Timpo

[david_scrivener]

Here is a link to a German site (English version) about TIMPO solid plastic figures (i.e. not their swoppet type figues).

http://www.timpo-solids.com/E_index.htm

At the home page, click on 'Series of TIMPO solids' to see the ranges they made, farm, zoo, police, mechanics as well as soldiers, cowboys/indians, etc.

In the farm range, the drover figure was available in several paint versions, and some of the animals were made in different colour plastics (e.g. brown or black horses, sheep dog, hens), so complete collection would be more than just one of each. They are very compatible with Britains plastic figues. There were also some (not very good, but still very sought after by collectors) clip together plastic farm buildings.

Some of their plastic figures were as previous lead figures.

[super6]

I followed this link as well. Not a very extensive farm range here either, but perhaps this was when they were switching over from lead. The Police figures are nice, I'd like to find some of them 

Only item I have is the scarecrow albeit in a different colour scheme

Picture to follow....................

[david_scrivener]

All the other manufacturers' ranges were rather limited compared to Britains. They were toys after all, and all the manufacturers were aware that their customers, kids, made larger collections by buying figures from all manufacturers. Plus, remember Britains early farm range was somewhat duplicated by internal rivalry between 'old Britains' and 'Herald' employees, and of course Britains remained in business after their UK competitors had closed down, so there were three 'generations' of Britains plastic farm figures. The Crescent range was small but nice too. I also have some nice old plastic figures, circa 1958-60, from an unknown manufacturer, although I think they were Paramount, a very small operation started by Mr Lucas after he closed down his lead figure company 'Sacul' (Lucas spelt backwards). There was also a small, and rather crude farm figure set made by the intertwined Speedwell/UNA/VP group of companies. 

[david_scrivener]

My Timpo lead farm figure collection.

Note some of the animals with a furry 'flock' coating. This was done by a sub-contracting company called Laing Products in London, who also flocked figures for Wend-Al, Barrett & Sons (formerly half of Taylor & Barrett) and others.

Many were based on German composition figures by Lineol (main competitor to Elastolin/Hausser), and the guy pushing the weird barrow thing makes a lot more sense when you see the Lineol original, because the simplified Timpo version omits the load slung between the two shafts. I think the nearest implement to this likely to be seen in British agriculture would be barrows used in Kent for the traditional huge sacks of hops.

I don't have any of the quite rare Timpo horse drawn items, so if anyone else here has them, please post photos. There were a farm cart, a water tank cart, a log wagon, a roller and a disc harrow.

[david_scrivener]

Now for my Timpo plastic farm items. The three people were the same as previous lead figures, but the animals were all new designs, many of which seem to have been, ahem, "inspired" by Britains/Herald farm animals.

[powerrabbit]

Here's a quick snap of the log wagon.

[powerrabbit]

And here is the ulta ultra rare larger scale horse, together with one of their regular 1:32 horses for comparison.

[david_scrivener]

I'm not at all sure you've correctly identified any of those. According to Joplin's books:

1) The Timpo log wagon had a square cross section main shaft, & the 2 horses are side by side with a central harness pole, not a pair of shafts for one horse & the other horse in front with traces.. I think the one in your photo is by Charbens, but the Crescent one is very similar.

2) The big Shire horse, is indeed rare, its manufacturer is not known for sure, but thought to be JoHillCo. The other Shire horse is by Britains (check back leg positions of all the similar Shires in the 3 Joplin reference books).

Edit to add: I've just checked the horses with your log wagon in the Joplin big yellow book, they're Crescent.

Edited May 14, 2012 by david_scrivener

[powerrabbit]

Thanks for that David, I should really dig out the book and refresh myself of identities! I also have the hay rake that was the other part of the 'set' to go with the large scale horse.

[Leakeyvale]

Now I have a foal to go with my mare