In The Great Book of Britains I mentioned further reading of eight books and two periodicals. During the subsequent twenty years, a steady stream of books, articles and websites have added an enormous amount of information. My father wisely taught me that it is not what you have in your head, but what you know how to look up that is important. Many of these books are now out of print, but today second hand bookshops have been supplemented by many amazingly useful websites that can be used to find copies.
I list here the books I now consider to be the most useful on the subject of Britains and its competitors. My full bibliography of what is available as literature about and in support of toy soldier and other figure collecting is on my website at james-opie.co.uk
As this bibliography is not too long, I have placed it into subject sections rather than ordered it alphabetically by author.
The core Britains references
These are the in depth books of which to some degree the History and Handbook is a summary, although there is a fair amount of new information (and above all pictures) here as well.
Opie, James
The Great Book of Britains
New Cavendish 1993
Almost the book to end all books on Britains. 100 years of Britains production with 950 colour photos, mostly from the famous Ruby Family collection, and a quarter of a million words, arranged in one hundred year by year production sequences. 640 large format pages. Extensive lists of Britains catalogue numbers. Also, issued by Britains themselves, a specially bound edition with an exclusive set of toy soldiers.
Opie, James
Opie’s Pocket Price Guide to Britains Hollowcast Toy Soldiers
New Cavendish 1994
The only checklist available for collectors with versions of the catalogued Britains set numbers, cross referenced to The Great Book of Britains. Although the prices in it are valid for 1994, in fact they have not changed a great deal over the ensuing twenty-five years, and the more valuable part of the book is the rarity rating which enables set rarity to be compared.
Opie, James
Britains Toy Soldiers 1893-1932
Victor Gollancz 1985
Known as the Big Blue Book, this is a comprehensive study of the output of the Britains figures of the period, concentrating on contrasting the various changes of version which the figures in each set underwent. Covers Ages 1 and 2, and the first half of Age 3.
Wallis, Joe
Soldiers of Greater Britain: Britains Ltd lead figures 1893-1925
private publication USA
As I write, Joe Wallis is completing the final book in his trilogy of detailed examinations of Britains hollowcast production. It will, he tells me, include 750 colour photographs, and is in similar format to the recent revision of Regiments of All Nations.
Wallis, Joe
Armies of the World: Britains Ltd. lead soldiers, 1925-1941
420 pp private publication USA 1993
Highly detailed listings of all Britains production 1925-1941, including the contents of the numbered sets that did not appear in the catalogues. Black and white illustrations.
Wallis, Joe
Regiments of all nations: Britains Ltd. lead soldiers, 1946-66 3rd Edition
416 pp private publication USA 2011
With the preceding book, Joe Wallis has covered the Third and Fourth Ages of Britains in as much detail as anyone could wish for. They are complimentary to my own The Great Book of Britains, and essential for any serious collector. Originally issued in black and white only, this book has been revised and re-issued in a colour-illustrated edition that makes it even more useful.
Joplin, Norman, Rolak, Arnold, Dean, Philip and Kunzlemann, Joe
Britains Civilian Toy Figures
Schiffer 2002
A comprehensive look at the toys and hollowcast non-military products of Britains. Large numbers of the paint variations habitually used by Britains on the civilian and animal side are included. A serious attempt to document and illustrate every metal civilian toy figure ever made by Britains in the first four Ages.
Cole, Peter
Suspended Animation: 2nd Edition
Plastic Warrior 2004
Highly recommended for the understanding of what was going on at Britains from 1952 onwards, when plastic was taking over the world of toys.
Joplin, Norman & Waterworth, John T.
Britains New Toy Soldiers 1973-Present
Schiffer USA 2008
An excellent compilation of data and pictures on the gloss painted metal military production of Britains 1973 to 2008, with much additional information on the output of the Fifth and Sixth Ages.
Brown, Barney Collector’s Guides: |
Britains Herald Plastic Farm Models |
Britains Herald Plastic Floral Garden Models |
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Britains Herald Plastic Zoo Models |
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with Peter Cole: |
Herald Civilian Models 2013 Plastic Warrior |
These are very highly detailed monographs on specific areas of Herald/Britains plastic production. The most recent volume covers just fifty-four figures in a hundred and thirty-eight pages, and could be the most detailed toy soldier book yet produced. As it includes Cowboys and Indians, Trojans, Robin Hood and English Civil War, i.e. fighting figures not in standard uniforms, there is a decent military flavour to it. Highly recommended for those with a taste for minutiae. I look forward to further volumes on Knights and Regimental figures.
Cupman, John The Story of the Cadbury Cococubs
Cupman, John The Cococub Variants
Very interesting in depth treatment of the Cococubs and how they are worth collecting in detail, following 300,000 children in the late 1930s.
Johnson, Peter
Toy Armies
Batsford, London, 1982
The story of the Malcolm Forbes collection, the best attempt yet at a permanent public display. Features a fair amount about Britains. Peter Johnson, sadly no longer with us, not only was a prominent dealer, but also worked as publicity manager for Phillips auctioneers.
Kirk, Peter
Britains Racing Colours of Famous Owners
Private publication, revised edition
Kurtz, Henry I., and Burtt R. Ehrlich
The Art of the Toy Soldier, with a foreword by Roy Selwyn-Smith
New Cavendish 1985 New York: Abbeville, 1987
Probably the most visual of all toy soldier books, giving a magnificent flavour of old toy soldiers, particularly Britains, Heyde and CBG Mignot.
O’Brian, Richard
Collecting Foreign-Made Toy Soldiers
Krause 1997
Has a large and useful section on Britains, showing prices being charged to collectors at the time in the United States.
Opie, James
Toy Soldiers
Shire Album Shire Publications 1983
This was the first book that I wrote. It has 32 black and white pages, and explains simply what the toy soldier collecting hobby is. Great for introducing your friends for the first time, and containing a succinct outline of what Britains is about.
Opie, James
On Guard
New Cavendish 1985
The catalogue to my exhibition at the London Toy and Model Museum 1985-86. Illustrated with appropriate photos from Britains Toy Soldiers 1893-1932 and The Art of the Toy Soldier.
Richards, Len
Old British Model Soldiers 1893-1918
Arms and Armour Press, London, 1970
This was the classic early black and white illustrated book of toy soldiers by the pioneer of systematic toy soldier collecting.
Opie, James
British Toy Soldiers 1893 to the Present
Arms and Armour Press 1985
A black and white photo picture guide to Toy Soldiers by subject depicted, with price guide issued 1985 and 1987. A replacement for the classic book by Len Richards, which only covered early British toy soldiers. Known as the pink book.
Opie, James
Collecting Toy Soldiers
Collins 1987 (Hardback edition) New Cavendish 1991(Paperback edition)
A colourful book of advice to collectors, with some personal reminiscence. How to acquire, arrange and enjoy Toy Soldiers.
Opie, James
Collecting Toy Soldiers in the 21st Century
Pen & Sword 2011
Totally new follow up volume to Collecting Toy Soldiers, detailing how collecting has been changed by the internet and technological developments in toy soldier production, with further reminiscence and reflections. Includes an introductory overall history of figurines and toy soldiers.
Opie, James
Toy Soldiers Phillips Collectors Guide
Boxtree 1989
A brief survey of the collecting field in 1989, with additional colour photographs
Rose, Andrew
The Collector’s All-colour Guide to Toy Soldiers:
a record of the world’s miniature armies, from 1850 to the present day
Salamander London
An excellent book of large-size colour photographs of a miscellany of toy soldiers, including many Britains, representing most of the main types. Many of the figures are from two of England’s most noted collectors, Edmund Roche-Kelly and Peter Cowan
Wells, H.G. Floor Games, published 1911
Wells, H.G. Little Wars, first published in 1913
These charming books used delightful line drawings of Britains figures as well as photographs to illustrate the fun. Also available in reprints.
Books on Britains competitors
These are set out in chronological order of the period when they were competitive with Britains (see page 363 for a listing of competitors and when they were active)
Roer, Hans
Henning Old German Toy Soldiers
Palagonia Verlag, Germany 1993
A very useful colour picture book on German made solidcast production by one of the leading experts, with dual German English text for the articles.
Blondieau, Christian
Soldats de Plomb & Figurines Civiles: Collection CBG Mignot
Le Kepi Rouge, Paris 1996
The best book so far on CBG Mignot – be sure to get the edition that includes English text unless you are a fluent French reader. During the early part of the 20th century, CBG Mignot fought off a strong attempt by Britains to enter the French market, and more recently, like Britains, has survived for many years manufacturing for collectors rather than for children.
Grein, Markus
With Heyde figures Around the World
Edition Knannich 2003
Useful pictures and information about Heyde, text in German and English. Heyde were the most prominent German manufacturer of toy soldiers when Britains started in 1893.
Joplin, Norman
The Great Book of Hollow-cast Figures
New Cavendish London 1993
An invaluable book of British hollowcast production organised by manufacturer, including Britains civilian figures.
Blondieau, Christian
Petits Soldats, Le Guide du Collectionneur
Le Kepi Rouge, Paris 1996
An excellent collection of various toy soldiers, and as one might expect, strong on French makers.
