Jean-Yves emailed me that the Zorro Hacienda that we featured in another post is just French farm house adapted to Zorro is completely wrong. It was completely new building that the company Gilaz did for Zorro. According Jean, Gilaz was known for their buildings: farms, castles and forts. These building were done out of cardboard and wood.
Jean has let me show some pages from their catalog to show you the Gilaz line.
This is an interesting part of plastic toy soldiers in Europe. While the European companies did not make playsets per se, it was recognized that buildings, castles and forts were need to enhance the value. Sometimes the company made the buildings other times it was an outside firm that did it. In UK many years ago my very good friend Peter Evans and I visited Chester. In a toy shop I am afraid long gone they sold a wooden castle which I bought and had shipped here. I was told this woman would make wooden castles and farms to go with the Britains figures.
We would like Jean-Yves for share this information with us.
Thanks admin and Jean Yves.Great data/pictures!!
I knew it was original not taken from a farm. The style is complete new and realist Mexican colonial building. Other building are great too!!!
French castles are tall and nicer too, some are more realistic that lower walls with too many low windows made of plastic by most British, Americans and others marks.
I do have one French Starlux /other castle as well farm and won’t let go at all. Still you have to protect then from damp and humid weather. The sanded texture of wall and cardboard often get damage easy
One of the neatest things when I lived in Belgium and Germany during my tours with my dad and later in my own stint in Germany one of my favorite things was the big castles and dioramas that used to be on display in the toy shop windows. I don’t know when Timpo Swoppets hit the States but I’ll never forget the first time I saw armies of their crusaders outside a big castle in a toyshop window in Ath, Belgium. I was about thirteen at the time but in no time I was six years old again. I only wish I’d had the money to buy some of that – and then get it home.
Wayne.You had a great memory and luck.
I wish I could had see that!
I bet those memories will be with you x ever
Yes Erwin, there are times I think it might have been nice to have grown up in one place and had lifelong friends and known my relatives better but then again, I wouldn’t trade my memories or experiences. Still would have loved to have brought home some of those figures and castles though…
The overall appearance of several of these buildings reminds me of “putz” houses on steroids. My mother’s family had a nice collection of putz houses that she let me play with as a child and sadly they didn’t survive.
George that is true ;just with out snow!!
Oh, it’s done, Ok… sorry for the other message.
This hacienda is currently offered from a French seller at 499 Euros. Exact match of the above with figures.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-hacienda-de-Zorro-walt-disney-1965-Gilaz-pour-figurines-starlux-jim-cyrnos-/391520169219?hash=item5b286bad03:g:YkoAAOSwPRlXnNfh