Show us your period military toys, models, and trench art!

[siege1863]

Another one-of-a-kind toy. Measures 4" tall.

 

[manayunkman]

Here is something I bet no others have! This came from the attic of an old house in a small coal mining town in Pennsylvania. The flag is in rough shape but it does have the boy's name down in the corner and I have been able to identify him. There are various drawings, including military and patriotic designs, good luck charms, skull and cross bones, a wagon or train car, and what appears to be a building from the town itself. I can envision the kids running around the neighborhood with it. Can't be many of these to survive.

 

I bet you it was made for a parade at first and then for a run around the yard.

 

When were you in a small Pa coal town ?

 

I love Pa coal towns. Some tough guys have come out of Pa coal towns.

[siege1863]

When were you in a small Pa coal town ?

 

I love Pa coal towns. Some tough guys have come out of Pa coal towns.

 

I actually purchased this from an elderly man who had it listed on ebay. Long ago he was doing renovation work on the house and found the flag in the attic. He took it home and proudly displayed it on his wall, where it remained until a few years ago. When he began to experience ill health he realized the need to sell of some of his favorite possessions. When I made the buy, I asked for any history on the flag and was given the location and the background of the find.

 

Regarding Pennsylvania coal towns, I do have something of a personal connection. My g-g-g-grandfather was a coal miner in England. He came over to the US in the early 1850s. As I recall, he initially went to work in a Pennsylvania coal mine. Not long after, however, he relocated to western Virginia and worked the mines there. With the start of the Civil War, he enlisted in the 4th West Virginia Infantry. During the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863 (see the connection to my user name!), he and others from his regiment were recruited to dig the mines under the Confederate works. Many of the men in the regiment were miners by trade. Two more generations of the family worked in the mines in West virginia and Ohio.

[manayunkman]

Thanks S1863

 

Great family history and appreciate the background on the flag.

[BEAST]

Toy nerd to the rescue!

 

As with any Marx product, these sets came in MANY different variations. Some had cannons instead of a "rifle", others had additional accessories, plus there are numerous soldier designs.

 

 

 

Ooooh, I know what I am asking Santa for Christmas!!!!!

 

Thanks for posting this great toy! One thing I never understood is why the point of the game is to shoot Americans!

[Dr_rambow]

How about something new to liven the place up?

 

This just came in recently, but I've been wanting one for a while now.

 

It is a tiny, diminutive, miniscule "Baby Tank" from around the end of WWI. It came with the box too!

 

 

At only 2 1/2" long, it is a rolling oxymoron, considering it is supposed to represent a giant, imposing war machine. The guns in the sponsons are literally the size of toothpicks, as far as thickness goes.

 

 

It has since sized up, but originally the small pill shaped mechanism would wind up, and propel the vehicle forward. The instructions and patent date were printed on the bottom. It's not easy to find toys that could have been made during wartime WWI. I like it even more for that reason.

 

[Misfit 45]

Hi, I haven't yet seen an ID jeep on the thread, so here's one, along with a post war Dale jeep.

Marv

[Dr_rambow]

Nice! I was wondering when someone would notice this thread. ID models are great, I wish could spend more resources collecting them! Those are very good examples of the models during and after the war.

[D.A.T.]

Alot of real nice allied toys in here. Hope you don't mind if I add some ww-2 vintage tin soldiers from the other side, these were given to me along time ago.

 

 

 

 

[12thengr]

Campbell kid doll dressed up in a homemade sailor suit. 1960's?

[Dr_rambow]

Nice pieces guys! About time I gave my thread some attention.

 

D.A.T., those are interesting soldiers. Are they actually danish in origin? It is interesting that they went with a panzer styled tank design, but I don't think the Germans were well known for making Lead soldiers.

 

Speaking of tanks, I figured I'd continue with my WWI tanks (allied of course). Today we have a very large 18" tinplate Renault FT complete with electric headlight. It was made by Charles Rossignol of Paris, likely in the late 20s. Unfortunately the tracks are replacements, but the nature of rubber is such that it isn't usually around 80+ years later.

 

It's also a shame that it is way out of scale with all of my soldiers, that being said, bigger is better!

 

 

 

To give you guys about how serious these makers were about their products back in the day, here is the Motor that runs this thing. I did a lot of cleaning and body work

 

[D.A.T.]

Quote;"D.A.T., those are interesting soldiers. Are they actually danish in origin? It is interesting that they went with a panzer styled tank design, but I don't think the Germans were well known for making Lead soldiers.

