david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Collecting Britains farm people can become an expensive and obsessive pastime because of all the variations in colours, and in some cases, arms. The first of several posts to show all I have at present. Note the thick and thin arm versions of the Farmer #501, and Farmer's Wife #502 (no brolly). Also note the wife at the right of the lower row, the rare & never catalogued fixed arm version, which I've only ever seen in light blue. This is generally regarded as a bit of a mystery item. My theory is that it was intended to be part of a 1950s 2nd grade cheapo lead farm range (along side their 'New Crown' cheapo soldiers etc), which never happened because of the general change to plastic. These figures were in production for a very long time indeed, 1921 to 1959 (except WW2 years), and paint styles are the best way of making a reasonably accurate guesstimate of the age of examples. Note the two Drovers in the light smocks in the middle of the row. A 1920s one with red cravat with neatly painted black spots, and a 1950s one with blue cravat and generally simpler paint style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Now for some Milkmaids, #531 pail on head, #532 pail at side, # 537 milking on stool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Farmer's Son sitting #554, Aged man sitting #555 Farmer's Daughter sitting #561, Aged Woman sitting #556 Pre-war Landgirl #535, Young Lady (usually called the 'Flapper' by collectors) #559, Golfer #562, Girl #557, Boy #558 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Boy on Swing #619 Man with barrow #547 Man with water barrow #564, Stable Lad #563, Navvy with shovel #646 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Blacksmith with anvil #589, Man with garden roller #715, Man with lawn mower #679 & #673 Shepherd with crook #577 Dairyman with yoke &pails #591 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Shepherd with crook & lamb #594, Shepherd Boy #595 Sower #744 Women's Land Army (WW2) #745, Girl with bucket, lead #747, Girl with bucket, rarer plastic version #813 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 Huntswoman side-saddle on standing horse #609 Hunt group Curate (a rare item) #592, Clergyman #593 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 The three examples on the left in your last post David were also I believe known as the 'thin vicar'. Has anyone got one of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leakeyvale Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) The World Cow - no I haven't and I am really not quite convinced I want one (plus the price they are fetching is steep). I do have a fine example of the Curate and also the clergyman. Mine seem to spend a lot of time talking with a couple of hounds at their feet! Edited May 13, 2012 by Leakeyvale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I actually found this World cow Sue on a stall at Westpoint Exeter a couple of years ago on one of the regular stalls where the sellers items are normally way over priced and well out of our pockets down here but in this instance I don't think he knew what sort of cow it actually was as there was very little paint left on it so it was not immediately recognisable without a really close look so I got it cheap, think I paid a fiver for it!. There are I believe three colour variants, black and white, light brown and white and dark brown and white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leakeyvale Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I actually found this World cow Sue on a stall at Westpoint Exeter a couple of years ago on one of the regular stalls where the sellers items are normally way over priced and well out of our pockets down here but in this instance I don't think he knew what sort of cow it actually was as there was very little paint left on it so it was not immediately recognisable without a really close look so I got it cheap, think I paid a fiver for it!. There are I believe three colour variants, black and white, light brown and white and dark brown and white. ...umm I have come over all faint... ... think I had better have a lie down in a darkened room... ...and cry :'( The best price I have been offerred was £150. Mind you that one DID have all its paint and was in excellent condition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 As you can see, mine is in good condition metal wise, all its legs, not bent and has its tail and horns, no holes, no dents, but I just had to give it a good coat, I don't think it's detracted anything from it, the cow itself is original and that's the main thing. I myself don't see any harm in what may be termed as a re-paint providing it's done well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Before you all post a lot of animals here, I was thinking of starting separate threads for (1) Britains lead farm animals, (2) Britains lead farm small accessories (3) Britains lead farm (mostly 'F series') horse drawn vehicles & boxed sets (except the buildings, as we already have a thread for them), (4) Britains plastic farm animals/people/accessories before 1970, (5) ditto, after 1970, (6) Britains lead & plastic garden. As the 'World Cow' has already been posted here, we might as well continue to include other Britains advertising figures & 'odds & sods' such as the gnomes, large scale deer, Johnnie Walker man, etc here as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) We've had the Britans for Nestle 'World's Cow' (I don't have one), so to follow, the Britains 'Sarson's Lamb', presumably made for a mint sauce promotion. The two examples on bases were made later by Britains for Wells/Brimtoy, and were 'lost sheep' attached to a clockwork Little Bo-Peep. These large scale horses (normal similar pose plastic trotting cart horse included in photo for size comparison) were made by Britains for Tri-ang - one of each colour to go in their