Odds Ends Part Three Figure Question Sparky’s Photo in this posting we will look at two figures found in a lot. We look at other figures such as Lido Civil War. Finally we have a new photo of Sparky.
Odds Ends Part Three Figure Question Sparky’s Photo Missing Figures
Going through a figure lot that I got at Plastic Warrior Show I made a discovery. I found two figures that I put to the side. As soon as I saw I realized that I did not have them. The figure on the left is an Atlantic paratrooper. I realized I was missing this pose from the set. The figure on the right is Armies in Plastic WWI British. I recognized it from plastic. I realize that I have passed on a number of items over the years.
There is a good reason for it. I have put the hobby second to other needs. Too often I have seen people spend money they do not have on toys over more important items. My feeling if I get fine if not I have enough to enjoy.
Odds Ends Part Three Figure Question Sparky’s Photo Various Figures
I was wondering how our readers thought about the Lido no base figures. As a child I had some but they were not my favorites. What are your feelings?
Here is CTS harness horse from their caisson set. We know it is a copy of the Marx harness horse. Do you notice any difference from the original Marx horse.
I decided to have a little fun with a future Ebay listing. Instead of just listing Timpo cowboys, I threw in Molly Pitcher figure. Timpo only did two western female swoppet style figures. They are woman sitting for buggy and Indian woman to pull a travois.
Odds Ends Part Three Figure Question Sparky’s Photo Sparky
I noticed Sparky relaxing on the pillow and decided to do a picture. As I was taking a photo he stuck his tongue out. I guess he did not want his picture taken. I will try again. Also will try for photos of the other guys.
Lido was affordable in the 1950s. For 10 cents you could get a cellophane bag with 2 or 3 foot figures or a mounted figure with horse. Plus Like Tim-Mee, MPC, & Payton small header card bags for 29 or 49 cents with 6-10 figures. I did not mind the lack of bases as they added to my armies. At $4-6 Marx playsets were only Birthday and Christmas present wishes.
in my personal like and flavor please…
As adult collector though and way looking at then now ..
Lido are 2D style molded cast designed figures and without the base made then ever harder to stand at even surfaces as well.
While MARX or many others in more 3D style can use valence in pose to stand better without base.
Same way MPC (ARWand Civil war ) in the 45/50 mm scale series are harder to stand as well with tiny skinny bases.
I only own one pose each of my original father’s Lido ACW sets .Few FFL and Arabs by BASA ,from Peru with license production from 80s plus original 1950s Knights (the knights because deep armored style design and some poses are my preferred in Lido figures so the WW2 G and J…
The WW2 Germans and Japanese are like too as better action poses plus more gear versus Marx and MPC .They did uniform better and depicted two type German grenades plus a firing bazooka and flamethrower in Germans that no one had done till Japanese poses are more nice than Marx in my opinion.
Britain detail in 70s But they had bases x then and stand a bit better while the 62 mm Gi’s do not .
I do not like the cowboys ,Indian and pioneers and get rid off then as too simple .
I love the space aliens and robots and had got plenty in all scale variation and copies of then.
That in my thought and opinion in my view.
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That M P pose was done by men of 76 series maker and copied by Star Toy HK as well in different clothing .I have it ,very nice deal idea x ebay i guess.
I thought that hoeser was the open carriage puller horse made first by Marx,never have the CTS version
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I had the Lido figures as a child and always liked them. Since I never had the Marx ACW figures (I did have a large ringhand ACW set) they were, except for some Timpo ACWs, the most realistic ACW figures in my possession. If I recall correctly, they came with a small out of scale stockade.
I never minded the Lido poses especially the GI’s as 4 of them were straight knock off’s the Marx 60mm, you just had to plan your battle for a tile or wood floor, carpets were out. The Lido Germans were cool, it was the only versions of a German actually firing a MG42, one thing that always aggravated me about the Marx Germans. The Lido Japanese were good for Banzai attacks. As Kent mentioned Lido were cheap and available almost everywhere, so they were good figures for bulking up the size of your armies. They weren’t collector figures or figures that were apt to be your favorites, but they were useful.
