This is a flat figure, 54 mm excluding the base. It has no markings that I can find. It is in the condition in which I found it. I suspect that it is a Heyde figure from Germany but would like confirmation? Can anyone tell anything about the figure - regiment, date, set or whatever?
Heyde? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter snowyowl
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theBaron
Major
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- Mar 27, 2008
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Hi, Dan, that is not a Heyde figure, it's a homecast, cast using molds made by the Leipzig firm of Schneider Bros. The molds were made from the 1890s up through the end of WWII, and they were reproduced by a couple of craftsmen after the war. I have some original molds in brass, and some repros in a zinc alloy.
The molds were sold to hobbyists to cast their own figures. Some people cast the figures and then sold them under their own labels, especially here in the States, in the Thirties. I don't think Heyde ever used the Schneider molds, though. I don't think they had any kind of flat or semi-round figures in their catalog, though I'd have to check about that.
Your figure could date anywhere from around 1900 to the present. It depicts a British cavalry trooper. I hope you didn't pay too much for it, because it's extremely difficult to date homecasts, and frequently the castings are of poor quality and made of very soft alloys, and if painted, they're often painted very badly.
Hope that helps, prosit!
Brad
The molds were sold to hobbyists to cast their own figures. Some people cast the figures and then sold them under their own labels, especially here in the States, in the Thirties. I don't think Heyde ever used the Schneider molds, though. I don't think they had any kind of flat or semi-round figures in their catalog, though I'd have to check about that.
Your figure could date anywhere from around 1900 to the present. It depicts a British cavalry trooper. I hope you didn't pay too much for it, because it's extremely difficult to date homecasts, and frequently the castings are of poor quality and made of very soft alloys, and if painted, they're often painted very badly.
Hope that helps, prosit!
Brad
theBaron
Major
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2008
- Messages
- 10,460
You're very welcome! Learning about all aspects of toy soldiers is a fun feature of the forum.
If you're interested in learning more, I recommend getting Richard O'Brien's "Collecting Toy Soldiers" books. I bought his first edition, when I started collecting seriously, and I picked up each of the other editions. He eventually split the content into American-made and foreign-made toy soldiers. There are articles on each identified maker, as well as articles makers of home-casting molds, German and American, and some plastic. The books might be out of print, but you can get them on eBay or from vendors. That'll get you started on assembling a library of toy soldier books.
Prost!
Brad
If you're interested in learning more, I recommend getting Richard O'Brien's "Collecting Toy Soldiers" books. I bought his first edition, when I started collecting seriously, and I picked up each of the other editions. He eventually split the content into American-made and foreign-made toy soldiers. There are articles on each identified maker, as well as articles makers of home-casting molds, German and American, and some plastic. The books might be out of print, but you can get them on eBay or from vendors. That'll get you started on assembling a library of toy soldier books.
Prost!
Brad