Safari Ltd and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History Part Company
It has been announced that Safari Ltd, the American figure and model manufacturer, has ended its twenty-eight year collaboration with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Collectibles range is to be retired. This means that the scale model series known as the Carnegie Collectibles will be coming to an end. First marketed in 1988, the Carnegie Collectibles range has featured a number of iconic dinosaur figures, the 1:10 scale feathered Velociraptor model, which arrived at Everything Dinosaur’s website just a few weeks ago, will be the last of this series to have been introduced.
The Carnegie Collectibles Feathered Velociraptor Model
Available from Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Safari Ltd
Carnegie Collectibles Range
The hand-painted replicas have been a staple for dinosaur fans and model collectors alike. Each figure was authenticated by palaeontologists at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and this model series had been described as “the world’s premier line of scale model dinosaur figures.”
Alexandre Pariente (CEO of Safari Ltd) commented:
“We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Carnegie, so this was a very difficult decision. We are proud of the value created through this cooperative effort over the years for our Carnegie Dinosaurs line. We took our time and carefully analysed Safari’s direction and ultimately concluded that Carnegie and Safari have divergent interests and it made sense for us to part ways. We wish Carnegie will in its future endeavours.”
Wild Safari Dinos
In contrast to the limited numbers of new models introduced under the Carnegie Collectibles banner, the Wild Safari Dinos range, had four new additions, this year, including the highly acclaimed Yutyrannus replica, which joins an ever growing list of theropod replicas within this series. For example, a new interpretation of Suchomimus was added in 2014 along with an award winning Monolophosaurus dinosaur model.
The Feathered Yutyrannus (Y. huali) Part of the Wild Safari Dinos Model Range
Available from Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Safari Ltd
Wild Safari Prehistoric World Figures
Safari Ltd have stated that they are moving forward and exploring new opportunities, including the potential to work with other museums and educational institutions that have significant prospects for growth and the potential to add value to the educational marketplace.
CEO Alexandre Pariente went onto add:
“While Safari Ltd very much appreciates the years of great collaboration with Carnegie in creating the best quality figurines that helped teach children around the globe about dinosaurs we’re not looking back.”
We imagine that there will be even greater emphasis place on the Wild Safari Dinos range and we at Everything Dinosaur are already anticipating a number of new releases in this line in 2016.
Production has ended for the Carnegie Collectibles range, which means that stocks will soon run out. Collectors and dinosaur fans therefore, only have a short window of opportunity to purchase any models that they have not yet acquired.
Everything Dinosaur Comments
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:
“We do understand the reasons for the relationship between these two fine organisations coming to an end. However, we know how committed Safari Ltd are to the production of fine quality, hand-painted prehistoric animal models and we, as long-term partners of Safari Ltd look forward to working with them even closer over the next few years.”
Everything Dinosaur has stocks of this model range and a further shipment is due in shortly, but once they’re gone, they’re gone!
To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of Carnegie Collectible prehistoric animal replicas: Safari Ltd. Wild Safari Prehistoric Animal Figures.
This is quite a sad moment as this line has been with us for almost three decades, and had, until recently, shown a continual improvement. It will doubtlessly continue to be a staple in used toy bins for years to come. For a very long time, it has been the “go to” dino line with an extensive line-up available. Sadly, they had reduced their output to two, then one per year. Now none. Unlike CollectA,the Carnegie team seemed highly resistant to suggestions from the fan base and the 2014 T-Rex, a crudely painted, tripod tail-dragger, was a death-blow, disappointing many.Fortunately CollectA appears to have stepped into the breach and will replace and superceed not only Carnegie Safari, but also Schleich, because of their talented, creative,design team that is open to constructive criticism.
[…] line of dinosaur figures. By now many dinosaur collectors will have heard that, as of March 2015, the twenty-eight year collaboration between the Carnegie museum and Safari toys has come to an end, and the figures will no longer be manufactured. So if you want to buy some Carnegie figures new, […]
[…] That Dilophosaurus was one of the first Safari Carnegie Collection dinosaurs I brought home. Even if you don’t recognize the name, you’ve probably seen these dinosaurs. They’ve been museum gift shop staples for almost three decades, and, despite many competitors, they’ve been the must-have dinosaur models for fossil fans. I’ve collected a few, given them as gifts to paleo friends, and even used them in one of my science fair projects long, long ago, and that’s why I’m sad to hear that Safari is ending their Carnegie line. […]
Will Safari Ltd.release more sculpts for the Wild Safari line in 2016 or replacing the Carnegie Collection with another series?
From what we understand Safari Ltd will focus on making more models in the not to scale Wild Safari Dinos range. There are no plans at the moment to replace the Carnegie Collection with another scale model series, but the senior management have not ruled out working in partnership with other museums in the future.
Do you have the Carnegie Ichthyosaurs.
The Carnegie Ichthyosaurus model, the one with the ammonite in its mouth was withdrawn some years ago. I am sorry but this figure is no longer in production.