Post by mamared on Nov 19, 2017 6:13:51 GMT -5
HelloMiss and PleasantMemories have already written great reviews of this set. I relied on their reviews while collecting but unfortunately can’t see PleasantMemories’s photos any longer(hopefully temporarily), so I’ll add some of my own in the meantime.
Addy’s Gardening Supplies are wonderfully detailed and useful. I have one complete set and several partial sets. The complete set includes a metal watering can (which is a fantastic piece but does rust easily), a hoe with a wooden handle and heavy metal blade (it has a rounded edge and isn’t sharp), a wicker basket, and vegetables. There have been different versions through the years but as far as I know they have come with the same vegetables: a head of lettuce or cabbage (I’m unclear which), a bunch of carrots, a tomato, two eggplants, and a turnip.
I have three versions of the vegetables. The oldest version is made of resin or possibly clay (I'm not completely sure). It feels very solid and heavy. The next version is mostly styrofoam. It is labeled Pleasant Company and is consistent with the version that appears on the 1994 maroon-bordered Addy’s Summer Story pamphlet. The third version is also mostly styrofoam and I think it’s from after the Pleasant Company era.
The 1994 pamphlet:
Heads of lettuce/cabbage. Oldest (resin) is on the left. It is heavy and brightly painted. I have several of these and they all seem the same. Middle is 1994 styrofoam, and seems to be wrapped in papier-mâché leaves. It is the most realistic. My third version on the right also seems like styrofoam with papier-mâché leaves but lacks the wonderful detail of leaves curling open, and the coloring also seems drab.
Next are the carrots. All three versions have wire-encased green fabric carrot tops, which can be bent in different directions to appear more realistic (I didn’t do this). Oldest is on the left again. The paint is all one color and there are indentations in the carrots to show texture. Second version has less pronounced indentations but has painted lines. Third version also has painted lines and almost feels slick in texture compared to the others.
Next, the tomato. Oldest (on the left) is entirely painted. Middle version larger and brighter with fabric leaves. Third version smaller and darker red with fabric leaves.
Next, the eggplants. Oldest version is all painted again, middle version has a green wire stem, third version is very similar but is painted a darker plum color. The third version also has a very uniform color and slick texture, unlike the other two which have a bit more variation. Although I've pictured two eggplants in each version, that is just because two come with each set. They do not come clumped together.
And finally the turnips. I don’t have a resin version yet. The main difference in my styrofoam versions is that the purple painting on the first one is a bit darker and appears kind of smudgy, while the later version shows more detail on the veining.
Overall, I like the resin and early styrofoam versions best, but truly all of the sets are wonderful. There is a lot of appeal and play value in all of the different parts of the set, and I would easily give it an A++.
Addy’s Gardening Supplies are wonderfully detailed and useful. I have one complete set and several partial sets. The complete set includes a metal watering can (which is a fantastic piece but does rust easily), a hoe with a wooden handle and heavy metal blade (it has a rounded edge and isn’t sharp), a wicker basket, and vegetables. There have been different versions through the years but as far as I know they have come with the same vegetables: a head of lettuce or cabbage (I’m unclear which), a bunch of carrots, a tomato, two eggplants, and a turnip.
I have three versions of the vegetables. The oldest version is made of resin or possibly clay (I'm not completely sure). It feels very solid and heavy. The next version is mostly styrofoam. It is labeled Pleasant Company and is consistent with the version that appears on the 1994 maroon-bordered Addy’s Summer Story pamphlet. The third version is also mostly styrofoam and I think it’s from after the Pleasant Company era.
The 1994 pamphlet:
Heads of lettuce/cabbage. Oldest (resin) is on the left. It is heavy and brightly painted. I have several of these and they all seem the same. Middle is 1994 styrofoam, and seems to be wrapped in papier-mâché leaves. It is the most realistic. My third version on the right also seems like styrofoam with papier-mâché leaves but lacks the wonderful detail of leaves curling open, and the coloring also seems drab.
Next are the carrots. All three versions have wire-encased green fabric carrot tops, which can be bent in different directions to appear more realistic (I didn’t do this). Oldest is on the left again. The paint is all one color and there are indentations in the carrots to show texture. Second version has less pronounced indentations but has painted lines. Third version also has painted lines and almost feels slick in texture compared to the others.
Next, the tomato. Oldest (on the left) is entirely painted. Middle version larger and brighter with fabric leaves. Third version smaller and darker red with fabric leaves.
Next, the eggplants. Oldest version is all painted again, middle version has a green wire stem, third version is very similar but is painted a darker plum color. The third version also has a very uniform color and slick texture, unlike the other two which have a bit more variation. Although I've pictured two eggplants in each version, that is just because two come with each set. They do not come clumped together.
And finally the turnips. I don’t have a resin version yet. The main difference in my styrofoam versions is that the purple painting on the first one is a bit darker and appears kind of smudgy, while the later version shows more detail on the veining.
Overall, I like the resin and early styrofoam versions best, but truly all of the sets are wonderful. There is a lot of appeal and play value in all of the different parts of the set, and I would easily give it an A++.