tinplate horse box truck. Included in this thread as I class it as one of Britains 'odds 'n' sods' items. Edited May 13, 2012 by david_scrivener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super6 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I have a Sarsons lamb on base with the little piece of bent tin attached, have you the clockwork Bo-Peep as I would like to know what it looks like? I have seen the Nestle cow go for much cheaper than £150, that's way over price I reckon. There are two versions of the plastic Johnnie Walker figure aside from the little lead one. First one by Herald, as labled underneath. The second by Britains, again as labled underneath. The Johnnie Walker inscription is also a different colour on the plinth, with the Herald one with red text and the Britains one black text. The Triang horses seem to be difficult to find, most likely the larger scale and cost, so selling fewer items. The tails are also susceptible to breaking off! I'll add a picture in the next couple of days..........memory willing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I haven't seen the Little Bo-Peep either, and would also like to know what it looks like. Back with photos of Johnnie Walkers in a mo' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 First up, the small Johnnie Walkers (2 versions, one with face details painted in, the other without) fixed around bottle necks. Also in photo a 1937 Coronation crown brooh souvenir by Britains, and a Whitbread tankard which might be by Britains. I know Britains made some of these, but this one unmarked, so ? Next 3 versions of the big Johnnie Walker, some or all of which might have been made by Britains. Unfortunately the bottom part of the base underneath is missing on all of them, the part which would have has britains or other manufacturer's name. Next 2 other whisky promo figures, made by ??? Next the Morphy Richards Irons, made & sold by Britains in the 1950s. Not quite sure if these count as a promo item, or just an attempt by Britains to produce more stuff for girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Ferguson Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I think it's great that you're posting up pictures of your lead collection, David. There are plenty of people involved in model farming that would interested in where it all started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordTractorCrazy Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 another fine topic here, thank you once again for sharing! i love the lead figures from Britains, have a couple of them (Mainly F-series) and hope to add more of them to the collection in the future.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Here's one that has not as yet been mentioned, the 'village idiot'. There are I believe several colour combination variants. I am not sure that these two that I have are originals as there are copies about but any replica is better than nothing. Both have the swinging arm. The story of how the village idiot came into being was when the Queen Mother visited the Great Exhibition of 1951 she came to the William Britains exhibit of which there was a display of, amongst their other products, the non farm figures, looking over the village scene she remarked or asked 'where's the village idiot?, every village has an idiot! the rest as they say, is history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I haven't mentioned the village idiot because I haven't got one, and don't intend buying any (in all the colours) unless I'm lucky enough to find one really cheap being sold by someone who doesn't know their usual price. I think it's great that you're posting up pictures of your lead collection, David. There are plenty of people involved in model farming that would interested in where it all started. As for "where it all started", I doubt many here realise that farm ranges by Britains and other UK manufacturers began after WW1, because no one wanted toy soldiers for a while. Everyone had relations and/or friends who had been killed or seriously injured during the war, supposedly 'the war to end all wars' (that idea didn't work out well), and all talk was of a new peaceful country, a home fit for heroes (with the great depression, that idea didn't work out well either), so farm & zoo ranges had to be hastily introduced to stay in business. Anti-war sentiment and the great depression were no doubt also reasons for the manufacturers to do promo items and other things which were more ornaments than toys. If it could be made from hollow cast lead, and they could sell it, or another company was paying them to make something (e.g. Cadbury's Cococubs, which I'll get to shortly), they'd do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leakeyvale Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Village idiot is one I do not have either and may get one IF I, too, find one at a reasonable price! Here's hoping for both of us ,David. I am really enjoying these topics as they are about my main interest and I can always learn something (I never claim to be an expert but my knowledge is improving!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leakeyvale Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I have just purchased a few items which include these: 3 huntsmen on trotting horses and a lady on a galloping horse racing to catch them up with the running greyhound. Very pleased with them all, little paint loss, swing arms all intact and not expensive either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 Sue, Nice to have those mounted hunt people with their whips intact - they're broken off on most seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leakeyvale Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Whips are totally complete including the "tail" which is often missing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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