Odds Ends January One Dulcop first Happy New Years. We start the year off with a look at some Dulcop Zorro Mexicans. Next we will look at some Crescent figures. Finally some Lollipop figures.
Odds Ends January One Dulcop Mexicans
Odds Ends January One Dulcop Crescent
It has always amazed my how Britains dropped the swoppet line and then other British toy companies continued the concept. Here is an example from Crescent one of their foot knights. Photo has been corrected as we had a non-Crescent figure.with the knight.
Odds Ends January One Dulcop Odd Figures
I think the indian is a HK made copy or base in Herald under WELO that copied Blue box better done too.Some alike show here in this post from me.http://www.stadsstuff.com/?p=8565.
the figures from Crescent swappet carry same base as knight
Crescent label” movable” series set figures ,not swappet series were more base in TIMPO style not the huron mohawk hair style used by Herald .
You can see an example of full set here .
https://www.ebay.com/itm/CRESCENT-MOVABLES-1960S-INDIANS-SET-NO-903-NEW-OLD-STOCK-BOXED/302382427155?hash=item466765ac13:g:ZwsAAOSwPCVX84t9:rk:1:pf:0
Only the 60 mm rare huron solid made style ,call Mohican of the solid line were as that.
Crescent swoppet knights are the best in their movable line as not copies or base in any other i think .
Both Swapet western and knights were direct cloned by HK ,i got full sets of all .
I agree the mounted WW1 and infantry set are the best made by Crescent .Their indian ww one set is nice too ,but less firing poses and not cavalry 3 poses made x it .
some of the soviet WW2 poses are nice ,such the wounded /shot pose.they are more 1950/60 russian style as well all rest set made modern british .
Same way they did 3 mounted canadian and not foot ,they did with indian army 6 foot and not mounted.ACW foot and not mounted poses .
Who knows if was ever planned to be made .
My thoughts
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Yes the Indian is wrong. It somehow got into the Crescent box. Photo has been corrected.
An interesting link sale lot of disney license Dulcop set mint in box off ebay .
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dulcop-Italy-1-32-ZORRO-Walt-Disney-TV-Movie-Related-4-Figure-Soldier-Set-MIB-70/192764844067?hash=item2ce1ae1823:g:88YAAOSwsftcG5j1:rk:1:pf:0
Over priced in my my book
I agree ,this seller is know x that .I had follow it x long and can tell his prices are way off .but oh well is ebay and few days ago i saw a seller here selling one truck for over 13.000 USD that in my opinion has to be a joke.
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There is a common misconception that the Sikh / Indian Infantry are WW1 figures.
However they are not.
They were produced in the late 50s to represent the Indian Army fighting the boarder wars with Russia and China. The 60mm modern British Infantry were designed as the opponents of the Russians. Incidentally the Russian falling wounded was heavily copied from the Herald Khaki infantry wounded figure.
This is the main reason that Sikh mounted figures were never produced.
Both Cherilea and Charbens also made Indian and Russian figures, they also produced Chinese Infantry unlike Crescent.
As far as can be ascertained there were never any plans by Crescent to produce RCMP figures on foot.
The Hollow back figure I sent to you Paul. It’s from a Chinese Dolls House set by Bright Toys . The Hollow back is a cost saving device
Thank you for update explanation in Crescent” Modern” Indian army.
However, they are listed with British WW1 set in same page in the Crescent PW check list made with your advice and photos edited in 1991.Page 20
Also, in such list there is note saying “I had seen then (Indian-Sikh army set ) listed as WW1” -page 19
So maybe that add to misconception as well unfortunately
In my observation …
The Indians figures are carrying more alike WW1 or before WW2 weapons making then looks far closed to be from first World War than for much more modern era like Russian, and all British set made.
Not to count that the figures with kukri should be Gurkhas not Sikhs or Indian army as nor was it weapon of choice or regulation. Neither any Gurkha unit fought in Sino India war as far I know, and soldiers of Indian army did not carry or uses puttees with shoes or swords in such war . Most action was in winter gear high altitude and they carry since 1940s boots .
Beside India and Soviet Union had never been in war or conflict since 1949.So I don’t know about that statement.
If they did the Indian to fight or got with Russian-soviet post WW2 set. Funny relation decision non-historical made by then.
