About Us

How it all began

In the year 2005...
in a quiet little town called Denver the residents were sad. They did not know they were sad, of course, but there was something missing ... a hole in the town. They tried to fill the hole with love, but love couldn't fill the hole. They tried turtles, big heavy bowling balls, gigantic jack-o-lanterns, and even fermented cheese .... but nothing could fill the hole.

Then one day two heroes woke up from a power nap and decided to open a designer toy store. The residents rejoiced! This was exactly what the town needed. Now the entire town is happy, people hold hands on Saturdays and no one ever yells at strangers from car windows because that is just rude!

OWNERS:

Deanna Webb is former gallery owner of the infamous South Broadway establishment - 8 OZ FRED, who now spends most of her time at the Plastic Chapel convincing the world, it would be a better place if everyone had at least one toy at their home, in the car, on the desk, even on your zipper or the pets' collars ....
just about anywhere a toy can go ......
She also is a very modest artist , whom - again is always convincing the world that everyone should have art, especailly on thier walls of their homes and places of work and/or liesure !

Dave Wendt is a former do gooder - man o' many hats : clothing design, industrial design, set/production design, graphic artist, glass blower, welder, but spends most of his long day toiling over a computer making arial photography look pretty for the government.
When hes not day-dreaming of the next career path to embark on - he likes to hang with his girl and his dogs.

HISTORY OF DESIGNER TOYS

The precise beginning for Designer Toys is clouded by speculation, controversy, and hearsay...
Sometime just before the new millennium (around '95) a new retail niche was being formed...
.... In the mid nineties small independent clothing companies were sprouting up in record numbers worldwide. Many of these small independent designers, in order to compete would open lifestyle boutiques stocking a mix of cutting edge clothing, collector shoes, jewelry and accessories from top global brands ... In Hong Kongs Shibuya-ku shopping district, where boutiques of all kinds crowd together in a huge high-rise structure, it is very difficult to distinguish oneself among all the boutiques...
*Kid Hunter, arguably the first urban vinyl figure, was this distinguishing marketing strategy.

Hikaru Iwanagas hardcore/punk/goth inspired lifestyle brand Bounty Hunter offers a full range of hoodies, jackets, t-shirts and accessories. The main store in Tokyo was the birthplace for the Kid Hunter figure, a kid dressed in pirate clothes, reminiscent of Capt Crunch and/or other cereal box icons from childhood. So this little bucktooth, saluting pirate figure (about 4 to 6 inches high) was a goody bag extra, when you purchased a specific limited tee shirt from Bounty Hunter. The marketing worked great, Bounty Hunter has maintained their place as not only a leading designer for clothing, but now (still) one of the most sought after urban vinyl figure designers worldwide. The popularity of the toy was incredible, now the figure that originally cost around 50 us, now can fetch up to 500 (tenfold appreciation, better than most investment return) in the secondary market (EBAY).Recently {speaking of Capt Crunch, BXH has just released the Capt. Bounce figure again with a pirate mitif, its almost an exsact replica of Capn Crunch that we all know.

Bounty Hunter made a huge contribution to the industry, but many had similar ideas, and many worldwide where somehow plugged into this new art form.

Some time later in 97/98 James Jarvis designed a toy “ Martin" for the London fashion label - Silas. James had met directors, Sofia Prantera and Russell Waterman years earlier at Slam City Skate shop (where they all hung out ). When Sofia and Russell left Slam City to start Silas, they looked to James to create “Martin" to promote the new company.” Martin” went on to prove a great strategy, and James designed 5 more figures for Silas, before going out onto his own. Amos Novelties was started around 2003 and went on to produce some of the most sought after, and original individual character figures. The Monsterism Series now in its fourth series or eight if you count all the series 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 etc... and the other lucrative “Vortigerns Machine and the Great Sage of Wisdom” a graphic novel is accompanied by a great series of limited edition vinyl figures designed by James Jarvis , this time produced by the bay area company StrangeCo. Other Amos Novelties: the In Crowd" series are sets of 6 to 8 , 4" to 5" figures that come in their own individual window boxes, encased within an outer diorama set box. With influences of Music, and other pop culture, he creates a community of characters that inhabit his made up world were you can find a motorcycle gang, house of horror monsters, punk rockers, young ruffians, warriors from all ages, rockers, wrestlers, a psychedelic band, and even office workers ( a promotional toy he design especially for Nokia). James first large scale figure was King Ken the iconic gorilla that Amos has gone on to create at least 7 different variants, but all equally valuable and sought after by collectors and kids alike.

