How many active vintage W. Britains Ltd. collectors? (1 Viewer)

Arnhemjim

Arnhemjim

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Given the small number of views/replies to a recent announcement of a new James Opie book on vintage Wm. Britains Ltd (1893-1966) toy soldiers, am personally curious to know how many collectors still even have as part of their collections, any older Britains?

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory
 
I have the odd figure or two, no complete sets.

With each passing year, there are fewer people today who are old enough to have played with classic hollow-cast toy soldiers, whether Britains or otherwise. It won't be too long before the group of hollow-cast collectors is made up mostly of people who came to like them as adults, without some primary exposure in earlier years. That is the nature of things, I suppose.

Prost!
Brad
 
Arnhemjim said:
Given the small number of views/replies to a recent announcement of a new James Opie book on vintage Wm. Britains Ltd (1893-1966) toy soldiers, am personally curious to know how many collectors still even have as part of their collections, any older Britains?

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory
Click to expand...

I collect them Jim - and not just Britains either. I prefer to pick up some of the damaged items from all of the old Hollowcast era - and then repair, refurbish - and yes - even alter them a bit sometimes and then paint them. I like to take just a bit more care over this last part of the restoration process than the original piece-work painters had a chance to.

I have two favourite figure types which I restore or convert. Medievals - and Cowboys and Native Americans - and have a reasonable number of both now - with examples from B&T, Britains, Charbens, Cherilea, Crescent, John Hill & Co., and Timpo - to name but a few. Just picked up two figures from Pixyland - Kew too, which means after twenty years or so - I now have TWO!:D

I saw your recent post about Opie's new tome - but already knew about it coming along - so didn't respond.

I personally think that collectors are missing out on a treat - if they don't collect ( and maybe also restore) some of theses older pieces - which after stripping off the old grunge - often reveal superb castings beneath - which really do come up well - and I think that many can still hold their own with a few of their more modern counterparts. I like to repaint them in Gloss - as they were often originally - though for that reason, many are ignored nowadays.

Their loss is my gain though Jim - as I can frequently pick up items at very reasonable cost - and make a real hobby of their restoration. I tried just buying new figures - and putting them in a glass cabinet - but that soon wore off - and now I stick to repairing and refurbing old hollowcasts - or painting castings - which I find far more satisfactory.

Here's a couple of Johillco's - along with a Pixyland Cow, finished just yesterday.

Found with broken or incomplete arms



Repaired and/or converted to these:



All the best - jb {p.s. book is on order for Xmas for me}:salute:::D
 
I don't have any lead soldiers but do have quite a bit of the Farm & Zoo series. I collect anything made by Britains though. I am really enjoying James Opies latest book !!
 
I have a lot of different figures and sets of old Britains. Haven't gotten the book yet but it is on my list...
 
The only toy figures I collect are hollowcast Britains soldiers and farm series. I also recast them (for my display shelves only). And I make my own figures, trying without yet succeeding to duplicate the elegant simplicity of those little works of art.

Great news from Joe Wallis: " I will have a new book on the period from 1893-1924 published in October (hardcover and with 780 color photos)."
 
I can't give you an exact number but its dwindling. When I go to shows, I hardly see any traffic at people selling old Britains. In addition, I bid on old Britains figures on eBay for a friend and it's rare if anyone is bidding besides me.
 
I collect vintage britains, and I have begun repairing a few of them. As an aside, this is one area or our hobby which is definitely graying.
 
I think that it has become an Old Man's hobby and the numbers are dwindling away with each passing year.

I have about 200-300 old Britains that I collected for nostalgia's sake and after building up a battalion of Scots Guards and Gordon Highlanders, I had no interest in adding further pieces to the collection.
 
I do not actively collect the older Britains but I have the remnants of my father's collection from his childhood and several sets he bought me from a trip to the Bahamas in the early 60's. The figures from his collection are all WW1 related, obtained in the 1920's and 1930's, that include horse-drawn artillery and a horse drawn medical wagon. There are also motocycles, prone MGer's , and some other odds and end from cavalry regiments. The sets he bought me in the 60's are a set of Skinner's Horse and the 16th Lancers, I think. I have played with them all as a kid and I no longer have the boxes but they are a proud part of my collection and some of the only figures still on display because of room constraints. -- Al
 
I only gather vintage hollowcast Britains. I enjoy their age and their toyness.

