MPC Cowboy Kneeling Firing Rifle It Does Exist we have talked about this before. As I related at the the time, I had sold over several thousand MPC cowboys and I rarely got few of the kneeling pose. Erwin Sell replied that he was finding the pose. Others disagree that it exist. Erwin with more information.
MPC Cowboy Kneeling Firing Rifle It Does Exist Erwin’s Information
MPC cowboys according to many are sold in more common poses. This does not including the kneeling pose. Even when in the original bags or playset. However for some odd reason I had been able get them easy several times. Not only once as I mentioned before. I once got the pose in a mint bag with least 4 of then inside in yellow ,red and green. I resold such bag.
In yellow and typical brown I had got in loose lots. Also had several too plus a full bag in brown and yellow with 4 more kneeling inside.
So in total I had got in 4 occasion more than 8 kneeling poses least.
Also I notice the HK copies from 80s made same pose as well(mine in blue). The HK are a bit crude but have some big variation in clothing and some very minor differences if noticed well ,so not quite cloned exactly . I have the non kneeling poses in few of left over HK copies and put them next to original to compare. See pictures
MPC Cowboy Kneeling Firing Rifle It Does Exist Details
Two other details I like add.
I do not know why these figures are often described as 45mm. When they are 54 mm in reality. If you look well and position next to 54 mm Marx cowboys. the HK are more close 45/50 mm. The American Civil War and American Revolution MPC are more 45/52 mm.
So I guess it is a wrong perception in scales consider them 45 mm ,otherwise the Marx 54 mm cowboys,trappers and miners should be then 45 mm as well now.
MPC Cowboy Kneeling Firing Rifle It Does Exist The Poses
The figures as I got have numerical pose orders. As the number increase in the set /series of apparently year production marks ,the detail in mold got more crude. The figure have a lot excess of plastic around.
Picture showing same pose kneeling with brown number 53 as the best in detail ,while yellow 68 and brown 70 in same pose of different production shows some minor defect in excess around and some waste marks. See pictures .
So far total poses made were 9 ,a rare number for the mold typical set ,yet the match colors in poses and packs I had before indicate were mold shots in 9 poses with 2 each in the bag minus the two mounted poses (1 each only) in one color and same amount in other color plus horses.
I do not know if a seated pose for carriage is part of same mold or not but not included in the bags I got.
I will keep one original kneeling brown and sale rest kneeling (3 yellow and one brown )plus extra other poses I have ,any interested let me know .
Last but not least to indicate once more the kneeling pose is not that rare to my eyes i spot these two ebay sales other day with two of then again in same colors as mine and other with early tand and brown colors kneeling poses on it as well.So it was done from early production till end so far .
Hope this clarify some questions .
Here in my town in East Texas, we had more MPC and Timmee than anything else. I remember having some of the kneeling MPC cowboys as a kid. It is interesting that they are not that common. One thing I notice about that figure is that he is posed just like the MPC kneeling Japanese. Would love to see Kent do a story in Playset Mag. about the History of MPC Toys.
BOBBYGMOORE
Multiple Products Company started around 1954 in the US with a Canadian subsidiary Multiple Toymakers. The jungle and pirate ring hands were their first figures made to compete with PECOs and pretty much under cut them driving them to give up. These two molds each made 4 figures + accessories (11 pirate, 7 jungle). Then the four shirt & pants figures were made as farmers with a separate mold of accessories followed by the six “zombie” military ring figures. They then used these ten figures as; army, navy, cowboys, spacemen, skiers, police, firemen etc… In 1965 The Loral Corp ( a space industry company) decided to diversify and bought several unrelated companies including MPC. Packaging would say Multiple Prodcuts (or Toymakers) a division of the Loral Corporation. In late 1967 Loral realizing the were in a business they knew nothing about sold the MPC business to Miner Industries. They mostly dropped the MPC name and used Multiple Toymakers a division of Miner Industries on packaging. In 1969 Miner declared bankruptcy and emerged with new partner Toy Major. Packaging could be marked with both names, one name or no name. The last catalog I have seen was dated 1984 and I believe they went out of business in 84/85 with Jay Horowitz’s American Plastic getting most of the molds. Like the kneeling cowboy some of MPCs 54/60mm GIs are much harder to find like the grenade thrower. Payton Products sold copies of the cowboys and Indians.
