This is one of my favourite pieces, along with a composition tank I have in storage somewhere which will be blogged here one day! I'm not sure of the material of this, but it would seem to be some form of ceramic, rather than a true composition, but it's a low-temperature fired earthenware such as a clay or terracotta, and in the worlds of marbles and doll collecting (both more populated hobbies than toy soldier collecting) would be considered a composition anyway.
A study of the image (click once and it'll open, or right-click 'open in new tab') will reveal it's very crudely moulded with a poorly-mixed material (that alone pointing to low-temp firing, with all the air trapped in those un-squeezed-out folds it would likely explode at the temperatures necessary to create 'china' or porcelain), which has lead to some shrinkage and deformation.
It's been loosely 'shoved' into a mould, the pressing of the hollow cavity in the underside forcing the material into the corners of the mould and - after firing - airbrushed with gloss enamels, brown over a yellow base.
The crudeness points to a craft piece or penny-toy, even a home-made, and while date is hard, and subject matter (vis-a-vis actual vehicle depicted) impossible; I'm guessing it's early, pre-WWII, but not as early as WWI, the design - such as it is - is later. Anybody got an idea as to the make depicted...or maker?
It's roughly 'small scale'; big'ish for 1:72 but a bit small for 28mm role-play. Also I wonder if it might actually be French in origin. If war gaming I'd say a 2lbr, it's bigger than an MG!
8 comments:
That is truly ugly!
Oh! You hurtful man! I love it...it's quirky!
Are there two Al's or were you anonymous the other day?
Cheers anyway! H
There is a story behind this somewhere and that's what would be interesting to me. Who were its first owners and what did they use it for.
I know there are other hobbies that are bigger than ours, but let's not speak of them. It hurts me :0)
Hi Anne, I don't know, as it came from a toy-fair, fiver, I'm the only guy I know who rates this stuff!
I've considered ash-trays, paperweights, candle-holders, ink-stands and all the other mid-century occasional table paraphernalia you'd expect Bakelite or pewter lumps of this sort to be attached to, but there's no sign of it being glued, fixed or slip-welded to anything so I guess it was a play-thing...maybe a school project piece, but you'd expect it to be better finished if a teacher was involved!
And the spray-painting points to commerce?
The hobby thing was aimed at toy soldier collectors really, your 'branch' has some quite big conventions (even if the bulk of them are Nottingham products exclusive!!) and certainly is bigger than marbles...but dolls? I'm not so sure - there are a lot of them. It's only because I'm working on a page about composition!
H
Google 'Landsversk Armoured Car' & click on images. A Swedish range, there were several models, and also supplied to several other countries between the wars. Some of them look similar to this toy.
Cheers Dave
I did have a quick google (Irish and South African AC's for some reason!) but with all the books in storage it was a task too far!
H
Did this model hold cologne or some sort of distilled spirit?
No Jan, just a pressed-clay lump, no signs of a cap or anything?
Hugh
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