Gallery of Light by Olszewski: Aladdin "Magic Carpet Ride"

The last blog post I wrote on vintage toy collection was in March 2017 for Death Box. Since then, the absence of post is not because I stop shopping but more because I am too busy. For example, I completed Final Fantasy Chrome collection since a few years ago but until now I am too busy and lazy to take out 20 over boxes and take the picture of them. However, since I am in a good Christmas Eve mood today, I will post about Gallery of Light by Olszewski: Aladdin "Magic Carpet Ride" that I found by accident in October this year.

I am aware of the existence of this item since many years ago but I never find one which is on sale or in the midst of auction. In fact, the information on this item is also very elusive to find. Based on the research that I can find, this Aladdin piece was released in November 2008 with an original price of USD 70. The one that I own is 'naked' without box and CoA so I can only provide the measurement of the actual item: 13.4cm (L) x 9.3cm (W) x 9.8cm (H). Despite the small size, the item is surprisingly heavy which suggests that the components inside should not be plastic or toy-like.

I bought this for $160 and it is in still in good working condition despite the cosmetic blemishes to the surface of the item. Although we cannot open to see actual 'figure' inside the light box, the details of the 'figure' is testimony of the dedicated craftmanship behind this item. The fact that the light and the electronic components are still working a decade later is another proof of the quality. When the light is on, the whole diorama depicts the scene from the movie very nicely. The Magic Carpet Ride happens in the night and the light in this diorama looks like moonlight through the woods instead of 

One feature that surprises me the most is how the switch is subtly incorporated into the design of the light box. Initially I panicked since I could not find any switch where the markings of "on" and "off" are. I had to find youtube videos to find where the switch is. Without further ado, it is picture time.

Back view

The base. Notice there is no switch near the battery compartment as well as the "on" and "off" markings. Oh ya, I forgot to mention that this is operated by 3 x AAA batteries.

Side view. Just to show some blemishes :(

More blemishes at the top side.

With the light on in a bright room

With the light on in a dark room

Let's zoom in to see the details now. I can only zoom when the room is dark and the light box is on. If the room is bright, the glass case will reflect light and we cannot see the inside.

A Whole New World~~

Even the Magic Carpet is so detailed

Lastly, in case you are still wondering about the switch...

It is here!!

Gallery of Light is a fantastic line of Disney merchandise which has its own unique charm. Lucky for me, I am do not like high-maintenance things so I find it a hassle to take out the batteries when not in use and to switch on and off when I want to enjoy the display. In addition, I don't want to think about what to do if the light bulb reaches its end of life. Size also matters to me so I prefer a collectible which is bigger in size, more impactful on display, and enjoy without the gimmicks. I usually derive my pleasure admiring the details when I am doing the dusting anyway.