"Hello Dr_rambow, the soldiers are German, coal bucket formed helmets, the tanks look like the Mark IV panzer. The Germans were very well into making lead toys for thier Hitler Youth, all part of the brainwashing back then. Here's an article Forum member General Apathy sent me, and I'll leave it at that, this is getting way off the subject on US vintage military toys.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2223517/The-Hitler-model-German-children-play-World-War-Two.html

[Dr_rambow]

"Hello Dr_rambow, the soldiers are German, coal bucket formed helmets, the tanks look like the Mark IV panzer. The Germans were very well into making lead toys for thier Hitler Youth, all part of the brainwashing back then. Here's an article Forum member General Apathy sent me, and I'll leave it at that, this is getting way off the subject on US vintage military toys.

http://www.dailymail...ld-War-Two.html

 

Well, believe it or not, those soldiers are not lead, or metal of any kind. They are what is called "composition", which is basically glue and sawdust. Most of the toy soldiers coming out of Germany from the interwar period were made with this material, that's why I was curious about the origin of your soldiers. Lead was not the norm for them!

[D.A.T.]

Can't really believe they're made out of glue and sawdust, took a picture of them from the bottom, they do shine and feel like lead or tin whatever,

but you're the specialist, not me.

[Dr_rambow]

The soldiers I was saying were composition are the ones in the link you posted, the vehicles (and some of the soldiers) are made by Hausser, but there are probably some Lineol and Elastolin tossed in.

 

Yours are definitely lead (or some alloy), that's why I thought they were unusual. The majority of the toy soldiers they made at that time were not lead.

[D.A.T.]

Todd, thanks for the info!

Pat

[Spearhead]

Here's a pic of a stuffed dog that my grandfather bought for my uncle during WWII. Are these pretty common?

 

J.R.

[doyler]

Here's a pic of a stuffed dog that my grandfather bought for my uncle during WWII. Are these pretty common?

 

J.R.

 

I have a USMC bulldog that came in a group from a Marine who was a bandsman in WW2

[Dr_rambow]

I have personally never seen one, it's not something I would go out hunting for, but I would totally buy one if I saw it. As with any patriotic item of the day, you know there are a bunch of them out there somewhere. That being said, I don't think it's something you will see every day. As you might imagine, the armored theme has my attention!

 

Almost looks like someone at the pennant factory decided to have some fun with some leftover material! Nice!

[RustyCanteen]

Nice pieces guys! About time I gave my thread some attention.

 

D.A.T., those are interesting soldiers. Are they actually danish in origin? It is interesting that they went with a panzer styled tank design, but I don't think the Germans were well known for making Lead soldiers.

 

Speaking of tanks, I figured I'd continue with my WWI tanks (allied of course). Today we have a very large 18" tinplate Renault FT complete with electric headlight. It was made by Charles Rossignol of Paris, likely in the late 20s. Unfortunately the tracks are replacements, but the nature of rubber is such that it isn't usually around 80+ years later.

 

It's also a shame that it is way out of scale with all of my soldiers, that being said, bigger is better!

 

 

 

Now that is cool!

 

RC

[manayunkman]

FYI

 

Hausser made Elastolin

 

D.A.T. Your soldiers are called Flats and are lead based.

 

The Germans are well known for Flats.

 

Lineols and Elastolin are made from a linoleum type of product and they made US soldiers for the American market.

 

One of the prominent German Lead Soldier companies was Heyde.

 

The Germans made tons of lead soldiers.

 

In 1985 I had over 5000 toy soldiers and over 100 vehicles.

 

The majority were Lineols and Elastolins

 

But they were gone by 1988.

[Dr_rambow]

I don't know nearly enough about German flats, I don't really see them as often as the composition soldiers. I would have loved to see that collection, you should know by now that I would have really loved it

[Championhilz]

Back in the 1970s when I was a kid, my father was vice-president of our local bank. I used to go down to the bank all the time to see him, and I loved to play with this American Express cavalryman that sat next to one of the teller's windows. I finally talked my dad into letting me have it, and it has been with me ever since.

 

[Championhilz]

I picked up this WW I figure about 15 years ago when a toys and soldiers museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi, closed.

 

[manayunkman]

I picked up this WW I figure about 15 years ago when a toys and soldiers museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi, closed.

 

 

 

That looks very much like a Grey Iron ( manufacturers name ) but I have never seen that form.

 

Did the museum have any history on it ?

 

And the American Express Advertising piece is awesome.

 

What is it made of and when was it made ?