Tootsietoy’s diecast miniature toy version of the Renault tank first appeared in Tootsietoy’s 1931 catalog and was numbered #4647. It was described as being a: “Reproduction in miniature of the latest Caterpillar Tank from specifications furnished by the U.S.
Govt. War Dept.”
The Renault T-17 tank was developed during the later years of the first World War. [...]
Mystery Unnumbered (unmarked) Ambulance
A collector friend of mine, Steve Sauchelli, ferrocollect@gmail.com, turned up what appears to be an unnumbered (unmarked) version of the Barclay large ambulance #50. Both ambulances are exactly the same size and share the same front grill, window, and side curtain details.
However, crosses on the unmarked version are inverted instead of embossed. [...]
Writer and historian Richard O’Brien announced the publication of his latest volume on toy soldiers this week. Researching American-Made Toy Soldiers is a collection of 32 years worth of articles from Old Toy Soldier Newsletter, Toy Soldier Review, Antique Toy World, and Old Toy Soldier magazine. Published by Ramble House the 264-page book is available [...]
Many American Dimestore companies produced toy versions of tanks, but none compared to the variety produced by Barclay. Barclay manufactured six versions of tanks. All of their designs generally resemble real-life tanks, but only their pre-WWII version of the Renault F.T.-17 tank comes close to being an accurate model of a real tank.
The Renault F.T.-17 [...]
No other American Dimestore figures have raised as much speculation over their evolution as a small group of early production Manoils known to collectors as “Hollow-Base.”
Figure in the center of my photo is a regular two hole base Manoil. It’s flanked by two hollow-base figures.
I theorize that since hollow-base castings were, and still are,
extensively used [...]
There is no shortage of Toy Soldiers being offered in on-line auctions, but buyers should acquire some wisdom before wading into on-line auctions’ murky waters.
Wrong and inaccurate descriptions, over-use of the words “rare” and “scarce”, and repainted or touched-up figures being offered as original factory production in mint condition tend to confuse all but the [...]
by Don Pielin, Norman Joplin, and Verne Johnson
An all-color book devoted to collecting the toy soldiers and figures that were sold in the Five-and-Dime stores
Did you know that Don Pielin, long time collector and show manager of the Old Toy Soldier Show in Chicago, is attributed with coining the term “American Dimestore Soldier?”
These distinctly American type toy soldiers stand approximately 3-inches tall, are robust in character and were sold mainly in “five-and-dime stores,” such as Woolworths, Grants and Kresge, [...]
