Marx 60mm Knights Set Two Expeditionary Force, I start this post with an article that looks at a set of Marx 60mm Knights slated for Warriors of the World and ended up in Russia. Next, we have Expeditionary Force’s next release of mounted Arab cavalry.
Marx 60mm Knights Set Two
When you say Marx 60mm knights you are usually thinking of the knights from the Marx Robin Hood Playset. Marx did a second series in Hong Kong. The figures were slated for Warriors of the World Series 4, which was never made. We know the knights were to be part of the series from an ad. I believe Barry Blood has a sample of one of the knights in Warriors of the World. The mold was sold to Russia.
I bought the Russian examples when they came out. They were done in black plastic. Recently, I saw a dealer from Ukraine on Facebook with the figures in a chocolate color. I noticed the set had two poses I don’t remember getting before. The two poses are Standing firing bow and standing with a lance and shield (the figure did not come with a separate lance.) I ordered the set and they came in well packed.
When I was taking my photos of the new additions I discovered that several of the 25mm knights to be photographed for Ebay were pantographed copies of the 60mm knights.
Expeditionary Force Arab Cavalry
60 ALB 05-J Medieval Arab Light Cavalry (Javeliners)
Scott has sent photos of three new Arab cavalry sets The first is Medieval Arab Light Cavalry (Javeliners)
60 ALB 05-L Medieval Arab Tribal Lancers
60 ALB 05-HA Medieval Arab Ghazi Horse Archers
Scott said the following:The above sets were scheduled for September release. Toolings fine-tuning was cause of delay. They should be out in two weeks.
The original mold sold or adquired by former Soviet Union ,(not quite Russia as back them the country was a fusion of 15 socialist “republics” call USSR, including many non ethinc Russians such Ukraine but of course with main controls from Russians ) had the 8 poses ,but it suffer some damaged base on Russian collector sources information and by 90s was still reissued but not with all poses ,the bowman been the hardest to find as the mold damaged .It is my understanding that such mold was copied too but not certain on this part .
Several of Marx molds ended in Ukrenia after the dissolution of USSR and after Russia invasion were lost resently and destroyed in one of the factories regions .Donetsk Toy Factory (Ukraine).
The factory had suffered shelling damage in 2014 conflict as well with the loss of life among employees also.This year 2014 correspond with the stoping of last reissued from the former molds in Ukrenia.Indicating the molds may had been lost since too.
Such information was resently posted by Ukrenian collectors in least two FB blog by separated persons.
I have the full set from on old production late 70s early 80s .
If look well in the poses,some but no all appear to have a very strong resemblance to Britain deetail knights poses ,such bowman and standing with spear .Some how artist copied from it .
Thanks for the additional information Erwin
The 60mm knights look more like they were based on the Britains Swoppet series, not the later Deetail series. At the time Marx designed the 60mm molds the Deetail knights were probably not yet issued ?
Maybe, the Herald/Britains Archer was nice. It’s the Deetail one I don’t care for.
Yes TD Barnecut ,you are correct.
My mistake in label them as Britain series -deetail, the two poses only mainly resembling Britain are base in the swoppets Herald version from 1960s. The other poses are very different with two looking like XVII swordsman style in medieval late period armor, very odd appearance.
Regarding bowman. The Herald bowman version looks more historical correct base in late period heavy archers partial armed plated and was produced made before detail series. The Britain detail looks less historical correct but not 100% incorrect . Back then these were made more for the kids as toys and accuracy in historical detail was not as strong as is today. Yet Britain announced them as model toys figures often as historical accurate as possible. Marx made them as pure toys.
Some of the most heavily armored archers in Europe appeared during the 15th century. The archer guard of the French kings is reported to have worn plate armor on the legs and chest areas, also a mail skirt and a brigandine with elbow length mail sleeves, a mail collar and a sallet. Archers in the Warwick Roll are shown wearing mail skirts reaching down to the middle thigh, brigandines, and elbow length mail sleeves too. The Burgundian ordonnance makes it a point that the mail sleeves should not be longer than elbow length and should be a bit baggy to not hinder drawing the bow, full length mail sleeves seem to be, judging by earlier manuscripts, quite form fitting and therefore probably unsuited for archery. There are several medieval contemporary art depiction illustrations of it.Regardless I understands the like it or not and preferences plus generality .My thought..
The rose symbol on one of the 60mm shields is a dead give-away connection to the early War of The Roses Britains swoppets. I’ve recast many of the 54mm swoppet knights parts in tin to re-assemble for painting, etc.
Paul,
Can you send me the info on who to buy the knights from?
I need to get some
Mark
Yeah you can see the Deetail influence.I was going to mention that but Erwin beat me to it LOL.
The Archer does resemble Britain’s but it is an improvement on that sculpt. The Britain’s Archer is one of their weakest sculpts, a puny bow and upper plate armor rarely seen on a medieval bowman.