We are correcting this article as I got confused on the size of the two figures. The one on the right is 54mm while the other is 60mm.
Most companies would copy one of their figures to put it in a smaller scale not Marx. When they did the Johnny Tremain Character figure set, Marx did a whole new figure. The 54mm figure has a riding crop while the 60mm figure was pointing with his hand. Also the costumes are different.
The 60mm Paul Revere was not done in hard plastic in Masterpiece or Warriors of World. It might have done in soft plastic, I am not sure. Mark Hegeman should have an answer shortly (Mark when are you going to get your book out.) The Paul Revere with riding crop was pantagraphed down to 54mm and made part of Johnny Tremain character set.
We thank Mark Hegeman for permission to used his pictures.
I had the 60mm Paul Revere as a kid in cream along with the marching guy with his feet wrapped in rags. I’m pretty sure I got them in a dimestore bin as loose figures. I had him for years before they came out with Johnny Tremain. At least that’s the way I remember it. I probably got them both for a dime.
Ed
You would have gotten them in a bin toy. Back in the 50’s figures were sold loose. Once the stores cut back on staff small loose item were packaged to avoid theft.
I believe the 54mm one is carrying a sword not a riding crop.
Mark Hegeman stated that there is a sword in scabbard on the figure and he feels it is a riding crop.
I have the 60mm soft plastic figure in a dark blue. It appears to be vintage, would it have been a bin toy like the cream figure? Was this figure out in any other colors?
Mike
Your blue figure is original. The one I saw at the friend’s was blue. Interesting the blue figure had gold paint trim which my friend claims was done for five and dime stores. As we hear of other colors we will let everyone know.
I have this figure in a dark red. I’ve been trying to find info about it.
I’ve seen entire sets of the 60mm’s in blue, at one time I had the guy running with the rifle in blue.
The Marx 60mm Colonials were available in Red, White, Blue and Cream soft plastic.
Both my box variations of the American Heroes sets came with Cream figures as well as a white hard plastic Washington. The figures were also available in boxed sets that I beleive were just labelled “Soldiers” or “Figures” -I don’t want to dig my box out right now -it was a small plain brown box about 6x4x4 inches with black printing.
The Marx catalogue of “Famous Marx Miniature Sculptured Figures” (circa 1953) shows all 8 poses including the mounted pose and lists them as “Revolutionary War Soldiers (1775-1783) Series 0984 Price 10 cents each”
I have provided Paul with appropriate photos.
As a point of clarification, I meant to say that while I had always felt the 54mm pose looked like a riding crop, I did not see the hilt of a sword in the scabard so it is possibly a sword in his hand.
If it is a sword, it doesn’t have much of a handle. It may very well be though, it would appear to be very long for a riding crop. For years I thought the British Officer held a sword, but most people are in agreement it’s a swagger stick.
It’s like the Marx 54mm army figures, I always thought they had M1 Carbines, others will argue that it is an M14. It’s awfully small for a M14, but why would someone use a bipod on a M1 carbine. Undersized rifles and oversized grenades. The machine gun is another story, is it a M60 or some gun that never reached service?
It would have been strange for Marx to make Paul Revere riding into action swinging a sword, since that is not what Mr. Revere was famous for. What he was notable for was riding through “every middlesex village and farm” to sound the alarm that the British were coming. As in riding fast. As in using a riding crop.
You mean he’s not famous for his silver sets?
Yes, though your statment does make sense.
Unfortunately, I don’t have an original Marx Paul Revere in either 54mm or 60mm. This whole conversation inspires me to plan on acquiring one of each at Mich. Toy Soldier Show in July, or, failing that, at OTSN this September. Now that we’ll have the Barzso Battle of Lexington Green, I think it’s essential to have Paul Revere galloping around somewhere in the vicinity.
Don
I would get the 54mm version as that will go with the Barzso figures.