Catalog

Boxed Miniature Sets were introduced in Fall 1959. Two to four Miniatures from the current line were glued together on a single card, which was then itself glued into a small hinged plastic box. The cards were the same standard cards used for single pieces, and the Miniatures were affixed either to the printed side (usual in San Dimas) or to the blank side (common in Monrovia).

Over the next three seasons, more sets were added, for a total of 33 different sets. The final season was Spring 1961. All of these sets are mounted to cards marked Monrovia.

Boxed Miniatures reappeared for a single season in San Dimas. Although the San Dimas order form is not dated, internal evidence—the date at which all the Miniatures being used in the sets were being produced simultaneously–indicates that it must have been Fall 1978. Longtime collector Nancy Falzone confirmed that she wrote this date on her own copy of the order form when she acquired it shortly after the sets were released.

The 33 Monrovia sets were identified by letters of the alphabet, as “Set A,” “Set B,” and so forth. After reaching Z, the names began again with AA, BB, etc. Note that the letters I and V were not used. The 40 San Dimas sets were only identified by the item number of one of the pieces in the set; for instance, the set comprising a Dachshund adult and pup was #347.

The colorways of Miniatures in boxed sets may vary, but I have not seen colorways in boxed sets that differ from the pieces available individually during the same production year. Some combinations of Miniatures were produced both in Monrovia and San Dimas (e.g. Siamese kittens and Spilled Milk; Pelicans; Mice and Cheese) but of course these are easy to distinguish by the factory location printed on the cards.

A very few Special Runs have also been sold in boxes, and the dates of these vary. The Arab foal shown here may have been a small Special Run, or it may have just been placed in the box for safekeeping.

All Boxed Miniatures sets are hard to find, mainly because of their very short production dates, but also because owners tended to remove the pieces from the boxes.

Boxed Bear Cubs and Bee’s Nest Set

This set comprises A-397, Bear Cub Brother; A-401 Bear Cub Sister; and A-404, Bee’s Nest.

S1960-F1960, as Set “R”(Aurasperse brown cubs and Aurasperse yellow/green bee’s nest)

F78, as #397 “2 Bear Cubs with Beehive” (gloss brown cubs and bee’s nest)

Notes: The Bee’s Nest is attached to the lid of the box, so that it hangs above the bears.

Boxed Beavers and Stump Set

This set comprises A-398, Beaver, paws down; A-399, Beaver, paws up; and A-400, Stump, pointed

S1960-F1960, as Set “Q” (Aurasperse brown beavers and Aurasperse brown cubs and Aurasperse greenish-brown stump)

Boxed Ducks Set

This set comprises A-319, Duck Papa, seated; A-364 Short-billed Duck Mama; and A-365, Short-Billed Duck Baby.

F78, as #319 “3 Ducks” 

Boxed Fawn and Log Set, Style 1

This set comprises A-190, Fawn, lying, and A-366a, Tree Stump

F1959-S1960, as Set “M” (Gloss dark brown fawn; bisque grey log)

Notes: This Log was originally paired with the Little Horribles Vulture. In Fall 1960, this set was replaced with Set Y, which substituted A-435 Lying Fawn for A-190, and a new sculpt, A-435a Log, for the Tree Stump.

Boxed Frogs Set

This set comprises A-448, Frog Mama, and A-477, Frog Baby.

F78, as #448 “2 Frogs” (gloss green)

Boxed Hen, Chicks and Nest Set

This set comprises A-373, Squatty Hen; three of A-375, Chick, smallest; and A-393, Nest.

F78, as #375, “Hen, Nest, and 3 Chicks”

Boxed Hound Dawgs and Hydrant Set

The 1959-1961 set comprises A-473, Hound Dawg Puppy, seated; A-474 Hound Dawg Puppy, playful; and A-464 Hydrant. Some sets included two pups, others three. The 1978 set substituted A-465, Hound Dawg Adult, for A-473, the seated puppy.

F1959-S1961, as Set “J”

F78, as #474 “2 Hound Dogs w/Hydrant”

Boxed Hound Dawgs Set

This set comprises A-463, Hound Dawg Adult, and A-474, Hound Dawg Puppy, playful

F1959-S1961, as Set “F”(tricolor)

Boxed Lord and Lady Bug Set

This set comprises A-450, Lord Bug, and A-451, Lady Bug.

S1960-S1961, as Set “X”(Aurasperse colors)

Boxed Mice Set

This set comprises A-356, Mama Mouse, holding tail by belly; A-358 Mouse, reclining; and A-180 Mouse, crouched, straight tail

F1959-S1961, as Set “B”

F78, as #356, “3 Mice”

Boxed Owls and Book Set

This set comprises A-421, Barn Owl; A-422, Barn Owl Baby; and A-421B, Book

S1960-S1961, as Set “P”(Owls: Aurasperse grey and yellow; book Aurasperse red with gloss white pages, black writing)

Boxed Pelicans Set

This set comprises A-041, Pelican, and A-042, Pelican Baby.

F59, as Set “O”

F78, as #101 “2 Pelicans”

Boxed Persian Kitten, Milk Bottle, and Milk Bowl Set

This set comprises A-386, Persian Kitten, playing; A-053, Milk Bottle, and A-385, Milk Bowl

F1959-S1960, as Set “L”

Boxed Rabbits and Stump Set

This set comprises two A-199, Whispering Rabbit Babies, and A-387, Stump, flat

F1959-F1960, as Set “C”(one pink and one blue rabbit baby; grey bisque stump)

Notes: The pictured set has log A-435A instead of the stump. Although the line drawings on the order forms show a stump for all three seasons, the stump itself was discontinued after Fall 1959, so it seems likely that the log was substituted in some later sets.

Boxed Seahorse and Flat Fish Set

This set comprises A-424, Sea Horse, and A-423, Flat Fish.

S1960-F1960, as Set “W”(Aurasperse colors)

Boxed Siamese Cat and Kitten Set

This set comprises A-367, Siamese Mama Cat, and A-368. Tiny Siamese Kitten, seated.

F1959-S1961, as Set “G”

Boxed Siamese Kittens and Spilled Milk Set

This set comprises A-368, Tiny Siamese Kitten, seated; A-369, Tiny Siamese Kitten, Drinking; and A-239A, Spilled Milk

S1959-S1961, as Set “A”

F78, as #298, “Spilled Milk, 2 Kittens”

Boxed Skunks and Atomizer Set

This set comprises A-95, Classic Skunk Mama; A-84, Classic Baby Skunk; and A-392, Atomizer

F1959-F1960, as Set “N”