Jim Nolan's Blog

Mysterious W. Britain Guards Regiment

W. Britain brand toy soldiers from the Robin Bannerman Collection.

Expert Mike Niederman weighs in:

"These guys are a puzzle. The pose was issued in many different sets and paint and head styles. But no guards regiment wore a white plume on the right side. Looking at the blow-up, the white paint on the plume doesn't match the paint on the cross-straps and belt, so I'm guessing it was an owner addition.
More mysteries... The Guard on the left's paint job doesn't match his fellows'. He doesn't wear a moustache, no cross-strap, and the trousers are that attractive semi-transluscent blue I've had no luck in reproducing. (I repair old Britains figures, and sculpt, cast and paint my own little men.) The other three have moustaches, painted cross-straps, and a deeper blue-black shade to their trousers. Britains switched from gaiters to full trousers in the early 1930s, and stopped painting moustaches in the late 1930s, so the three were issued mid-30s, and the Guard on the left issued 1946-1966. '66 was the final year for Britains hollow-cast metal figures.
Very common figures to find (though usually the rifle's broken, as on the left-hand figure), but still lots to discover from them!"

Thanks, Mike!

Updated Information: Reka or Crescent Hollow-cast Toy Soldier

Toy soldier expert Mike Niederman has kindly identified some of the toy soldiers I've posted, from the collection of Robin Bannerman, who grew up in Wick, Scotland. I'm so happy Mike came across them. You can read his comments in the comments section of each post, but I will post his comment below to make it easier:

"Hi Jim. I'm a Britains fan, here via Pinterest. I'm going to add all the excellent Britains photos on your blog to my Britains image file. In return, I'll add what I know about each figure as a comment.

"Many of the figures are not made by Britains. I'll try to identify the makers. They're all made by the hollow-casting process, which gives them a family resemblance. And several Britains employees started their own companies, to add to the fun.

"The guy above is by Reka, but may have been reissued by Crescent, who bought Reka's moulds in 1932. He's on pg 98 of Joplin's Great Book of Hollow-cast figures."

Thanks, Mike!