Rogerpgvg's Britains collection: horses with cart and roller

Roger wrote:

Can't you tell the different materials using the weight? Sure it is not efficient when buying online but at least you can check it with other collectors through trades.

Yes, the difference between polythene and PVC is usually quite clear when you have the figure in hand. Polythene is lighter, softer, it sounds different when you put it on a hard surface and it even smells different. With small figures, I sometimes find it harder to tell.

How wonderful to see photos of the famous Polar Bear of your avatar! I loved reading your thoughts on the model and I definitely think it would have been a childhood favourite of mine too! And definitely very streamlined to win the race!

Thank you, Lilias. You are here at the right time because I got a new dog:


It's from the Floral Garden Family box set made from 1967 until 1969. It was originally attached to a boy and a girl with a ball on a base. What kind of dog is it? An Airedale terrier perhaps?


Here it is with the much more common walking Border collies, old and new version:


The Floral Garden dog makes my Britains (plastic) dog collection complete!

Wonderful addition,congrats!! Judging by the size,I think it looks more like a Wire haired fox terrier than an Airedale,but the colour is wrong for both.

"Floral Garden Family" Only Britains ltd was able to produce and sell such an incredible thing !

Congratulation for the dog Roger.

Thanks, Taylor. It's a bit hard to tell what the size of the figure is, but I'd say it is too large for a wire haired fox terrier (up to 39 cm withers height according to Wikipedia). Airedales are larger. Britains often got the colours wrong, but perhaps solid colour Airedales are possible: http://www.hkairedales.com/Red_Airedale_Photos.htm

They called it Floral Family Group Box Set to be correct.


Perhaps realising that this sounded a bit odd, they changed the name to Britains 'Folk' Boxed Set in 1969.

Nice dog, congrats

I would imagine back when the models were made the standard black/tan Airedale would have been the norm.I thought maybe an Irish Terrier but the tail would be too long as back then the tail would have been docked to 3/4 length.Maybe we are just trying too hard and it could just be a crossbred dog!

those 4 bulls are very nice, I didn't realise all the different colourways there were.

it's great to see your regiment of brown bears Roger! very impressive!
all these comparison pics only want to make me take my animals out of storage and see what variations I have, haha!
but it's just not possible at the moment. It's something for me to look forward to!

I like the shape of the 2 older polar bears at the top. They are very elegant and have cuter faces I think. There's quite a lot of differences between them and the new style.

That's a nice little dog, glad that you have completed your dog collection now.
The floral garden sets are fascinating! I've never had any, but it's amazing that they produced flower heads and so many tiny things in plastic!

The more I see of the Border collie, the more I'd like some. I prefer the sculpt of the sable one.

I'd agree with Taylor's guess at a cross/mixed breed dog. It looks too short in the leg or long in the body for the more likely purebreds.

Britains did produce a variety of interesting sets and figures!

So amazing to have completed your Britains plastic dog collection, that must feel really satisfying! And I loved looking at your photos of their rare Floral Garden dog, I only found out recently about this lovely model from you I think, I love the playful pose! I'd agree with you and Taylor and those breed guesses would be mine too- if not maybe just a generalised terrier Lovely to see him with your Britains collies too!

Yes, it could be a cross-breed. One with terrier characteristics. Perhaps a generalised terrier as Lilias says. An Airedale with short legs and a long body. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

I hadn't thought about it, but the Britains Floral Garden indeed appeared at the height of flower power. The Floral Garden didn't last long; perhaps it's more interesting for collectors than for children to play with.

Congratulations for completing this little "series" of rare figures.
I was truly convinced the dog was a Irish Terrier but meanwhile I red Taaylor's post explaining it is not. Though, I always love to find breeds for dogs.

Congratulations on finding the final dog! He's a wonderful final piece to that collection, a very beautiful little creature. I loved reading about your polar bears and why this one was your favorite. A champion race bear.

Thank you, Jill and Rogério.

Interestingly, I didn't run when I was young and played with my polar bear but I later became a keen runner. Unfortunately, I am not as streamlined as the polar bear.

The dog indeed looks a lot like an Irish Setter with a complete tail.

rogerpgvg wrote:

Thank you, Jill and Rogério.

Interestingly, I didn't run when I was young and played with my polar bear but I later became a keen runner. Unfortunately, I am not as streamlined as the polar bear.

The dog indeed looks a lot like an Irish Setter with a complete tail.

I don't know how to react to the fact that you are not as streamlined as a polar bear.
Interestingly, I asked the breed of the dog to a collector who uses to identify accurately most of the dog breeds and his suggestion is somewhat surprising. He tells it is probably just a Golden Retriever youngster.

I wonder what Lilias would guess. I don't see Golden at all- the head is wrong, especially with the rough hair on the muzzle, and the tail also. Pups are usually leggy too, not overlong in the body compared to adults. Were Goldens common in the UK in the 60s?
I still think a generic terrier mix.

I don't think it is a Golden Retriever either but this person is usually so efficient identifying dog breeds that I wanted to share. However, I still believe Britains made it after a real breed.

pipsxlch wrote:

I wonder what Lilias would guess. I don't see Golden at all- the head is wrong, especially with the rough hair on the muzzle, and the tail also. Pups are usually leggy too, not overlong in the body compared to adults. Were Goldens common in the UK in the 60s?
I still think a generic terrier mix.

Were Goldens common in the UK in the 60s?

Yes, as pets and as working gun dogs. Still are today but more popular if mixed with a Poodle to give it a more cuddly coat!

Two new horses with riders:


The same horse model, but they are different in several respects. The colour and riders are different, of course, but also the plastic. The palomino horse is made of polythene and was made in this colour from 1963 until 1967, whereas the black horse is made of PVC and was made in this colour from 1968 until 1971. They also have a different saddle and reins. The older palomino has a “double” saddle (two layers) and nicely made plastic reins that also go over the horse’s head. Later, Britains simply gave their horses a piece of rubber in their mouth, as you can see with the black horse. The original elastic had disintegrated, so I have given it a fresh rubber to chew on.

When a collector is able to report this level of detail and highlight so many differences, it means that this collector is ready to start writing a book about the brand.