Britains horses

Thank you Dave for the comparison images of the various versions of ‘skinny’ and the vehicles they pulled.

Ana wrote:

I've just found this topic now! Thank you for all the photos Chris, Dave, Taylor and Susanne! Very interesting figures! Suffolk is especially nicely sculpted and amazingly (also surprisingly)  in lead she came in proper bay colour with black legs.  Shire is also very lovely and I think it would be so nice to see few more photos of this figure, please   
I like also the fact these figures came in many colours, skinny one (which I think is probably Hack type?) looks especially nice in palomino  
Interesting to see the "skinny horse" much taller than Suffolk. From what I've read Suffolk Punch horses are tall  (65 to 70 inches, 165 to 178 cm).   
Thank you for nice comparison shots Chris!  

You are welcome Anna and regarding the Shire Horse your wish is my command   


This model was designed by George Ford. Model illustrated is in brown with black mane, tail and feathers. Issued in 1970 and I am sure that it is still in production albeit now in China. Example in the location images has the following inscription on the belly area:

BRITAINS LTD 1970 ENGLAND

This is enormously interesting! Thank you for sharing Dave!  Also amazing collection! I believe this special bigger horse must be rare   

Funny, this skinny horse in original, smaller version looks not so skinny, actually

Also it seems toy horses with carriages were more popular those times, now such sets are not very common (at least in bigger modern toy brands)  

And thank you very much Chris! The Shire looks majestic! It's lovely figure and you took great photos!

Yes, there were a lot of vintage horse drawn carts, ploughs and other vehicles & agricultural implements. I have several, which I'll get round to posting here eventually, but I don't have many compared to the number which were made, even just in the UK.

It would be possible to make a pretty huge collection, enough to fill several display cabinets, just of vintage horse drawn items. If someone was to include a collection of similar items made in Germany, France, and other European countries, they could fill a whole private museum room, and would need to be extremely wealthy to buy them.

  

Ana wrote:

And thank you very much Chris! The Shire looks majestic! It's lovely figure and you took great photos!  

BTW I saw a horse drawn coal dray being used for local deliveries in the early 1970’s in Nottingham, England.

OH, Shire is just wonderful, strong and imposing  as it is supposed with that breed. :cheers:Wonderful pictures too, specially bonus!
Though, not wanting to contradict me, the compact looking and apparently short legs, makes it look more like a Clydesdale, doesn't it?

Thanks for the comparison image Rogério. Now I am not sure which one is the real one and which is the toy!   

Glad you liked the ‘bonus’ image - this was my wife’s idea. As you can see it was such a wonderful day.

Now regarding - Is the Britains a Shire or a Clydesdale? I will leave this question to the horse experts - Lea and Susanne!   

Me - I am just a collector of toy animals!  

Chris Sweetman wrote:

Thanks for the comparison image Rogério. Now I am not sure which one is the real one and which is the toy!   

Glad you liked the ‘bonus’ image - this was my wife’s idea. As you can see it was such a wonderful day.

Now regarding - Is the Britains a Shire or a Clydesdale? I will leave this question to the horse experts - Lea and Susanne!   

Me - I am just a collector of toy animals!  

Chris, don't take me so seriously, I am not even a collector of horses, only a crazy curious that tries to learn something with all these expert ladies. Clydes and Shires are not so different horses, some companies even use the same molds to represent both breeds. To me it looks slightly more like a Clydesdale but if Britains described it as a Shire, so obviously it is a Shire. :DHonestly, I can see easily a Shire in Britains sculpt and I cannot see it in some famous modern representations.
As I told you in another occasion, it is fantastic that your wife share these moments enjoying toys with you, doesn't surprise me how wonderful are your days.

 Chris, it's very nice to see photo of you taking these great photos! What a lovely day, and lots of fun. Also, perfect scenery for Shire horse!    

Roger, I think you are right-these breeds are usually difficult to distinguish. Despite Shire are bigger and come in less variable colours - only grey, bay and black are accepted, while in Clydesdales you can find horses in these colours  but also chestnut and sometimes ( quite often) with sabino markings or/and roan. Typical  Shire seems to me also a bit heavier type and Clydesdale a bit more slender with longer legs in proportion to body, but it's really hard to tell, from some photos you would say exactly conversely…    

Roger wrote:

Honestly, I can see easily a Shire in Britains sculpt and I cannot see it in some famous modern representations.

