Marx Holland

Posted on July 20, 2011 by admin

 

In the early fifties the U.S. gvernment sent Louis Marx to Europe to look at industry  and see if it could be reivied. We know from that trip Louie selected two companies in Europe do painted figures. The one company was in Germany, which I found out the name in my second trip to Germany. This company was Heimo. The other company was in Holland. At present we do not know the name of this company, but  every so often we are getting more and more information. In the beginning I knew that they did pirates and Disney figures. These I had seen as a child in soft plastic. As the years go by I have seen more production from there the pirates, cowboys and Indians in hard plastic. I have not seen any of the Revolutionary War or Civil War from Holland. At the Marx meet I was able to get some of the band figures  from Holland. They are in a hard plastic. I think there is a way of telling the difference between a Holland band figure the German band figure is the color.stripe. When I get a chance to look at the collection to see if I have an example of the German version and see if there is a difference..

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12 Responses to Marx Holland

  1. Mark Hegeman says:
    July 23, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    I have a marching band consisting of about 20 of these figures. Half are marked Holland and half have no marking. I do not remember ever seeing any marked Germany. I have a Masterpieces store display that includes these band figures but it is not marked as to country of origin. These are “Marching Army Band” series 0996 according to one of the Marx brochures I have.

    Reply
    • admin says:
      July 23, 2011 at 4:04 PM

      Mark
      I believe I have band figure from Germany. The problem is getting into the collection and then go to through the Marx sections. On the figures you have do they have same color stripe. I forgot when they were sold unpainted they were army band. I wonder if they were sold as military band in the painted version.

      Reply
      • Mark Hegeman says:
        July 23, 2011 at 5:52 PM

        Paul,
        All my figures 22 loose and 3 on the display have the same color blue stripe. The figures on the display are labelled “Army Band”

        On the subject of other Holland production: I have Cowboys, Indians and cadets either stamped or imprinted into the base “Holland” or “made in Holland”

        Mark

        Reply
        • admin says:
          July 23, 2011 at 6:22 PM

          Mark
          Very interesting the figures were also army band in the Masterpiece series. I remember going to various circus model buildiers shows where collectors used the using the band figures in their circus display.
          I have cowboys with Holland stamp and I may have Indians as well in the collection. I had forgot the West Point Cadets. I have always said it what you have seen.
          I have just been told by my very good friend Andreas Dittmann that the latest issue of Figuren Germany’s premier magazine is going to show various color variations of the Heimo GI’s. It will be interesting.

          Reply
  2. Tim Puhr says:
    January 30, 2012 at 10:48 PM

    Hello,

    Not sure if this thread is still active but I thought I’d ask anyway. I’ve a 29 piece marching band exactly as photo above, marked Holland. Are they Marx, and if so, how do I find information about them? Thanks

    Reply
    • admin says:
      January 30, 2012 at 11:27 PM

      Tim
      Welcome and yes that thread is still active. Marx originally made the figures as a military band. The figures were done military color and do not have a base. They were next done in Hard plastic paint. The figures have a uniform and were done in Holland. Marx had figures done in Holland and Germany but so far no one has found examples from Germany. Mark Hegeman found them recently in green done as McNamara’s band.
      The set has six different figures: with baton, clarinet, snare drum, clarinet, trumpet, cymbals and tuba. I sell them on Ebay for $10.00 but they are a slow seller.

      Reply
      • Tim Puhr says:
        February 1, 2012 at 11:13 PM

        Thanks for the information. Was there a specific number in a complete set, or did it vary? I’ve got all the figures you describe and it makes for a nice display. I don’t suppose there’s any rhyme or reason as to why some are marked “Holland” and some are not. Again thanks.

        Reply
        • admin says:
          February 3, 2012 at 2:08 PM

          Tim
          As you can see Mark has answered your question. Because the uniform on the hard plastic figure was red, they were very popular with the circus model builders.

          Reply
  3. Mark Hegeman says:
    February 2, 2012 at 12:27 AM

    The set as originally made in olive rubbery plastic without bases is called “Marching Army band” and is grouping #0996 and consists of 6 poses sold as bin toys at 10 cents each. Date produced about 1953
    The version you have were called “Army Band” and were sold as “Miniature Masterpieces” and probably date to 1956-58 or so
    Since the figures were stamped Holland I assume some were missed in the stamping process.
    I am still desoperately seeking the Band of McNamara version of these figures.

    Reply
  4. DD Mayer says:
    November 10, 2013 at 9:48 PM

    I just sold on ebay, a Jiggs and Maggie set of figures along w/a Little Orphan Annie and Alexander from Blondie. All figures are factory painted. Stamped on the bottom of maggie’s base was the word “Holland”. The ear

    Reply
    • admin says:
      November 10, 2013 at 10:23 PM

      Marx had the Comic Characters, Disney and Band figures done in Holland. At the moment we have no idea where they were made in Holland.

      Reply

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