P is for Polymer Plunder Package - Vehicles & Accessories

Continuing with the look at Chris Smith's recent donation, and there were a number of vehicles or non-figural elements/items in the recent parcel from Chris, and they were next in the stack, so here they are!

 

The plastic armoured car is one of those really cheap rack-toy accessories from the 1970/80's, and may be missing the central pair of wheels, however I may have one in a similar condition (more chewed?) from where I can nick the missing wheels to make a whole sample!

 

The wooden one could be a wartime thing, but I suspect later, we had such things, made from off-cuts of 2x1 batten, which Dad was using on the roof of Tai-Hirion, the cottage he rebuilt from the ground, up. Ours weren't painted though, and had 5" nails as gun barrels! But I suspect that what we have here, is someone's once much-loved homemade toy, lost like ours, but saved, unlike ours!

Two guns, the one on the right probably from a big-box infant toy/play set type thing, maybe knights, maybe priates, the one on the left a similar source but more eco-friendly, being all-wood, and possibly somebody like Le Toy Van or ELC?

Vessels includes a hull for one of the Euro-premium ranges, there are tubs of them, with various hulls or superstructures waiting for their oppo', so a useful addition, likewise the two larger blow-moulds, which come in many colours with lots of plug-ins like the 1-Ton Humber truck sets, so again, all parts gratefully received, against future matching-up!

 

Two of the Christmas cracker/gum ball type micro-minis, and a possibly Hong Kong-made, demi-ronde sailing vessel, which is so similar to both some Euro-premiums, and some very early Airfix toys, which were sold in little cigarette packet type boxes, that it may be either? And being unmarked and painted in a fashion which could be 'home' or play-worn, it's not possible for me to say, with any conviction!

Three of the less-common HK copies of MPC mini-planes, in red, an Airfix spitfire, odd paper 'something flying' and more current rack-toy helicopter, are joined on the apron by several carrier Aircraft which I think are all Airfix - seven from the post-war HMS Victorious and one from the WWII HMS Ark Royal?

Micro's and mini's, we've seen similar before, and they all have bags or tubs of like-for-like matches, against better, future posts. Highlights here are a Lone Star land-rover in need of a wheel, a cereal-premium station-wagon, an early'ish Kinder jeep, in clip-together form, and another of the early board-game racing cars in some phenolic or formaldehyde polymer which leads to them always being distorted now.

Three motorcycles, two Kinder or similar, and a larger flywheel 'push-and-go' rack-toy type, useful for ID'ing another rider, of the type we always get in the unknown/minor makes, seated figures, shot!

"A place for everything, and everything in it's place", or at least it will be once I've got everything together for the final time; soon I hope! But there's a box of street furniture, a tub of telegraph poles and bags of luggage, small tools &etc.

 

The telegraph pole is very nice, and being around N-gauge compatible, and rather fine, but apparently having some age, a bit of a mystery? The suitcase will be The Lucky Toys or similar, the drum is Merit, and the water pump is probably another 'big-box' generic, but rather nice.

 

And the spinner is a cracker novelty, as may be the small hammer, but it could just as easily be an action-figure accessory, or even from one of those dime-store tow-trucks, two of which we've seen here now, I think?

There's also a huge blob of Blue-Tac somewhere with all the sand-castle flags standing in it, so these two Swedish standards will end-up there! Very useful treasure chest, to add to a growing sample of them, most ID'd but not all, and a weather vane which must be from a farm building, but who by I don't know, I don't think it's Britains or Timpo, so maybe New Ray or somebody like that? Maybe a stable-block?

Finally, a very useful sample of toy pistol ammunition, which will all be ID'd in the end, from catalogues or feeBay, and of which there will be a full post one day, as I have a whole bunch of these somewhere, including the Airfix and Lone Star SLR/FN bullets and so on.

