US 'Dimestore' figures

From the 1930s there evolved a very much USA only style of lead figures, in a large scale compared to the UK/Europe 1:32 norm, and in a rather cartoony style. The two main companies were Barclay and Manoil.

I hope other members have some of them to add to the thread, but to start here is my modest collection of non military 'Dimestores'

A dimestore was a cheapo shop, the equivalent of 'pound shops' in the UK today. Perhaps someone here can tell us the equivalent name given to cheapo shops in other countries, if there is such a term. Euro Store?

First up, Barclay clergyman and groom from their wedding set (I hope to find a bride to complete the set sometime) and the engineer and conductor from their railroad set. Also the Britains 1:32 lead clergyman in photo to show size comparison.

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Now 4 Barclay railroad station passengers, shown with the nearest 1:32 equivalents in my collection, both by JoHillCo.

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And last for now, some figures from the Barclay winter sports set, shown with a Britains 1:32 scale nurse, to show size comparison, and handy in case any of the Barclay figures have a nasty accident on the ice, obviously.

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Nice stuff:)

They are awesome !!!
Like a small bite of old days, - look at the fashion of those passengers, - and that guy on the sledge !!!

Thankyou for sharing , - you surely woke me up on a grey, sleepy winter morning

PS, In Denmark we have a "dome-store" called Tiger ( Pronounced tee-arh in Danish).
Ti is the Danish word for 10 (Pronounced like in Timothy ), and a "Ti'er" ( pronounced te-ar ) is a 10 kroner-coin.
10 Kroner is app two dollars or a pound

Very interesting Dave. Traditionally, a dimestore in Portugal is called (loja dos trezentos), it means 300 shop. Before the introduction of the Euro coin in Portugal, Escudos, the Portuguese coin, was a less value one, so these shops used to sell things for 300 or 150 escudos. The 150 Escudos products were often sold in pairs only, thus, 300 escudos either. We kept the name and that value corresponds to 1,50€. I really cannot remember which names were used in old times, there was only a single toy shop in my homeland when I was young so we didn't need a special name.

Thanks Susanne & Roger for info about cheapo shop names.
I guessed most countries would have such shops. and a generic name for them.

@DaveScriv wrote:

From the 1930s there evolved a very much USA only style of lead figures, in a large scale compared to the UK/Europe 1:32 norm, and in a rather cartoony style. The two main companies were Barclay and Manoil.

And last for now, some figures from the Barclay winter sports set, shown with a Britains 1:32 scale nurse, to show size comparison, and handy in case any of the Barclay figures have a nasty accident on the ice, obviously.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

A winter scene with a Spot-On Land-Rover, cake decoration Snowman, a miniature conifer and a ModelPower sledging group - note the similarity between the one with the chap and the old Barclay version. ModelPower is a current American model railway company and were obviously inspired by Barclay! Thanks Dave for posting these images.

Thanks Chris for a little nostalgia - I had one of those Spot-On Landrovers when I was a kid.
I can't remember what happened to it.

Your other sledge (2 figures together - mother & small child?) is a copy of a Barclay item as well.

@DaveScriv wrote:

Thanks Chris for a little nostalgia - I had one of those Spot-On Landrovers when I was a kid.
I can't remember what happened to it.

Your other sledge (2 figures together - mother & small child?) is a copy of a Barclay item as well.

Thank you Dave - I remember the 1963 Spot-On catalogue and clearly ticked the Land-Rover image in the hope I would have it for Christmas. Unfortunately, Father Christmas never delivered the item and it was many years later that I managed to get one!

I bet the other ModelPower miniature sledge figure on the right in the image below is another Barclay copy.


Amazing how long forgotten figures from one manufacturer turn up many years later in a different scale from another firm! I bought the set of three from a German dealer at the NEC Toy Fair a few years ago. They were loose and the dealer informed me of the maker.

Nice again :)