TVTA is pleased to present further images from the 1988 Exin catalogue featuring TENTE construction toys.
Today we look at the lines Elephant (a range of pre-school bricks similar to Duplo and Mega-Bloks), Variant, Compact and Combi (for early school ages), and then sets for the more advanced young builder featuring typical Tenté themes of helicopters, boats, military vehicles and space craft.
To round off the post we have some examples from the Titanium line… and here there can be no doubt that some of its space vehicles were inspired by certain craft from the early Star Wars franchise (X-Wing and Tie Fighters immediately come to mind).
Enjoy the images!
Selection of Tenté construction toy lines. Composition by TVTA.
TENTE Elephant
TENTE Space Base Andromeda. Space Station Odyseus. Bluestar / Stroner / Scouty / Redwolf
TENTE boats, helicopters and military vehicles. Includes the sets: Cobra Base and Polar Station Artic 2
TENTE Combi, Variant and Compact sets
TENTE Titanium
Front and rear covers of the Exin 1988 Catalogue
As always, thanks for looking 🙂
Images from the 1988 Exin catalogue. Scanned by TVTA.
The Vintage Toy Advertiser 
What a mess in the kids room when all that gets mixed with Lego!
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Lol. Lego and its competitors all messed up on the playroom floor 😂🤣
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I was given one of the boat kits as a birthday present one year–I had a party and invited all my classmates.
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Thanks Anthony. Love hearing from people who used to actually own one of the toys I show. I never had any Tente sets as a kid, but those boat and helicopter kits look stunning!
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I love the expression on the face of the kid on the right on that first box!
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Me too. It must have been fun to have been chosen to be a ‘box art kid’ on toy products back then! I wonder if the kids were allowed to keep the toys after?
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That would only have been fair!
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I just love building block sets, be it “official” big brand or the lesser known off brands. And these are nice especially the Helicopter/Aircraft carrier ships and the collection of helicopters (though the commercial ships are quite detailed too) Thanks for sharing.
p.s. I might have some news soon of another delivery I’m expecting later today. I’ll let you know what it is when it gets here ok!
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Thanks FT. I enjoy seeing how lesser known construction block companies differ Lego. That said, the TENTE brand was huge in Europe, North America and Japan… maybe because it tended to concentrate its products on a vast range of ground, sea and air vehicles more so than say LEGO did.
Will check my mails later to see if you had your delivery!
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Hi there, just sent the email. I think I may have caught the Nerfing fever big time!
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You’re on a Nerf roll! Just replied. Good stuff!
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