Hasbro Toadborg Paintmaster 2-Up

[theretropolis]

Hi all,

I recently purchased quite a few items from a former Hasbro employee. Among them was a full run of Bucky O'Hare figures. To complement them was one of the real gems of the lot: a 10-inch Toadborg paintmaster. I came across this community a couple of weeks ago, and now that I have the item in hand, I thought some of you might appreciate it some images of it.

Pro wrestling items are my passion, but even I'm taken aback by this piece. I've only heard of paintmasters; never owned or even held one. The first thing that struck me about it was how big it was. I knew it was sizable, but I guess it didn't register just how much bigger it was than the released figures until I had it in hand. Secondly, this baby is substantial! Weighing in at more than two pounds, this thing is closer to art than action figure.

So enough talking. How about some pictures? Enjoy!

Front:



Back:



Side:



Comparison:

[Rygar]

Wow, that is awesome! Thanks for sharing those images. I can kind of guess, but what exactly is a paintmaster?

-Rygar

[theretropolis]

Paint masters, also referred to as 2-Ups, are essentially enlarged versions of what the finished figure will look like. They're made of resin, and are intended to give the painters overseas a clear vision of what the paint detailing on the finished product should look like. They are hand painted, and one-of-a-kind items. They're even more scarce from toylines of yesteryear because these things were often discarded once they had served their purpose.

The person I bought this from also had a paint master from the WWF Hasbro line, which I unfortunately missed out on. The person who bought it is currently fielding offers in the $2,000 - $3,000 range.

I only had a passing familiarity with Bucky O'Hare, but something like this was just too cool to pass up. As I said, it's genuinely closer to art than action figure.