So we arrive at the Wild West section of Theo van de Weerden's lovely donation to the Blog, and there are some real treats here too, starting with the best thing in the box . . .
. . . the
Koho Wigwam (Teepee / Tipi), unusually, for the era, a blow-moulded piece, looking like a Hong Kong-produced beach toy. And when I saw it, I was ever so pleased and eMailed Theo to the effect I'd chatted to someone about it a while ago, only for him to remind me that he was the co-respondent in that original exchange, and it was his photograph of this item, which I was remembering, from a follow-up post! I can't retain it all in my small head!
So, we have seen it before, but worth a second look, as it's actually quite fragile, in it's shopping bag thin material, and complicated moulding, and therefore probably quite a rare beast these days?
The
Timpo Teepee, I used to think it was the 'late' version, but, in fact it was the counter top version, being to big/bulky for the boxed sets, and actually ran alongside the slot-together for many years, with the similar over-moulded design elements on the alternate sections.
Starlux Tipi in a hard polystyrene, I think this may be a later version, as I have seen heavier mouldings of the same tent, and it would seem the walls were thinned, with a wider male insert to the mould tool?
Theo also sent us his
Koho figure sample which greatly enhances mine, and with one or two having come-in in odd lots, or from Chris Smith, since we last looked at them, when we return to them next (in a few years?!) it'll be a far more comprehensive post!
Britains spares.
These are useful, I think, in time, they, like those knights the other day, will turn-out to be
ABC (or '
HK' or
CMV), but it's a question of finding them marked, while they do turn-up in other packagings, either unmarked as generics, or with what are probably phantom brands?
And, like the 'Khaki Infantry' of those three otherwise unknown Hong Kong manufacturers, there are - across the set - Britains, Crescent and Lone Star copies found, in several versions, from full size with larger squared bases, through to very small ones with bulgy alien-eyes.
Three larger figures, middle is
Cherilea, right is
Hilco, and the guy on the left, crawling with rifle, has me stumped, one of the less common
Jean's? Another
Koho? Something European though, I'm pretty sure!
Two Crescent who may benefit from a repaint!
This is lovely and not that common, a
Texas mounted Indian, while the foot figures are often found at UK shows, or on evilBay, the mounted figures are harder to find, and he's sitting on the donor horse for the small-scale Hong Kong one I call 'Mexican', which, while commonly associated with
Giant, was also a wagon-puller for several brands (such as
WHC/Success and
MPC) for years after the demise of
Giant.
A couple of Swoppet parts, neither of which is immediately obvious to me, but there is a large box full of minor makes, unknown and Hong Kong samples, and I'm sure these will prove useful in helping complete stuff in that box. Is it late Elastolin legs, and . . . a French-made hat?
Many thanks again, to Theo, for all these, as I'm always keen to say in these contribution posts, it's all useful, helpful, and grist to the mill of the 'bigger picture' and all gratefully received.
