Photos of Marx Sports Painted Figures that bill Nevins was talking about.
Photos of Marx Sports Painted Figures Photos
This what Bill said: Here are pix of the boxer and 2 others from the same find.
As you can see, these are factory painted figures.
I took a pic of the underside of the bases where there are no identifying markings.
If my memory serves me , Mark Hegeman told me that these were give aways at a German toy show many years ago. I cannot confirm that.
Photos of Marx Sports Painted Figures My thoughts
The figures definitely look factory painted. the German Toy show that Mark Hegeman is alluding too is the Nurmemburg Toy Show which is the largest toy show in the world . The trade show is held in several different buildings. I was able to go to it once. The show was amazing. Several unusal Marx items have shown up from that show. One of them is Marx Foreign Legion in hard plastic.
The next question we have is the black figures were the unpainted versions depict black people as well. the answer is no. If you look at the page from the Marx Wildwest you will see that boxer is not black but a white person. The face was the same on both boxer poses. Likewise the baseball player was originally white.
At the time these figures were made in the early 50’s we still had Segregation. The only black figures that were made African natives. The first of these would have been MPC natives for the Ramar of the Jungle playset.
That these figures were done as black people shows a major attitude change. What Bill could have are salesman samples Unfortunately we do not have any information to confirm or deny it. It is a shame they did not get out.
I have some of these sports figures in light green soft plastic, unpainted. They are 60mm?
So that wasn’t an actual Jackie Robinson or Joe Louis figure? And I guess the swimmer isn’t Esther Williams. Interesting to have the two figures painted as blacks.
Jon, Absolutely they are Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson.
There no doubt about that. The Batter is left handed wearing number 42 in Dodger flannel.
Robinson was lefty and wore # 42.
In fact, no baseball player is ever allowed to wear # 42 again in honor of Jackie.
Joe Louis was the most popular person in America in those days.
Esther Williams. I am not sure about.
As I said, these were in a shoebox full of East German, Polish and some other Iron Curtain countries figures. I kept these because I recognized them as Marx figures. The rest I sold to Ric Bracamonties.
Anyone know where these came from?
Yes, that was who they painted them to represent. The factory painting on the Louis and Robinson were really pretty good. It wasn’t until it was pointed out that the molds had originally been of white facial features and looking at the details of the unpainted originals that I could tell for sure on the boxer. Since the batter has his head down, it is hard to see his facial features, so I really couldn’t tell.
Those are really nice looking figures and historical, even if the molds weren’t made specifically for Louis or Robinson. I would happy to have those in my collection. Probably 60 years old and they still look great.
As for Esther Williams, I was just thinking of the most famous swimmer from the time.
Sorry not left handed but right handed.
Understood. Too bad the replies can’t be edited once they are sent.
Seems like Marx missed out on a market share back in the days of segregation. I think Louis and Robinson figures would have been pretty popular.
Unfortunately, things were so much different then; there may have been push-back for even offering figures of popular black athletes. (Push-back against Marx and retail stores.)
Marx did several black baseball players for variou ice cream companies. They used them as give aways. One they did was Gary Doby.
Larry Doby?Cleveland Indians, first black player in the American League.
Interesting ice cream company give away! Thanks for the info, admin. Toy figures and history; I’m learning more all the time!
You can see some of the black baseball players that were done on Ebay. Francis Turner has a number of figures for $44.50 each.
Back in the early 50’s the black market was not considered. Even today as on a recent Shark Tank a couple was promoting a black doll line because they saw no one else doing one.
When you wrote black market, I was thinking underground economy! Anyway, I knew there were black Barbies many years ago; but I don’t know if they go back past the ’70s.
I didn’t figure there was still a niche available, so good for the Shark Tank couple.
I guess the current market only covers sports figures and video figures, but I guess not general figures?
Sorry should have said African American. The sales on African American dolls has been poor. I had a discount store years ago and had black doll which did not sell. I donated them to charity.
Ok I had seen these painted verssion sold before from abroad.will try locate link.
However listed as unknown.
They looks as definettely not test shot to me but rather same style used by HEIMO and UK/Swansea!? marx painted early non rubber verssion painted over white pearl plastic.
Just a thought!!!
Best
Erwin, The plastic is soft, cream colored plastic. Not hard plastic. I wish I could remember what Mark Hegeman told me. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to
unique Marx figures.
Bill.
Describe the plastic versus a Marx or versus an European .
If you have an Heimo marx.
It was done in hard plastic not as marx WOW hong kong first series.
Later rubber and last in PVC style plastic(less common)
Let me know….
Tx
All of the figures in this lot were from the early to mid 50’s. There were 60-75 figures all in a shoebox. I always thought that they were somone’s collection who had escaped the Iron Curtain
Actually, I showed the East German/Polish stuff to Paul at a Hackensack show many years ago. Al Striano and I had a table and Paul stopped by to say hello and I showed them to him. We chatted about them. Maybe late ’90’s or early 2000.
