Another excuse to shift a few pictures from the lap-top! The old 40mm standard of the 19th century, which has held-on by dint of the model railway hobby using it for O Gauge, or Scale 7, which can equate to anything between 1:40th to 1:45th depending on what's being modelled.
Bassett Lowke produced a small range of 'character' figures for their O gauge range and this is one of them (!??). Unfortunately he's in a bit of a state, and might be
Charley Chaplin, or he might be
Neville Chamberlain, both of whom featured in the set (apparently - I can only find Chaplin).
I'm guessing
Chaplin, but with those trousers? The seller told me he was
Chaplin the first time I saw him, but
Chamberlain the next time...doh! And my Googleing has found a different
Chaplin pose, no
Chamberlain and figures with thinner green bases, so it may not even be what I've just told you it is! Life huh? Gets
Bassett Lowke in the tag list, even if under false pretence!
These are by
Heyde, the famous old German firm and represent 'Balkan' bicycle troops from the turn of the last Century...Serbs? Croats? Serbo-Croats? If I know one thing...best not go there...they're lovely figures, wonderfully made and an unusual subject, that's enough.
Bulgarians I believe. Not fond of the spaghetti arms but what marvelous sets Heyde did.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ross...They are lovely, but semi-flat, so a bit thin, but also 'a bit' early, a smaller group came up for auction back in the early 2000's with an estimate of 200-300 quid - don't know what they finally fetched!
ReplyDeleteH