Early Silas toys where manufactured by Medicom, a very important and integral company in the designer art toy movement. In 1995, the Japanese firm Medicom toy set the bar for creating a unique product with a high attention to detail, among toy companies that all created toys in mass production. How special or valuable is something, no matter the context if produced over and over? Creative Director Narue Oka knew this and put special emphasis on the vinyl figure as a series, for the first time: all based on the same or similar shape, readily modifiable through the printing process, and detachable accessories. Calling them Kubrick, (some have said in ode to the film director) saying the Lego-like figures where cube or brick (cubebrick) which was soon followed by the equally popular Be@rbrick series (Kubrick body with a bear like head). The surface design, and the series of characters was now the focus, not the actual figure, so now the focus was the contents of the canvas, not the canvas itself ... Kubrick and Be@rbrick figures now number into to the thousands as far as different artist and variations, but still all are made with a smaller production run with collectors in mind. Of each series, each figure within the series are not produced equally, ratios where added to the series to add excitement and collect ability.

Toys sold with a ratio marking are known as Blind Box toys. Like sports card, or other collectable cards (Wacky Packs where a childhood favorite) the hunt to find the rare card, or to complete the set, becomes part of the draw. The chase for that one figure, thus the Chase Figure", or: the figures in a series that have a very small ratio. For example: a figure with a 1/24 or 2/24, means that 1 or 2 out of 24 figures in a case, that figure will occur/appear, and is a common figure. Chase figures come in ratios: like 1/48, or 1/96, and 1/400, and ratios like, that the value is extremely volatile yet always maintaining a higher price than the original purchase. After Medicoms Kubrick and Be@rbrick figures, came many great platform toy series. A very notable company is Toy2R, founder Raymond Choy, after five years after opening and running his own vinyl shop in Hong Kong, decided to make his own toys. In 2001 he commissioned Stephen Lee to design the now infamous Qee figure. Within just a short few years, Raymonds Toy2R - Qee figure had grown to a comparable size army, closely matching the numbers of its biggest competition Be@rbricks and Kubricks. I must point out here that toy companies are really more peers, or a community than considering each other competition. Early Qee shapes included the bear, and the Egg (which had a removable body, revealing the common Qee body which they all share). Qee figures are based loosely on animals with human characteristics: the new Bunny Qee, Piggy, MonQee / Monkey, Cat, Dog, original bear, and Egg, and Toyer - the skull head icon and logo for Toy2R. The Baby Qee is another platform toy, but is in a sitting position, with an oversized head, again with the familiar selection of head shapes, but oversized compared to the body. All platform toys come in a few different size choices. Kubrick, Be@rbrick and Qee have 100%, 400%, And 1000% sizes: 100% = 3" standard size BLIND BOX, 400% = 12+ inches, only certain designs, usually previously released in a series, will be produced in the 400% larger size, people love large toys, more art! Much larger still, and costing from 200 to 6000 USD are the coveted 1000%: usually about 4 foot tall, and extremely Limited, usually only 50 to 100 produced!

Similar to blind box, Shokugan (candy toy) and gashapon (capsule toy) - great detailed miniature toys that are found throughout Japan. Known as shokugan (food and toy), they are very popular, yet very hard to find outside of Japan. Often sold in vending machines, Shokugan and gashapon are usually based on anime, or other character based pop-culture. Realistic miniatures of food items and vehicles from future, past, and present are very popular too. Companies like Sanrio, Bandai, Furatu and Tomy often release series monthly, just to keep up with the demand.

