October’s Figure Odds Ends, we take a look at various items. First, Detlef Herbrand shares a photo of Fort Laramie. Two, we take a look at George Albany has done with his trees. Third, we take a second at the Plastic Platoon Crete sets. Next, I share some photos of items.
October’s Figure Odds Ends Fort Laramie
Detlef sent this photo of the Fort Laramie playset. The set is very likely under the Big brand. Their boxes were photos of the item. The set has a cabin and a stable, which Marx never did
George Albany and Trees
In a previous post, George Albany asked us to identify some resin trees. Our readers identified them from Barzso collectibles. George has painted them He did two for summer and two for winter. What do you think?
Plastic Platoon Battle of Crete
Andrey Buslov has informed us that Plastic Platoon has released for sale their last two Crete sets. The first one is the Crete Partisans and Militia. we showcase them back in March of this year. You can buy them from here. The other set is Crete set #3. This set contains three figures plus accessories. You can buy it here.
Collection Time
I got this figure years ago in a box of figures. John Begg had a box of Spanish figures and I bought it for sight unseen. The box had a lot of great figures. I like the pose and would have used him heavily in my stories I did as a child. I thought he might be Pech, bit checking with Erwin, he is not sure. One of the things I discovered when collecting Spanish figures, they did many American television shows. Here are two versions of Hoss from Bonanza. I have no idea who made them.Comansi did a series of PVC figures. I only kept the above figure because it is of an army cook. Besides this figure, the only other army cooks I have seen were done by Atlantic.
Green is from Comansi,painted from Jecsan.
Both companies are the only making western TV Charters from Spain and they are the largest ever making wester sets .They even repeat same series set in different scales.
The running figure I do not think is from Spain as far I remember.
PH and Comansi did one each other pose of Cavalry cooker.Gama and Texido too.
Yes, Barzso did an Afro-American cook in their Civil War Camp playsets. He’s wearing a straw hat and holding a pan in right hand [ handle of plate is very fragile and easily broken].
I bought a fort set in Germany called Fort Laramie that had unpainted Jean figures for my younger brothers for Christmas 1975. I remember I supplemented the guys in the set (never enough for me) with some Timpo Swoppets – they loved it. A year or so later I bought some of the 1/32 (60mm?) US Cavalry and Indian figures.
Many years ago, I “bought” the set back from them as they had lost interest and I didn’t want anything happening to the set or figures (I remembered my dad burning my baseball cards and comic book collection when I joined the Army to make room in the closet).
I always thought that fort was really great for the blockhouses, cabin, and stable. I would use it alongside my Fort Apache(s). I still have them but haven’t gotten them out in years.
The Fort LARAMIE was made by Jean Hoefler.
BIG brand is the name that Jean Hoefler company use after . In 1962, the company Jean Höfler was renamed “BIG” and got in 1966 the today known company logo, the force-emitting buffalo in black color that i think had change shape within years a bit .
After large fire in maun manufacturer most mold were damage lost .
Now BIG is part of the Simba Dickie Group.
The swoppet figures used first were JH made swoppet then they stock mix Later;same fort was sold with HK made swoppet figures x exports ,often sold under SEARS corp distribution here like they did with famous King Arthur castle
I had that same FT Laramie. Got it one Christmas and loved the fort. I was intrigued by the figures, which were painted, but there were never enough of them and the box showed poses you didn’t have. Much like the Jean castle, you got a random mix of figures, leaving a lot of poses out. Mine had an Injun tied to a stake and a cowboy tied to a stake! About 5 years ago or more, I decided I was going to do a huge log fort. I used loads of FT Apache stuff, the CTS walls with cannon ports, but I did not want to use any tin litho stuff. I remembered the stable and cabin from FT Laramie and could not find it until I placed an ad in Plastic Warrior. I think there are pics of the final result on this site. It was a fun project. I do wonder – just how many poses for both sides were there for this set?
Toy Soldier HQ shows the range on the Jean Hoeffler page. 20 foot and 8 mounted poses per set plus some camp figures. Can be found for reasonable prices on German E Bay.
Jean Hoefler non flat solid poses are 24 cowboys , 24 indian included mounted poses.They fill playset cases at random choice in assembling line.You got get lucky getting some poses .
The Indian attach to pole is one of the poses less used in bag sets and more in fort or town playset.
The semi flat pose I think are 6 cowboys and 6 indians.
Same in swappet original JH.not the HK HK timpo copies.
Not positive in these last as I may need check mine in one of my cases if get chance or Markus may correct me here.
US solid 60 mm figures cavalry are 16 poses 8 foot and 8 mounted .
