K is for Kleeware's Komic Kop Kar!

Continuing with yesterday's 'oh that's what they are' meme, these were shot on Adrian's stand at the recent PW show and actually produced "Oh! That's where they're from / what they are" calls of recognition; all day.

Anyone who collects a bit of everything;, anyone who collects early-looking stuff; anyone who collects police, emergency service or civilian themes; anyone who's spend more than an hour going through rummage trays, bins or tubs in the last 20 or 30 years - has either got one or two of these or seen a few! Mine's the standing red one!

Now, given the amount of mould-sharing (and piracy) that went on back in the day, especially with Kleeware, and the fact that some US police forces had helmets like ours for a while (I seem to remember from the old B&W silent comedies of my youth - they were repeats all right! I'm not that old!), I wonder - given that they also have sheriffs/deputies stars - if the original might be an American thing?

The Kleeware Crazy Cop Car. The box is similar to that unknown-maker, clockwork, firing machine-gun nest we looked at a while ago, but that's where the similarities end. Where that was made of bright lightweight polystyrene, this is a much heavy, colder polymer, with more subdued colours; still a styrol I think, but it could be a late, stable, phenolic resin, or - from the damage on the foot-slots of mine - a high quality Bakelite?

The wheels are fitted to cam-equipped axles which jump the seats up and down causing the policemen to bob about as the vehicle moves. Additional fun can be had by piling them up using the various slots/grooves and protrusions on both the figures and the car.

A few shots of the box sides gives a further idea of how they stack and join-together. If you have them, you can get them out of the 'unknown' zone and label them-up! Cheers Adrian.