The first Schleich animal figures from the 1950s

I was lucky enough to get hold of some incredibly rarities: Schleich's first animal figures.

At the end of the 1940s, Schleich had started with the bending figures and then produced the first animal figures in 1955, long before the Classics series came out.

There was a series of four animal figures that Schleich produced 1955/56. Including this frog and this lizard. Both are relief figures, flat on the underside. Something very special.

Also new to my collection and also very old is the cat with the curly tail/long twisted tail from 1965 in the original bag (No. 367).
And the red seahorse (No. 361) from 1964.



Ich hatte das Glück, ein paar unglaublich seltene Raritäten zu ergattern. Es handelt sich dabei um die ersten Tierfiguren von Schleich.

Ende der 1940er hatte Schleich ja mit den Biegefiguren angefangen und 1955, lange bevor die Classics-Serie herauskam, dann die ersten Tierfiguren hergestellt.

Es gab eine Serie von vier Tier-Figuren, die Schleich 1955 produzierte. Darunter dieser Frosch und diese Eidechse. Beides sind Relief-Figuren, auf der Unterseite flach. Etwas ganz besonderes.

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Ebenfalls neu in meiner Sammlung und ebenfalls sehr alt sind die Katze mit dem Ringelschwanz / langem gedrehten Schwanz aus dem Jahr 1965 in der Original-Tüte (Nr. 367).

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Und das rote Seepferdchen (Nr. 361) von 1964.

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Very interesting to see these early figures. The frog and lizard don't really look like traditional or vintage figures, they actually look quite modern. I don't know much about Schleich and didn't know it was so old. I am quite curious about the history of Schleich animal figures, is there a place where I can get information about it or would anyone be happy to sketch a short history?

Those are really super rare and museum pieces. Yes, it was already a good time ago we were discussing the 75th anniversary of Schleich with the famous special zebra painted animals. Thus, it is a much older company than what we usually think. Many congratulations for finding such rare models and thanks for sharing them on forum. I really like the seahorse.

Oh wow, what amazing collector's and historical pieces! Thank you SO much for presenting them here.

These are absolutely amazing, they must be so rare! That is such an achievement to have found them, they are treasures- you are so good at finding the rarest Schleich animals! And in the original package too for the cat! I'm so glad they've found a home in your stunning collection!

Thank you  everyone.

Yes Roger, the Schleich company is older than you think. Founded in 1935 by Friedrich Schleich in Schwäbisch-Gmünd. So Schleich celebrated his 85th birthday last year - with the golden Lion.

Thank's Lilias. I'm very happy to found these treasures. And of course I hope that more will follow.  

Especially the seahorse is interesting

Absolut. Das Seepferdchen ist fantastisch, Andreas.
Eine befreundete Sammlerin hat den alten großen Seestern von Schleich, der ist auch klasse. So groß wie eine Hand!


Absolutely. The seahorse is fantastic, Andreas.
A collector friend of mine has the old phenomenal starfish from Schleich, as big as a hand!

Diese Katze sieht so aus wie ich mich fühle.

All in all great catches, I really like the sea horse's sculpt.
I wonder if there was a special reason for relief figures to be made like this or if it was simply easier as then only one mold half would be required.

Schleichfan wrote:

Thank you  everyone.

Yes Roger, the Schleich company is older than you think. Founded in 1935 by Friedrich Schleich in Schwäbisch-Gmünd. So Schleich celebrated his 85th birthday last year - with the golden Lion.

Thank's Lilias. I'm very happy to found these treasures. And of course I hope that more will follow.  

I am aware of it and I have the golden lion even if these special figures are not usually my focus. I would love to see a picture of the starfish, i hope you can find it someday.

SO great to see some of the models from your incredible collection

Hello,

I am new.
I love old toys. I picked up an old tin farm last week. I started to pull out the pieces and noticed a group of animals that were to big for the set. I put them aside and decided to look them over later. Later came and one of them caught my eye. The depth to the color and it’s shiny coat had me checking it out right away. I now know they are Schleich farm animals.
Well, of course I dive in and start getting the story on the company and products and her all my animals names and numbers figured out. Except I don’t. Not at all. I’m ready to pull my hair out.
Below is my
13002 Duck lying in grass 1983 W. Germany 5cm
The list I found says the duck I have isn’t the 1984 one but that doesn’t seem to be the problem because my duck say 1983 on the bottom.
Why do some of my animals say W. Germany and some say Portugal?

Hello Shannon1927 and welcome in our village

I can't wait to see the photo of your duck.
Portugal, Germany or China tell us where the product was made.

Welcome here :)

I know the group photo isn’t the best display of their features but they look so cute together.

Shannon1927 wrote:

Hello,

I am new.
I love old toys. I picked up an old tin farm last week. I started to pull out the pieces and noticed a group of animals that were to big for the set. I put them aside and decided to look them over later. Later came and one of them caught my eye. The depth to the color and it’s shiny coat had me checking it out right away. I now know they are Schleich farm animals.
Well, of course I dive in and start getting the story on the company and products and her all my animals names and numbers figured out. Except I don’t. Not at all. I’m ready to pull my hair out.
Below is my
13002 Duck lying in grass 1983  W. Germany 5cm
The list I found says the duck I have isn’t the 1984 one but that doesn’t seem to be the problem because my duck say 1983 on the bottom.
Why do some of my animals say W. Germany and some say Portugal?  

Welcome on forum! Schleich figures are marked with the year previous to their release.
W. Germany is the country where the company (Schleich) is located. W. Germany stands for West Germany which was used until the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
Portugal is the country where the figure was manufactured. Sometimes it is China or Germany and more recent figures can show different countries.