As far I’m concerned. Relation of Soviet/Russia and Indian back then since early 1950s till today had been always very close and Soviets support and armed in small scale India during China Indian conflict and thereafter. So that looks very odd. Yet maybe they use Soviets figures as Chinese as they carry PPSH41/43 no longer in Russian army by 50s but in use in Chinese army that again did not use soviet uniforms at all.
So once again is a complete mix mess error .
Anyhow as these are the cheap non-historical made x kids back the toys. I bet history was not taken in consideration at all. Many Cherilea, Charben, Lone Star and Crescent modern sets were used/sold as WW2 when they clearly are not. Was just to give children something cheap to play and have fun back then.
I will use those Indian soldiers as WW1 and for wars or late XIX century as well because uniform clearly give that use more than any. As I did with Charben Sikhs or “Gurkhas” that by the way looks very alike in poses to some of Crescent as if were a continuation set.
On Canadian maybe they want to be strictly to the word name (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and that is why Crescent never did (“foot poses”) for it. They must be mounted at all time always!!
Oh well. The history of makers and their curios decision is as funny as interesting.
My thoughts.
Best .
The hollow back figure appears to be Princess Leia of Star Wars fame.
Lynn that was my first impression, too before Peter ID’ed it. If I had it, that’s how I’d use it.
Well I can use as a guy i guess.Not look like a woman to me, like Bruce lee or martial arts figure may be ,too bad the back part .Interesting figure any how.
Crescent made some nice figures. I’d say 2nd in quality to Britain’s for U.K. Makers. Dora’s anyone know what happened to their molds?
There have been rumors nothing concrete.
The main problem is today few are willing or have the money to spend so much just to run these old mold and produce few thousand sets just to sale few hundred and then got stock with overstock of most .This is what happen with all these Reissues or recast made of mold of LS,Charben ,cherilea found and same goes for Reamsa ,Jecsan PH-Oliver mold and others .Look how many sets are still abundant still in hand of main dealers such CTS,TSC ,ATS and others from the old 1990s produced.
The cost mounting the old mold plate in new machinery ,adapting it ,running then after cleaning the molds plus electricity and labor pay is far too much versus first production recover against today amount of collector interested or buying these sets out off nostalgic or to add in theirs.
Many sets are still there ,least from Spain and Italy ,owners want a lot x then and those trying making figures off are very skeptical of what could give back .They will disappear and be discarded as this hobby new blood is barely increasing at all.
Since 1990s end no one had ever try get a former vintage mold be run any more .They learn after 10 years what happen and how long had taken sale few sets .
My thoughts.
Of course Erwin is correct. This is why we so seldom see Marx recasts anymore.
I remember how MarxMan (John Stengel Sr.) released eight 60mm Marx sets back in the 1990s, all at one time. This release included the Marx 60mm 7th Cavalry, the 60mm Fort Apache Indians, and the 60mm Robin Hood figures, among others.
When I spoke to him at the Michigan Show a few years later about reissueing/recasting the same sets again, but in new colors, he replied (as Erwin says above) that he didn’t anticipate doing another release because he said demand for them had greatly declined. He said the cost of re-running the molds was too great to support current demand.
I know that later the Stengels did do a couple of select reissues which hadn’t yet been done, as did Bill Murphy with a few Marx accessory pieces. Additionally, Jeff Imel of Victory Buy/BMC has recently done some recasts of both Timmee & Marx, including the Marx WWII 54mm Japanese and Russians, both of which were done in an excellent quality soft plastic.
But the essential truth of Erwin’s comments is still there. Nobody who owns the molds is going to set it up and run it for 500 figures. They demand minimum runs of 10,000 figures and up, and you only get a good per figure price when you run 25,000 or more. Current toy soldier dealers like Delson, Stengel, Murphy, ATS, and Company B (all of whom were big players in the reissue/recast market) know from experience it can be a long slog trying to get such major production runs sold.
Part of the problem is collectors such as myself. When I first got back into the toy soldier hobby as an adult, I quickly found that prices for vintage Marx were so high I couldn’t afford enough to set up the big battle scenes I wanted. When reissue/recasts suddenly appeared, I was an enthusiastic buyer. But as I got older and more experienced in the hobby, my preferences returned to having the original vintage figures, prices of which, by that time, had declined to much more reasonable levels.
Hence, today, I’m often (there are some exceptions) not tempted to purchase recast/reissues at all. One of the exceptions is Jeff Imel’s new offerings, which I’ve found to be of excellent quality.
