What did the very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toy look like?
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of TMNT, ISH and Bottleneck Gallery are proud to announce the newest addition to the TMNT FIRSTS line…. THE PITCH TURTLE. Partnering with VARNER STUDIOS and co-founders Steve Varner and Eddy Mosqueda, we have created a statue of the legendary first TMNT figure prototype that Varner sculpted and was used to pitch Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird on making toys of the Turtle brothers! Created in 1986, we have 3D scanned an original casting of THE PITCH TURTLE sculpt directly from the Varner Studios archives and have upscaled the piece to approximately 9” to show off the detail including original tool markings from the sculpting process!
To further put a focus on authenticity and in reference to how toys are created behind the scenes, we are offering this statue in two color ways including what the original clay sculpture looked like and the “wax sculpture” which are the first and second stages that occur before the final molds are made. We are also producing, for the first time ever, a version made out of bronze featuring various colors and patinas!
TMNT Firsts: The Pitch Turtle will be available on Thursday (3/21) @ 12PM ET on our homepage, Bottleneckgallery.com!
TMNT Firsts: The Pitch Turtle - Clay Edition
Cast resin
9" tall
Limited edition of 500
$95
Includes a 5 x 5 inch hand-numbered print
TMNT Firsts: The Pitch Turtle - Wax Edition
Cast resin
9" tall
Limited edition of 500
$95
Includes a 5 x 5 inch hand-numbered print
TMNT Firsts: The Pitch Turtle - Patina Bronze Edition
Hand-cast bronze statue with green patina
9" tall + 1" marble base
Numbered plaque under base
Limited edition of 100
$450
Includes a 5 x 5 inch hand-numbered print
TMNT First: The Pitch Turtle - Natural Bronze Edition
Hand-cast bronze statue
9" tall + 1" marble base
Numbered plaque under base
Limited edition of 50
$750
Includes a 5 x 5 inch hand-numbered print