Two old "ENGLAND" models.... from Timpo!

My opinion about primates is always controversial.
These figures of apes hanging on trees are traditionally meant to be orangutans. Though, the only thing I see of an orangutan in that figure is the long hairs on arms. However, not enough long to be a decisive identification feature. I suppose it has no tail, right? So, assuming it is an ape, it looks chimp to me, especially with those ears. However, I believe if they paint reddish brown they meant to make it look as an orangutan and if they paint it black it is a chimp.
The standing creature looks like a female gorilla to me. It seems her husband forgot to use the mop after a shower but that's also a classic.

Chris Sweetman wrote:

rogerpgvg wrote:

I found a few, most still in reasonable condition.

I'd like to put them onto TAW, but I have a question. The metal version of the ape on the left below is identified as an orangutan in TAW. But it seems to me that the ape on the right is an orangutan, and so the one on the left may be a chimpanzee. Or is the one on the right meant to be a gorilla?

This is how Timpo label them:

On left, 6016, Monkey on tree. On right, 6014, Gorilla.

I had the Timpo Monkey on a tree when I was a around 10 years old and never really liked it as it didn't look 'real' but had a cartoonish like feel.

As such this model never did fit into my childhood collection alongside Britains and other Timpo zoo figures.

This model is clearly inspired by inter war German apes on a tree figures by Lineol and Elastolin.

Here the Orangutan of the German originals has been clearly sculptured as a Chimpanzee but Timpo call it a 'monkey'!

The Gorilla figure for me was a much later addition which I obtained just a few years ago. Originally I thought it was a proto-human as the model maker has obviously never seen a Gorilla in real life or even as an image in a book!

Thanks for your help, Chris and Rogério. Yes, like many other vintage companies, Timpo weren’t very good at apes and monkeys. If Timpo listed them as a monkey and gorilla, then probably best to list them on TAW as such too. The monkey doesn’t have a tail, just a naked bum . The gorilla has long head hair. Clearly a female .


I forgot that I also got this guy (poor condition):


I guess that this must be a chimp then.

Some more I forgot to show:

rogerpgvg wrote:

Thanks for your help, Chris and Rogério. Yes, like many other vintage companies, Timpo weren’t very good at apes and monkeys. If Timpo listed them as a monkey and gorilla, then probably best to list them on TAW as such too.

I forgot that I also got this guy (poor condition):


I guess that this must be a chimp then.

Errrrrr nope - Timpo label this fella as a Baboon! Number 6020.

Yes, I know it looks like a Chimp to everyone in the world but not to Timpo!

BTW Timpo's painting was a bit slap dash so this fella ain't far off mint!

Painting was never taken seriously by Timpo hence their pioneering of the over moulding technique which meant no need to bother using paint!

Ah, it must be an as yet undiscovered tailless baboon! Good that Timpo found it. The Timpo paint flakes off very easily, I was happy to find the lions that I was after in a well-painted condition. I hope they are lions ...

I know it's a bit of work, but if you have the complete list of wildlife Timpos, then I'll put it on TAW.

These are so cool, and so hilariously labeled. I like that llama the most!!

"Zookeeper with buckets" is easily the most relatable thing I have seen.

The baboon that is not a baboon is inspired in this not consensual gorilla.
Barbary macaques are "almost" tailess. I believe also they are very ppopular among British people because they're a common sight in Gibraltar that is a British territory. I am not suggesting it is a Barbary macaque. These figures are all a confusion to me.
thanks for showing the back sides of the longhaired gorilla and orang-acting chimp. Since Timpo called it gorilla and the body is good for a gorilla even if the head/hair are bizarre, I think it is the best option. About the baboon, I believe it will stay generic.
Thanks also Chris for providing the list.

Thanks for the list, Chris! Another interesting one is the ibex, which according to Timpo is a mountain goat.

rogerpgvg wrote:

Thank you. It's interesting to see that in 1978, the Timpo zoo animals were no longer painted, but their farm animals still were.

I think . . . they might be soft vinyl (PVC) I have a painted cat pair in that material, with the green base, the earlier painted polyethylene cats were grey not white and had pea-green bases, not grass/apple green? But I don't know!

http://smallscaleworld.blogspot.com/2018/06/p-is-for-perfect-parcel.html

Near the bottom, there was a german guy selling them, he may know more?

The catalogue is great to see-I have quite a few of the models.I also remember having the big box farm set with the buildings and the play mat as a youngster!