Another phenomenon of the designer toy movement, usually done on platform toys specifically.... is the DIY or Customs genre. Raymond Chow (Toy2R) recognizing the power of the platform toy created a completely new art form arena, and another way for artist to create, and get their work out to a new audience. The 400% or 8" version of Qees come in a box, that can then be sent back to Toy2R Headquarters, and judged whether it is entered in one of many annual traveling Qee shows, and possibly ending up being produced as an actual production figure in a series. Some artists have gone on to create an entire series such as Frank Koziks Anarchy series, Joe Ledbetters toxic swamp series, and James Marshalls (AKA DLAEK) Spacebots. Since then other companies have followed suit and produce other new blind box platform series, like KidRobots extremely popular Dunny series, designed by Tristan Eaton, and KR Founder Paul Bunditz. KidRobot then went as far as designing a figure the Munny, which will always and only be a DIY toy, or a toy thats only purpose is to be a canvas. After the Munny, many variations on the platform have come along, with fairly well received success. Worldwide designers and artist like Flying Fortress with their street art icon the Teddy Troop figure. Jumungo and their Blow Up Dolls, and Nades 3" and 8´figures with either a grenade or a round bomb with a fuse, and holding a matchstick. Singapore design company Play Imaginative, also the publisher of the now defunct PLAY magazine, produces the very innovative Trexi series, which has a unique turning head design, and in the 12" versions, a 3" toy is stashed away inside the hollow round head. More and more customizable figures are being released, and artists have often used other toys not meant for customizing as canvases as well.

Most people will tell you that Hong Kong artists like Michael Lau, Jason Sui, and Eric So are the real founders of this new art form. It is true that these artists took 12" figures much like GI JOE and molded, then casting their own stylized heads and other detailed accessories. They sewed the clothing, mold and cast scaled shoes (Dunks, addidas, and other fresh kicks), and other trendy duds for these new creations. After customizing a number of these figures, they would go to the local toy and comic conventions and would sell out almost instantly. After about two or three years of continued success, all of these artists have gone on their own to create their own Urban Vinyl" figures. Usually characterized by the stylistic facial features, pop culture and hip hop references, and an all around attitude: the Urban" vinyl figure was born. Other companies like Dragon, Takara, Medicoms RAH (Real Action Hero), and superstar toy designers Brothers Worker (AKA - Brothers Robber, Brothers Free) have continued in this niche with highly detailed, downright epic pieces of human characters from history, film, fantasy, and future. Known for their construction worker themed series of figures, Brothersfree has earned international acclaim among toy collectors and designers alike for their immaculate workmanship, detail and design style (their most anticipated Brothersrobber figure comes with miniature bills, printed and bound!) Arguably one of Hong Kongs most respected designer toymakers, long time friends, Kenny Wong, Winson Ma and William Tsang, continue to push the envelope with their creations - including collaborative work with Levis and lifestyle label, FX Creations.

Often overlooked by the designer toy community is the amazing selection of plush toys that have come from all corners of the earth, and by all types of creative individuals. Companies like Uglydoll, Friends With You, and select others have cornered the market for simple, yet extremely original and unique plush toys, that appeal to boys and girls of all ages (and our dogs ,and cats too). Even the design plush world has a version of the platform toy: the Circus Punk a limited edition plush figure available by selected artist or also available in a DIY blank. Multi talent Paul Criukshank created the Circus Punk, resembling the Quippee" doll of the games of skill that inhabited the carnival and state fairs in past years. Paul put it best This whole toy movement feels very much like the early punk rock scene to me. Those involved in the toy movement have smashed the rules of hat it means to be a fan, an artists and/or manufacturer. If youre an artist in this scene, you are most likely a fan, as well as a manufacturer. Its true DIY and I love it" .... I believe this is one of the key elements to this genres popularity, not only the DIY, punk rock attitude, but the sense of community, and camaraderie with fellow collectors, a feeling of being nonconformist, all while fitting in. The possibility and ability to be part of a special club, like being one of 20 to own a piece of history. Designer Toys, much like the internet, are at a crossroads. Beginning only within the last decade its comparable to the wild west, people of all ages, race, and creed can grab a taste of this new frontier, and have a chance to be a part of something new and exciting. But it can all change with the times; artists whether new or veteran need to maintain the quality and detail, while keeping with the limited runs and innovative design.

Designer toy is an all encompassing term that somehow covers a very wide range of collectable art pieces, like toys they are made from not just PVC, but also vinyl, other plastic compounds, resin, paper, wood, and fabric, leather, and rubber plush.... Designed by artists and artisans from all kinds of disciplines and backgrounds, the designer art world is a place where a graffiti writer, illustrator, industrial designer, graphic designer, fashion designer, musician, Film maker, sculptor, fine artist, and other fine craftsman can be appreciated by a wide audience, and influence the next new designer art toy...