Kent
Thanks for the info on MPC. Sounds likwe they had a wild trip through the Toy company world. I know in 1988-1989, some of their sets like Army Action Squadron under the Miner name, could be found at KayBees Toys. Some of them had MPC Germans in place of the MPC G.I.’s.
BOBBYGMOORE
i miss the days of cheap plastic
Thanks very much for the close-ups of that pose! I had hundreds and hundreds of MPC western figures as a kid and never ever saw one until recently on eBay. I’m going to have to get one now.
i really not have interest in mark price ,it ,just x low price a bunch lot each and shipping will be my sale price .not my time to make out this,just though interesting share it with all as to me again looks funny i have such luck finding then often .While others not .no idea why .
best
Here is another lot listed with one early tan yellow and one brown kneeling poses as well..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-MIXED-LOT-Of-COWBOYS-AND-INDIANS-PLASTIC-TOYS-50-Pieces-Tim-Mei-MPC/112753051987?hash=item1a409b0953:g:MNwAAOSwBkRaMd8O
I had piles of MPC cowboys as a kid, but no kneeling shooter that I remember. I wonder if we have a situation similar to the marching Timmee/Processed Plastic GI – something happened to the mold and he was dropped – or maybe he was added later. After the successful resolution of the Lido wounded guy mystery, I expect that someone here will be able to explain why this figure is relatively rare compared to his fellow MPC cowboys!
As I mentioned in the earlier discussions we had plenty of the kneeling figures, both in the rust brown and tan colors. Without the bases they had a tough time staying up, particularly in the yard. Also, we could never figure out what type of rifle/shotgun were in the hands of the MPC kneeling and standing firing cowboys. One feature we did like which you can see in the photos were the spurs on the kneeler’s boots.
I got a ton of MPC cowboys when I was a kid; I don’t ever recall seeing the kneeling figure until I bought a cowboy and Indian set for my kid brothers – that was mid-70s as I was in the Army at that time.
I found Erwin’s comparisons to the Marx figures surprising. My memories were that the MPC cowboys and Indians were smaller than my Marx ACW figures. Perhaps thinner, less full? Makes me want to drag them out of the closet to do my own comparison. Not disputing you Erwin, the pic is clear, just surprising. I have no doubt if I did drag them out and compare them I’d shake my head again.
I always figured the MPC kneeling guy was a later addition to the crew; not only because I first saw him as a “grown-up” but also because though he’s similar in style he does seem larger compared to the rest of the poses. He is the one figure when I got a couple of my own that I’d have no problem standing up beside my Marx guys.
Hit the post button too soon. Thanks for another enlightening post.
The MPC kneeling japanese and looks taller versus the standing poses, sames goes with ww2 Russians and Japanese prone machine gun very long.
It was a unmatch scale issue when set done aperantly.yet not every body is same high .
The kneeling cowboy pose had been done in early tan and later glossy yellow.see ebay sales link i post showing early colors.So was done early as well.
I did not realize in scales till I drop MPC cowboys with marx and others then measure and use an scale measuere as in pictures to make sure.
The wrong perseption of scales as in old issue seen often in many catalog , books and web site .It is all in rolling a ball till otherwise proved different.
My though.
I had a huge bag of MPC cowboys and Indians as a kid and I never got the kneeling firing cowboy. In fact I have never seen him up close, ever.
What happened to the MPC cowboy and Indian molds? In the last couple decades, I have seen reissues of the MPC 54 and 60mm GIs, the 60mm WWII Germans, the US Cavalry, the Revolutionary War, the 50mm knights, the 60 mm African warriors, and the ringhand pirates with their ships. I’m probably missing some other stuff. I have some fairly crude clones of the cowboys and Indians (picked them up from Archie McPhee of all places in the early 90s), but I have not seen proper reissues. (I would also love to see the 35mm MPC knights again. The castle and siege weapons have been recast, but as far as I know not the knights.)
Above I was mainly listing reissues of MPC figures off the top of my head. But we have also seen plenty of reissued MPC vehicles, forts, weapons, etc. So obviously a lot of MPC molds survived, though I don’t know if they are all together, or are split up into various groupings with different owners. The cowboys and Indians were everywhere when I was a kid; they were a staple of stores that sold inexpensive toys like Grants and Kresges. I wonder why we have not seen reissues? I know that the MPC cowboys and Indians were the poor cousins of the Marx figures, but if you can reissue the uninspiring MPC cavalry, you can certainly do the other western figures. (In my part of the Midwest the 45mm MPC GIs and the MPC astronauts were also ubiquitous – I don’t think they have been reissued either.)