Sparky looks like he knows he’s loved, knows it’s HIS house, and knows it is HIS chair — to get up into whenever he feels like it.
A happy outcome for a little dog that got abandoned by someone else, but has now found his Forever Family.
Growing up, I had gotten a lot of hand-me-downs from my 10 year older brother. Among the things I got were Lido ACW, but all Federals. I had MPC Ringhands, but all Confederates. I always thought they were the lesser fill-ins for my Marx based ACW collection. Recently, I had a retro-wild hair moment and got a load of Timmee and Lido ACW figures. I added bases to the Lido guys and the Rebs had loads of Timmee cowboy conversions added, like that cowboy leaned forwards, advancing with rifle. Knowing I can change them to whatever I want, like adding gear and making the rifle into a bayonetted musket, added to the fun. These guys are similarly sculpted in that sort of kiddish or cartoonish style. They fit well together and form 1 of 3 Corps of my 60mm ACW collection.
The Germans are just great. They, and the GI’s were my first toy soldiers. Love the poses and the fact that they provided the only German flamethrower man in my collection as a child. They aren’t so big that they don’t fit in with my Marx and MPC Germans. All 3 manufacturers add something to the unit that would otherwise not be present. I like having prone, standing firing and travelling MG poses. MPC adds radio men. Lido gives us flamethrowers and the only German throwing an Eigranate I’ve seen. 2 different poses for the Panzerschreck (Marx and Lido), etc.
The Japs are good. Not as good as the Germans, but real good. The sculpting is less detailed and more along the style of the ACW figures. The poses are pretty decent except for the running officer and ‘purse and knife’ poses. They also lacked a machine gunner. I have them in number and added the BMC Japs to them. It gives them the MG and much needed mortars. 2 sets of Charbens Japs gave them flamethrowers, too. The Charbens guys fit right in with them.
I have a unit of MPC (web heads) and Lido GI’s in my collection. I absolutely treasure the memories and enjoy gaming with them.
As a lot of collectors are moving towards the ultra-detailed modern stuff, I’m sure less collectors are holding on to their Lido figures. If taken in their own element, they are fun and the nostalgia value is immeasurable.
The Lido GIs and Civil War figures have a big place in my heart. They were among my first toy soldiers. While not as finely sculpted as Marx figures, much less some of the recent production, they had that indefinable quality of character. They were great for what they were – toy soldiers – and what more can you ask?
even though i recognized them as being inferior to Marx, i always liked the Lido ACW figures as a kid. their lack of bases meant you could turn any figure into as mounted figure. i know, infantrymen look funny on horses, but it works. dragoons, i guess.
On Lido’s Civil War figures, I like them very much for their detail, scale and styling but ‘in my youth’ the fact they didn’t have bases and so were prone to fall over, and the limited number of poses, was discouraging. To get the “good” poses, I had to buy a lot of buglers and officers I didn’t really want.
I only had a few Lido Union troops and WW II GIs because they came in the big bags ($.50!) from the local rummage sales. Maybe they weren’t popular in Akron, Ohio in the 1960s. But I did like them. The advancing Union soldier thrusting his bayonet would often lead any assaults on Confederate lines. The Lido GI with his rifle across his waist was always the tough sarge that the platoon would need in desperate times. The LIDO GI firing the grease gun (I think) was always a soldier who could slow down an advancing enemy force. Both had webbed helmets, which made them stick out from the other figures. Yes, you had to be careful because of the lack of bases, but these figures could also fit in vehicles and landscapes that the based-figures could not go.
On the CTS horse – there are actually two versions. One has its head tilted to the left, which is a nice touch. If you compare the two side by side, you will notice the sculpted detail is different – not to mention the underside indicates “CTS” and “China.”