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In 2005, the W. Britains brand was acquired by First Gear, an
American maker of die-cast collectibles. This firm produces and sells mostly contemporary matte-style figures to the collectors market under the W. Britain brand. Kenneth A. Osen was the master sculptor for W. Britain until June 2013 when
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in a durable alloy. Initially these sets were aimed at the
British souvenir market. In 1983 Britains responded to a growing collectors' market by introducing additional models and limited edition sets. This range was greatly expanded over the next 20 years and included die-cast versions of their old
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In 1907 the family proprietorship, William
Britain & Sons, incorporated as "Britains, Ltd". The Britain family controlled the firm until 1984 when it was sold to a British conglomerate, Dobson Park Industries. They combined the operations with an existing line of toys and renamed the company
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In the early 1950s
Britains was associated with W. Horton Toys and Games which made the die-cast Lilliput ranges of small-scale, rather generic, cars and trucks and other vehicles. In 1959, Britains acquired Herald Miniatures which produced plastic figures designed by
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towable cannon that fired toy shells. For a toy, it was intricately designed, with a special threaded post with rotating knob to raise and lower the cannon. Also in early 1950s, one of the first
Britains vehicles was a Bluebird land speed record car of famed driver
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Britains Petite, Ltd. During the first half of the 20th century, Britains expanded its range and market. By 1931 the firm employed 450 at its London factory. The catalogue had expanded to 435 sets and twenty million models a year were being produced.
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he was appointed
General Manager & Creative Director. Sculpting continues to be done by Ken Osen, Alan Ball and Graham Scollick. All figures are sculpted by hand, to scale, before duplication. On 30 January 2012
361:
In 1921, the
Britains "Model Home Farm" was launched, including 30 farm figures and animals as well as the first farm vehicle, a tumbrel cart. The first tractor model was the
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In 1966 safety regulations in the United
Kingdom combined with rising costs halted the production of lead toy soldiers. Britains shifted most production of Herald plastic to
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336:, another American die-cast miniature and plastic kit maker. At this time, production of toy soldiers was moved to China. In 2011, Japanese-headquartered toy company
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In the 1950s, besides soldiers, a variety of vehicles began to appear, mostly in the military field. One such detailed die-cast vehicle was a Royal
Artillery
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acquired RC2 which included the
Britains die-cast farm miniatures range. In 2021, Tomy celebrated 100 years of the Britains farm miniatures range.
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tractor. In 2021 Britains celebrated 100 years as Europe’s oldest specialist in farm toys with a limited edition of the Fordson Major tractor.
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When production stopped, the range of catalogued lead sets exceeded 2200. In 1973 Britains introduced New Metal models, which are
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The "W. Britain" brand name of toy and collectable soldiers is derived from a company founded by William Britain Jr., a British
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in 1978. In the 1980s more than 120 new models were produced for the Britains Farm. 2007 saw the first vintage model, the
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plastic figures with metal bases that were initially manufactured in England but later outsourced to China.
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The style and scale of Britain's figures became the industry standard for toy soldiers for many years.
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and various commercial lorries, such as a milk tanker, flat bed, tipper, cement mixer, also appeared.
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With its factory set in London, Britains then diversified into other associated toys such as die-cast
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became the sole distributor of all W. Britain figures in the UK and Continental Europe.
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plastic figures and accessories, and their older sets have become highly collectable.
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620:– collection of over 6,000 miniature toy soldiers including many Britains figures
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toy soldiers, some made from original moulds. These, as well as the lines of
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Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection, Brown University Library
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military trucks, commercial vehicles, and toy cars.
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245:manufacturer, who in 1893 invented the process of
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519:"Tomy Completes Tender Offer for RC2 Corporation"
192:and former manufacturing company known for its
249:in lead, and revolutionized the production of
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96:in 1997, then other owners, currently a brand
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324:In 1997, Britains Petite, Ltd was bought by
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207:. The company was established in 1893 as a
27:British toy brand and manufacturing company
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507:. Baltimore, Maryland: Waverly Press, Inc.
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1582:Model manufacturers of the United Kingdom
460:"A Short History of Britains Toy Company"
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492:. Great Britain: New Cavendish Books.
269:. The company was also known for its
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300:from 1966. In 1971 Britains started
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477:. London: Quintet Publishing, Ltd.
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344:W. Britains in the 21st Century
612:Old Britains Ltd. Lead Figures
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574:Victoria & Albert Museum
563:. Toy Retailers Association.
320:Britains in the 21st Century
68:; 131 years ago
561:"Toy of the Year 1965–2007"
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490:The Great Book of Britains
373:tractor in the range. The
271:American Revolutionary War
233:brand by First Gear, Inc.
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578:"MF Massey Ferguson, 760"
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658:manufacturers and brands
505:Regiments of all Nations
30:Not to be confused with
606:W. Britain toy soldiers
473:Joplin, Norman (1996).