JH made some of Indians and cowboys 60 mm poses in the tall 13/15 cm approx scale as well.
I only have one as not my scale and not very common; yet interesting how they too went to big scales.
Best
Couple Ebay items of interest Marx put together Cowboys boxed set and looks like partial Fort Laramie–https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-1950s-Marx-Put-Together-Cowboys-Plastic-Figure-Set-Mint-in-Original-Box/401930286373?hash=item5d94e97525:g:vFkAAOSwXwtdHBRC——-https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1950s-Fort-Laramie-PlaySet-Made-in-Spain-Selling-As-Is/163115324402?hash=item25fa6e53f2:g:kjwAAOSw6tta-hlB:sc:USPSPriority!06451!US!-1
The one I bought my kid brothers had a few unpainted Jean cowboys and Indians. As Greg said, not enough of them. That’s why I supplemented them with the Timpo figures. I was never fond of swoppets but my brothers loved them. The Atlantic figures I sent them next year from Germany were perfect for the fort – particularly the Atlantic Cavalry Camp set I thought (whatever the set was called, can’t recall now).
There were several Jean Hoefler / BIG forts using the same components in different combinations. Smallest was Fort Apache, with just a gate, several walls and a cabin, and no towers or stable, then Fort Laramie as shown with 2 towers 1 cabin and 1 stable, then a deluxe Fort Independence model with 5 towers and 1 cabin and 2 stables. I have a picture of another model, Fort Arkansas, that was between Forts Apache and Laramie, with 1 cabin and 2 towers and no stable. I think the Fort Laramie configuration was also sold as Fort Dallas.
I was only lucky enough to get the smallest, Fort Apache as a kid, but I eventually got a Fort Inependence plus many extra pieces on eBay. Hoefler/BIG also did a vacuformed Fort and a Grand Canyon playset.
Very good resume and correct info Mark.
The vacuum fort was post here by Markus and me.
But I can not find post now w photos we did.
JH/BIG did a western large town playset 4 nice large houses ,carriage,cactus w the JH figures;later sold w genetic HK swoppet figures .Also a nice western train playset w town and or with out.I like the train more than Timpo western train.
The western town was copied in 50/54 mm version by a HK maker w small variation.
Other full nice plastic western train made were by Jecsan and Comansi.
I recently sold one double large Jecsan playset w train and will sale a JH town playset as well soon.
Best
I remember the photos now from you and Markus, and the town. I have Hong Kong or China made clones of the buildings. I recall seeing it in the store when I was a kid and wondering why they used those Hong Kong swoppets instead of their own Hoefler figures. I have also seen the locomotive from JH on eBay. Do you have one, Erwin?
Not I do now own the JH train.
Just the jecsan and Comansi.
The JH train looks like was not sold abroad much .
The use HK figures was a way to sale the forts using cheap line x export.
Not first time done by makers.
Sears import most JH here .
Because train,western houses and large viking ship were used by BIG in the Play Big series w articulated figures compiting w playmobil in early 80s by BIG//JH;the forts and buildings with out figures were still produced and fill w HK figure as cheap line.
Best .
Green is from Comansi,painted from Jecsan.
Both companies are the only making western TV Charters from Spain and they are the largest ever making wester sets .They even repeat same series set in different scales.
The running figure I do not think is from Spain as far I remember.
PH and Comansi did one each other pose of Cavalry cooker.Gama and Texido too.
Best.
I have got the Fort Laramie Fort got it from EBAY. I think Barzso did a cook with their American civil war camp sets.
Yes, Barzso did an Afro-American cook in their Civil War Camp playsets. He’s wearing a straw hat and holding a pan in right hand [ handle of plate is very fragile and easily broken].
I bought a fort set in Germany called Fort Laramie that had unpainted Jean figures for my younger brothers for Christmas 1975. I remember I supplemented the guys in the set (never enough for me) with some Timpo Swoppets – they loved it. A year or so later I bought some of the 1/32 (60mm?) US Cavalry and Indian figures.
Many years ago, I “bought” the set back from them as they had lost interest and I didn’t want anything happening to the set or figures (I remembered my dad burning my baseball cards and comic book collection when I joined the Army to make room in the closet).
I always thought that fort was really great for the blockhouses, cabin, and stable. I would use it alongside my Fort Apache(s). I still have them but haven’t gotten them out in years.
The Fort LARAMIE was made by Jean Hoefler.
BIG brand is the name that Jean Hoefler company use after . In 1962, the company Jean Höfler was renamed “BIG” and got in 1966 the today known company logo, the force-emitting buffalo in black color that i think had change shape within years a bit .
After large fire in maun manufacturer most mold were damage lost .
