I recently acquired a few vintage pieces that are still in sealed bags. I got them for what I consider a good price, and am now thinking about setting them free. It was a set of 5 Tiger7 bullmark minis. Tiger himself is free but his friends/enemies are still bagged. The bags are discolored, and you can't really see the toys very well. Since I am starting to buy more vintage pieces, I was just curious as to what more experienced vintage collectors think. I would normally open any bag or box and put the toy on the shelf, as I like to play with my stuff. But the thing is, these have been sealed for many years. What do you think?
Set them Freeeee! How else could you play with them and admire them properly? If you had to sell them, as long as they are in good condition and you've kept the header card, that should count for something? What's the fun in buying a toy if you can't play with it?
It really depends on the toy for me. If I bought something exceedingly rare still bagged, I would probably leave it as-is. More so if the bag and header are in relatively pristine condition. My feeling at that point is that if it is one of the few remaining examples of a packaged toy, that is a good reason not to open it. On the other hand, I do open most things that I buy, including a few vintage pieces. In most cases, the bags are so dirty or perforated that it really does not make a difference. I once bought a Zone Fighter vinyl that was still in-bag, yet had to be cleaned after being removed. I also collect Transformers and other robot toys, so that probably affects my outlook on this topic.
It completely depends on the toy and on the packaging. What I like about most 1970s Japanese toys is they came in a box with a styrofoam insert. The most "damage" one could ever do is to cut the cellophane tape that holds the box closed. But 9 times out of 10 that tape has dried up and fallen off anyway. And then there is the issue of stickers or parts on sprues. Generally I find the price difference between something that is in package and mint but taken out of the package is negligible at best. Past that do as you will. If you're going to keep it in the package you might as well just let those dinks at the Certified Guaranty Company take it, seal it in an acrylic box and then forget about it. I can't imagine the mentality behind someone taking a piece they sought out and hermetically sealing it from the world. No fun!
I would open anything that wouldn't be damaged by the process. It should be fairly easy to open a vinyl bag without causing harm or removing something from a box. However, anything vintage and carded stays on the card. Fortunately, often times the artwork on a vintage card is so sweet that that is what you want to display anyway!
I try to open everything, but then I don't collect vintage. the only time I don't open stuff is when I go on a huge spree and don't get to it...which ends up being fun later when I finally get to it down the line. my favorite part of toy collecting is opening them. the ritual, getting to actually hold the thing the first time, putting the packaging away so the toy can just be. open them! and then take some pictures...
I'd also like to say one of my fave things to do is buy a pile of what folks on Yahoo! Japan Auctions typically call "junk" items, collect and restore them.
I do not really consider that removing two staples from a cardboard header damage the item in anyway. If it were glued, it would be different. So for the vintage bagged items, I really am for opening and displaying them. Unless you bought them for speculation...
I try not to open somethings like my camo bemon..but after 10 minutes I just had to. I do want to get a few pieces and just keep them in their bags to mix in with my other stuff..looks cool when I see stores and collections with a few random bagged ones,but not the whole collection bagged
here ya go, lorne.... free from their packaging at long last. some of the bags were really gnarly...greyish. so much more fun now.
Nice! Small observation. Those older toys seem to be in thinner and in better shape than the relatively pudgy contemporary counterparts behind them.
