Photos, videos: Louisiana resident Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection
Kevin Hardy of Watson began collecting antique Japanese tin toy robots a year ago. So far, he has 31 robots in his collection, most of them purchased from online auctions.
STORY: Every day is a sci-fi matinee at this Louisiana home full of vintage Japanese robots
The robots range in manufacturing dates from 1949 to 1969, which also marks the era when Japan was in industrial recovery after World War II.
Some of the robots in Hardy's collection are toy reproductions of recognizable robots in such popular sci-fi films as "Forbidden Planet," which was produced during what has become known as the atomic era.
Hardy is still adding to his collection. In the meantime, check out some of his robots in the photos below.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy sits at his dining room table with some favorites from his antique Japanese tin toy robot collection in his Watson residence. He has been collecting antique toy robots for a year.
An antique Japanese tin toy reproduction of Robby the Robot from the 1956 sci-fi classic, 'Forbidden Planet,' walks across Kevin Hardy's dining room table in Watson. Most of the robots are mechanically animated and are in mint working condition.
This antique Japanese tin toy robot is ready to launch into space in his personal space ship. It is part of Watson resident Kevin Hardy's collection of toy robots.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
An antique Japanese tin toy robot likeness of Robby the Robot from the 1956 sci-fi classic film, "Forbidden Planet," walks across the ceramic tiled floor in toy robot collector Kevin Hardy's home in Watson. Hardy has 31 antique toy robots in his collection. Staff video by Robin Miller
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy has 31 robots so far in his antique Japanese tin toy robot collection. The robots' manufacturing dates range from 1949 to 1969.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Some of Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robots walk across his dining room table in Watson. Hardy has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Collectors can pay anywhere from $200 to hundreds of thousands of dollars for antique Japanese tin toy robots. Value is determined according to rarity and condition. Though Kevin Hardy's collection doesn't include the rarest of robots, it is a good representative collection of the genre.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Most of the robots in Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection came packed in the original boxes in which they were sold. He displays the boxes on a separate shelf in his Watson home.
Kevin Hardy operates the ray gun robot from his antique Japanese tin toy robot collection on the dining room table in his Watson home. The robot is one of 31 in his collection, which he continues to grow. Staff video by Robin Miller
The oldest piece in Watson resident Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection is this robot manufactured in 1949.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Watson resident Kevin Hardy calls up an old catalog advertisement on his iPad showing that this antique Japanese tin toy robot was priced at $2.98 when it first hit the market in 1957.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
An antique toy reproduction of Robby the Robot is the most recognizable robot in Kevin Hardy's collection. The original robot was introduced to moviegoing audiences in the 1956 sci-fi movie, 'Forbidden Planet.'
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
This robot in Watson resident Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection spins around while shooting lasers from its chest. Staff video by Robin Miller
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
A look at the 31 robots in Watson resident Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection. Staff video by Robin Miller
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.