243. Cherilea Toy Totem Pole

1960's toy totem made by Cherilea for the toy soldier/western figure market. 3" high, in four segmented sections allowing the pole to be extended or swapped around. Entirely imaginary design, made to compete with other toy lines such as Britains, Marx and Timpo. See no. 97, 60

 

237. Kelloggs Totem Tribe

 

EAGLE BEAK

OWL EYES

JUG EARS

HAPPY HANDS

DRAGON TOOTH

BONE HEAD

BIG FOOT

HAIRY WATHA (Reproduction)

Designed by Donald M. McClean for R&L plastics in Australia, for inclusion in Kelloggs cereal circa 1970. Issued in Sugar Smacks in the U.K as 'Funny Uglies'

See No.153 for further info

Listing from Craig Hall's book about Rosenhain and Lippmann 'Breakfast Barons' which shows a suggested inspiration for the designs.

Actual developmental sketches by designer Donald McClean for the models and advertising.

227. Kinder Egg Totem Variant

Possibly from the same series as No. 64, this modular totem pole is made by Ferrero and included in Kinder Chocolate Surprise Eggs.

Six small sections are interchangeable, with the lizard only attachable at the top.

Addendum - model is missing a small bird figure which sits on the lizards tail.

 

226. Playmobil Single Piece Casting

Single section casting of early totem pole design. Eagle motif sits atop wild man or giant, clasping a large salmon, with the head of a whale at the base. See also No. 33 for later modular totems and a painted version completed by the author.

 

224. Nabisco Rin Tin Tin Shredded Wheat Premium

Plastic / celluloid press out model of the Kotleen Memorial Totem, featuring Lt Rip Masters from 1958 TV show Rin Tin Tin.

See also no. 197.
 

202. Schleich Plastic Toy Totem

10 inch  toy totem pole, made of hard plastic by Schleich. Hand painted in muted tones. Probably depicting Thunderbird, Beaver and Bear on the bottom. Slightly stylised, but following general art conventions.

Dated 2005 on small base (missing from this example)

197. Nabisco Shredded Wheat 'Rin Tin Tin' Premium Totems

Corporal Boone and The Chief Shakes Totem Pole

Chief Cochise and the Beaver and Oyster Totem Pole

Major Swanson and the Sun and Raven Totem Pole

Sgt. Biff O'Hara and the Captain Jack's House Post

Rin Tin Tin and the Thunderbird Totem Pole

Chief Geronimo and the Thunderbird of Skidegate Totem Pole

Lt Rip Masters and the Kolteen Memorial Totem Pole

A set of 8 press out and foldable celluloid like plastic cereal premiums from circa 1958. Tying in with the Rin Tin Tin Television show and regular characters. Poles are roughly based on actual historic monumental structures.

 See 224 Also

Haida Mortuary Pole Skidegate

One Legged Fisherman Pole

Chief Shake's Totem Pole

Beaver and the Oyster Totem Pole

171. Plastic Totem Whistles

Set of eight premiums from Disneys ‘Brother Bear’ animation. Salmon, Bear, Inuit, Caribou, Eagle, .Ram, Mammoth and Elk. No direct connection to First Nations artistic style, purely animal totemic in form.

164. Novelty Plastic Totem Keyring

Small plastic thunderbird totem on clasp keyring - circa 1970

 

153. Kelloggs Totem Tribe Cereal Premiums

  Partial set of original releases

 Mexican re-issues painted by author


Partial Set of smaller unknown maker copies

Gumball Machine card courtesy of Ebay

Latest original pieces - These models represent the origin of my fascination with totem poles, as they appeared in cereals about the time I was 8 years old and was collecting rubber monsters and space toys. The scary faces fitted right in with my other toys and would resurface many decades later when I received my first Boma model pole, No. 141.