Marx Western Playset Figures

Marx Lane

An Inventory of Civil War Playset Figures, Structures and

Accessories Manufactured by the Marx Toy Company, 1951 to 1980

Appendix C - Introduction

Contents of this web site may not be reproduced or duplicated for use on the Internet or for commercial purposes without permission by Eric Johns.

Table of Contents

Click on the page to move to it.

Page 1 - Civil War Playset Figures

Page 2 - Other Civil War Playset-related Figures

Page 3 - Civil War Playset Accessories

Page 4 - List of Civil War Playsets

Back to Main Table of Contents

Most recent significant updates to this web page:
4-10-10 This page added to the web site.

Although Marx did not release its first Civil War playset until 1958, Civil War sets became one of the company's best sellers. In 2008, a Playset Magazine poll rated two playsets as the company's most popular: the long-running Fort Apache and the 1961 Giant Battle of the Blue and Gray.

The Civil War playset theme succeeded for two reasons. First, Marx created a large number of new figures and accessories for the sets, setting aside its often-used, cost-savings practice of creating new playsets by combining a handful of new items with figures and accessories already used in previous sets. And, second, Marx introduced its Civil War sets just two years before the 100th anniversary of the war's onset and then released a pair of huge sets in 1961, the anniversary year.

Playsets provided a total of 26 54mm Union poses and 27 54mm Confederate poses, including 16 poses that were issued for both sides. Playsets also included character figures of Generals Grant and Lee, and Presidents Lincoln and Davis. Beyond the sets, the company sold 60mm figures of 8 Union and 8 Confederate soldiers, both individually and in groups. In addition, attractive new playset accessories in Civil War set included

a colorful tin litho southern mansion,
a large plastic defensive position (a redoubt) for cannon and troops,
a large battle-damaged stone bridge,
a new cannon pulled by a limber and cassion with either two or four horses, and
a set of 24 accessories that included spiked barricades, sandbag emplacements, and other battlefield items.

Marx released at least 15 different Civil War playsets from 1958 to 1972. It was a fun playset theme to play with and is one of the most fun and popular themes to collect.

Marx Civil War playsets are featured in PFPC Issues 6 and 7 and in Playset Magazine Issues 1, 36, 38, and 40. PFPC republished its Civil War articles in its 1994 Special Collector Edition. PFPC also has additional information on the company's miniature Civil War playset in Issue 18.

Go to top of page

Contents of this web site may not be reproduced or duplicated for use on the Internet or for commercial purposes without permission by Eric Johns.