New member looking for information (1 Viewer)

[Tommy Atkins]

I hope someone out there may be able to help me.
Sometime in my boyhood (either in the 50s or 60s) I was bought for a birthday present a William Britains model of a 155mm
Self propelled gun. I still have it and the box together with its shell case, but the Shells were expended long ago.
The catalogue number on the box is 9748.
The model is of a US 155mm M1 gun (Long Tom) mounted on a British Centurion tank Chassis. (I have been told by a dealer that it does not exist!!!!!!!!) I have tried contacting Wm Britains here in the UK but they are unable to help me.
I would like to find out more about the model, when it was made etc and if possible a value for it. Hopefully at some stage I will sell it.
Hope someone can shed some light on it for me.

 

[theBaron]

Welcome to the forum, Tommy Atkins!

I'm pretty sure the model is listed in Joplin's book, and maybe in Richard O'Brien's "Collecting Toy Soldiers", and I can check for you when I get home tonight. I'm even more sure that some of our Britain's experts will know off the tops of their heads and will beat me too it

Show a picture, if you can, it'd be nice to see the piece, and once again, welcome!

Prosit!
Brad

 

[bromhead]

welcome stranger in the mess

 

[Fort-Stamford]

Hi,

WB No. 9748 was the later designation for WB No. 2175 (155mm. Gun on Centurion Tank Body). This is a hybrid self-propelled gun consisting of the WB No. 2064 gun with the trails discarded and a shield added, mounted on WB No. 2150 (the Centurion Tank chassis). This William Britain piece was produced between 1959 and 1963. James Opie, in 1993, gave it a Rarity Rating unboxed of 48, and with a box 59. Not many were sold due to it's expensive price in the early sixties.

I would classify it as the WOW item in any collection.

Welcome to the Forum.

Charles {sm4}

 

[Tommy Atkins]

Hi,

WB No. 9748 was the later designation for WB No. 2175 (155mm. Gun on Centurion Tank Body). This is a hybrid self-propelled gun consisting of the WB No. 2064 gun with the trails discarded and a shield added, mounted on WB No. 2150 (the Centurion Tank chassis). This William Britain piece was produced between 1959 and 1963. James Opie, in 1993, gave it a Rarity Rating unboxed of 48, and with a box 59. Not many were sold due to it's expensive price in the early sixties.

I would classify it as the WOW item in any collection.

Welcome to the Forum.

Charles {sm4}

Charles,

Many thanks for the invaluable information. It is very much appreciated

Tommy

 

[Arnhemjim]

Hello Tommy Atkins,
With regard to the dealer who appears to have been so adamant, I personally would not take of value ANYTHING they say on the subject of W. Britains toy soldiers! The information you have received from other replies is correct. I checked the Vectis Toy Soldier Auction web site for a price estimate, and their records fail to show any recent (several years) examples of the set up for auction. James Opie placed a valuation of 200 Pds on a boxed set in 1994. Except for rare sets the market, in recent years, has seen a significant decline due to the world economy. The enclosed attachment (with acknowledgement) is from Joe Wallis' relatively new All Colored Edition of his definitive work REGIMENTS OF ALL NATIONS (available on his web site). I always have difficulty posting photographs on this forum, so hopefully I have configured it properly. Hope this is of assistance.
Regards and Merry Christmas,
Arnhem Jim