Dimestore soldiers

Dimestore soldiers

Dimestore soldiers are a name first given by collector and author Don Pielin to American made toy soldiers sold individually in five and dime stores from the 1930s to the 1950s before being replaced by plastic toy soldiers called army men. Though most figures were hollowcast metal, composition and plastic dimestore figures were also made. The popularity of the toy soldier reflected public interest in wars around the world and America's own military preparedness of the era.

Rise and fall

As opposed to the standard 54mm size popularised by Britains figures, the minimally painted dimestore figures were 3 inches/7 cm in size to correspond with the American made standard gauge toy trains of the time.[1] Though they had made smaller sized figures previously, Barclay began their 3 inch size in 1934 with the figures made of 87% lead and 13% antimony.

The largest manufacture of toy soldier in the United States in the 1930s and early 1940s was the Barclay Manufacturing Company.[2] Prices of the soldiers were mostly kept to five cents, a nickel during this time, making them affordable to children. Other manufacturers made similar figures in mostly comparable sizes. The soldier's uniforms changed with military fashion, going from high collar to open collar and from puttees to leggings.

In 1942 lead toy production ceased with American toy soldiers being manufactured in composition, plastic and paper. Production resumed in 1945 with moulds reconfigured to the M1 Helmet but prices rose to 10 and later 15 cents. In the early 1950s Barclay conserved metal by designing new figures with a large "pod foot" instead of the usual base. However the low cost of mass amounts of unpainted plastic figures, the increasing cost of the price of metal and scares of the dangers of metal toys lead to the demise of the dimestore soldier.

Barclay's biggest rival the Manoil Manufacturing Co. ceased trading in 1959. Barclay ceased trading in 1971.

References

  1. ^ p.5 Pielin, Don, Joplin, Norman & Johnson, Verne American Dimestore Toy Soldiers & Figures 2000 Schiffer Publishing
  2. ^ p.61 O'Brien, Richard Collecting American Made Toy Soldiers Edition #3 1997 Books Americana

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Manoil Manufacturing Co. — Manoil Manufacturing Company was an American metal and plastic toy company. From June 1940 they were located on Providence Street, in Waverly, NY (Tioga County). Its prominence was from 1937 1941 when it produced hollowcast toy soldiers… …   Wikipedia

  • Chicago Toy Soldier Show — The Chicago Toy Soldier Show is a toy soldier and model figure trade show. It is held annually at the Hyatt Regency Hotel near Woodfield Mall, in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois. The show is organized by OTSN, Inc., publisher of Old… …   Wikipedia

  • Toy soldier — A toy soldier is a miniature figurine that represents a soldier. The term applies to depictions of uniformed military personnel from all eras, and includes knights, cowboys, pirates, and other subjects that involve combat related themes. Toy… …   Wikipedia

  • Ann Coulter — At a book signing at CPAC FL in Orlando, Florida …   Wikipedia

  • Benny Goodman — from the film Stage Door Canteen (1943) Background information Birth name Benjamin David Goodman …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”