B is for Background

We've looked at these before, but I managed to photograph 4 in sequence, which show the way the background joins between cards to make up a continuous scene. I have also photographed about five more cards individually, and with these and the original, I hope to stitch a complete run at some point!

Last time each card had a white astronaut and a silver one, as can be seen above, the packers actually didn't care what mix you got or which pose/s went on which card...indeed the only real usefulness of the card numbering is to aid in collecting the background, which - as I pointed-out last time - you would then damage getting the blister off?

These cards also have the little bubble-gum pastilles still in situ.

While we're looking at them, these seem to be copies, possibly from Spain or South America? The painted one in white plastic is a decorated Jean original; you can see how the copies have dispensed with the helmet antenna, probably to aid low-skill production?

Put bases on them and you have figures that will not only stand up a little more easily than the Jean originals, but that will carry a message, should you so wish...

..., in this case Treff 'kraftfutter' which got various translations including; Feed Stuff, Feed Concentrate and Concentrated Clutch? Treff themselves seem to be one of several grain mills in a larger group, so I'm guessing kraftfutter is some kind of flour? Maybe a rusk, a baby-formula or suchlike? Can anybody from that part of the world let us know what this was/is?

Jean produced lots of premiums for other people (some collectors get a bit excited by the Linde examples?) and the brand would be carried on the base, so obviously the astronauts needed bases. I think they had the helmet decor as well, but they are easily lost through play-wear.

By the by - I have a rule of thumb when describing space-based toy figures...if they have NASA or Cosmonaut attributes (air-pipes, power packs, non-aggressive tools and equipment) they are called 'Astronauts', if they have wacky or non-standard spacesuits or equipment, or 'para-military' uniforms and/or weaponry, they are titled 'Spacemen'...these are definitely Astronauten!

Even though one of them has a pistol...Doh!