The infamous Meeko, companion to Pocahontas in the Disney animated feature.
The infamous Meeko, companion to Pocahontas in the Disney animated feature.
On the left is the lesser known "Meeka", who is even more seductive in luring one to trouble. Here she is whispering sordid things in Meeko's ear -- suggestions that should not be made to such close kin.
Toys 'R' Us
Mattel
Disney
More of the masked bandits sneaking out of the depths of the night. Be especially watchful for the soulful eyes of the street urchin asking to be picked up... He's likely to be a decoy while the other picks your pockets!
"Urchin": Toys 'R' Us Soft Classics (off brand manufacturer)
"Pick Pocket": Fiesta Concession Corp.
Yet another masked bandit -- rather young and inexperienced -- with his mentor, an older and wiser 'coon.
Bandit: Cascade puppet
Elder: Kosen Studio-haus (now a part of Bear Street as I recall)
The name tag says "Ronnie", but with a face like that, I'm sure her name is "Veronica".
Dakin Huggables (Applause)
Renatta Ramona is one of the Ranger Gus and his Forest Friends collection. She's been watching too many Schwartzenegger movies; besides speaking her name (with a heavy trill on the "r"), her pet phrase is "Hasta la vista, baby".
RNR, Inc.
"All your trash... Is Mine"
Folkmanis Folktails puppet
A young raccoon, she appears to be concerned about her future.
Racoon: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
A close relative from the US Southwest and Central America, this nosy fellow is a coatimundi.
Racoon: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
No, this is not Chester.
While not a masked bandit, he feels his tail should earn him a place in the pack. He's a cacomistle, also known as a miner's cat, or a ringtail (sometimes seen as a ringtail cat, but he's not a feline).
Cacomistles and coatimundis are in the overall procyonid family, along with the kinkajou.
Ringtail: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
My apologies for the distraction of the paper tags still attached to these, at least they came out of the boxes for the portraits.
| Folks! I've received many emails asking me for information as to a store from which to purchase copies of the British Bears series. All of mine were obtained from a gift shop located on a small RAF station, during work-related TDY trips. The gift shop was no longer in business during my last such TDY (summer 2002). I have been unable to locate a web presence for the manufacturer, nor have I found alternate distributors or retail chains which carry them. |
Buckingham Bear (on right), and King Bear
Balmoral Bear
Bobby Bear, and Bomber Bear.
Queen Bear, and Black Knight Bear (something must be afoot, does the King know?)
Buckingham, King, Balmoral, Bobby, Bomber, Queen, and Black Knight: British Bears
Sweet Dreams (A Division of Rexard Enterprises Ltd.)
Worthing, West Sussex, England
The gift given, a few years ago, to sponsors of Conifur Northwest.
Dayton-Hudson (Yangjee Ind., Co., Ltd.)
Booker the Bear. A 2004 special offer from Borders Books. He is also an example of violating the first rule of portrait photography: Focus on the eyes!
Borders Books (Gund)
While masked, this villain belongs to a different gang than the many raccoons. In fact, this one, a Black Footed Ferret, is nearly extinct in its natural habitat.
Douglas Cuddle Toys
Another pair of light-fingered ferrets, more the domestic kind.
Floyd (standing):
Feria (on all-fours): Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
This pair, both variants of the Giant Anteater, have a tendency to poke their noses (and long tongues) into places they don't belong.
Grey: Douglas Cuddle Toys.
Brown: Folkmanis FolkTails puppet
He may by shaggy, but he is not dirty! Goes by the name: Ziggurat. If you are still wondering, he's a rat.
Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
Merely a meerkat. At least there isn't a crude warthog companion (yet?)
Meerkat: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
A squirmy River Otter trying to get into the Ferret's fun.
Otter: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
Another River Otter, this one is still wet from a swim.
Otter: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
Is it Rikki-Tikki-Tavi? A long-tailed mongoose stands watch.
Mongoose: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
Looks like this one needed to be more watchful.Dinner, anyone?
Rikki-Tikki-Roadkill: Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
This lion's roar is much more impressive than his bite. If he looks a touch depressed, it may be because the old fellow is toothless.
Lion: Folkmanis Folktails puppet
A Flying Fox, aka a Fruit Bat
Flying Fox: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
An honored visitor from Japan. I'm afraid she doesn't trust me, and kept an eye on me all during the filming. She may have a good reason, as I was rude enough to count her tails. Only one, she's quite young for a Kitsune.