Bill most east germany and specifically Polish plastic first production are from 60.More specific starting in mid 60s.
Now the Marx of course could be from earlier.
It could well be any one traveling.
Germans scaping wall / border or east European the less t hey will do was bringing figures w then.
Many east block families of diplomats however could and lived in west x periods times and could travel back and for.
Sailors too bring toys from east block.
Best…..
Bill, maybe you need to do a conversion for Johnny Ringo. There is a bidding war and price is $36 for custom made figure on ebay!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marx-54mm-custom-JOHNNY-RINGO-playset-character-figure-western-town/262794614760?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40757%26meid%3D63bb83390fc6492e84a53f163bce7b56%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D252711551813
Philip does a lot of conversions and new figures. He fill the niche for people who want a certain figure for their set ups.
Thanks, admin; the price was surprising to me, but I don’t know how many figures he needs to cut up to get the Johnny Ringo. 8 bids last I checked!
People desire the figure. Phil does Rat Patrol whichh people wish had been done in a smaller size. Marx did a large six inch version.
The figure looks very good; also interesting about Rat Patrol that Philip does. (One of the WWII i like to watch as a kid and in reruns.)
I had a model kit in 1/72 called “Desert Rats” which had a couple tanks and of course the MG Jeeps and figures. Hard plastic.
That would be a great addition to the North Africa sets.
I also remember my brother having a 70mm/75mm size MG jeep with driver in cream
which we had to battle our MPC Germans. At the time I would have loved to had character figures in 54mm or 60mm.
I’ll have to check more from Phillip.
I’m finding out, Admin, that you know most everyone in the business; you or Erwin!
Yes I have been in this hobby a long time. Some people will have me listed as one of the founding fathers of the hobby. I have been doing it for 40 years.
Joe Louis was right handed, that is a left handed boxer. There was another boxer too, I have the set of two.
Whoops! I still think it was representing Louis, but you are right about his stance.
Interestingly enough, the football player also appears to be wearing number 42. Jackie Robinson did play football in college for UCLA, not sure what number he wore in college.
Photos of 16 piece 60mm Marx sports figures group on Marx Lane:
http://marxwildwest.com/sports.html
As I mention before I had seen THE boxers listed from UK.
Here is another sale not related to same I saw before ,I will get it ..
so far here is a set of same figures …
http://www.ebay.com/itm/262780207426?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Again indicating that maybe UK Marx factory or other in Europe may had sold it painted.
Ha! Listed this item as new with 60 year old boxer figures with peeling paint, played with condition.
Bill’s figures look so much nicer! They are like new.
Yep, that’s the two poses.
The poses in not painted are often seen too here of course .Painted I had seen only twice and not from here.
Both were copied as bottlenecks in mexico and as top pencil too.
Erwin, what is a bottleneck? Pencil top/topper, i’m familiar with.
I have two in white/cream, one in tan and two that were painted by the previous owner.
Ed,soft or hard ones.?
Another question.
Does they have Marx mark or
not….?
I’m not familiar with Marx sport figures and I had seen some not marked.
Wondering why..?
Mine are soft plastic with no markings.
My guess why they were not marked as I don’t think any of the Marx early 60mm figures had the Marx tags on them. The 60mm cavalry wasn’t marked other than the character figures of Rusty, Rip and Rin Tin Tin, the 60mm Indians weren’t marked either. Captain Gallant figures weren’t marked, not sure about the Robin figures that were 60mm.
Ed.thank you!
Yes is true most early 60 mm not painted were not marked.
Robin Hood some are and Captain Gallant character figures are same way as Rin Tin Tin with name on it.
I was wondering as some Marx figures have the sport name marked I think!? Would they had problaby stamp then too in the non painted early figures maybe.
All painted version either mark or made in …. on it such HK WOW series. Heimo, made in England or made in Holland figures.
Seen the boxer x third time painted I was thinking too they could have some sort mark too as all painted verssion.
So is still a mistery were made.
To clarify with the exception of some character figures Marx figures are not marked on the bottom. This changed when the Marx marked the Battleground French, British and Russian. This could have been due to a change in the copyright law. Until a certain change in the copyright laws on the human figure.
An example of this in 1964 copyright of GI Joe doll. they changesd a toenail to get around being able to copyright w.nydailynews.com/news/national/g-joe-creator-copywright-dolls-hasbro-article-1.2362785
Any figure imported in had tobe marked
Hope this clarifys on the bases
Thank u x clarify the base mark information admin.
I’ve never seen the sports figures factory painted up close if they indeed made any. I only picked up the boxers because I used to box and have a sort of collection of boxing figures, otherwise I had no interest in them so I never picked any up.
Oh yeah the revised pose 60mm pioneers were not marked either. As far as I know they didn’t make any WOW pioneers so there should be no painted versions.
Bill Nevins, thanks for sharing these photos and everyone for bringing up more info on this interesting topic.