Jacko the Monkey - Take Two!

It seems they are just like buses....you wait for ages and then suddenly two come along in very quick succession.

So quite unexpectedly I had the opportunity to purchase a Jacko that I believed was just like MY Jacko.  Would I be right this time I wondered?

I thought carefully, asked a few questions and went for the plunge....today, Jacko Two arrived.  Yes ANOTHER, but this time I hoped I had 'got it right'.

I had a giggle with the postman this morning when he knocked on the door and said 'the poor fellow's feet are cold'!    You could see Jacko's feet as the paper had ripped.  Fortunately he was well bubble wrapped so it wasn't a complete disaster  UNLIKE a later delivery this morning - but that is another story yet to be told.

So with a little bit of apprehension I unwrapped Jacko Two, would he be like I expected?  

I held his hand - YES that felt exactly right, unlike Jacko One, when I felt his hand I instinctively knew something was wrong.   Funny how these latent memories are there ready to be revived at a touch.

I looked at his hair...YES the same hair as MY Jacko and definitely different to Jacko One.  His outfit was the same - trousers and white cuffs round the sleeves of his top.  He seems to be the same generation as my Jacko so I am pleased.

His clothes on a whole are in lovely condition for his age - cleaner than I expected, although his fur arms are grubby, and the 'fur' is more 'fragile' than Jacko One, but this is partly because I do believe he is both older and made of a different type of material.

Comparison photos of the two Jackos.

Jacko Two & Jacko One

Jacko Two's left hand

Jacko One's left hand.

Jacko Two's right hand - and it is this one that you can especially see and feel the difference.  More curved - perfect for hanging from a door frame - which is what my Jacko used to do!

Jacko One's right  hand - more open but with a ridge on his fingers.

Face of Jacko Two - here you can also see his hair - it is kind of longer and more 'hair like' rather than fur fabric like Jacko One below.

Both his eyes and Jacko One's eyes have a white coating on the lids and eyes which does clean off to an extent - I have since tried, and hopefully with a bit more work it will come off completely.  Not sure what it is, but seeing as they both have it I guess it is something to do with age.

His face paint is better as well. It is more worn on Jacko One.

Jacko One - more 'fur fabric' type head.  His ears are more lopsided as well.

Close up of the different head coverings. - Jacko Two

Jacko One.

The photo of them together - you can see the differences in their outfits.  Similar, but not quite the same with Jacko Two wearing trousers over pink legs.  I am assuming that Jacko One on the right was a later version and they simplified the manufacturing process and hence made his trousers as his legs as well.  

So my quest to replace my childhood Jacko is complete...I had thought I wouldn't attempt to do so, but then the curiosity of thinking about it got the better of me.  How will I feel about these two guys in a month, six months, a year down the track who knows...if I remember at a later date I will let you know!  

In the meantime they have since had their feet, hands and faces cleaned.  I wish I knew how to clean the fur fabric - on Jacko Two's arms especially as they are a bit grubby, but so far I have no idea. 

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!