Hi Dave. Yes - it was a stroke of luck with that figure. As I recall, I bought a cardboard box of TS from a market trader which eventually turned out to hold some 27 Toy Soldier figures - in various states of repair - along with a few odds and ends of arms/heads etcetera. He was packing up to leave for the day - and as I was rummaging through what he had left there - he told me that I could have the box and contents for £10.
A quick mathematical conversion in my head - told me that was an okay deal - so agreed immediately. The funny thing was - I had only just arrived back in the UK - and neither me - or "La Commandante" had any British currency on us! However, a nearby Supermarket with a Cash machine came to the rescue - and I left my beloved guarding the box:salute:: - whilst I withdrew a tenner!^&grin
Around half of the figures turned out to be modern Delprado types - but the remainder were mostly old Hollowcast Britains, and the like which I repaired and repainted. Three of the others turned out to be K&C Glossies from a large box set, which are also quite rare. I sometimes wonder that IF I had got to the market sooner - just what I might have found - as the guy told me that he had sold a lot more that morning - and the remainder that I bought had been sifted through several hands that day - and rejected. Clearly, I wasn't the only one who didn't recognise old Henry VIII and the K&C Glossies as being somewhat rare figures.
here's a pic below from John Ruddle's book, "Collecters Guide to Britains Model Soldiers (1980 - now out of print), which shows Henry - and the box he came in (which I don't have) and I think Elizabeth I, which was another figure sold at madame Tussauds Waxworks. Not that his number on the box is T1.
The figure actually stands on a hollow cup - which is marked "Madame Tussaud's" on the front aspect - and "London" on the rear of the stand. Inside the cup is embossed with the wording "COPYRIGHT BRITAINS LTD. PROPRIETORS". The figure is 65mms tall from soles of his feet to the top of his head, so a fair bit larger than their normal 54mm figures. I doubt whether many were ever made - to be sold as souvenir figures to people who visited the waxworks. I believe he was made around the 1930's.
He still is as found, and I think he could be classified as "Fair" - with just a few chips and playworn paint. I just gave him a good clean with some soap and water - as he was originally quite grimy. An oddity - but quite a nice find, I think. jb