 

The clip is quite small, and the slots would only accept the thin vinyl belts that tended to come with cheaper sets, the pricier stuff tending to leather or suede holsters/belts, however, it reminded me of 'S-Belts, or Snake-Belts (which it might fit over), belts that were ubiquitous when we were kids, but which seem to have totally disappeared? Our school uniform included one in 'claret & blue' which was useful when I ended-up supporting West Ham . . . long story for another day, and no, I don't know which league/division they are in at the moment, but they do seem to migrate regularly, like exotic ducks!

Thanks again to Chris for all this, it really is all very useful, and we will return to it all, again, in the future with fuller, subject-specific posts.

M is for Megasaurs!

Quite small 'Megasaus' actually! I've had a bit of a mini-adventure getting to the Sparing Fair at the NEC and back again, but it was mostly my own fault (the adventure bits) and proved a successful trip, although I slept for ten hours straight when I got back! Hence, a slight hiatus on posting the Chris/Dinosaur series!

Also note, the late Michael Hyde's collection is live, under the hammer now at Wessex Auctions with interesting religious and ecclesiastical subjects to the fore.

 

https://www.easyliveauction.com/auctions/?ah=115a7542f7992a40b2c6366ef3bea500

This is a quickie, looking at some small pocket-money bagged rack-toys from HGL which Peter Evans donated to the blog the other day. I was actually challenged to a game of football yesterday, in the aisles of Hall 5, by an HGL sales rep' who was clearly going stir-crazy at the end of day-three! I politely declined and continued shooting their quite extensive Dino' range!

Four bags, three different content assortments.

Those contents, shot as best I could!

The duplicate bag got opened, and as you can see, for one of the lowest price-points, they are really quite good, with nice detailing, and a reasonably dog-like Dimetrodon, although his sail's a bit small, maybe a juvenile, there'd be no room in an egg for all those spines, so they must grow in 'childhood'? The Carnosaur's a bit generic, the Kerthunkersaurus looks particularly leathery, and the Stegasaur could happily join any herd. Many thanks again to Peter for spotting and saving these.

P is for Polymer Plunder Package - Wild West

We've reached the Wild West, and while there's not so much, it's got some useful bits included it the sample, and raised the possibility of a theory or two! And with figures/accessories from 15mm to 6"!

A fine, if wingless, Totem Pole, which both Chris and I though might be 'Playmobil, or similar', but which a quick Google, or actually a quick evilBay search, revealed to be a Spanish Madleman (like Action Man/GI Joe, but half-scaled to 6-inches) piece, apparently modelled after a surviving Alaskan one?

 

Around the base are a few interesting figures, another of the early 'by everybody' polystyrene, ex-Crescent cowboys, but with a touch of what looks like factory paint, a Blue Box cowboy/hunter/farmer (he filled all three roles, depending on the set), another metallic Euro-premium and two of the knock-off Hong Kong copies of early British plastics.

Some more odds, with other early hard-plastic one, I can't remember of the legs were Timpo or Cherilea, but they are from one of the wagons? While the painted missy is interesting, she has something of the Panini Premium/Collectable Cavalry and Indians out of Italy about 25 years ago, but isn't - as far as I know from them, but an ID would be well received?

 

So, to the theory/ies . . . These keep turning up, five of the six Crescent poses, rendered as semi-flats, and I have begun to think they may be replacements for the earlier, hard plastic, frangible pod-feet ones, Brian Berke ID'd as having come from Lucky Bags, or maybe a similar product from a rival source?

 

Which also got me to thinking maybe the endless stream of racehorse & riders in 20-somthing mm, which we saw again the other day, are a similar item? In addition to probably being Cracker prizes? Note the guy with flaming brands (2nd from the left standing up) is actually a rarer, darker red, washed out by the flash.

Small scale included a bag of mounted for further sorting, a bunch of post-Giant foot figures from the old Giant tools and some of the novelty mini's; 3 of the 15-mil ones with two of the 20mm Lone Star copies behind.

 

The other smallies include a larger Britains copy, three more horses for the bag, a tee-pee/tipi, which I have found in red and pink previously, but from which - probably rack-toy - set I don't yet know the origin of. Blue Box Indian and the coach-driver from the Morestone Essem stage.