Keiko: Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
Fearsome Egyptian God of the Dead, or just a Misunderstood Puppy-dog? Anubis comes to pay court to Keiko.
Anubis: Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
From the American Southwest comes a rival to Anubis, none other than the old Trickster, Coyote. Will Keiko choose the somber Anubis, or the fool Coyote? Personally, I'm rooting for Anubis.
Dances With RoadRunners: Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
One of the many children of Coyote, this toothsome fellow is laughing at the games the Mythologicals play.
Coyote: Hand-made by
Stuffe & Nonsense
39120 Argonaut Way #310
Fremont, CA 94538-1304
The Big Bad Wolf reveals his tender side here, standing protective watch over his mate.
Yes, she is as young as her face indicates. Much too young for her condition. Apparently some randy male caught her alone in her first year. BBW has since adopted her and her future cubs even though they are not his.
BBW: Folkmanis FolkTails puppet.
Mate: UNIPAK International; via some nature oriented (Serengetti, etc.) catalog. She has two cubs in a zippered belly pouch
Equal time must be given to the ladies.
This domestic husky greets you with a happy tongue, and then steals your heart when you turn around.
Lucky Plush Toys Inc.
838 W. California Ave.
Sunnyvale CA 94087
Another heart-stealer, but this time she is of the forest nobility.
Douglas Cuddle Toys
We also have the juvenile delinquents.
These grey wolf cubs are relatively benign at present -- but wait until they grow up to fill those paws!
Folkmanis FolkTails puppet
Hand puppet: K&M International, for The National Geographic Society
Another troublesome juvenile delinquent. He has a record of disturbing the peace with his sharp and loud yips.
Folkmanis FolkTails puppet
The girls aren't innocent either... Here we have two of them starting up a vixen gang.
Arctic: © 1993 K&M International Inc.
Red: Toys 'R' Us Soft Classics
(Dakin)
Not all of the girls have evil girlish minds, here is the Arctic fox's sister, looking all worried about the great world waiting outside her den.
Curled-up Arctic: © 1993 K&M International Inc.
This fellow with the relaxed and pleased look claims to be a collie. Don't tell him he's smaller than some Shetland Sheepdogs.
Collie: Kosen Studio-haus
Here he is, the carriage dog who should be protecting me and my possessions from these many miscreants.
Where is he?
He hides out in the other room, out of sight of the bunch living in my bedroom. Perhaps the fact that he had been neutered prior to my adopting him took the aggressiveness out of him?
Avanti
© 1989 Applause Inc.
® Jockline, Italy
Limited/Numbered Edition: 120/6000
For some reason this, rather rare, Bat-eared Fox, refused to look at the camera. Perhaps afraid of how big it would make his ears seem?
Bat-eared Fox: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
Willamina Wolf is one of the Ranger Gus and his Forest Friends collection. Given the accent, I'd say this is a wolf in drag.
RNR, Inc.
Fabian Fox is another of the Ranger Gus and his Forest Friends collection. I have to keep him on the other side of the room from the vixen gang. After all, would you trust your daughters to someone who introduces himself with the line: "Hi! I'm Fabian Fox. Would you like a café au lait?
RNR, Inc.
This blood-shot and resigned-looking fellow must be an endangered Spanish wolf. His name's Raoul.
Lou Rankin Friends Collection (Applause)
A young Bernese Mountain Dog.
Animal Alley Purebred Collection (Geoffrey, Inc. for Toys'R'Us)
Another young wolf
Wolf cub: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
A wolf with wings? Apparently even wolves are allowed in...
Unknown source: I suspect the wings are custom additions to a commercial product.
One of the most dangerous critters in the world. A bored Border Collie puppy.
Folmanis Folktails puppet
A Big Red Fox (near life-sized, I'd say)
Red Fox: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
Dreaming the Impossible Dream... Don Coyote de la Mancha.
Folmanis Folktails puppet
A lounging Arctic Fox. She's still not used to the California weather, and was shedding her winter coat when I took her home.
Arctic Fox: Hansa Toy (imported by Thomas Bolland & Co. Inc.)
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Views from left and right of the shooting camera (these were taken with a Canon G-2, with forced fill flash to overcome the extreme contrast from the 600W lamp). The umbrella is actually a black outer surface, with a second silvered inner surface, and still glows purple from light getting through it. |
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© 1999-2007 Dennis Lee Bieber