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Toy Vault was founded in 1998 to fill a
need in the marketplace for high quality well crafted toys and
figures based on overlooked properties, such as Alice in Wonderland
and Lord Of The Rings.
The first two licenses were action figures based on Lord Of The
Rings and the Jabberwock, an action figure from Through The Looking
Glass, the sequel to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
1998: Gandalf and Balrog action figures were released. The Jabberwock
tooling mold was lost in China and the Jabberwock figure was never
produced. Two copies of the action figures actually exist, produced
as samples prior to production.
1999: Toy Vault obtained licenses on Jim Henson’s Farscape,
Kurt Busiek’s Astro City, Robert Jordan’s Wheel Of Time, and Sony’s
EverQuest. The company produced action figures of Gollum, Gimli, Frodo, and
Uglúk based on Lord Of The Rings, and Samaritan and The Confessor
based on Astro City.
2000: Toy Vault obtained licenses on Pez, Monty Python, and
Cthulhu. The company produced action figures of the Lord Of The Nazgûl,
Barrow wight and Galadriel based on Lord Of The Rings. Also produced
on Farscape were action figures of Aeryn, Crichton, D’Argo, Chiana
and Zhaan, and on EverQuest action figures of Female Dark Elf
Spellcaster, Male Troll, Male Iksar and Gnoll.
It was this year that Toy Vault first start producing product
other than action figures. The first pre painted cold cast statues
were released this year, the Hanging Judge from Deadlands,and
the Alice In Wonderland series 1 cold cast set. A keychain was
made of the DRD from Farscape. Lastly, the first plush, a Cthulhu
plush figure, was produced based on the Cthulhu license.
2001: The Cthulhu line takes off and Toy Vault starts to consider
plush as one of its major strengths. Besides medium and small
Cthulhu plush, the first Monty Python Product - the Rabbit With
Big Pointy Teeth - which sells out and sells out and (in 2003
is still selling out). Guardians Of Atlantis, an underwater creature
line, debuts at Toy Fair but due to poor response is never released.
The second Farscape series is released (Rygel, Scorpius, Aeryn
and Crais), as well as the first and only EverQuest figure line
(Gnoll, Dark Elf, Iksar, Troll). An attempt to move into the gift
market with a Pez line has mixed results, with good reviews but
low sales on the Pez Christmas Ornaments.
2002: Toy Vault has it's largest product
release line yet, and moves into the mainstream toy market, placing
product in WalMart, KMart, Walgreens, etc. New licenses include
SpongeBob SquarePants and Godzilla. Items from SpongeBob released
include: Make-A-Bob, Patrick Plush Coin Bank, Mini Make-A-Bob,
SpongeBob Plush Coin Bank, Gary Plush Coin Bank, Krabby Patty
Bobbler, 2 Mini Bobblers, 2 Mini Wigglers and the Pants Drop Bobbler.
Monty Python items manufactured include the Live Plush Parrot
What's Sleeping, the Black Knight with Removable Limbs, the exploding
Penguin, and the Killer Sheep. Godzilla is introduced with the
Mothra plush in December. New Cthulhu product is represented by
Dracuthulu, Summer Fun Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, and Gothic Cthulhu.
The Here Be Monsters line starts with the Red Dragon, and Baby
Red Dragon Plush More Farscape figures are released, with the
first two of the Farscape Reunited figures of Crichton and Zhaan.
2003: The first plush from The Other Side Of The Looking Glass
arrives in the form of the Cheshire Cat. A new line of gaming
supplies is started. First releases include the Angel Of Vengeance
and Mithril Dragon deck boxes, and the Angel of Vengeance and
Mithril Dragon life counters. More Here Be Monsters arrive, including
the Ice Dragon and Minotaur. The Godzilla line starts to really
expand, with release of the 4 Superdeformed Mini Bobblers (Godzilla,
Rodan, King Ghidorah, Mecha Godzilla) and plush Godzilla and King
Ghidorah. With Farscape cancelled, product release becomes less
light, but includes the boxed Aeryn, and the final release of
the D'Argo cold cast statue. Super Hero Cthulhu, Shoggoth and
Secret Agent Cthulhu continue to fill out the Cthulhu line. The Monty Python line is expanded to include The Voice Abuse Keychain, Cow Catapult, Mini Rabbit Plush, Mini Parrot Plush, Holy Hand Grenade Plush (w/whoopie cushion), Mr. Creosote Figure, and the Black Beast of Arrrggghhh.
