Early 2022 catalogue preview

[StJohn]

I would politely question that final statement.

Well, take colours, for example. The Klickies of 3666 & co. are way too colourful. Dyes and pigments before the Industrial Age were either laborious to produce or the raw materials were rare. Either way, colour was expensive. Bright pigments in particular were hard to find, and some were almost unavailable (blue, for example). Wearing brightly coloured garments was hence a sign of serious wealth, as displayed in the Hours of the Duke of Berry that Klickteryx refers to. Commoners had to do with less conspicuous wear. Dyed garments in earth tones must have been the norm. Lots of browns, therefore – Tahra would have liked it.

Talking of 3666 (and its predecessor 3450): I never get it why it features a medieval house on top of a stonework foundation. The two building techniques are quite distinct: the Fachwerkhaus features walls where a timber framing is filled with other materials (cheap, sturdy, suitable for dwelling), the latter features hewn natural stones (expensive, hardwearing, suitable for castle defences). It's a mismatch. You could actually argue that later Playmobil castles look more realistic than the hallowed 3666!

[playmofire]

Well, you tend to undermine your argument with the illustrations in the book you cite, lots of bright colours there.  And I'd say that the owner of the 3666 would have been wealthy enough to dress his servants in the colours of the klickies in the set.  Clothing was how you displayed your wealth and, especially after the Black Death, wealth shifted downwards to a wider and, therefore, a more colourfully dressed population to some degree, hence the Sumptuary Laws in England.

As for the house element of the 3666 set, over time castles became more domesticated, as it were, as society became more settled so a mix of domestic and military architecture came about.  It may be unusual to have a half-timbered structure so prominent in a castle, but you could certainly find them within the castle enclave.

And let's remember, Playmobil's a toy.

[Janilew]

Well, take colours, for example. The Klickies of 3666 & co. are way too colourful. Dyes and pigments before the Industrial Age were either laborious to produce or the raw materials were rare. Either way, colour was expensive. Bright pigments in particular were hard to find, and some were almost unavailable (blue, for example). Wearing brightly coloured garments was hence a sign of serious wealth, as displayed in the Hours of the Duke of Berry that Klickteryx refers to. Commoners had to do with less conspicuous wear. Dyed garments in earth tones must have been the norm. Lots of browns, therefore – Tahra would have liked it.

Talking of 3666 (and its predecessor 3450): I never get it why it features a medieval house on top of a stonework foundation. The two building techniques are quite distinct: the Fachwerkhaus features walls where a timber framing is filled with other materials (cheap, sturdy, suitable for dwelling), the latter features hewn natural stones (expensive, hardwearing, suitable for castle defences). It's a mismatch. You could actually argue that later Playmobil castles look more realistic than the hallowed 3666!

Just adding my measly two cents here! 

I might have to disagree on the colors of the poor. It seems to be a common assumption that the poor couldn't make their own colorful clothes. It's actually pretty easy to get color from various plants and even urine (bleh). It's darker, more vibrant hues they couldn't really afford due to the process needed to make them. The hues they did make would fade quicker (and appear lighter) due to the material they wore, like linen. And of course the higher-up classes made certain taboos against them wearing certain colors even if they could afford it. No doubt brown was the most easy dye to make, but I don't think it was as ubiquitous as people think. Yellow, orange, and even some greens seem like they were pretty easy to make.

This link has a list of certain hues and how they were made: https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/68763/what-color-dyes-would-be-available-to-the-average-person-in-a-medieval-world

And folly on you for blasphemy on our scared 3666!  But in all seriousness, timbered on stone is not as odd as you think:

Half-timbered house and medieval castle in Josselin, Morbihan, France


Schloss Eller Castle


Wartburg Castle


They're called half-timber and many castles and homes were made like this, most likely because they were cheaper. Some castles were even full timber. The reason why we don't see too many castles like that around, is well...timber doesn't stand the test of time like stone does. Especially after battle. 

[Oliver]

Well, you tend to undermine your argument with the illustrations in the book you cite, lots of bright colours there.
And let's remember, Playmobil's a toy.

Isn't that a bit like showing Architects Digest and Vogue and saying 'This is how the 21st Century was!' ?

I think it is important to remember Playmobil is a toy - which is why you can have wizards and airbuses and fantasy elements. They might not be someone's favoured range, but I can see the appeal to children.

[playmofire]

Timber on stone makes sense as well as you have the stronger material underneath.

[Rasputin]

Weren’t homes in old New York built with stone downstairs and wood above for all the horse poop that pilled up in the street

[Rasputin]

Found it, also it was mostly German immigrants who built them

“ One of the most distinctive features of a classic NYC brownstones is its stoop—a word appropriated from “stoep”, the Dutch word for “stair.” The Dutch built stoops to raise their parlor floor above flood waters; some posit that the New York City stoops were built to raise the parlor floor above a “sea of horse manure.”

An article in Gothamist supports this theory: "In vacant lots, horse manure was piled as high as sixty feet. It lined city streets like banks of snow. In the summer time, it stank to the heavens; when the rains came a soup stream of horse manure flooded the crosswalks and seeped into people’s basement."

[playmovictorian]

Good morning dear Friends 

I finally got a chance to start catching up with the unread threads in forums today and I read in Klickywelt that Playmobil is set to release a new Victorian theme in 2022 and that it was still hush hush for now 

Since PF is hosting some of the finest Playmo sleuths around, i would love to know more about it 

I do not believe that I have been that excited about a news in years 

Karim

[Oliver]

Good morning dear Friends 

I finally got a chance to start catching up with the unread threads in forums today and I read in Klickywelt that Playmobil is set to release a new Victorian theme in 2022 and that it was still hush hush for now 

I don't check into Klickywelt very much, so this was news to me!

I guess after 9879 (and if that sold reasonably) then it's a definite possibility. It'd be great to see - KW seems to imply it's just the house and furnishing, and the sets I *really* want are the other sets, but it's still a lovely thing. I'd expect a pretty high price point, but recently it's started escalating on the second hand market anyway.

[Klickteryx]

I wont post a bunch of pictures, instead here is a link to a google image search for 'fachwerk burg':

https://www.google.com/search?q=fachwerk+burg&client=firefox-b-d&channel=nrow5&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiuyLjwyf7zAhWkILcAHSa7DdUQ_AUoAXoECAMQAw&biw=1920&bih=908&dpr=1