Soldier
W. Britain
Category
Toys
Date
1919 - 1937
Materials
Lead
Measurements
Box – 467 mm (length); 100 mm (width); 35 mm (height), Soldiers -75 mm (min. height); 85 mm (max. height)
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 664200
Summary
One lead model soldier on a black rearing horse, made by W. Britain, complete with rectangular red cardboard box with a removable lid. Also in the box are two addition soldiers on horseback. The model soldier has painted facial features and painted uniform. He is wearing a red jacket, white breeches, silver coloured breast plate with a gold coloured crossband and a silver coloured helmet with white plume. The horse has on a navy and gold coloured saddle cloth. The soldier had an articulated right arm with drawn sword. There is an inscription on the base hidden by black paint and a label. A beige paper label pasted onto the lid of the box has the following printed in black ink: 'BRITISH SOLDIERS FIRST LIFE GUARDS MANUFACTURED BY W Britain IN LONDON England'. On the left is a printed illustration of a life guard on horseback, the artist's name FRED WHISSTOCK is printed underneath. Inside the box is a rectangular grey length of cardboard pierced with 15 holes. The metal model soldiers would originally have been attached to this cardboard with thread threaded through these holes. Printed on this length of cardboard in black ink is ‘MANUFACTURED BY W Britain IN LONDON ENGLAND TRADE MARK’. Inside the box are two metal model soldiers mounted on black horses with brown bridles. The leg of one horse has been poorly repaired with sellotape. Each soldier wears white breeches, red jackets with silver-grey breastplates with matching helmets with white plumes. The right arm of each soldier is hinged at the shoulder. Each carries a sword in their right hand, the sword of one is broken off and missing. Total number of items is 6.
Marks and inscriptions
Underside of each horse: PROPRIETORS/ BRITAINS LTD/ COPYRIGHT
Makers and roles
W. Britain, maker