Editor’s Note: Below are some of the most common questions we have received about the Halloween Motion-ettes. This article is a sub-article of The Motion-ettes of Halloween Collector’s Guide. Please review the Guide before reading the FAQ.
Q: What’s the big deal about Telco? Why not create a guide for Topstone or early Gemmy Halloween figures?
A: The Big Scare has plans to produce, at least, one article focusing on the other brands of tabletop animation. The reason we started with Telco is because, as a company, its offerings were extremely expansive, yet incredibly underdocumented. Twenty-five years later, there is a lot of confusion about the line and very little information. This has led to misunderstandings in the worlds of collectors and Halloween enthusiasts alike. While the folks behind The Big Scare own relatively few Motion-ettes, we love their charms and the fact that they represent a simpler time in the world of Halloween. We have spent the past decade gathering information, comparing photos, and assembling a cohesive history of the line. To us, it was an endeavor worth the while.
Q: My Telco Halloween Motion-ette is dated 1987 (or 1986). That’s all I need to know about the year o
f its release, right?
A: Unfortunately, no. Simply because your Motion-ette is dated 1987 (or 1986) doesn’t mean it is from that year. Telco was notorious for stamping misleading dates on Motion-ette heads, hands, and boxes. 1986 refers to the creation of the Halloween line, while 1987 simply refers to the (true) national launch of the Halloween figures and the introduction of a particular body type. All Motion-ettes of Halloween are somehow tied to 1986 or 1987. If your figure has a 1986 or 1987 date, it most likely isn’t from that year… especially if it’s a bug-eyed Devil or a Green Werewolf (Beastman). Neither was released until years later. But that’s why we created the Motion-ettes guide!
Q: I found a Motion-ette that has a very different costume from the ones I see pictured on this site. Did I stumble upon a rare figure?
A: All images in our guide are photographs of archival catalog and stock images, intended to educate Halloween enthusiasts on what the actual original products looked like. So, chances are, if your figure has a different costume from what is outlined in the guide, you probably stumbled upon an imposter, at least a partial imposter. Motion-ettes were released at a time when crafting was still at its height. Crafters and hobbyists found Motion-ettes to be quite enchanting — not for their factory-born charms, but for the possibilities of modification and re-sale. Many times, Motion-ette figures were given new costumes, new accessories, or additional lighting features after they were purchased. They were then re-sold at craft fairs for higher prices. So, yes, your Motion-ette find is indeed rare. It’s one of a kind! But don’t go thinking that makes it better than an original Motion-ette. In fact, that probably would appeal less to most collectors. But the only thing that really matters is that you like it! Many of the Motion-ettes altered by hobbyists are very well done.
Q: I have a figure that has a nearly identical color scheme to the Motion-ettes in the guide, but the face is sculpted a bit differently, and the accessory is one I didn’t see pictured or mentioned in the collector’s guide. Is it a Telco?
A: Probably n
ot. It could very well be an EPI animated figure. In fact, we here at The Big Scare are still trying to pinpoint the make of certain lookalikes, especially the ones that really look like they could be Telco Motion-ettes but don’t have any of the standard accessories. The accessories make for one of the best ways to determine the brand of your animated monster. If your figure has the regular skull, the rectangular lantern, or this blow mold pumpkin, it’s probably a Telco, although the pumpkin was also used by lookalike companies. The cobra, crazy bat, and threatening cat blow mold accessories are also extremely indicative that yours is indeed a Telco Motion-ette.
Q: I see a lot of these Motion-ettes listed for high prices on [a popular online auction site]. These prices seem a bit excessive to me. Is there a conclusive list of fair market values for the Halloween Motion-ettes?
A: No official guide has ever been created, but, during our ten years of research, we kept a log of final selling prices for various figures in the Telco line. We created a range using our recorded statistics. You can find the average price ranges for popular figures in our Telco Halloween Motion-ettes Price Guide. Please note that these prices are based on our collected data and should only be used as one resource when determining a fair price for a particular animated figure.
Have a question? Ask it in the comments section, and it could appear above in our official (and ever-growing) Q&A.
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