This is an item we got a year or so ago. Laurie and I were at toy show when one of our sources said I got a rare variation of the Marx second series knights. They are painted hard plastic. I was shown the figures and it only took me a moment to recognizes that the figures were not the Marx second version knights, but the Italian copies done by Cane. These 54mm knight figures were sold in the U.S. in soft plastic in a bag.
These figures were sold with a hard plastic castle called Il Castello Valdostano. The name of the company was not on the box but on the inside castle walls Tibidabo. Checking Ebay Italy I found a different Tibidabo box which had pictures of knights and the interior contents were the Cane knights in soft plastic. The figures were copied from the Marx six inch figures which had differences from the 54mm version.
The set is a partial set so we do not have an idea of how many figures came with the set. We do know that the knights came in silver and gold. The drawbridge and walls are in a hard plastic. The walls have a two three prongs on the back where you can slide a piece to be a catwalk. On the walls I only have two short walls and one long plus two towers. Still I like the unusual design and decided to add it to the collection hopefully in the future I will find out more about this set.
Paul,
The Tibidabo castle came complete as you got it; 2 shorter walls, 1 longer wall, 2 towers, and one drawbridge building. Joseph Svec knows more about castles (including this one) than anyone I know and intends to publish a book on them. He has shown me photos of variations on this product including a British edition.
I had one of these castles in mint condition. Mine (perhaps an earlier one) came in the same box you show, but figure-wise, mine contained 7 Timpo-like overmolded-color Crusaders (but these were NOT Timpo, and were 70mm) and 4 identical pose Cherilea-like swappets (broadsword overhead – with detachable cape in dif colors), and that’s it. A bit disappointing. I’ve seen the rare Crusaders on Ebay.
The “accessories” were; 2 tiled tower tops, 2 ladders, boardwalks for each wall (fit into pegs you noted), and a flag. If it contained anything more, I forgot it. You might say that the contents were as austire as the box’s info. The castle assembles to a keystone shape.
Later editions than mine were from re-tooled molds that thickened the thin wall-hooks, and widened the window-looking hook holes and put a little frame around them. Also, the color of the tower tops can vary from waxy, goofy bright red to a somber brick red. The hard grey plastic of the castle, and the nice paint-job tones can vary slightly also.
Tibidabo went out of business long ago.
Don
Thanks for the update on the set, so I have complete set that is great. It will be interesting to find out if your knights or my knights are correct or they did various knights at the time. Can not wait for the book on the castles as it has been a popular subject for toy makers. I just saw the Playmobile castle with a balcony for the inter court yard neat.
Stad
I had this set as a kid – I still have 1 tower and part of a short wall (the connector tabs are all broken off). I still remember when I made my grandmother buy it for me in Washington D.C. at the toy store there.
Hi David
Back in those days smaller toy stores and department stores would buy items from aboard to make their store unique. Our local department store Hess’ would send buyers to Europe to get interesting items. Around major cities at today’s flea market you can foreign imported toys, which make my friends shake their head and say how did you find that.
You can listed it up on Ebay. Good luck on your GI Joe Collection
Hi:
I just found this thread, and I had to participate.
Let me tell you that I have been looking for info about this castle for many years, and found it by chance!
I an a Mexican toy soldier collector and this is my story: As a kid in 1972, I found under Christmas tree a set called “Castillo del Rey Arturo”, sold by “Jugarama”, a Mexican toy company. It was my favorite toy of all times. Many years later, I discovered in internet that those fine knights were copies of various brands, like Marx, Timpo or Jean Hoefler. But some poses remained in mystery (like those similar to 6 inch Marx figures), and the castle itself was not in any place over the net. Then I saw this thread and found that the original maker was Tibidabo from Italy… Before internet era the world was full of mysteries 🙂
I still have the castle mostly intact (was a careful kid indeed). In fact I have two castles: “King Arthur´s Castle” and “King Arthurs Tournament”, that had some variations in content. Some of the knights have lost their weapons (brittle hard plastic), some were stolen but most of them are fine. I have the box covers too and they show many figures in the photoshoot that were not included in the sets. They may be actual Timpo or Britains knights…
I want to show you some scans of the covers and figures, to see if you can identify the original makers of the figures.
Thank you for posting this valuable info!