The whole Chinese-made figurette thing just hasn't done it for me - they creep me out for some reason. I really tried with Britain's Zulu range for the first 4 years of it's existence, and have the lot, un-touched, boxed away. But I realised they just depressed me. Each to their own.

James Opie is a wonder and always a pleasure to speak to. I wait to buy the recent book from him directly.
 
octavedoctor said:
I only gather vintage hollowcast Britains. I enjoy their age and their toyness.

The whole Chinese-made figurette thing just hasn't done it for me - they creep me out for some reason. I really tried with Britain's Zulu range for the first 4 years of it's existence, and have the lot, un-touched, boxed away. But I realised they just depressed me. Each to their own.

James Opie is a wonder and always a pleasure to speak to. I wait to buy the recent book from him directly.
Click to expand...

While it do collect matt toy soldiers, I understand where you are coming from. The glossies and especially the older Britians certainly have a charm to them and also a history. I always wonder who owned them, what they did with them and the journey they travelled to end up in my collection.
 
octavedoctor said:
I only gather vintage hollowcast Britains. I enjoy their age and their toyness.

The whole Chinese-made figurette thing just hasn't done it for me - they creep me out for some reason. I really tried with Britain's Zulu range for the first 4 years of it's existence, and have the lot, un-touched, boxed away. But I realised they just depressed me. Each to their own.

James Opie is a wonder and always a pleasure to speak to. I wait to buy the recent book from him directly.
Click to expand...

I don't mind 'em - just not for me either really. I like the Toyness in Glossy Toy Soldiers - not realism. I had enough realism to last me for a lifetime - whilst I was in the Army.

Further to that though. I too tried to just "collect" them - but after the initial thrill of getting a new one - and sticking it in a cabinet - the feeling of ...." is that all there is?" came over me.

So.........I started painting castings - then repairing and painting - and then - I finally had my hobby!!

Apparently Santa will be bringing James Opie's new book to me personally. What a nice chap.

How many sleeps is that???^&grin

Roll on Xmas - jb
 
I am no longer an active vintage Britains collector . I was seduced by the new matte style figures but now I am mainly painting.
Below are some pictures of my old Britains . In the 3rd picture the first rank marching in blue is Nostalgia Trinidad and Tobago Artillery.
Best

Kirk

oldbritains3.jpg

oldbritains2.jpg


oldbritains1.jpg
 
Arnhemjim said:
Given the small number of views/replies to a recent announcement of a new James Opie book on vintage Wm. Britains Ltd (1893-1966) toy soldiers, am personally curious to know how many collectors still even have as part of their collections, any older Britains?

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory
Click to expand...

I do not collect the older/newer Britains. I wish I did. And at some point, I may take up the older toy soldiers. My main focus is the 1980s/1990s Trophy & K&C. Those glossy beauties are the one that I like best. That being said, as someone who sells quite a bit on EBAY, I can say that when I post various items up for auction in an EBAY setting, I have the ability to monitor "WATCHERS" for the various items that I sell. Most of the items that I do sell are the more modern toy soldiers (Trophy & K&C). But no ifs, whats , buts about it, the number of followers that I have for older Britains far out paces those of the modern items. As Trophy is the more popular of the post 70's soldiers that I buy/sell, I usually get 3 to 6 watchers for each item. Older Britains sets that I list in the same auction setting usually get 15 to 25 "WATCHERS".

I'm not sure of the demise of the older set buyers. Like in most any collectible market (stamps, coins, furniture, baseball cards....), older usually trumps newer. I suspect that the same can be said for toy soldiers. I not sure what produced in the last thirty years will still be considered collectible in a fifty years. But for sure, older Britains will still be on that list.

My two cents.

Peter
 
I've been "collecting" them since the 1950's. Actually I was playing with them until the early 1970's. Put many of the unbroken ones away and then started collecting in the 1980's and 1990's when there really was no Internet out there. Paid higher for them than necessary as the 'Net has allowed supply to catch up with demand. The falling Pound might tempt me back into this hobby, but for now I just like looking at my troops and let memories flow.
 
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