Toys | Games | Dolls | Bears | Books | Dollhouse Miniatures

Britains

Britains  1950's Footmen
Britains 1950's Footmen
$94.00 (13 Bids)
Time Left: 6h 49m
10 BRITAINS LTD England miniature plastic animal
10 BRITAINS LTD England miniature plastic animal
$15.00 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 7h 52m
10 Vintage Toy Britains Lead Figures Animals
10 Vintage Toy Britains Lead Figures Animals
$11.51 (4 Bids)
Time Left: 10h 38m
VINTAGE BRITAINS TIMPO MOUNTED CANADIAN MOUNTIE FIGURE
VINTAGE BRITAINS TIMPO MOUNTED CANADIAN MOUNTIE FIGURE
$4.99 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 12h 44m
1979 BRITAINS FARM #1715 FEED MANGER MIB UNUSED NOS
1979 BRITAINS FARM #1715 FEED MANGER MIB UNUSED NOS
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 13h 44m
VINTAGE BRITAINS #1731 FARM GATE 1:32 SCALE MIB UNUSED
VINTAGE BRITAINS #1731 FARM GATE 1:32 SCALE MIB UNUSED
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 13h 44m
1979 BRITAINS VEHICLE LOADS #1740 MILK CHURNS MIB NOS
1979 BRITAINS VEHICLE LOADS #1740 MILK CHURNS MIB NOS
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 13h 44m
1979 BRITAINS VEHICLE LOADS #1742 HAYBALES MIB UNUSED
1979 BRITAINS VEHICLE LOADS #1742 HAYBALES MIB UNUSED
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 13h 45m
1980 BRITAINS FARM #1716 ANIMAL PENS MIB UNUSED NOS
1980 BRITAINS FARM #1716 ANIMAL PENS MIB UNUSED NOS
$9.99 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 13h 45m
1976 BRITAINS #4730 RIDING STABLE MIB UNUSED NOS
1976 BRITAINS #4730 RIDING STABLE MIB UNUSED NOS
$9.99 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 13h 45m
vintage Britains toy
vintage Britains toy
$55.00
Time Left: 14h 10m
2025: A Britains Zoological series 42,
2025: A Britains Zoological series 42,
$71.23 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 6h 19m
  BRITAINS Ltd 3 inch high cast metal Cowboy and horse
BRITAINS Ltd 3 inch high cast metal Cowboy and horse
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 12h 58m
Tiny Britains wheelbarrow yard cart farm miniature cast
Tiny Britains wheelbarrow yard cart farm miniature cast
$8.95 (1 Bids)
Time Left: 1d 23h 56m
VINTAGE BRITAINS EQUESTRIAN RIDERS WOMEN LOT W BOX
VINTAGE BRITAINS EQUESTRIAN RIDERS WOMEN LOT W BOX
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 10h 5m
VINTAGE BRITAINS EQUESTRIAN RIDERS LOT (8)
VINTAGE BRITAINS EQUESTRIAN RIDERS LOT (8)
$9.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 10h 6m
Britains LTD Lead Figures,  Farm Set of 31,  vintage toys
Britains LTD Lead Figures, Farm Set of 31, vintage toys
$49.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 14h 19m
Pair of Vintage BRITAINS LTD Lead Horse & Wagon Horses
Pair of Vintage BRITAINS LTD Lead Horse & Wagon Horses
$9.95 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 2d 14h 30m
Lone Star and Britains asst Cowboy ,  Indian toy figures
Lone Star and Britains asst Cowboy , Indian toy figures
$1.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 5h 27m
Britains Queen & King Coronation Horses and State Coach
Britains Queen & King Coronation Horses and State Coach
$29.99 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 5h 49m
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD COWBOY FIGURINE
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD COWBOY FIGURINE
$9.95 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 8h 5m
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD COWBOY FIGURINE
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD COWBOY FIGURINE
$9.95 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 8h 6m
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD COWBOY FIGURINE
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD COWBOY FIGURINE
$9.95 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 8h 6m
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD BULLDOG TOY
VINTAGE BRITAINS ENGLAND METAL LEAD BULLDOG TOY
$9.95 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 8h 9m
5031: Britains
5031: Britains
$63.17 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5042: Britains
5042: Britains
$31.59 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5043: Britains
5043: Britains
$44.22 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5044: Britains
5044: Britains
$37.90 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5049: Britains
5049: Britains
$37.90 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5050: Britains
5050: Britains
$63.17 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5052: Britains
5052: Britains
$126.34 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5062: Britains
5062: Britains
$63.17 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5071: Britains
5071: Britains
$126.34 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5129: Britains
5129: Britains
$63.17 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
5130: Britains
5130: Britains
$63.17 (0 Bids)
Time Left: 3d 12h 19m
All Antique & Vintage Toys | Antique Toys by Material | Action Figures - Vintage | Airplanes | Arcade | Arnold | Bank | Barclay | Bears | Betty Boop | Birthday | Boats | Bowling | Britains | Cap Guns | Cars | Cast Iron | Celluloid | Character | Chein | Christmas | Circus | Comics | Cowboy, Western | Cragstan | Dent | Die Cast | Dolls | Dolls House | Easter | Elastolin | Erector Sets | F.A.O. Schwartz | Felix the Cat | Figures | Fire Truck | Fisher Price | German | GI Joe | Girard | Gunthermann | Halloween | Holidays | Hoop | Horse | Humpty Dumpty | Indian | Italy | JACK IN THE BOX | Japan | Jigsaw | Kenton | Kilgore | Kites | Kunstlerschutz | Lead Toys, Figures | Lego | Lehmann | Lionel | Magic Set | Marbles | Marionettes | Marx Toys | Masudaya | Matchbox | Mattel | McFarlane Figures | McLoughlin | Motorcycle | Musical | Märklin | Noah's Ark | Nomura | Nosco | O & M Hausser | Organ | Other Vintage Toys | Paper Toys | Penny | Piano | Play Sets | Pogo Stick | Pull Toys | Punch & Judy | Puppets | Puzzle | Radio | Rare | Robots | Rocking Horse | Rolly | Roly Poly | Sand Pail | Sand Shovel | Schoenhut | Schoenhut Toy Piano | Schuco | Schuco Bears | Schylling | Ship | Soldiers | Space Toys | Spinning Tops | Spirograph | Spirograph | Star Wars - Vintage | Steiff | Submarine | Technofix | Tin | Tool Set | TootsieToy | Top | Toy Drum | Toy Kitchen | Toy Parts | Toy Sewing Machines | Toy Tea Sets | Toy Theatre | Trains | Transformers | Various | Ventriloquist | Viewmaster | Vintage Children's Books | Vintage Disney | Vintage Dolls House | Wind-up Toys | Wolverine | Wyandotte

