Toy Soldier For ID Another Lot(s) (1 Viewer)

[tdubel]

HI, doing some sorting and was wondering of any id's on these!







'

These are well made Flats - about 30mm, and signed by OLIVER Any idea on what these are?



These are hollowcast Knights, almost feel aluminum, very light, but detailed



Some kind of dimestore? Almost looks like Robin Hood type.



Again, some type of hollowcast or aluminum. French?

Thanks for any help.
Tom

 

[theBaron]

Hi, Tom, the figures in the first four photos are homecasts, made with Nürnberger Meisterzinn casting molds (http://www.meisterzinn.de/). "Oliver" is likely the person who cast and painted them NM molds aren't as detailed as the Prins August 40mm molds, in my opinion, but there is a much broader variety of poses in the NM series than in the PA series.

I don't know about the knights in the fifth picture. Aluminum suggests to me perhaps French make, in the immediate post-war period.

The next two figures look like Little John and Robin Hood. How big are they, and are they made of lead or some other white metal alloy, or are them aluminum, too? There were a number of British makers who made Robin Hood figures, as well as the Danish maker Krolyn, but Krolyn's figures were made of aluminum, some of it from salvaged German aircraft left behind in Denmark, and those poses don't appear in the references that I have for Krolyn. If these are dimestore size, then that rules Krolyn out, too.

If the last figure is light, as if it's cast in aluminum, could it be Quiralu, or maybe even Wend-Al?

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

The Knights are Charbens - a British manufacturer of Hollowcast figures - these date from around the 1920's. They have a kind of chrome finish originally applied to them, which frequently wears off - some may be left???? I've also seen them with a feather plume sprouting from the breather hole in the top of the head ( holowcasting leaves this). They aren't in Aluminium - just hollow. These can sometimes be cast VERY thin - so feel ultra light for their size. jb

Here's some pics to compare the foot and mounted knights - (with thanks to Robert Hill).

 

[tdubel]

Thanks to you both! You have confirmed some suspicions as well as shed new light especially on the knights!

Tom

 

[johnnybach]

So...........down to the two guys in green now.

I think I can positively ID the smaller guy. I think he's a Benbros figure from their Robin Hood Series (Circa 1950) - in hollowcast lead. I wasn't entirely sure until I went looking for some pics. The figure top right in the first pic - is Tom's figure. A few of the others in the series are shown too - though the Mountie and ringmaster are from other sets!

The second pic below, shows his rear view, which should be the clincher. Does that confirm your figure Tom?

If it does - he is "Mitch the Miller's Son" from the Benbros Robin Hood Series. I don't have a pic of the big guy - but think he MUST be " Little John", from the same series. jb



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[johnnybach]

I found little John too!

Here's Robin with some of his Merry Men ( and Maid Marion) again. Little John is standing behind Robin - who is drawing his bow. Mitch is to the right - a bit.

Benbros - was a London (Walthamstow) based company, and ran from 1951 - 1967 - begun by Jack and Nathan Bennison. A nice set - and quite rare to find complete. Start searching for the rest Tom. jb

 

[tdubel]

thanks to all! WOW, I thought I knew a lot of makers, but this is very helpful!
I am trying to sort my collection on what to keep, etc and I keep running into these older lots (boxes) of stuff!
Tom

 

[theBaron]

Nice ID, John, well played!

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

thanks to all! WOW, I thought I knew a lot of makers, but this is very helpful!
I am trying to sort my collection on what to keep, etc and I keep running into these older lots (boxes) of stuff!
Tom

Some older boys - know older toys jb