Collecting American-Made Toy Soldiers

by Richard O'Brien

Book Overview

Early American makers such as Grey Iron, H.B. Toys, Metal Cast, and Premier rise through the ranks of this specialized volume while thousands of troops fall in for inspection and identification. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0896891186
• ISBN13: 9780896891180
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Books Americana
• Length: 717 Pages
• Weight: 3.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 8.6" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

A great history, identification, and price guide.

I've been collecting American toy soldiers all of my life, and this is by far the best guide that I've ever found. It works as a good overall history of the subject, as well as, a specific historical guide to the companies and individuals involved. It is also superb as an identification guide and for approximate pricing. Whether you are into cast metal figures like Maniol, Barclay, or Grey Iron, or the classic Marx, Ideal, MPC, or Lido plastics, this is one great guide. It even covers comic book flats, paper soldiers, cerial premiums, and the original G.I. Joe. You can spend hours just flipping though this hefty book and reminiscing, even if you don't currently collect.

Collecting Toy Soldiers. (1996) Third Edition

Second of two large soft cover books by Richard O'Brien, specifically aimed at the identification and fair value of American Made Toy Soldiers. Includes brief history of each manufacturer pre and post WWII styles of soldiers. Top quality materials, mine has traveled thousands of miles in suitcases, back packs and the backseat. Opened and closed hundreds of times, it is still in great shape. Crisp and clear photos of most of the listed items have helped avoid confusion and misidentification.With on-line auctions setting the pace in the toy soldier collecting world. An identification guide of this quality is a must in establishing a BEGINNING bid, while desirability sets how high the actual cost will go. Hopefully, an update of this book is in work as in my opinion the on-line auctions have driven the price of many of the toys to often double their listed price.