D is for Deinos Sauros

Three quickies tonight, long day and I need a shower!

 

I shelfied this back in August and I can't remember where, but it might have been the big farm-shop up at Borden? I was tempted as I have a couple of 'dinosaur' vehicles in the stash, from the die-cast dino' collection from Matchbox back in the 1990/2000's, but I didn't, although Maisto's idea that a Honda Acty is the best thing for carrying a 22-ton dinosaur is rather amusing!

These were in The Range around the same time, and were so cheap I bought one of each, but left them on the cards, as they went straight to storage, a week or so later! A bit cartoony, but in that small bracket, where there are so many to ID one day, I thought it expedient to tick a box while I could!

While I paid too much for these, the other day! They are firmly glued-on, so not really designed for play, or at least, designed not to be pickpocketed from display-cups! Also, I don't think either would actually stand free, the raptor looks front-heavy, while the rather cow-like triceratops has uneven feet. Branded to Depesche, and out there now, as are the others.

P is for Polymer Plunder Package - Historical & Ceremonial

Arguably my favourite 'grouping' in these mixed-lot sort-out's, as the breadth of the subject and vast quantities of tourist keepsakes issued over the years, means there's so much to find, and there are some real pearls in this latest lot from Chris Smith.

Starting at the beginning; early city-state dwellers from the Fertile Crescent! These 60mm'ish, PVC, biblical figures are similar to those BibleToys Inc., sets Brian sent to the blog a few years ago, but not quite as cartoony, but still styled for infant play, they will be from some kind of bible-related play-set I guess?

 

Perfectly illustrating my 'tourist' comment above, despite seeing over half a dozen on the blog, and possibly having more in the stash, both these Welsh national dress ladies are new to me. The one on the left probably 1960's and hard polystyrene, while the PVC one is likely 1970/80's and was a key-ring ornament.

 

I love finding these with their loops cut, not because I still cut them myself; I used to when I was more of a Philistine. But because they tell me other people were finding and converting esoteric figures to join their Toy Solders & Model Figures (where key-rings have always been a source of unusual subjects), as I was, way back when I was a silent, solo/lone collector!

A tad damaged, his horse will need a hoof and a tail, but I think this is one of those French MDM figures, and they are so nice, even a damaged one is a joy . . . And a sample!

 

And on the subject of damaged samples, these two are both a bit on the battle-casualty side of things, but both useful additions. If you've been following the development of the KT story here, you'll have worked out/seen that there are more damaged than whole Beefeaters and Guardsmen (similar story with the HK Cavendish!), but, they are polystyrene so easy to glue, mend, convert etc, therefore maybe a future project, while the more samples, the easier to see paint variation between batches or over time.

 

The resin Highlander with be a gift-shop special! Unfortunate that he looks a bit like Prince Andrew! Similar to the Sculptures UK figures we've seen previously, but a different maker and tartan treatment, which I think is very effective. Until a better one turns-up, he's very welcome here!

RP issue of the old CoMa Roman signifier, we may have seen him here before, more than once or twice, I can't possibly recall how or why, but people like to see them from time to time!

 

This is brilliant because it's a second sample of the 4M knights, clearly these were/are a heritage-site gift-shop thing, and I'm tempted to take myself to Windsor and see what's available there, but something which was free (as a national asset and educational destination) when I was a kid is now 25-quid or more, plus parking! So I may just hope Chris and charity shops continue to send them my way, occasionally - current rhythm is one every eight years!

 

A few pirates which aren't worth hiding until September, a PVC generic in the ELC style, a Soma, the Black Chine mascot and a Poplar pirate in a new colour for that pose!

 

These two are resin, and while I suspect the one on the left is another gift-shop/touristy piece (very ECW), the one on the right looks like he;'s from a Christmas village, and I couldn't tell you which range, as there are many, I recently acquired/inherited a Hong Kong/Netherlands Edelman B.V. 'Luville' catalogue, and there is tons of this kind of stuff out there, although, very little in the collection!