Yes, many of modern brand Shires do not look like this breed. I wish to see more figures with as accurate shapes and proportions as Britains model    

DaveScriv wrote:

Yes, there were a lot of vintage horse drawn carts, ploughs and other vehicles & agricultural implements. I have several, which I'll get round to posting here eventually, but I don't have many compared to the number which were made, even just in the UK.

That's interesting subject. I'm sure your collection is very nice and with many items I've never seen. It would be wonderful to see photos of them, here on forum, one day when you have time for that

Us vintage figure collectors usually stick to the names for figures given by the manufacturers, even when they were wrong.

The Shire above was Britains 2nd plastic Shire. If Chris doesn't post photos of their 1st plastic Shire (1955-65), I'll do so eventually, but I need to do some new, closer photos.

Britains also made what they called a 'Clydesdale' in brown or white plastic, which is the horse in the opening photos of the 'Britains Tumbrel Cart' thread. I'm going to do new photos for this thread too, with some much older examples showing various colour carts and lead and older type plastic horses.

They also made a splendid heavy 'Draught Horse', breed not specified, 1961-71, which either me or Chris will also eventually post here.

DaveScriv wrote:

Us vintage figure collectors usually stick to the names for figures given by the manufacturers, even when they were wrong.
.

Ahah, I didn't say the original name was wrong    I just said that Roger was right about these breeds being difficult to distinguish sometimes. However, i think this Britians figure suits Shire breed very well.  

DaveScriv wrote:

The Shire above was Britains 2nd plastic Shire. If Chris doesn't post photos of their 1st plastic Shire (1955-65), I'll do so eventually, but I need to do some new, closer photos.

Britains also made what they called a 'Clydesdale' in brown or white plastic, which is the horse in the opening photos of the 'Britains Tumbrel Cart' thread. I'm going to do new photos for this thread too, with some much older examples showing various colour carts and lead and older type plastic horses.

They also made a splendid heavy 'Draught Horse', breed not specified, 1961-71, which either me or Chris will also eventually post here.

I'm sure all of those figures are worth to show here and it will be great to look at them! It's very interesting! I think especially for people (like me) who are not very familiar with Britains farm range   

Thank you Chris and Dave for sharing your knowledge (and photos) about these figures  

Shire or Clydesdale, this is a beautiful model   

And a great and instructive topic   

Ana, thanks for your imput about both breeds, actually, your contribution supports more that this mold looks like a Shire than like a Clydesdale although the picture I added of a Clyde fits nicely to the Britains figure. When I see pictures, honestly, Clydes look having shorter and not longer legs but it also depends of the specific horse we are watching. They are really similar although their genetic heritage is different.
Breyer G2 1:32 stablemate Clydesdale, similarly sized with this one, is used to represent Clydes and Shires, so it is probably pretentious from me to want to distighuish both breeds in such small sized figures.
There is not a single reason to say that the figure is not a Shire so brand and collectors can call it Shire once it is correct.
Honestly, Dave or Chris, I would love to see these other Britains horse figures, other versions of the Shire, the Clyde, the draught and every horse possible. I enjoy a lot how they are sculpted, Maybe their outdated manufacturing is not appealing to other collectors but they could be completely unpainted that I would love them anyway.

I'm sure that between me and Chris, we'll post photos of all Britains farm range horses and donkeys (not going into military horses, in this thread at least) over the coming month or so.

Then we'll gradually work through cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, poultry, rabbits, the fox hunting (lead) and riding school/show jumping (plastic) sets, and the garden ranges, all in lead and plastic.

Well, it keeps us off the streets.   

Roger wrote:

Chris Sweetman wrote:

Thanks for the comparison image Rogério. Now I am not sure which one is the real one and which is the toy!   

Glad you liked the ‘bonus’ image - this was my wife’s idea. As you can see it was such a wonderful day.

Now regarding - Is the Britains a Shire or a Clydesdale? I will leave this question to the horse experts - Lea and Susanne!   

Me - I am just a collector of toy animals!  

