Layla Western Figures Review Bill Nevins as we have mentioned in the past many molds have been sold or leased to other companies. One of the companies that sold their molds was Layla of Germany. I know that the western figures and an army jeep. Bill Nevins got reissue of the western figures and decided to do a review.
Layla Western Figures Review Bill Nevins The Review
Here is a short review of the Layla reissues from Mexico that I bought from this seller.
First, my experience with the seller was pretty good. Before buying, I asked about combined shipping. I got a quick, courteous reply (in English) that it would cost me less than 15 cents more to ship 2 bags. So, I bought 2 bags.
Shipping was a bit over 9 bucks.
Now, it took almost 3 weeks for the figures to arrive. But they explain that in their policy statement. From tracking information, it appears that they bulk ship products to Laredo, Texas. They then distribute individual orders from there.
So it takes a while for you to get your toys.
Layla Western Figures Review Bill Nevins the Figures
The figures are made of cheaper plastic and are molded in multi colors. There are 6 Cowboys and 6 Indian poses.
The sculpting reminds me of Dulcop and the figures are about the same size. They are larger than the 54 mm Marx Indians, but smaller than the 60 mm Indians, I think. Maybe as tall, but not a robust.
They are not great sculpts, but not bad at all. The detail is excellent and the castings are crisp . It looks as if these molds were not used much. The appear not to be worn down, as many older molds are.
There is some flash, but very little. Mostly on the gun barrels or the Indian weapons, where you would expect it. Clean up with a straight razor blade was less than 30 seconds per figure.
I have Erwin to thank for opening my eyes to Spanish Western figures. I’ve been hunting for them ever since he began to post examples of them here on Stads. This is the first batch of cheap repo’s that I have found.
I was glad to find these figures. It was less than 30 bucks (including shipping from Mexico) for a total of 48 figures. I think that is pretty cheap considering
that they are imported and that the quality is very high.
Since these were so cheap, I decided to cut some up and make a few new poses. A single edged razor, a bottle of Tricky Stick and a tube of Loctite
Pro Super glue yielded these bad boys.
The Indians to be converted were all picked because they were color matched. So, no painting was involved. I cut them all at the waist and switched torso’s around until I found a good match. These came out really well considering that I spent about 30 minutes on the whole set of 10 new poses.
The Cowboys are harder to work with because only 2 poses can be cut in half.
You can see those two Cowboys here in white, The green Cowboys had head swaps. I’m sure that I’ll figure out more poses later on when I mix these in with other figures.
Lots of great, new possibilities here!
Anyone know of other sellers dealing in recast Spanish plastic that doesn’t cost a small fortune to buy or ship?
Great conversion idea out of 12 poses. Well done.
Because the well openin of arms in most poses they are perfect for easy conversion …
Yes Leyla western animals and some cars else had been selling least since late 80s from Mexico.Mold are from Germany that some how end there. Not first time German brand toys mold end there, there some others as well.Germany and Mexico economical relation had been strong for long, in the late 60 and 70s was the main era in it with opening of German auto industries factory in Mexico
I had seen often Mexican ebayers selling then x years ,adimin spotted first there in 90s I think when he went ,I guess he had mention it before.
Ironical in one of my sale lots now I have 6 cowboys poses (included the pioneers of course) in it mix with other figures…
There is not Spaniard brand been reissued from Spain as off now or since late 80/90s.
last reissues of JECSAN/REAMSA-ex PH were done and sold here with stock left around of some sets by ATS,TSC and few others.
Most western set JECSAN mold were not in hand of those who run the last Jecsan reissues.
Most mold from JECSAN/REAMSA exist intact but very deep storage and only with huge amount money could be redone. So far no one is willing do this as cost today would be much more than 20 years ago .
All Comansi mold are in official hand of COMANSI still but moved over 15 years ago to storage and machinery taken apart complete. They have not intention running then .
PH molds were split among several owners and spread. BUM release few of the former PH molds but not complete sets as they only owned few molds .(African sets were run not complete, Saracen were not complete, animals not complete and pirates not complete .Most PH soldiers/figures molds sets are made of 12 foot poses least.
