Toy figure
W.Britain
Category
Toys
Date
1908
Materials
Metal
Measurements
Mounted man –80 mm (length); 80 mm (height), Man with rifle – 40 mm (width)
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 664498
Summary
11 model figures depicting stereotypical representations of Native Americans. The set is in its original box which is labelled ‘North American Indians with Chiefs’ and includes an illustration of two figures, one carrying a rifle and the other a tomahawk. The set was introduced by Britain’s in 1908. 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, W. Britain, a market leader. Britain produced toys which replicated famous conflicts, including those known as the ‘Indian Wars’ in the western United States (1811-1924). These conflicts had been fictionalised and brought to British audiences via Wild West stage shows and later Western films. Caricatures in these entertainments informed the game of 'Cowboys and Indians' which became popular in the United States and United Kingdom. The representation of Native Americans in these toys does not reflect the diversity of Indigenous nations, and perpetuates a stereotype of Indigenous peoples as aggressive antagonists.
Marks and inscriptions
On the bottom of the stand: 'WM.BRITAIN/ COPYRIGHT/ 6.2.1908/MADE IN/ GREAT BRITAIN'
Makers and roles
W.Britain, maker