So here, indeed are five 'unknowns'
The first one is a real mystery, he's polystyrene or an earlier phenolic resin type which suggests France, he equally looks a bit Spanish, yet the cap-badge on his blanket (those must have a posh title?) resembles the Woffer's, who had a 'Derby-ram' as their regimental mascot, for years? 54 or 60mm Compatible
This chap is soft polyethylene, and looks to belong with those Argentinian Indians we looked at the other day (as far as paint gloss and plastic goes), but he is better finished, better detailed and better painted, again the yellow base could be Spanish or French? Small'ish 54mm.
Whenever I see 'odd' ceremonials, especially in tropical or summer dress, I tend to think Monaco; tourist novelty! But they can't all be, and the thought's irrational anyway! The pose is odd, as the rifle-drill position is 'For Inspection - Present Arms' but he's on the march? Maybe in his army there's a 'For Comfort - Hug Arms' command!
This one was - I suspect - once in a vulcanised rubber, but he has now taken on the consistency of chalk or plaster (and was in two bits when I got him) which may be what he always was? Heading for a larger 60-mil size.
Game-playing piece or board-game target/objective token? Seems to be quite an early plastic 'thing' which has been carved straight into the mould tool with drills and a mouth stamping! He/she (what sex were Sphinxes?) could also be designed to be glued to something as a decorative ornament with the angled-blob behind the 'fascia' used to locate the item until it's fixed? No more than 15/18mm at most. Arcade token?
Anyone got any ideas on any of these?
Only on sphinxes! The Egyptian ones tend to be male, often with a beard. The Greeks made the sphinx female. The piece you have is, as I am sure you know, based onthe original Giza example.
ReplyDeleteIt does have quite a flat nose Andy! That's interesting though as our cap badge (Glosters) happily moniker'ed 'EGYPT', was err . . . quite 'well endowed' in the matter of décolletage - if you know what I mean! Clearly a Ptolemaic Sphinx . . .
ReplyDeleteCheers Andy!
H