PH9PECH HERMNAOS) -later run by “OLIVER” thus known as that later; FFL and Japanese set were only mold of soldiers found among by those running the REISSUES brought here
Others companies I’m not certain of mold locations .
There is a confusion among some thinking because some JECSAN and Reamsa not painted sets were sold in bags multicolor with cards stamped (Mexico) that mold end there. But it is not.
It was a license agreement to sale then there in early 80s by a third party only and last few.(The multicolor pack were intended as piñata feelers toys )
I most had say this many time around in this forum with more detail maybe but tired now and I may forgetting some… ….
best regards..
That is very interesting… I live near the Mexican border, and several times I have found a couple of Leyla figures in grab bags at the local Savers secondhand store. They were mixed in with modern dollar store figures and I wondered where the heck they came from. If Mexico were not so risky to travel in these days, I would go over and look around in the shops for some.
Intersting Mark you had found then mix with others.
Wonder what others and if in mix colors…
Yes not goot time now.
Back in 80s was good era x traveling inside Mexico.
I bet Paul could say more.
Now is very dangerous, even to other SA countries too.
I had only been short trip to PERU once …was fine then and I found the last sales of reissues MPC I brough.But that was all.
Best…
Erwin, I got one of the Indian pose with knife and shield in white, a broken Chief with tomahawk in yellow and in another bag I got a cowboy firing rifle in light blue. The other figures were Timmee Vietnam clones and those newer runty skinny little Airfix clone figures from the dollar stores. The other bag had BMC Alamo figures and a few BMC Alamo supply piles, a BMC Alamo cannon and the white rock piece.
Savers is a secondhand chain something like a larger Goodwill. Most of the toys are broken Nerf guns and RC vehicles, dirty stuffed animals and Happy Meal toys. Once in a blue moon there’s something good. The best Toy Soldier find I ever made there was a bag of MPC Revolutionary War figures mixed with 80s Sword & Sorcery knights and Vikings.
Yes back in the 89’s it was fun to go do borders runs. At that time you could take rental car accross just pay extra insurance. I got a lot of items it was hit or miss . Once spot would be good one time not the next. Mexico City I went through a number of shops looking for things. I found Flintstone reissue in a notion shop. Most that is gone. Now with the drug trade it has made border runs a thing of the past. One thing back when I was in Mexico City every bank had armed guards outside the bank!
When I moved down here from Canada in 2004, my wife and I would always go over to Juarez for cheap dentistry, eyeglasses and other bargains. Around 2010 it got really bad over there and we have not been back since.
A lot of my wife’s relatives still go there to visit family and shop, but we have heard a lot of really scary stories, so we don’t go. I’d love to go back though if it was safer. There’s a shop in a mall where I got my eyeglasses that carries toys and I saw a rack of bags of figures of various kinds through the door the last time I went over to get glasses. My wife was in a hurry and I didn’t get a chance to take a good look.
Not bad looking figures and if I was still collecting Wild West figures as I did years ago I would definately be buying these. Nice conversion job, If you buy a set of figures and your not entirely happy with them, Or if you just want to make New poses to boost your number of figures and poses its good fun to try.
Years ago, I think back in the 90’s, I got a set of the Mexican-made Layla figures in blue and red plastic in a Lincoln log set.
the company that doing Lincoln Logs at the time was using figures from Mexico. I believe they used the Marx 54mm cavalry reissues.
Lincoln log had used many.
Marx.Mpc and Lido.
However I do saw not long ago an eBay one set with the LEYLA or copies being sold.
Figures were in red and blue.
At TRU other day I saw one set w copies of “Payton”? cowboys .
You may see then at u local store probably. ..
My thought. .
Best…
I got those bags of Reamsa Cowboys, Indians, 7 TH Cav and Mounties and Trappers from Mexico in the eighties. All mixed in the same bag. I put pix of them up here previously. 40 figures to a bag!!
One of my in laws was a shoe buyer and he bought shoes from a Mexican factory.
Every time he went, he came back with a suitcase full of bag toys for me. A lot were crap that I threw away, but I did get a ton of colorful Marx recasts from him. The header cards had really cool artwork. The Civil War header cards are also pictured on this site somewhere.