Toy figure
Britains Ltd.
Category
Toys
Date
Unknown
Materials
Metal
Measurements
65 mm (length); 19 mm (width); 52 mm (height)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 664468
Summary
Twenty toy figures representing French Zouave soldiers. Each figure is posed as if charging and holds a rifle with a fixed bayonet. Each is dressed in a white turban with a red trim, a blue jacket and red sirwal trousers. Each figure carries a black pack on its back and one leg stands on an oblong green base. Some of the rifles are missing and some of the paint is chipped. Total number of items is 20. Toy soldiers have been popular since at least the 18th century. In 1893 William Britain, a British toy manufacturer, invented a method of hollow casting that made the brand a market leader. Britain produced toys which replicated famous conflicts and represented ‘regiments of all nations’, including the imperial troops of the British and other European empires. These toys often reflect stereotypical representations of nationalities or cultural groups.
Makers and roles
Britains Ltd., maker