Category: Winter 2024

  • Hobby News

    WEST COASTER SHOW SAVED Organiser Matt Murphy had been having real problems finding a venue for the next West Coaster event. However, we are pleased to report that he has found a solution! Matt has managed to find a splendid new location in a great historic building. Book the date and put the details in… Read more

  • READERS’ MESSAGES

    Norman Joplin enjoyed Bill Anderson’s piece on the West India Regiment in the last issue. Bill presented an image of the first version of Set 21 containing that regiment taken from an early Britains catalogue. Norman has gone one better by supplying an image of an exceptionally rare 1st version of the set, in pristine… Read more

  • Auction Review

    AUCTION #88THE R. ANDERSON PEW SOLDIER COLLECTIONFRIDAY NOVEMBER 10TH, 2023SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11TH, 2023 AUCTION # 89EXPLORING TOY SOLDIERSFRIDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2023SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2ND, 2023 AUCTION # 90BRING OUT THE BANDSFRIDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 2024 Read more

  • BRITAINS IN THE BALKANS

    3. Representations of the armies involvedThere was considerable variation in the uniforms of the Allied States, as well as differences between the actual uniform as worn during wartime conditions and their parade/dress uniforms. Typically, it was the latter represented by Britains, who created various sets in response to the (then current) conflict, in their usual… Read more

  • BRITAINS 1880 CATALOGUE

    1I acquired a copy of Britains 1880 catalogue in a bundle of other toy soldier paper items from an auction, no chance of discussing with the seller if there was any background. I have taken the copied four pages as authentic, with a clear Senior Britains signature similar to that seen on various occasions elsewhere.… Read more

  • EUROFIGURINES PARIS SHOW, OCTOBER 2023

    I really like the Eurofigurines show at Nanterre on the outskirts of Paris. Starting at 8 am on a Sunday morning for the public (7am for traders) and finishing by 1 pm, means it can easily be combined with a long weekend in Paris. There are two hotels within a 30 seconds walk of the… Read more

  • COLLECTORS AND THEIR COLLECTIONS – CHARLIE SINEL

    Beginner’s luckCharles Sinel’s serious toy soldier collecting began with a slice of luck. He spotted an advert in a local auction for a wild west display set which piqued his interest. Could this be an example of an unknown Marx Playset, like the other ones he had played with as a young boy? He was… Read more

  • BOOK REVIEW – THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE FICTIONAND ITS TOY FIGURINES

    Luigi Toiati will be a name familiar to most of our readers, both as an author and the creator of the Garibaldi rage of toy figures, as well as the guest illustrator/cartoonist for many of our articles Like his previous book on Toy Soldiers (reviewed in Vol 43, No 3),1 this is a very personal… Read more

  • FEIX AND THE GERMAN CONNECTION, AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

    Norman Joplin was intrigued by Will Beierwaltes’ article on Feix in the Fall 2023 issue. He wrote in to the magazine, pointing out that on page 56 of the Feix article, the Japanese Officer has his sword in the same position as the Russian officer in the picture he had found in the O’Brien Archive.… Read more

  • U.S. METAL TOY MFG CO.TIN-LITHOGRAPHED WESTERN WAGONS

    Along with my treasured Marx Fort Apacheand Mineral City western playsets, I hadtwo marvelous accessory pieces thatcomplemented all the cowboys andIndians that filled my imagination andmy time. Although I didn’t know it then,these were the western stagecoach andthe Conestoga covered wagon producedby the U.S. Metal TOY MFG Company of149-57-33rd St. in Brooklyn, New York(see Figure… Read more