PRODUCT HISTORY
Premiered: 1997-2008 Edition: Sold out / Discontinued / Will not be reissued
Dalek Playcase
After designing the play case for Bluebird Toys in the mid 90's, I purchased all remaining stock and tooling after they ceased trading and established Product Enterprise.
We continued to sell the original Dalek Playcase with the intention of issuing further releases in different classic Dalek colours. Unfortunately, this wasn't to be after we discovered the tooling had been significantly damaged during transit.
Dalek Wall Plaques
Produced from a shed in Hounslow, these were hand made to order. Back in the late 1990's retro was thought of as very kitsch, so this classic flying duck design seemed to fit the bill perfectly. (No pun intended.) These sold very well and helped raise our profile with independent shops and specialist retailers.
Dalek Rolykins
Manufactured, assembled and packaged by hand in the UK, these tiny, updated version of the classic 60's Dalek Rolykins took us by surprise. Expecting to sell a few hundred, by the time we had glued together almost 5,000, we decided to move manufacturing to China. I am still very proud of these tiny Daleks today. They look fantastic with the most amazing original artwork and packaging by Graham Humphreys. Many variations were released, so many in fact I'm at a loss to remember.
Also produced was a very nice Gunner Dalek, again with the most amazing original packaging artwork. Other items were previewed such as Davros and Dalek Hoverbouts, but ultimately never went into production.
Talking Daleks
Having loved the Bump & Go Daleks of the 60's and the wonderfully accurate Denys Fisher Dalek of the 70's, we were delighted to be able to produce what was at that time, the most accurate Dalek Toy to date. We invested in more detailed tooling allowing for, among other things, the first time all 56 hemispheres being moulded individually giving much greater authenticity and realism.
Featuring sound effects and dialogue, the Talking Daleks were released in many different colourways and Special Editions.
Micro Daleks
Released originally with simply a pullback friction motor, the 2 ½ inch Daleks were release in pack sets of 3 depicting various Dalek colour combinations from specific episodes. Later they were upgraded to include sound effects and dialogue and released individually with further colourways added to the range.
Tin Plate Daleks
Designed to be a homage to the amazing Codeg Clockwork Daleks of 1965, these black and blue reproductions, while a nice novelty, didn't quite meet our expectations. We struggled with the factory understanding that we wanted the naivety of 1960's clockwork toys. However, the manufacturer kept pulling them back to modern day manufacturing techniques as they, quite rightly, didn't want to produce what they perceived to be a poor-quality toy. Better communication on our part would have resulted in a product closer to our original concept.
RC Daleks
What can I say about our 12inch Radio Control TV Dalek - we made a lot of them!
In every colourway, in every style from every story. Chrome Gold Special Editions, Chrome Silver Special Editions, Anniversary Special Editions - and why not? They were our most popular product, and everybody loved them. From the stunning retro packaging featuring original artwork by Graham Humphreys, to the highly authentic and most accurate Dalek Toy to that date. There had never been such a spectacular Dalek Toy produced in the history of the series. Never mind the show had been off air for over 12 years!
They were not without their teething problems. One of the first disasters that hit us as a small company was the first run of 5000 units had major mechanical issues due to poor QC control at the time of manufacture. After frantic negotiations with the factory, they agreed to absorb the cost and manufacture a new run. The majority of the first run having to go to landfill! After this episode all manufacturing was moved to a new supplier and an independent agent was employed in HK to act on our behalf for this and all future products.
Special Editions
Except for the Wall Plaques, Special Editions were produced for all our Dalek products.
From chrome plated and unusual colourways, to green chrome Christmas decorations as exclusives for a specific client. There wasn't a single avenue we didn't consider in the production of our Daleks.