Joplin, Norman & Philip Dean
Hollow Cast Civilian Toy Figures
Schiffer 2005
Civilian figures by theme rather than manufacturer, enabling easy identification of cows, zebras etc.
Schrepf, Norbert
Militarisches Zubehor Katalog
private publication 1998
An illustrated listing of the tinplate and other military equipment issued by Hausser-Elastolin and Lineol.
Schrepf, Norbert
Lineol Military Figures
private publication 2000
Exhaustive cataloguing of Lineol military production. Norbert Schrepf’s website, www.toy-soldier-gallery.com has online versions of this and his equally meticulous research into Hausser-Elastolin.
Pietruscha, Andreas and Muller, Fritz
Elastolin Kunstoff-Figuren
Verlag Figuren Magazin Berlin 1993
Polaine, Reggie
The War Toys (Kriegsspielzeuge): No 1, the story of Hausser-Elastolin
New Cavendish Books, London
Fontana, Dennis
The War Toys 2, The Story of Lineol
New Cavendish London 1991
A good, if not exhaustive, survey of Lineol production, competitive to Britains in Britain during the 1930s.
O’Brian, Richard
Researching American Made Toy Soldiers
Ramble House 2010
Gives a good understanding of the home-grown competition for Britains when exporting to America, a market on which they largely depended for many years.
Dean, Philip
Wend-Al of Blandford
Avalon Images.com 2005
A lovingly completed survey of Wend-Al, which for a shout time around 1950 mounted a brief challenge to Britains at the quality end of the toy market.
Plath, Alfred
Timpo Toys Ltd: Die goldenen Jahre einer schottischen Spielzeugfabrik
223 p. private publication, Germany 2005
Maughan, Michael
The A to Z of Timpo 1960-1979
private publication 1995
This is a definitive reference for the period covered, when Timpo were Britains chief competitor in plastic in Britain, France and Germany.
Asquith, Stuart
The Collectors Guide to New Toy Soldiers
introduction by James Opie
Nexus 1991
This book details hundreds of manufacturers with colour photographs. Stuart Asquith had the vision to realise that unless the enormous number of cottage industry producers from 1973 onward were listed, many of their names and ranges would be lost to posterity forever. I wrote a 7,000 word introduction about the early days of the new (reproduction for collectors) type toy soldiers.
Periodicals
All current periodicals have websites
The Old Toy Soldier Newsletter quarterly
This was the first toy soldier magazine, and majors on research and information articles. Runs the leading annual toy soldier show in the world in Chicago each year. Contains in depth coverage of every aspect of Britains, often written by Joe Wallis, the United States leading authority on the subject, who has made a lifelong study of the Britains family and its products for which we are all grateful. His article on the Britains family in the Spring 2001 edition is particularly illuminating.
Toy Soldier Parade now discontinued
Toy Soldier Review now discontinued
Bulletin of the British Model Soldier Society quarterly
Majors on modelling, but also includes Britains and toy soldier collecting, news and auction reports. Has celebrated 75 years of existence.
Collectors Gazette
For all types of toys, contains advertisements for shows and auctions, with news and reports.
Toy Soldier Collector Magazine
Mostly to do with New Toy Soldiers and similar models.
Toy Soldier & Model Figure Magazine
Bimonthly. Began in 1995. Particularly useful for new releases of models and New Toy Soldiers.
Figuren-Magazin
A German language magazine specialising in composition and plastic figures, especially Hausser-Elastolin, Lineol and Timpo. Also sells specialist publications.
Plastic Warrior Magazine
Bi-monthly. A full run of back numbers would probably cover every plastic toy soldier ever produced, almost. The magazine also issues various compilations by manufacturer that are incredibly useful. Has run the leading UK annual show for plastic toy soldiers for over 25 years.
Other Source Material
Britains own catalogues and literature – see article page 355.
Advertisements in the contemporary trade press.
Contemporary retail catalogues. Gamages catalogues, or extracts from them, have been re-published for the years 1902, 1906 and 1913.
Auction catalogues – for in depth analysis of past and current prices, there is no substitute for studying the outcome of auctions, past, present and online. Particularly significant catalogues are those for the collections of L.W.Richards (Phillips), John Hanington (Phillips), Burtt Erhlich (Guernsey’s), The Britains Archive (Christies), Arnold Rolak (Christies), William Miele, (Vectis), Dmitri Ilyinsky, (Bertoia), William C. McDade (Bonhams) and Stewart Saxe (Bonhams).
Most auctioneers now provide online pictures and results for all toy soldier sales.