The small scale is a gang of Shreddies/Tom Smith gladiators putting the jump on a smaller squad of non-Giant 'Romans', from two or even three sources! They'll be sorted into their rightful samples at a later date.

 

Thanks again to Chris for all these, some lovely additions to the collection, and they will all enhance future posts on all sorts of things.

BJ is for Bagged Jobbies

These were in some corner-shop a while ago, and I grabbed one of each, I dare say there are more in the set, and there are so many Dinosaurs out there, you never know if you're looking at all new stuff, or just re-branded stuff you've seen before?

 

To be fair, there aren't that many actually re-issues, as with the old 'army men' rack toys, most people seem to source something original, but one or two lines get more numerous clients. Equally, with these new (ish, they've been around for over a decade now) hollow, softish polyethylene figures, in two halves, they all look the same until you compare them, when they often turn-out to be new sculpts.

 

Paint is basic, compared to some of the rival products, but at a price-point of barely anything, that's hardly unexpected. Those WHSmith ones I was buying about 10/12 years ago, have had several re-issues (I saw them again the other day somewhere), but being higher production-values, they need a longer life to pay for themselves, profit-wise!

A reduced-scale sauropod and a nobbly kerthunkersaurus, BJ include a bog-standard palm tree, and the now almost de rigueur egg! The fact that any dinosaur in-scale with the two presented, trying to carry or pass that egg, would die, is apparently lost on the Toymen of China!

P is for Polymer Plunder Package - Civilians

OK, we're out of the gates and away, civilian stuff now, and again there are all sorts of interesting things here, not least a corporate-looking St. Mary of the Little Baby Jesus, Elon Musk (not!) and some magnetic policemen!

As with the previous lot, these loaded in an order other than I intended,so I just ran with it, I don't know what Blogger's playing at these days, but it randomly reverses the order sometimes or - occasionally - just re-assorts them!

The two on the left here are the pair I shot in a car park years ago, like 12/15 years ago, they came with a very cheap 'Disney' castle facade and have hollow-backs, but it's nice to have them in the collection, as I seem to recall the car-park photo-exercise was because of instant discarding!

 

The skipper is Tim Mee, and adds to a slowly growing sample of them, I think we've seen the boy with dog in butterscotch plastic, and I think a few others are in the sample now. The chap on the right looks like a family of such figures in several sizes carried by several big-names, both sides of the Channel about 20+ years ago, They will get their own page, but Tesco, Woolworths/Chad Valley, Welly and others carried them with 'in-house' die-cast vehicle sets

The 'casualty' is probably a plug-in mechanic/fuel-attendant, from a play-set's petrol pumps? But new to me - new to the Blog!

 

I thought, at first glance that this was Our Lady, Hail Mary, Mother of God (you'd think I were't Catholic huh?!!), but she has an automobile in relife, on her cloak, so I'm guessing she may be a corporate (probably American) mascot, once seen as a hood ornament, possibly, and may well be an annual-conference, or sales giveaway of some kind?

 

A couple of figures after Commonwealth, but possibly neither actually by them, the figure on the left is the paint-your-own from an outfit called Doll Bodies Inc., and their 32 Dolls of Far Away Lands painting set, but the detail is more sharply cut (in a cruder or harsher fashion) and the figure is a bit flashy, around the join-line, so although it looks like unpainted Commonwealth, it may be licensed, or duplicate tools?

 

While the other is a clear copy, the smoother ones are a little smaller and must have come from Hong Kong or Mexico, from whence they found their way to the antipodes, where Sanitarium probably had no relationship with Commonwealth at all?

A trio of cake decoration dolls/brides, I have a fair few of these somewhere, all a bit tatty because of the delicate polystyrene nature of them, and I have them in different sizes and with or without plastic bows or fabric-ribbon bows, but I didn't have any with different headdresses until these showed-up! We have bare-head (most of mine I think?) a brides veil and a sort of inverted flower-hat?

 

Big babies, and little ones! Mostly Thomas I think, some looking more like Marx land-fill figures from the colours! But the green one on the end is a Hong Kong copy of the Britains Hospital merternity-set one by the looks of it, and along with the fat kid next to him, is new to me, Blog and stash!

