. When I received it YAOHAN was the store where it was thought to be purchased but 20 - 30 years can fog a memory.

Todd DeMartino seemed to have the most insight and it reminded him of an Asian Tie Bomber that also had a slip cover.


Does anyone have any info on it or the TIE Bomber in a slip cover?"

Shawn,
I remember 100% that the box was the same size, but I am not sure it came with 4 pieces now that you bring it up. It is packed away currently so I need to dig it out to check eventually. But we did examine the pieces and they were identical to the US kenner realieased versions, same for the backdrops.

Thanks
Todd

I totally forgot about this Todd! That's awesome!

I love the ROTJ themed photography.

Would it have been specific to a catalog mailer company? Like Wards or Sears or JC Penny's or something? That's kind of what it looks like to me at first blush.

I love how the logo not only looks like the Atari games, but also the 30th anniversary logo Hasbro used. I'd be interested to see the box as well.

This photo is really interesting:



Most notably the part at the bottom where it says "Collect four bases for more fun"

That kind of says mail order premium. Is there any possible way that this was a back in (kind of like a special offer) with one of the Micro Sets? Especially since it advertises the Micro Line?

How many bases came with the SW and ESB display arenas? I guess I was always under the impression that they came with four.

"The general thought is that it is Asian which matches up with how I got it. And that it was maybe a store produced/packaged item to move out old stock. When I received it YAOHAN was the store where it was thought to be purchased but 20 - 30 years can fog a memory"
& this might explain why I have 6 bases & 6 backdrops from my childhood. I also mention Yaohans in my TIG interview.

edit: looks like I had 7 bases & 6 backdrops :scratch:

mmm maybe it was 6 bases (this is my original childhood collection)


It will be interesting to find out if Todd's box has 2 or 4 bases

Good info James, I will try and dig out the box this weekend.

Thanks
Todd

Thats a really interesting Piece Todd!

Look forward to hearing more about it.


Liam

The logo seems to be taken from the Parker ESB video game...

So I dug it out and the box is the same size and construction as the standard mail away. It does only have 2 backdrops and 2 base pieces, and they are identical to the kenner ones.

@aussie James,

So what can you tell me about this Yoahans store. You reference your TIG interview?

Thanks
Todd

looks like I got my display arena as a purchase not a mailaway
Note the Robinson's price sticker.
One of 4 major Singapore Star Wars retailers (Metros, Tangs & Yaohan)
http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1079550-5/

Duuuuuuude! Now there's a promotional sticker I've never seen before Love it! Damn you, now there's another cardback I need to track down. I don't suppose you have a spare?

Is it a US cardback that it's on? Please don't say it's an Aussie one.

AJ that is one awesome Cardback there mate Congrats

AJ nice cardback with the Robinson's price sticker. I can't even find any down here in Singapore.

It is a US addressed cardback from my childhood collection

note the 'K' after 'Made in Hong Kong'
the punch is different to those without the 'K'


I don't think it's significant cos there are other cardbacks with different punches ie. 48C "Made in Hong Kong" has perforated punch hole above 'Collect all 48', "Made in Hong Kong K" has a 'smooth' punch hole that cuts through 'Collect all 48'
& HT vs HG

etc.....

unfortunately I don't have a spare Dax. But I am pretty excited to work out how I got the display arena as a child in Singapore yet it wasn't available as a mail away. I guess this cardback & Todd's boxed example prooves these display arenas were available for purchase from stores.

ToddG wrote:

A happy coincidence, I have one like this and I bought it in Malaysia back in August 1983. They were packaged and sold with 2 carded Return Of The Jedi action figures. Will post up pictures of mine later

I recall one of my carded figures is the ROTJ 65 back Star Destroyer Commander which I have since liberated from his plastic bubble back in the day!

Ok so this is all very interesting and I have a hypothesis, I am assuming that Yoahans, Robinsons, Metros, Tangs, are like the US Stores Sears, Jc Penney, Montgomery Ward, back in the day. So standard retailers, with brick and morter and a mail order catalog, etc.


So when I bought my display arena it was thought to be purchased at Yoahans a number of years ago. Looking at AJ cardback my guess is that the display arena was available for purchase at one or more of the 4 stores above. I think the price is blacked out so, the offer would have read

"Only $x.xx with purchase of 3 action figures Star wars display arena"

I believe this because the other black out is on the price tag, probably a gift for young AJ and they did not want him to see the price.


So my best guess is that around the release of Jedi, some or all of these stores, or the overall area distributorship, had access to the Display arena, since you could not mail away for it in that area, hence the white sticker covering the offers on some cards as seen in the Kellerman book. (I need to double check that an example exists on a Display Arena Card).

So the stores came up with marketing pieces to help sell the items, who would want to buy a plain brown box, they had to spice it up a little hence the slip cover. It was never available at retail in the US so no need for it here. The reason to split of the set, and the inclusion of 2 figures would also support this theory, trying to make it more desirable.



It also makes sense in that we know some of the same stores, Metro, Robinsons, Tangs, and Yoahans, also have the Singapore Star Wars Fan club sticker applied to them. See thread below for example.

http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1079550/

Again another offer not available in the US probably used by the stores or the distributor to help move product and spice up the line.



What do you guys think, feel free to shoot holes or play devils advocate.

Thanks
Todd G

Chancellor_Peter wrote:

ToddG wrote:

A happy coincidence, I have one like this and I bought it in Malaysia back in August 1983. They were packaged and sold with 2 carded Return Of The Jedi action figures. Will post up pictures of mine later

Very interested in seeing another, this is the only one I have ever seen?

THanks
Todd