Ironically you can now find re-issued figures “from the 90’s” selling on-line at a greater cost now than the original figures may have cost in the 1990’s.
The best thing about re-issues is that it allows collectors to see and own figures which otherwise would be unobtainable. That, and for making conversions possible without destroying old originals.
TD.
I agree as well.many vintage had depresiate in part thanks to Ebay as many sellers had lower the price on then to move quickly or out of knowing the value.while those w knowledge had been increasing the now less abundant reissues such European sets.
using reissues x conversion is one of many main reason used .Most European reissues are done in great plastic.while those US former mold first come in stiff plastic recycling
Later they come better.
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Perhaps I should do an article on the reissues. The problem of why they are not being done are many. One company wants high runs. A number of the companies have gone out of business and the molds have disappeared. Cost is another factor.
Most steel mold like marx,ideal and most former US are high run not matter what as steel mold are run that way using high volume machinery that won’t run the mold unless it is put to work for several thousand per run .meaning 3 to 5 sounsand set each time .
These machine require a warm up of 24-72 hours consuming a lot electricity and a technician 24/7 cleaning preparing it before start production, during and after .
Modern machinery don’t need much look and maintenance while 1960-1990 require much more person around to maintain it .After run for few thousand they take 24-48 cleaning-cooling off time ,specially if running other colors figures /toys
Spaniard molds vintage of Jecsan,reamsa,PH-OLIVER are bronze and they require much less and use manual and or mechanic machinery that require many hours man labor to run and take longer just do few hundred sets .The problem in this particular type mold is the tooling component of any mechanic mold machine after 1990s is too modern and the old mold plates block need to be adjusted and graduated with different calibers.
It is not fun at all and unless get hand in older machine will be very problematic .
I may guess the Zinc/alloy metal mold of other European mold such UK have alike situation but not idea x me .
two halve single mold plates adjuster with time become damage ,loose and require repair that are not made simple but by a person who knows .
Chinese OWN brand mold are steel -long run ,
While HK other chinese used aluminium mold or cheap steel mold -Both long run production machinery .
Mexican recast hand made copies marx recast mold of FFL and arabs and AMEX brand are hand handle pour machinery that require rework and redone of mold after few hundred done or do new mold using same matrix.These machines are very dangerous and toxic as well because all gas,chemical and mix are done face and hand on .Even with protection ,many of those small makers doing this for years had ended sick .
you need run these at open well ventilated areas ,not basement or enclose places .
most real owner of molds actually do not run then but rent less than of enter in contract with other dealer to let run the mold ,then retire or sale it off .
I can tell that in a single year off one set made barrely few hundred of the same specific army set is sold today per production .The high volume of sets bought in large stock is when large dealer buy then for resale to the maker .
And such case dealers want the prices very low that most maker think is not a good recover at all with reason .
Because many vintage sets while nice and curios lack history or action poses and new does ,many collector had stop buying old vintage recast while saving to buy any new coming that everyday are increasing value because cost or as can be tell because the hobby had become more picky ,demanding while spending less .In makers brain that mean do less sets like short run that are better to sale faster and spend less money time selling that do long run ,more costly so much more and longer time to sale .
my thoughts.
Russian had found way to exploit it very quickly since 2012 while first cloning metal cast already figures(Publius and NO name brands) or making all new ones PLastic Platoon,EB ,Chintoy .
While prices are high ,the market in central and eastern Europe serve the maker purpose nad here are the less buyers for then .
my thoughts.
Funny how most of the Plastic Toy Soldier makers both in the U.S and U.K modeled their Country’s Armymen on the most current military uniform/weapons. While making opponents WW2 Germans or Japanese. Marx Marines were 1950,s just prior to the M-14 rifle and the Army was early 60’s with M-14 rifles and uniform. Same with Crescent, Britain’s and Timpo with Tortoise shell helmets and L1A1 Rifles. I would really like to see a nice Cold War 60’s Brit, French, Russian sets done! We have the Vietnam Americans now.
I agree Tom .Ironically Marx Germans ,Japanese and even MPC Axis have their weapons much better done .LIDO did then with some nice weapons too .
The Marx French were well done and so the Russian .Even so weapon detail were not accurate ,least correct era .
While most US and UK brands mess their armies weapons in WW2
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