Regards
Alejandro from México City
Alejandro
Welcome to my blog. We are happy to help collectors from around the world. Please send me any scans of figures you might want identified. (send the scans to pestad@gmail.com) If I am not famaliar with the figures, there are collectors who enjoy this site. who are happy to help in identifying figures.
The castle came into my hands because a source knows I like foreign figures.
The Marx 6 inch figures were copied by a company called Fontanni. They did what is called pantagraphing. they were able to take the six inch figures and down size them to 60mm and 54mm. The 54mm knights in soft plastic were sold in bags in the United States. The hard plastic knights so far only show up in the playset.
You are right before the internet there were many mysteries. I only discovered about many figures by traveling to Europe. One group of figures Linde I learned about only because a friend brought them to show. He had gotten that day from a source in Austria. Now I can go to the various forums and see figures I have never seen.
So feel free to ask your questions.
Alejandro;
As you know, a Mexican company did make one of these Tibidabo-like castle sets. Joseph Svec has a photo of it and text in his book (which is now out and can be bought online at TOYKNIGHTS.com), as well as the British and Italian versions. Each version has its own type of figures just as it does its own colors.
Yes Don Ducote, I saw recently the British castle, made by Cherilea in light brown color. I wonder who designed the castle in the first place… Those talented sculptors should receive some credit!
Alejandro
It is a shame we do not know the names of these scupltors who made these great toys. Here and there we stumble on that information.
Don
The castle mold could have been lease to various companies around the world. The Ideal castle shows up in England and Germany.
Hi, my friend in early/mid 70’s had that set. I always wondered who made it, because he didn’t have the box. I think he had the set a few years earlier from when I 1st saw it, and told him lets play with it.
It had the red towers, also as stated, already downsized copies of the marx 6 inch knights, plus I believe either timpo ( I think Britains (heritage type),) or some other make on the catapult operator, and a guy with rock ( these 2 figures were nicely painted). The knights were in silver and gold, also they were painted nicely.
I liked the sword and footmans spike pose a lot, and best out of all of them, because marx knights never came with him, ( not in 54 or 60 mm anyway, other than this set that I am aware of anyway). One just sold on ebay for about 10 bucks yesterday. I did not see the end of auction, so do not know the final bid. I was checking it out. It was incomplete, but it had most of the knights, which in my humble opinion was definitely worth 10 bucks.
I always wanted that set too, its very nice.
Ed
It is a nice set and it is interesting how it showed up in Europe, Mexico and here. The figures were copied from the 6 inch poses by Cane in Italy.
Sorry for having to post again on this, but a couple things. The catapult operator, and rock loader figures were, I believe heralds britains ( not heritage, as stated above by me). They were hard plastic though, ( the marx copies of the knights only in my friends set, were soft plastic) if my memory is serving me correctly. I also believe that heralds also did a catapult that came with this set, ( I don’t remember my friend having the catapult though), and maybe even a separate box set they sold separately to other companies. Because I have also seen that catapult operator and rock loader with Elastolin sets in old pictures on the internet, with their castle sets.
Sorry for having to clarify this. I am not even sure I should have posted on this, because it is in the archives, but I just really found out about the name on my friends set on that ebay sale. I was never aware on who made it, because my friend did’t even know, when I asked him so many years ago. I think he got it for christmas one year. I wanted to buy a set just like it, but had never seen one like it before, nor since. Until this weekend. I also looked pretty hard for it. I like this set better than any other marx castle set.
Thanks for the info Paul. Do you know anything else about Cane ? Because I have never heard of them. Also did your set come with the catapult, and with the operator, and loader, and are they by herald ? I think Presier (Spelling maybe off) even sold those 2 figures, so not sure who actually made them, I think Herald, but could be wrong.
Quisiera un castillo así. Pago lo que sea. A dónde lo puedo conseguir?
I would like a castle as well. Pay whatever. Where can I get it
I have no idea where to find the castle as it is no longer being made. You will have to watch EBay especially Italy EBay.
No tengo idea donde se encuentra el castillo como que ya no se está realizando. Tendrás que ver especialmente Italia EBay EBay.
John Gillen has up on EBay the following Vintage Medieval Castle Tibidabo Made in Italy Plastic 1960’s with box
EBay number (121627654705)
Auction
Opening bid is $45.00
If you are interested check it out.