Figure
W. Britain
Category
Toys
Date
circa 1903
Materials
Metal and cardboard
Measurements
Each soldier - 75 mm (length); 25 mm (width); 82 mm (height), Box - 460 mm (length); 87 mm (width); 34 mm (height)
Place of origin
London
Collection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 664358
Summary
The five model soldiers are made of metal and are mounted on horses. Each soldier is dressed in black trousers, a black jacket with a red breastplate and a hat with a flat top and a plume. Each has a moveable arm which carries a lance with a pennant on the end. The horses are standing, two are painted brown and three black. The box lid is covered with red paper and has a royal blue label with dark blue printing, which says 'British Soldiers, moveable arms, 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers No.81. Manufactured by W. Britain in London, England. Foreign Service Order'. On one end of the lid is printed '17th Lancers No. 81'. The base of the box is partly covered by red paper and has one shilling and sixpence handwritten on it. The cardboard insert has five holes equally spaced along one long side and ten holes, more or less equally spaced along the other long side. Printed in the middle is 'Manufactured by W. Britain in London, England. Trade Mark'. A horse's hoof, not from these objects, is also stored in box. Total number of items is 13.
Marks and inscriptions
Underneath the horse's belly: 'COPYRIGHT/ Wm BRITAIN Jr/ 18.8.1903'
Makers and roles
W. Britain, maker