 

Oh, it's Elon Musk! No . . . no-no-no, he did it, not me, and he did it twice in case anyone missed it the first time! Buy a Te-SS-ler Swastikar and be a true Nazi! Really, he's reaching for his - probably red and white flamenco-dressed - paramour/dance partner, still to be found And she will be found, sooner or later, as you can't have missed how these terracotta figurines keep coming-in!

 

Along with the Policeman, he is missing a hat, but all the examples I've seen have black cartridge-paper hats, and I have lots of black cartridge-paper somewhere, so a mend will be done on both, and you won't know they've been repaired!

Bits of a Marx Miniature Masterpiece farm set I may also be able to restore somewhat at some point in the future, but you will know to look at it, as you can't really hide the ripped paper scenic-base, only try to go over it with fine coloured pencils, to hide the worst!

 

A pair of firemen/firefighters from HTI (Teamsters) I think and a policeman from 'unknown', all grist to the mill, and one day there will be A-Z pages on these specific, recurring subjects to ID as many as possible in one place!

 

These are an odd lot, as they have all got magnets attached, and while most of them were added by the owner to what seem to be the unpainted Wiking civilians, which came on strips as we saw right back at the beginning of this Blog, while I think the two painted summer-uniform ones were also Wiking, and have the same added magnets, the other two are unknown to me (Dutch, Danish or French?) and may have come with their magnets as part of a magnetic play set.

 

There seem to have been a few of them in 1950/60's Europe, I have images somewhere of a large Swiss or Austrian set with magnetic street-signs, trees, micro-vehicles, animals and people, along with buildings and roadway sections etc . . .And obviously the way to expand such a set is to add more magnets! Remember all those 45/55mm magnetic civilians which I picked up at a PW show a few years ago, some commercial, some home magnetised? A mystery anyway, and help needed ID'ing the uniformed officers!

More of the ever-enlarging sample of small semi-flat race-horses, they can't be from board games, as there are too many subtle pose variations, and plastic colours now, but they are still a mystery too. Park the thought, as I'll be mentioning them again when we get to the Wild West post.

Another, with plugs, so if not a board-game piece, maybe from a spinning-top or something? The painted huntsman may be a food/margarine premium, but has also had a magnet added, so will have come with the others, above, And three die-cast or other accessory figures, the Corgi milkman, an ice cream seller (Dinky or Spot On?) and a Gondolier!

Some real 'odds' here, with a homemade woollen doll, after or in the style of those Peruvian worry-dolls, a larger scale rider I've seen somewhere but can't place (she's about 60/65-mil) and a standard doll's house doll, of the knock-off Hong Kong variety.

 

A fair few interesting HO-OO model railway figures, which you aught to be able to ID from last year's posts, but I never finished that 'season' and meant to do so over the Christmas just gone, but didn't, and we never got round to the Merit Driving School post, so I'm going to draw a veil over these for now, and try to get the railway civilians finished in/by March? The lady on the green square is a clippie (conductor) from a London Bus, Corgi, I think!

T is for Two - Roarsome Rack-Toys

A couple of quickies here, as - for now - they both remain sealed, so it's the home-shot equivalent of shefies! And snuck between the Chris donation posts as I mentioned yesterday, the civilian element of his lot later today, or after work tonight?

BJ Toys, and yes, you can snigger each time, they've been a constant now for a few years, and seem to have about half the corner-shop market round Surrey Hills and Hampshire Villages. These are the same hollow, thin-walled clip/plug-together polyethylene lightweights we've seen a few times now, rather basic, but they would paint-up well.

 

While this was in Peter Evans's latest parcel, and is interesting to me for two reasons, firstly, it's the more fantastical element of the set of five, which I sort of didn't buy deliberately last time (it was budgetary, but one had to stay on the hook), and secondly, it's a new branding of that earlier set which, when we looked at it here at Small Scale World was Poundland, and is now a Generic under Gem Imports stickers - second customer here? Thanks to Peter for spotting and saving this.