C-3PO
Clockwork Toy
1983-1984 (manufactured)
1983-1984 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The robot C-3PO is one of the main characters from the Star Wars franchise, the relationship between him and his counterpart, R2-D2, acts as the main comic foil of the series. This plastic clockwork toy was probably made by Airfix, which at the time of its manufacture was owned by US-based corporation General Mills via the UK-based Palitoy Company. Model Products Corporation (MPC), another subsidiary of General Mills, produced identical kits in the United States. It is a self-assembly model kit which snapped together, requiring no glue. When wound, the toy walks forwards, swinging its arms and moving its head from side-to-side.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Injection moulded plastic; clockwork mechanism inside |
| Brief description | C-3PO Walking Model; Hong Kong; 1983-84 |
| Physical description | Constructed walking model of C-3PO, made of 'gold' injection moulded plastic with red and black painted details on face and chest. The left arm is raised above the head. Within the body is a wind-up clockwork mechanism with a permanent key on the right side. When wound up the arms move up and down and the head moves from side to side. The feet are mounted on two black plastic units and these walk rather than the feet themselves, however, the legs are joined to the mechanism at the hip line. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Credit line | Given by the Palitoy Company |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | Star Wars |
| Summary | The robot C-3PO is one of the main characters from the Star Wars franchise, the relationship between him and his counterpart, R2-D2, acts as the main comic foil of the series. This plastic clockwork toy was probably made by Airfix, which at the time of its manufacture was owned by US-based corporation General Mills via the UK-based Palitoy Company. Model Products Corporation (MPC), another subsidiary of General Mills, produced identical kits in the United States. It is a self-assembly model kit which snapped together, requiring no glue. When wound, the toy walks forwards, swinging its arms and moving its head from side-to-side. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.1116-1993 |
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| Record created | April 17, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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