About Me

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No Fixed Abode, Home Counties, United Kingdom
I’m a 60-year-old Aspergic gardening CAD-Monkey. Sardonic, cynical and with the political leanings of a social reformer, I’m also a toy and model figure collector, particularly interested in the history of plastics and plastic toys. Other interests are history, current affairs, modern art, and architecture, gardening and natural history. I love plain chocolate, fireworks and trees, but I don’t hug them, I do hug kittens. I hate ignorance, when it can be avoided, so I hate the 'educational' establishment and pity the millions they’ve failed with teaching-to-test and rote 'learning' and I hate the short-sighted stupidity of the entire ruling/industrial elite, with their planet destroying fascism and added “buy-one-get-one-free”. Likewise, I also have no time for fools and little time for the false crap we're all supposed to pretend we haven't noticed, or the games we're supposed to play. I will 'bite the hand that feeds', to remind it why it feeds.

Friday, October 19, 2012

C is for Chad Valley

One of the older names in British manufacturing they were formed in 1823, but would not get round to making toys until after the second World War, having purchased Burnett Ltd., (Ubilda) just as war was declared!

Chad Valley ceased to trade in 1978 with the name being purchased by Woolworth's in the 1990's (?), where amongst other products issued as that brand were some re-boxed Corgi play-sets! I don't know what happened to the name when Woolworth's folded in 2008/9, but presumably it has been acquired or is on some claimants negotiation-list with the receivers!


These are probably the item they are most known for among Toy Soldier enthusiasts, and I believe there was quite a range, mostly of ceremonial/parade type subjects. The two foot figures are almost certainly from another (Light Infantry/Rifles?) set of foot figures, and a mounted figures is missing, probably facing to the right as you look at the box, and maybe a Lancer, Horse-guard in blue or RHA...I'm just guessing now, with a little help from the box-lid!

2 comments:

Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com said...

Just speculating but do think a mounted figure is missing from a set of mounted officers from 8 different regiments?
(Greys, Grenadier Guards, Life Guards, Rifles, Gordons, Borderers, Line infantry + the missing one).

or is it possible that the 2 riflemen and mounted rifles officer were from 1 set and the other officers are what's left of their sets?

as I said just speculating.

Hugh Walter said...

Good question Ross,

I've based the 'assumption' on the bases...the mounted figures have bigger bases, and if you took the two foot figures out and put another mounted figure in, they would 'sit' better, with an equal gap between the bases.

Likewise, a box full of the same type of foot figures would allow for eight soldiers and one office - bases tight.

Certainly the L.I. mounted chap may be wrong and it might be that both a lancer and an RHA bod are missing, but...well, someone out there will know, it's just whether they will admit to following this blog by telling us!!!

Thanks
Hugh