Now BIG is part of the Simba Dickie Group.
The swoppet figures used first were JH made swoppet then they stock mix Later;same fort was sold with HK made swoppet figures x exports ,often sold under SEARS corp distribution here like they did with famous King Arthur castle
best
Here is a late sample sold with generic HK swoppet under different same BIG mark
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-FORT-LARAMIE-Toy-Set/174040068111?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item288598b00f:g:f~cAAOSwh~xdh9mZ&enc=AQAEAAACMBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qX%2BeZ7Bs9ZK2EMtOmWhaVURHdBqxjMzmalaXujjLb1KNMNYID6YxXDvC9roDjB1ZiWy%2FlWX2sFqL9TrJhfuQIT6AponUU7Q1ZMqhIGxJ9ByYvjhZX%2B6s4zGMcSqxx1Z1Fk%2FvvwL%2FhRZuA%2BWD4Zf8JZExkclgEooBEgW%2Ftr5Wpc3fy7d8Y97vcpDsd4Y7Az6Db%2FeU5NT4tsK70pLsv0%2FEwRfEzcmxVMPWu41jHgtHlDqeaLvmnQkhUPWhoMAo9qfETMaNEZ5lhSKoRIiVFJm2HYq70sP53Z8zYz80uRSTHRI82v0XD5xb%2BWAU1GHUXyOZLC3fQ3cfkyyQxlRfkrFOzAILhkwApnSio0Qwgz9G0unbtrHCQNxcR6ToPdnUlJ9xutOHnoRiMkMAjcwg9ZsAlAENUxyheOdGmrRYZMyAnkssp2L3lc3iH0RiR5pQx5njGLG5LnDvv9jv4GbRCJj9Fj%2Bn%2FgEUksG8G1jPVO7er8cdhns56MQBJvxlgAb1xaZ0JANu0SJCYxS964MTecfeRjK91FpjJKN8KRuzPunkjJ9a%2FK10omWEMWghdgVBOjkASSmZCNeRYLpGSQhVZT4JPsMtWSqcMPSOq1Vy9%2FunURUzGjqsoYsNFhZckZItujz9PgcfMsoRm7MZVkPcxVog9oJ2fmYmcCZ1p%2BxKv2dLwfkQPELM0VKG8KwZsdbDlee6Pr9Xy9VXjE0tP66GslqcBAo&checksum=174040068111ff444de31caf4cb0a5a792bfb3327ac5&enc=AQAEAAACMBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qX%2BeZ7Bs9ZK2EMtOmWhaVURHdBqxjMzmalaXujjLb1KNMNYID6YxXDvC9roDjB1ZiWy%2FlWX2sFqL9TrJhfuQIT6AponUU7Q1ZMqhIGxJ9ByYvjhZX%2B6s4zGMcSqxx1Z1Fk%2FvvwL%2FhRZuA%2BWD4Zf8JZExkclgEooBEgW%2Ftr5Wpc3fy7d8Y97vcpDsd4Y7Az6Db%2FeU5NT4tsK70pLsv0%2FEwRfEzcmxVMPWu41jHgtHlDqeaLvmnQkhUPWhoMAo9qfETMaNEZ5lhSKoRIiVFJm2HYq70sP53Z8zYz80uRSTHRI82v0XD5xb%2BWAU1GHUXyOZLC3fQ3cfkyyQxlRfkrFOzAILhkwApnSio0Qwgz9G0unbtrHCQNxcR6ToPdnUlJ9xutOHnoRiMkMAjcwg9ZsAlAENUxyheOdGmrRYZMyAnkssp2L3lc3iH0RiR5pQx5njGLG5LnDvv9jv4GbRCJj9Fj%2Bn%2FgEUksG8G1jPVO7er8cdhns56MQBJvxlgAb1xaZ0JANu0SJCYxS964MTecfeRjK91FpjJKN8KRuzPunkjJ9a%2FK10omWEMWghdgVBOjkASSmZCNeRYLpGSQhVZT4JPsMtWSqcMPSOq1Vy9%2FunURUzGjqsoYsNFhZckZItujz9PgcfMsoRm7MZVkPcxVog9oJ2fmYmcCZ1p%2BxKv2dLwfkQPELM0VKG8KwZsdbDlee6Pr9Xy9VXjE0tP66GslqcBAo&checksum=174040068111ff444de31caf4cb0a5a792bfb3327ac5
I had that same FT Laramie. Got it one Christmas and loved the fort. I was intrigued by the figures, which were painted, but there were never enough of them and the box showed poses you didn’t have. Much like the Jean castle, you got a random mix of figures, leaving a lot of poses out. Mine had an Injun tied to a stake and a cowboy tied to a stake! About 5 years ago or more, I decided I was going to do a huge log fort. I used loads of FT Apache stuff, the CTS walls with cannon ports, but I did not want to use any tin litho stuff. I remembered the stable and cabin from FT Laramie and could not find it until I placed an ad in Plastic Warrior. I think there are pics of the final result on this site. It was a fun project. I do wonder – just how many poses for both sides were there for this set?