201:agricultural machinery
170:britainsfarmtoys.co.uk
122:agricultural machinery
449:on W. Britain website
369:became the first non-
503:Wallis, Joe (1981).
488:Opie, James (1993).
229:since 2011, and the
608:(collector website)
437:on Britains website
367:Massey Ferguson 135
351:Bachmann Europe Plc
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383:UK Toy of the Year
225:brand is owned by
84:William Britain Jr
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379:combine harvester
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144:Learning Curve UK
16:(Redirected from
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549:. 2013–2015.
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525:. Retrieved
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475:Toy Soldiers
474:
468:
454:
447:Terms of Use
442:
360:
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326:Ertl Company
323:
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295:
291:Range Rovers
289:, and later
275:
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251:toy soldiers
240:
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209:toy soldiers
197:scale models
182:
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157:(1997–1999)
101:Headquarters
92:Acquired by
52:Company type
1298:Meccano Ltd
1170:Herpa Wings
861:Meccano Ltd
655:Scale model
409:Little Wars
404:Toy soldier
287:Land Rovers
221:Today, the
151:(1999–2010)
119:Scale model
58:(1893–1997)
1587:Toy brands
1576:Categories
1140:Corgi Toys
961:Scalextric
931:Powertrack
796:Hot Wheels
776:Greenlight
746:Corgi Toys
704:Auto Pilen
415:References
381:was voted
273:soldiers.
231:W. Britain
183:W. Britain
18:W. Britain
1494:Materials
1437:McFarlane
1288:Kitmaster
1180:Majorette
1006:TrueScale
896:Morestone
881:Minialuxe
846:Majorette
665:Products
387:Ford 5000
298:Hong Kong
205:figurines
146:(2010–11)
126:figurines
1551:Category
1452:Sideshow
1422:Hot Toys
1412:Britains
1379:Britains
1351:Monogram
1321:Atlantic
1268:Britains
1215:Skybirds
1185:Monogram
1109:Aircraft
1084:Skybirds
1069:Monogram
1054:Hasegawa
1031:Military
926:Polistil
891:Monogram
876:Mikro'67
856:Mebetoys
851:Matchbox
781:Hasegawa
576:(2004).
547:Britains
393:See also
309:die cast
223:Britains
194:die-cast
179:Britains
115:Products
38:Britains
1561:Commons
1511:Testors
1501:Humbrol
1485:Meccano
1462:Zindart
1399:Figures
1346:Italeri
1245:Railway
1175:Italeri
1064:Italeri
1016:Zindart
991:Testors
951:Round 2
916:Playart
866:Mercury
806:Italeri
721:Bburago
527:21 July
462:. 2009.
334:RC2 LLC
302:Deetail
237:History
165:Website
81:Founder
71: (
63:Founded
56:Private
32:Britons
1506:Tamiya
1432:Kenner
1407:Bandai
1361:Revell
1341:Heller
1316:Airfix
1273:Hornby
1258:Bandai
1253:Airfix
1235:Zvezda
1220:Tamiya
1205:Schuco
1200:Revell
1165:Heller
1130:Aurora
1125:Airfix
1099:Zvezda
1094:Tamiya
1089:Solido
1079:Revell
1059:Heller
1039:Airfix
996:Tomica
981:Tamiya
976:Solido
966:Schuco
946:Revell
921:Pocher
871:Mettoy
841:Maisto
831:Lesney
826:Kyosho
821:Kenner
786:Heller
736:Conrad
731:Code 3
709:Aurora
694:Airfix
679:trucks
667:brands
203:, and
105:London
1480:Bayko
1442:Mezco
1326:Dinky
1308:Ships
1278:Jouef
1225:Tekno
1145:Dinky
1044:Dinky
1001:Tonka
986:Tekno
956:Safir
911:Norev
836:Lledo
801:Husky
791:Herpa
751:Dinky
522:(PDF)
216:zamac
190:brand
132:Owner
1457:SOTA
1447:NECA
1427:Jada
1417:Hawk
1389:Siku
1384:Ertl
1356:Pyro
1336:Hawk
1331:Frog
1293:Lima
1283:Kato
1210:Siku
1195:Pyro
1160:Hawk
1155:Frog
1150:ESCI
1115:List
1074:Pyro
1049:ESCI
1021:Ziss
971:Siku
941:RAMI
936:Pyro
901:Muky
811:Jada
771:Frog
766:ESCI
761:Ertl
756:Efsi
726:Buby
684:List
675:Cars
529:2024
377:760
371:Ford
338:Tomy
330:Iowa
227:Tomy
155:Ertl
139:Tomy
94:Ertl
89:Fate
73:1893
66:1893
1190:MPC
906:NZG
886:MPC
714:AFX
699:AMT
677:and
328:of
243:toy
199:of
187:toy
1578::
545:.
423:^
124:,
109:UK
107:,
1118:)
1112:(
687:)
681:(
647:e
640:t
633:v
580:.
531:.
75:)
34:.
20:)
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