Chris, don't take me so seriously, I am not even a collector of horses, only a crazy curious that tries to learn something with all these expert ladies. Clydes and Shires are not so different horses, some companies even use the same molds to represent both breeds. To me it looks slightly more like a Clydesdale but if Britains described it as a Shire, so obviously it is a Shire. :DHonestly, I can see easily a Shire in Britains sculpt and I cannot see it in some famous modern representations.
As I told you in another occasion, it is fantastic that your wife share these moments enjoying toys with you, doesn't surprise me how wonderful are your days.

Hi Roger

My comments are what we call in Britain “tongue in cheek”!   
They were never meant to be taken seriously.
I too find it interesting to discuss the breed of this horse and others in the Britains range and input from other collectors is certainly welcomed.

Whilst I took images of the horse on location, my wife also took along one of her Ball Jointed Dolls and she also took pictures. As you say it is wonderful to be able to share a passion for collecting .... and photography.  

Thanks Christophe, Anna and Roger for your comments and contributions.   

Always a pleasure to share information.

DaveScriv wrote:

Us vintage figure collectors usually stick to the names for figures given by the manufacturers, even when they were wrong.

The Shire above was Britains 2nd plastic Shire. If Chris doesn't post photos of their 1st plastic Shire (1955-65), I'll do so eventually, but I need to do some new, closer photos.

Britains also made what they called a 'Clydesdale' in brown or white plastic, which is the horse in the opening photos of the 'Britains Tumbrel Cart' thread. I'm going to do new photos for this thread too, with some much older examples showing various colour carts and lead and older type plastic horses.

They also made a splendid heavy 'Draught Horse', breed not specified, 1961-71, which either me or Chris will also eventually post here.

Dave - at present I don’t have an example of the Herald Shire but I might find one this Sunday as I am off to the Donington Toy Fair. I do have a copy of the ‘Cydlesdale’ in brown and what a neat model it is too. Also I have the white version of the ‘Draught Horse’ complete with rider figure.

DaveScriv wrote:

I'm sure that between me and Chris, we'll post photos of all Britains farm range horses and donkeys (not going into military horses, in this thread at least) over the coming month or so.

Then we'll gradually work through cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, poultry, rabbits, the fox hunting (lead) and riding school/show jumping (plastic) sets, and the garden ranges, all in lead and plastic.

Well, it keeps us off the streets.   

I do have other post 1970 Britains horses. These were bought for my daughter when she was young but she preferred Lego Duplo and later Playmobil animals. Therefore, these Britains Horses remained in mint condition.

A show of all Britains animals was an idea I had for STS and welcome your help in this matter.

As you say it will certainly keep us out of trouble!  

Wow, what a beautiful Draft Horse    Sculpting looks magnificant!

Very nice horses  Actually I like the most the unrealistic "skinny horses"! many thanks on great pics!

Carola wrote:

Wow, what a beautiful Draft Horse    Sculpting looks magnificant!

Thanks Carola    - just shows what a manufacturer can do in the realism stakes with an animal figure costing about a £1 when new.

jonesee wrote:

Very nice horses  Actually I like the most the unrealistic "skinny horses"! many thanks on great pics!

Thank you Jonas   - the main reason for me getting these Tri-ang “skinny horses” is to complete the Britains collection but I have grown to love them.

Some more Britains horse drawn vehicles:

Farm Waggon 5F Early version box, probably before 1930

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Horse Rake 8F, also probably pre 1930 box

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Horse Rake 8F, 1950s box

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Wow, wonderful sets! So detailed, especially wagon and rakes, and horses are so lovely
Thank you for sharing Dave!   

OMG ! They are so beautyful it could bring tears to my eyes    

Those were the days   

Really wonderful, Dave!

More horse-vehicles:



And also a rare horse is this one:

Not only is this horse rare because of the color, but this horse has only 3 legs: his left hindleg is missing: is is not brokenoff or cut-off: something went wrong in the mold. Not only in my horse, but i have seen another exactly like this also. I THINK a small batch of horses just was not produced right and a few (or maybe all) were used and sold....


I have much more fotos of my Britains-animals, but i am a bit hesitant to show them here: i did before and people who use Google Chrome as a browser have some problems with my pics; apparently they get a warning from Google that my site (where my photos are) contains a virus: only Google Chrome gives this warning, i think it is because of a piece of scripting i use. So: if a lot of members use Chrome and will have problems, i will delete these photos and stop putting photos here.