Is this ugly chap a Poch vader?

Just picked up this Vader, he has a regular vinyl cape (although slightly longer than my other 2), not a rugose "leather look" cape. But he also has a very rough cast lumpy head, with an EPM on the back. No melt marks that I can see but I don't think all poch have them. More lose flashing left untrimmed on the head and shoulders than I see on my palitoy/kenner ones.

So, questions!

Does this look like a Poch?
Did Poch come with vinyl capes (possible this is just a random match up anyway)?

His head has degraded. No more no less. I have one very similar

Here you go

poncho said:

His head has degraded. No more no less. I have one very similar

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Yes, I know. But I've read that's a trait of PBM made vaders as they age. And he has an obvious EPM on the back of his head, again a feature of PBM's moulds (or so i've read).

Are you sure yours isn't also a PBM? They are actually fairly common in the UK apparently as they supplied some of Palitoy's stock with the regular palitoy cloak.

Head condition aside, can anyone confirm if the EPM on the back of the head was exclusive to PBM's manufacturing? Imperial gunnery forums suggest yes, but I know there are a couple of Vader experts lurking on here somewhere!

To clarify my suspicions on this figure after some internet trawling - PBM manufacture supplied to Palitoy?

Mine has a scar on the head similar too yours

Il check my poch book

poncho said:

Mine has a scar on the head similar too yours

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Pretty sure yours is a PBP/Poch mate Especially with that horrible hacked out scar!

My book confirms mine is poch

Darth vader 2L/small c Hong kong coo

Confirmed on early pbp poch EIC 37 backs

:? I had it in my customs box for butchering up. Make put it to one side now. I've had it years I asked about a while back someone said it's just degraded basic beater

Thats great! Looks like mine probably is then. Not that exciting as they aren't super valuable, and mine has a vinyl cape not rugose (which makes me think supplied to Palitoy) but the limbs are fairly tight so a good example (apparently Pochs go floppy like crazy).

Interesting that the book seems to show a different chest box with wider coin slots though... mine doesn't have that. Might need to do some more digging.

Your a variant collector I presume?

poncho said:

Your a variant collector I presume?

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Actually, no! I've only just got back into collecting after a 20 year break. Just been picking some ebay bits up and noticed this vader looked very odd compared to the other 2 I have. I'm literally just buying lots and moving the bits I don't want on until I have a nice set of figures (aiming for the first 21 as a display).

Nice I've been collecting since 1998. My collecting journey came to a halt a couple of years ago I thought 20 years was good time too stop.although I've just bought some oddball stuff just for a giggle, not toys though. I have decided to get the vintage toys out of storage and put a small display together now were in lockdown

I am not an expert on poch but like Poncho I am a variant collector and have an interest in PBP / Poch.

First of all there is a big difference between PBP and Poch. You are correct when you say PBP were common as they are often found in the UK as the PBP figure was commonly found on Palitoy cards.

There are at least 3 known capes that come with it:
- smooth cape
- rough and Matt cape
- rough and shiny cape

I have a small collection of PBP Vader's and all 3 capes that are found in Javi's Made In Spain book.
The PBP Vader though is found with the scarred or blobbed out coo and does not have an epm in the back.

The poch Vader on the other hand is found with two Hong Kong coos, neither of which look to match your coo Mulbin. As you mention the paint app on the chest is different. In addition one of the Kenner factories made a Vader with the epm on the head and while not as common still easily found, as is the degradation / bubbles on the head.

I also have a Kenner Vader (Pics attached) with the correct coo for a Poch with epm and bubbles on head but when I had a conversation with Javi he was confident mine was not a Poch. As well as the coo, it is often found with the scar like Ponchos, a small residual burr between the legs, melt marks and different paint apps.

So although not sure I don't think yours is Poch Mulbin. I'd be interested to see yours naked Poncho.

Jay

Ahh, thats a shame. Seems there is a lot of conflicting info out there.

I went by this site, https://swspaceclub.com/wbobafett/poch/poch-variants/darth-vader/

That is the exact sculpt, features and coo (C symbol positioned just over edge of Hong Cong etc) that mine has (except No melt mark). Just to be sure, if I take a crazy close up of the coo can someone check the fabled book? (they really need to print more!).

Here's the COO in detail. Any chance of a quick cross check? Its not the same as the one on yours, or the one on my other HK vader.

Well I'm certainly not going to argue with Wolff's guide. He's the most respected variant collector out there, so seems like maybe there's more than 2 poch variants out there.

Javi didn't include all the known poch variants in the book and the rest are expected to feature in book 3. The two that feature in there are family I and family III. Yours looks like a family II.

Attached is the two coos from the first book.

I'm still not sure yours is poch though as most have that residual burr between the legs and the paint looked off on the chest. But maybe clearer pics like the last one might help. Is your Vader duller and greyer when placer next to your other Vader's? too? Great figure either way.