The Marx 60mm Arabs is one of the missing molds of Marx. The mold was last known to be in Hong Kong as samples of the Arabs were done Warriors of the World Style. Some of the figures showed up in a catalog photo for Rado of Hong Kong which has other Marx molds. Since then the only thing to come from Rado were the 30mm copies of the Arabs that were used in the Tales of the Bengal Lancers.
One of the Marx Arabs has shown up in reissue, a mounted Arab with rifle. The pose is different from the one that was in the playset. Sadly we do not know why this second pose was done. The cavity was found by and acquired by Glencoe Models and was released over twenty years ago. So far the only color it has been done in is an ivory.
The Arabs were sold as a two-tiered Warriors of the World set.
I have all the foot poses of the Arabs as Warriors of the World.
The set is listed ( as is the Egyptians set ) on the reverse of my boxed set of WWI French.
Mark
Have you seen the two tier box of the Arabs? We both know the Egyptians two tier exist as you purchased my set which was out the box. Peter Fritz is the source for the claim the Arabs were only salesman samples.
Paul,
The Arabs are listed on the back of the WWI French as are the Egyptians. I have the Arabs from several different sources over the years. All are painted the same. All have the typical glue/paper residue on the underside of the base. I have no doubt they were regular production pieces even though I have never seen them boxed.
Mark
Your information is the first that I have heard of the listing of the two tier box of Arabs. They like the Egyptians must have been a low run or in certain areas. As one of the last dealers from the old days we had to rely on what we saw at shows and other people. Fritz argue on the salesman sample, I disagreed at the time, but had no evidence to counter. We now know otherwise.
I am always amazed at the knowledge of Mark Hegeman. Mark: I think you were the guy I bought a boxed, unfired Hubley Atomic Disintegrator and a boxed Marx Captain Space Solar Scout rifle from 15 or so years ago. Does that sound familar? Still got ’em and love ’em.
One of the great tragedies (a slight overstatement, I know) of modern toy soldier collecting has been the inability of anyone to find the Marx Captain Gallant legionaiire and Arab figure molds so they could be reissued. I personally have acquired more than a hundred blue legionaiire figures, and about 25 additional legionaiire figures in silver — each one for prices ranging from $5.00 – $8.00 per figure. Although I once had 10 different Arab figures, I foolishly sold them all a few years back for about $15.00 per figure (at the Michigan Toy Soldier Show), and I can’t bring myself (or afford) to reaquire them all now for $25.00 – $30.00 each. The figures are all a nice 60mm size, and beautifully sculpted. They cry out to be reissued in a nice soft plastic, if only Bill Murphy could find the molds. My guess is that they have got to be collecting dust in Hong Kong. Murphy told me once (about 7-8 years ago) that he has a couple of people “looking for them”. I think it would probably be more accurate to say “waiting around to see if they show up”.
Don
I agree the lost of Foreign Legion and Arab molds has been to put it mildy annoying. The problem has been dealing with Rado only Mike Ellis of England was able to get figures out of them.