Toy Soldier HQ shows the range on the Jean Hoeffler page. 20 foot and 8 mounted poses per set plus some camp figures. Can be found for reasonable prices on German E Bay.
Jean Hoefler non flat solid poses are 24 cowboys , 24 indian included mounted poses.They fill playset cases at random choice in assembling line.You got get lucky getting some poses .
The Indian attach to pole is one of the poses less used in bag sets and more in fort or town playset.
The semi flat pose I think are 6 cowboys and 6 indians.
Same in swappet original JH.not the HK HK timpo copies.
Not positive in these last as I may need check mine in one of my cases if get chance or Markus may correct me here.
US solid 60 mm figures cavalry are 16 poses 8 foot and 8 mounted .
JH made some of Indians and cowboys 60 mm poses in the tall 13/15 cm approx scale as well.
I only have one as not my scale and not very common; yet interesting how they too went to big scales.
Best
Couple Ebay items of interest Marx put together Cowboys boxed set and looks like partial Fort Laramie–https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-1950s-Marx-Put-Together-Cowboys-Plastic-Figure-Set-Mint-in-Original-Box/401930286373?hash=item5d94e97525:g:vFkAAOSwXwtdHBRC——-https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1950s-Fort-Laramie-PlaySet-Made-in-Spain-Selling-As-Is/163115324402?hash=item25fa6e53f2:g:kjwAAOSw6tta-hlB:sc:USPSPriority!06451!US!-1
Another Fort Laramie——-https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-FORT-LARAMIE-Toy-Set/174040068111?hash=item288598b00f:g:f~cAAOSwh~xdh9mZ
The one I bought my kid brothers had a few unpainted Jean cowboys and Indians. As Greg said, not enough of them. That’s why I supplemented them with the Timpo figures. I was never fond of swoppets but my brothers loved them. The Atlantic figures I sent them next year from Germany were perfect for the fort – particularly the Atlantic Cavalry Camp set I thought (whatever the set was called, can’t recall now).
There were several Jean Hoefler / BIG forts using the same components in different combinations. Smallest was Fort Apache, with just a gate, several walls and a cabin, and no towers or stable, then Fort Laramie as shown with 2 towers 1 cabin and 1 stable, then a deluxe Fort Independence model with 5 towers and 1 cabin and 2 stables. I have a picture of another model, Fort Arkansas, that was between Forts Apache and Laramie, with 1 cabin and 2 towers and no stable. I think the Fort Laramie configuration was also sold as Fort Dallas.
I was only lucky enough to get the smallest, Fort Apache as a kid, but I eventually got a Fort Inependence plus many extra pieces on eBay. Hoefler/BIG also did a vacuformed Fort and a Grand Canyon playset.
Kent Sprecher has a picture of the deluxe Fort Independence on his Toy Soldiers HQ website. http://www.angelfire.com/biz/toysoldierhq/z1970pennyswestbigfort.jpg
Fort Arkansas: https://imgur.com/a/UPyMMay
Very good resume and correct info Mark.
The vacuum fort was post here by Markus and me.
But I can not find post now w photos we did.
JH/BIG did a western large town playset 4 nice large houses ,carriage,cactus w the JH figures;later sold w genetic HK swoppet figures .Also a nice western train playset w town and or with out.I like the train more than Timpo western train.
The western town was copied in 50/54 mm version by a HK maker w small variation.
Other full nice plastic western train made were by Jecsan and Comansi.
I recently sold one double large Jecsan playset w train and will sale a JH town playset as well soon.
Best
I remember the photos now from you and Markus, and the town. I have Hong Kong or China made clones of the buildings. I recall seeing it in the store when I was a kid and wondering why they used those Hong Kong swoppets instead of their own Hoefler figures. I have also seen the locomotive from JH on eBay. Do you have one, Erwin?
Not I do now own the JH train.
Just the jecsan and Comansi.
The JH train looks like was not sold abroad much .
The use HK figures was a way to sale the forts using cheap line x export.
Not first time done by makers.
Sears import most JH here .
Because train,western houses and large viking ship were used by BIG in the Play Big series w articulated figures compiting w playmobil in early 80s by BIG//JH;the forts and buildings with out figures were still produced and fill w HK figure as cheap line.
Best .