2004: Toy Vault's Mass Market division is started. Initial release include Castle & Dreams juvenile furniture, and the Real Life Kitchen Playset. Several new plush lines debuted included: Gilly from Dork Tower, Brian from Knights of the Dinner Table, and The George Bush Pillow and George Bush Anime Plush from the Presidential Plush line. A line of Egyptian Plush was also developed and 3 plush were released: Anubis, Bast, and Horus Rah. The Through the Looking Glass Plush line was expanded to include the Mini Cheshire Cat. Monty Python Plush continued to be a huge seller and tons of new items were released including: Mini Black Knight Plush, Tim the Enchanter Plush Hat, Mini Holy Hand Grenade Plush, Grim Reaper Plush, King Arthur Chibi Plush, Albatross Plush (Diamond Exc), Mini Bloody Rabbit, Knight of Ni Plush, and one the best sellers in the line Rabbit Slippers. The Cthulhu Line was expanded to include the Deep One, Cthulhu Slippers, Cthulhu Hand Puppet, Mini Secret Agent Cthulhu, Mini Shoggoth, Cthulhu the King, Moonbeast, and the Cthulhu Action Figure. New Godzilla creature that were released were: Mini Godzilla, Anguirus, Hedorah, Baby Godzilla, Gigan, Mini Rodan, 50th Anniversary Godzilla, Mini Anguirus, Minilla, and Battra. Here be Monsters added Golden Dragon, Baba Yaga, Rambull, Griffin, Giant Chinese Dragon, Hyrda, Werewolf Transforming Plush, Skeleton, Savage Gorilla, and a new Jabberwock. Vault Gaming supplies were hot and several new items found store shelves including 4,6,8,10,12, and 20 sided dice, 20 Sided Danglers and counters. New life counters included the Island and Forest life counters. The new deck boxes were Jungle Catgirl and Swamp. Plush Caltrops were also released.
2005: Toy Vault has its most successful year ever thanks in large part to its Mass Market Division. New Mass Items included: Cabbage Patch Kids Furniture, Toons Furniture, Tiara Furniture, Soft Orb Lights, Bubble Fingers, and Jelly Watches. The Conker plush line debuted with Conker, Single Player Conker, and Talking Conker plushes. Asgard Gods was introduced with the Thor Plush. In a deal with Right Stuf, Kumagoro and Ryuichi were released. The Egyptian line added Sobek Plush. The Monty Python line was expanded to include The Knight of Ni Hat, Death Rabbit, Talking Spanish Inquisitor Plush, Black Knight Plush Helmet, Lumberjack Plush, and the 3 Headed Giant Plush. The Gigantic Tube of Dice and Snake Eyes Dice set were added to the Vault Gaming Supply line. The Cthulhu line added Gug, the Cthulhu Bust, Cthulhu Backpack, Night Guant, Miskatonic Cthulhu, Giant Cthulhu, Ithaqua, Mini Santa Cthulhu, and the Hound of Tindalos. The Godzilla line was expanded to include Megalon, Rainbow Mothra, Mini Hedorah, Baragon, Mini Baby Godzilla, Destroyah, King Caesar, Superdeformed Godzilla, Titanosauras, and Godzilla Slippers. The Blue Dragon, Demon Plush, Chimera Plush, Pegasus Plush, and Dragon Slippers were added to the Here Be Monsters line.
2006: Toy Vault picked up several new licenses and debuted items for them all. Farscape became a plush line with the release of Rygel. KISS Plush debuted with collectors edition boxed plush of the band members. Swearbears cursed their way into Americas heart with the release of the Classic and Birthday Bear. Toy Vault got into the Anime business with Trigun and the releases of the Large Kuroneko and Kuroneko Danglers. Fizzgig was released in a new line of Dark Crystal Plush. Sir Didymus was released in a new line of Labyrinth Plush. Toy Vault's first game release - Burn Rate - was made. Monty Python continued to grow with the release of the Black Knight Bop Bag, Tim the Enchanter Talking Plush, Black Knight Talking Plush, Holy Grail Plush, Rabbit Stapler, Wooden Trojan Rabbit, and Rabbit Hand Puppet. The Cthulhu line grew to include Valentino Cthulhu, Blue Velvet Cthulhu, Necronomicon Plush Book, Cthulhu Stocking, Cthulhu Pouch, and the Do you Worship Cthulhu Card Game. The Godzilla line expanded to include Keizer Ghidorah, Space Godzilla, Fire Rodan, and Mothra Larvae. Here be Monsters added Spider Slippers, Gargoyle Plush, Quetzacotal Plush.
2007: The Monty Python line grows to include the Mini Black Beast of Arrrggghhh, Holy Hand Grenade Danglers, Black Knight Backpack, and Black Beast Hat. Cthulhu Pillow, Cthulhu Hat, Screaming Cthulhu, Hallows Eve Cthulhu, Peeping Cthulhu, Cthulhu the Wicked, Cthulhu Wreath, Cthulhu Gloves, and Mounted Cthulhu are added to the Cthulhu Line. The Godzilla line expands to include Superdeformed Rodan, Superdeformed Baby Godzilla, Biollante, Supersize Godzilla, Godzilla Keychain, and King Ghidorah with sound. The Ember Hatchling Puppet joins the lineup of Here be Monsters. Farscape is expanded to include the plush DRD and Lifesized Rygel. Boobjob Bear, Redneck Teddy, and Bedtime Teddy join the Swearbears line. The KISS line added 4 new 20" plush. Vash and Mini Kuroneko are added to the Trigun line. Nightmares debuts with 4 evil plush - Mothman, Voodoo Doll, Chupacabra, and Bloody Mary. Possession card game is released. Posers debuts Baked Baked and Bliss Bliss fully poseble plushes.
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