RARE AURORA MODEL BUILT UP STORE DISPLAY

Despite advances in model kit manufacturing technology and assembly, the Aurora model kits still stand as the epitome of monster model making. First introduced in 1961 by Aurora Plastics Corporation, the Frankenstein kit was a smash hit for Monster Kids who discovered that with a little bit of work (and a lot of fun), they could have their own, full-color three-dimensional monster movie figure sitting on their bedroom shelf.

The Frankenstein kit became so popular that Aurora cranked them out 24 hrs. a day, even tooling a second set of molds to keep up with the orders from hobby shops around the country that couldn't keep their stock. At the height of production, Aurora was pushing out 8,000 kits a day -- that's 3 kits a minute!

Aurora was more than happy to supply Monster Kids with their most favorite hobby next to watching monster movies on TV, of course. They followed up with 12 more kits in just six years (with box art by James "Doc Savage" Bama that kids wisely kept and collected, too):

1962
Dracula
The Wolf Man

1963
The Mummy
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
The Phantom of the Opera

1964
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (a second box art version was produced when actor Anthony Quinn said the original image looked too much like him!)
Dr. Jekyll as Mr. Hyde
King Kong
Godzilla
Salem Witch
Bride of Frankenstein

1966
The Forgotten Prisoner of Castle-Mare (a collaboration between Aurora and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine)

Also released in 1964 was a non-monster, but all-thrilling kit called "Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors La Guillotine". This charming kit, when built up had a working blade to hack off the head of the hapless victim.

Like the rest of the kits, Aurora added a touch of marketing genius (among numerous other ideas) by supplying hobby shops with a "professionally-painted and built" sample of each figure. As seen below, included was the Dracula and La Guillotine kits. These, and the other figures are quite rare today and occasionally show up on the auction block to sell at high prices (no kidding!). Following these images is a roll call of some of the original boxes and box art from the most famous model maker in Monsterdom!