R is for Robin's Roustabout Rebels - Part 1 - Sets

I think (with the pink guitarist) we've looked at all the stuff in Glenn's excellent parcel from New Zealand, bar one item . . . it is that item, kindly donated to the blog by Glenn we're looking at in the next two posts.

And . . . Glenn lives literally yards from the epicenter of the horrendous atrocity which struck Christchurch the other day, so please spare a though for him and his neighbours, as I don't think anyone expected the 21st century to visit the fair lands of 'The Shire', so soon, or so violently.

I did cover this topic back nearer the start of the blog due to a lucky find of the smaller figures from Canada, and the larger figures being in the 'Big Purchase' or a tubbed PW Show purchase, I can't now remember - which are mostly the Ri-Toys re-issue figures also supplied to Marksmen.

At the time, I told the story as it was presented elsewhere on the Wibbly Wobbly Way, but the story seems to have changed once or twice since then, and still doesn't seem to be set in stone, so we'll ramble though it and each can draw his own conclusions!

The total extent of my sample with the previously-seen Marx/Rado 60mm's at the top, the new figures from the Antipodes in the middle and the Canada set - also seen previously - below them.

Now a complication in this, is that the Canadian/Southern Cross set/s are based on the Marx 54mm set, of which I have no examples! The 60mm are from Playsets I think (I'm missing all four of the original 'pose variations') while both the smaller sets were issued as Breakfast cereal premiums.

Another complication is that the smaller figures (specifically the Canadian issue) are also credited to Rubenstein, in the 'States, after the Canadians had finished with them (?) but I have never seen them in Rubenstein packaging, nor any empirical evidence for the accreditation, or for the link between Rubenstein and the Tatra 'Soldiers/Warriors of the World/Through the Ages'?

Knowing - as I'm sure by now you do - how much I like my empirical evidence for statements of fact, I'm maintaining a healthy scepticism of the Rubenstein link until I see something more concrete, but it's credible.

However and having said that, my sample - in multi-colours - is supposed to be Rubenstein not Breakfast cereal, which were [apparently] all-green, and an apple green not the jade-green of a couple of mine? Mine are mostly marked 'CANADA' though, which would suggest that even if Rubenstein handled them; they handled them as a wholesale jobber (Erwin's "...so called joggers"!) or a contractor, not as a manufacturer/mould-tool holder.

Or it means the apple-green ones are Kellogg's US Suger-smacks (and/or Rubenstein) while the multiple coloured ones are Canadian Kellogg's? Kent Sprecher's site says unmarked are from Canada and marked ('CANADA') are from the USA, but doesn't mention the unmarked Aussie/NZ ones? But then there are other colours, and I've seen half-and-half apple-green/orange-brown lots/sets being offered which seem to have come together?

Upon posting this - it's changes again! Colours are less of a 'set-in-stone' now and apparently the Canada-marked are Canada-issued, the opposite of two years ago . . . like I said, draw your own conclusions it'll likely have changed again in two years time!

The Marx/Rado-Ri Toys/Marksmen set, from the top-left to the bottom-right;

• ·         Robin Hood
• ·         An unnamed 'Merry-Man'
• ·         Main Marian
• ·         Friar Tuck
• ·         Sheriff of Nottingham
• ·         Little John . . .
• ·         . . . and three more unnamed Merry Men.

I am missing the four 'adjusted poses' from the original 60mm set which are on Kent Specher's site here (just over half-way down the page), but my 'guy blowing horn' seems to be my only Marx original - the more astute of you will have noticed he had some 'work-done' half-way through preparing the articles - he's as brittle as hell!

The Rubenstein-via-Canada-whoever set was a fourteen count - with the missing archer now in the Antipodean line-up below (see note on next post), these are the slightly finer-detailed of the two sets, but really only noticeable in the thickness of weapon-handles/bow-strings and other thin elements.

Base markings are on one or two circular depressions and are also reading from top-left to bottom-right are thus;

• ·         Canada / Robin Hood
• ·         Maid Marian Canada (single ring)
• ·         Friar Tuck / Canada
• ·         Canada / Sheriff of Nottingham
• ·         Little John / Canada
• ·         Minstrel / Canada
• ·         [large release-pin mark but no text]
• ·         Canada / [blank]
• ·         [blank] / Canada
• ·         Canada / [blank]
• ·         [blank] / Canada
• ·         [blank] / Canada
• ·         [blank] / Canada 
• [other 'Will Scarlet' archer unknown]

The new kids on the block! An apparent set of twelve poses; the Canadian 'Nottingham has seemingly gone 'walkabout' (with a teenage Jenny Agutter?. . . Who wouldn't?) along with the falling-back/sitting guy, who Glenn suggested might be hiding in a tree, which I thought was a lovely idea. Glenn hasn't seen them Down Under and I don't know if the two were part of that issue?

Again - left-to-right, top-to-bottom

• ·         Robin Hood
• ·         Maid Marion
• ·         Little John
• ·         Will Scarlet
• ·         Alan-a-Dale
• ·         Friar Tuck
• ·         Much the Miller
• ·         Will Stutley
• ·         Derwent
• ·         Quentin
• ·         Timothy
• ·         Archer

They are all named with the exception of 'Archer', understanding - of course - that the modern surname (much encountered in Borsetshire!) is based on the old occupational title!

One should also note that while the Canadian set carries a scaled-down version of the Marx 54mm Main Marian (as the whole set is copied from the Marx 54mm set), the Australian/New Zealand issue uses a new pose as Marion - which I've seen credited to the Marx 60mm 'Richard Green' TV tie-in set's version, but she seems to be actually a wholly new sculpt.

The Ri-Toys packaging; Marksmen used a variety of their own header cards and the guys who ruined the market by going direct to Ri-Toys (Rado Industries would only sell in large quantities) sold loose. Note the additional colours (over my sample) of red, blue and white figures. They only seem to have carried the nine poses, not the 'conversions', so a separate tool for the other four?

I can't find anything on the Australian/New Zealand end, or - at least - not on-line; there's nothing on Astronit and nothing on Crater Critters, so I'm assuming we have Mr. Sibbald to thank for bringing them to us as 'new to hobby' or 'new to Internet'. Cheers Glenn!