Jacko the Monkey

Following on from my post over a month ago regarding Jacko...and after more thinking and searching I decided when seeing one that looked just like mine on Evilbay to go for it, IF I could get him for a good price - I didn't want to spend much as after all this was kind of an experiment about replacing a beloved childhood toy and memory.

Anyway he arrived this morning and these are my observations so far:

He looks the same...wearing the same outfit, but something wasn't quite right...I couldn't yet put my finger on just what.

I held his hand and then I knew!  His hands are a slightly different shape...they weren't MY Jacko's hands.  Why was this I wondered?  Surely all their molds are the same?

But wait there was something else as well, and it wasn't until I was showing my husband pictures of other Jacko the Monkeys on the internet that I realised the difference and yes there were differences....subtle ones, but definitely differences which perhaps account for why I just knew this one was not like mine.  Perhaps they changed the molds and styles every few years.

Certainly this lad is in better condition than mine was pre-rat destruction.  Mine had been well loved and his hair was less plush, in fact I think his hair was also a slightly different material.  I seem to recall the black hair being less fur like.  Difficult to explain.  How I wish I had kept the 'pieces' of my Jacko that remained.  I can't remember what happened to them.  Whether I threw them away, buried them or left them to my poor Dad to deal with.  In hindsight, I should have tried keeping some of him, but was too upset I think.  My husband remembers me being pretty distraught over the damage to the various dolls and teddies.

Anyway back to the differences.  My Jacko had white bands round his arms and his trousers didn't come in at the feet, but were more like trousers.  Perhaps if I found one like him it would have his hands?  This could be a slippery slope...of course, the quest to replace him 'properly'.

I think perhaps this Jacko is a later model than mine, a 'younger' chap.

But saying that, this Jacko who has arrived, who yes needs a bit of a clean up,  (how to clean fabric is a tricky one) and also needs a bit of stitching along his back seam, but nothing serious, is in otherwise lovely condition.  His fur is soft and he has that cheeky Jacko face.   His eyes are a bit filmy.  The eyelids seem to be covered in something, but I have given them a quick clean and it will come off.

I look at him and he brings a smile to my face, which is partly what it is all about.  

Will he stay?  Most probably....time will tell.

Will I keep searching?  Who knows?!

At least I know I have made a bit of space for him but letting some of the other dolls travel to new homes where hopefully they are fulfilling someone else's needs, desires, or collections.

Here he is meeting the other cheeky monkey members that live here!