W. Britain


The W. Britain brand name of toy and collectible soldiers is derived from a company founded by William Britain Jr., a British toy manufacturer. who in 1893 invented the process of hollow casting in lead, and revolutionized the production of toy soldiers. The company quickly became the industry leader, and was imitated by many other companies, such as Hanks Bros. and John Hill and Co.[1] The style and scale of Britains figures became the industry standard for toy soldiers for many years.

In 1907 the family proprietorship, William Britain & Sons incorporated as Britains, Ltd. The Britain family controlled the firm until 1984 when it was sold to a British conglomerate, Dobson Park Industries. They combined the operations with an existing line of toys and renamed the company Britains Petite, Ltd. [2] During the first half of the 20th century Britains expanded its range and market. By 1931 the firm employed 450 at its London factory. The catalog had expanded to 435 sets and twenty million models a year were being produced. [3]


Britains Set 212 The Royal ScotsBy 1966 safety regulations in the United Kingdom combined with rising costs halted the production of lead toy soldiers. Britains had already shifted most production to plastic, a process that began in the 1950's with their acquisition of Herald Toys. When production stopped the range of cataloged lead sets exceeded 2200. In 1973 Britains introduced New Metal models, which are die cast in a durable alloy. Initially these sets were aimed at the British souvenir market. In 1983 Britains responded to a growing collectors market by introducing additional models and limited edition sets. This range was greatly expanded over the next 20 years and included die cast versions of their old toy soldiers; some made from original molds. These, as well as their lines of Deetail plastic figures and accessories, and their older sets have become highly collectible.

In 1997 Britains Petite, Ltd was bought by Ertl Company of Iowa a maker of die cast toys. Ertl was subsequently bought by Racing Champions, another American die cast model maker. At this time production of toy soldiers was moved to China. In 2005 , the W.Britains brand was acquired by First Gear, an American maker of die cast collectibles. This firm produces and sells mostly contemporary matte-style figures to the collectors market under the W. Britain brand.
References:
^ Joplin, N. (1996). Toy Soldiers. London: Quintet Publishing, Ltd.
^ Opie,James (1993). The Great Book of Britains.Great Britain: New Cavendish Books
^ Wallis, Joe (1981). Regiments of all Nations Baltimore, Md: Waverly Press, Inc.
^ http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/collections/toys/manufacturers/britain/britains/index.html V&A museum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia