Dirty, broken and missing parts, this rough condition 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy is being auctioned on eBay. The seller has commenced the sale at US$125. This item is priced accordingly as much of the figure is either damaged in some way or lacking in features. Nonetheless, at this price, the four decades old toy will sell without too much problem.
This rough looking Kenner ALIEN may need some attention but there’s a good figure buried beneath all of his many issues. Sure, he’s missing the usual parts. The dome, shoulder crest and both halves that comprise the tongue are all absent. His poor condition extends well beyond these missing features. The paint on the head and chrome teeth are all scratched and damaged. Not much can be done about those but other areas can hold hope to be addressed. For example, the dust can easily be washed off the figure with a kitchen sink filled with hot water and a toothbrush. Other issues are more significant.
Notably, the left arm has been glued back to the shoulder, permanently fixing it into place. On occasion I’ve found incompatible glues have been used and have perished over time, losing their bonding making the arm removable. The recovery of the arm may possibly mean a more appropriate repair could be conducted. Nonetheless, this is where the real problem lies with this figure. If the glue isn’t solely restricted to the shoulder joint (or hasn’t perished), then it may not be possible to disassemble the toy and give the arm treatment that will restore full articulation to both limbs. The ability to take this item apart and dramatically improve its condition is highly dependent on how the glue has affected each torso half and whether it is still performing the purpose to which it is intended – that is, the permanent bonding of two parts together. If the torso halves cannot be separated, then repairs can still be made but their success and application will be limited in scope.
This is a “luck of the draw” item. In the hands of someone who is familiar with how these toys are repaired, this can still become a decent display piece but as it is, the presence of an unknown type of glue will determine what can – and can’t – be achieved with it.
-Windebieste.