No all molds from old companies end in same other hands ,after the demise of MARX many split the molds around in all direction ,some ending in Russia ,ukraine ,HK ,england S America and Mexico,the former Plastimax factory did not keep all and sold some else after changer handovers.Tim Mee molds are not in one hand but split all around some end in Mexico and South America.Lido send many molds to HK and from there they went all around .Same with MPC ,the molds of knights 45 mm ,Cowboys and others had not being reissues here .While the Gi’s ,germans ACW and ARW were reissued here in 90s .
The MPC molds of Japanese and Russian sets end in Peru till late 1990s in hands of Basa or were duplicates made for Peru Basa company to produce there under license .,after they stop making any toys their whereabouts is unknown.I carry import and resold the Japanese sets in bags of 40 figures in silver and gold from 1994-1997 direct brought from Peru via a manager of Basa factory(Juan Carlos Peraza) who eventually retired and come to live to Florida .The molds of Cowboys/indians,(not ACW soldiers) were in their hands as well ,but during last years not produced .The factory either had duplicated under license molds or got hand of then ,I have samples of all then(WW2-SOLDIERS) and they carry the MPC logo bellow plus perfect match with original.Made produce of stiffer plastic but not as bad as Mexican made recissues Marx .Yet the US and germans were never in Peru produced .
So either cowboy mold end there or else;but definitely were made by Basa ,not sold ,they had their full molds and machinery making those sets there .
at ebay there few samples from Peru,but you can find in other S america sale sites as well under Basa name search.
Here is just one sample lot from Basa.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-34-INDIAN-Western-HORSES-FIGURES-DOLLS-TOY-PLASTIC-BASA-PERU-1970s-BAG/253116169012?hash=item3aeee63b34:g:TXEAAOSwTM5Y24SP.
BASA al got hands in the 54mm knights prince Valiant charters and all main poses set ,i have their figures with still Marx inscription bellow ,all made in Peru in 80s and 90s and identical to original to a deetail.But only bough and bough one bag with 20 figures keep sample each and sold rest sets at Florida west pal m beach shows in 90s as well.
There no way to bring all at once unless you are a millionaire and edicate hunt every single mold.
by now many these molds if not saved may had end in metal trash and gone too ,eventually most will .the lack of profit had made then forgotten and unfortunately target of being discarded.
MPC cowboys in good condition as mine found are very easy find around still for any new seller consider investing thousand in then now to sale few hundred set a year.not worth the money.
my thoughts.
best.
Erwin, thanks! Fascinating about the cowboy and Indian mold in Peru and the Basa issues. To get to our original question: did the Basa bags have the kneeling shooter? I’m sure that you are correct about the finances of repatriating and using the mold. The originals must be plentiful – MPC was certainly the main source of my western figures as a kid. Even more than the cowboys, I’d like to see a reissue of the 35 mm knights – maybe even a bit of extra market there with some wargamers. I wonder what happened to that mold.
The problem is the figures such as the MPC cowboys there is not much demand and you have to sell them in lots to move them. This goes as well for the Timmee GI’s.
As I said I have cilent that likes these figures is the only reason I purchase them.
Yes kneeling MPC is included in the mint bags I seen listed. Todocoolecion or south america web site ebay competition site often list bags of them.
Basa also sold the LIDO FFL and arabs.I have then and mentioned here.
Best.
Learn something new everyday ! Dpn’t remember ever seeing MPC kneeling cowboy !
Is anybody familiar with Auburn toy pirates ? There is a pirate listed as such ! Link—–https://www.ebay.com/b/Pirate-Plastic-Toy-Soldiers/2631/bn_1918294
I looked in pirates did not see them. Auburn did not do any pirates.
I did a second look. the pirate that is listed as Auburn is Timmee.
Thanks Paul !
Another mystery i will soon finish writing is the famous TM truck deuce and its variation copies or actually possible mold from Moldrite .With years i had acquire several made in Venezuela(very cloned) or from same mold!?
;the Basa(version) that is not from same mold at all.The ones made in by Comansi that are license mold made for Comansi to use(so a second mold was done x Comansi) and others distributed else.
The odd copy I import and sold here from Mexico and others armor vehicles from form US brands.
Sorry above site should be correct name (todocollecion ) from Spain and Portugal and “mercado libre” internacional or by specific country
best