An Inventory of Marx Playset Figures and Accessories
Manufactured from 1951 to 1979 Wild West Page 5 - Figures Manufactured Outside the U.S. |
Information on Marx playset figures produced outside the U.S. is hard to find, and documentation is even scarcer. Collectors I have spoken with sometimes disagree on their understanding of these figures. Information on this page is the most accurate that I have been able to develop at this time. It is subject to change as I learn more. I welcome anything that you might be able to contribute to this area. Many thanks to those who have provided information and photos for this page. |
Plastimarx 6-inch cowboy Same as pose in 6-inch cowboy group on Page 4 |
Plastimarx logo on bottom of figure base |
1. Swift Bear kneeling, wounded by arrow in side |
2. Black Kettle dancing with rattles |
3. Long Bow kneeling, shooting bow |
4. Slipping Bird attacking with tomahawk raised |
5. Little Crow running with tomahawk and rifle |
6. High Wolf stabbing with knife |
7. Laughing Feather dancing with club and bow |
8. Strong Eagle standing, shooting bow |
1. Jim Ralston walking with lasso and bridle |
2. Mike Riley punching |
3. W.B. Foster standing with whip |
4. Mike Nichols twirling rope |
5. Jack Straight standing, ready to draw pistols |
6. Bad Jack Mavis standing with pistol and gold sack |
7. Roger Dawson sheriff with pistols drawn |
8. Brown Bart bandit with hands in air |
1. Eddie Keene kneeling, shooting rifle Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
2. John Means standing with pistol and bugle Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
3. Reuben Sims kneeling, shooting pistol Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
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4. Eben Jones mounted, firing pistol Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
5. Clay Dexter defending with sword raised (no hat) Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
6. Ken Merrick standing, shooting rifle Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
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Complete WOW U.S. Cavalry group with boxes Horse was not manufactured for Hong Kong WOW figures. Horse shown is Marx horse made by Charmore of Germany with factory painting. Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman. |
Indian advancing with tomahawk (Still in package, though package appears to have been opened and then stapled shut. Note that biographical card is included.) |
Marx logo (sticker) on bottom of Indian's base |
Cowboy with table, bar, and lantern accessories Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Cowboy with with wagon, hitching post, and dog accessories Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Indian with totem pole, pot, and alligator accessories Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Indian with goat, camp fire with pot, and primitive oven accessories Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
3-pack of WOW cowboys with accessories as shown at right Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Accessories from 3-pack of cowboys at left Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
3-pack of WOW cowboys with accessories as shown at right Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Accessories from 3-pack of Indians at left Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Complete sets of WOW cowboys and Indians - box tops and contents Photos courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Box of Six WOW cowboys, each in individual box Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Box of Six WOW Indians, each in individual box Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
6-Pack of WOW Indians with cards in envelopes on back side Photos courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Blister card of six Hong Kong WOW cowboys Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Store display of cowboys and Indians Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Bottom of base on Hong Kong GoldMarx figure | Bottom of base on Taiwan GoldMarx figure |
GoldMarx wounded cowboy | GoldMarx cowboy with two pistols drawn Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
GoldMarx cowboy preparing to draw Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
GoldMarx cowboy fanning pistol Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
GoldMarx cowboy turning to right Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman This pose was not part of the 6-inch cowboys produced in the U.S. To the best of my knowledge, it was created in Mexico. See Page 4 for a re-issue figure of this pose made in Italy. |
NOT a GoldMarx cowboy This photo was previously identified here as a GoldMarx cowboy. Upon closer examination of the logo on the base, however, it is a U.S.-produced figure that has been painted by a collector. Somebody did a super paint job! |
Indian chief with right hand up Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Indian standing, firing bow and arrow Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
GoldMarx Indian throwing spear Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Store display of Tiny Trader figures Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
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Tiny Trader Little Crow Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Tiny Trader Bad Jack Mavis Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Tiny Trader cards on back of blister packages Photos courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
HO-scale cowboys were sometimes sold in clear plastic display cases with a few accessories and a background painted on cardboard. This case is HK-6302/11 and includes all six cowboy poses I have seen in these cases. |
This smaller sized case is labeled HK-6301/15. A small piece of the background is missing just to the right of the bar door. |
The six HO-scale Indian poses in the larger-sized plastic case produced by Hong Kong. Bottom photo shows typical card inserted on bottom of these cases, which include an item number (HK-6302/14, in this instance). |
This is my favorite among the 11 display cases I have. Numbered HK-6302/12, this one has not only all six Indians in the previous photo, but a beautiful night-sky background with two blazing campfires, along with five accessories, including a third campfire. |
Smaller size case of Indians from Hong Kong (HK-6301/13). |
Smaller size case of cowboys and Indians from Hong Kong (HK-6301/17). Note Indian's bent spear! The poor cowboys have no weapons and seem to be in a world of hurt! |
Store display of miniature figures in clear plastic display cases This store display is at the Marx Museum. Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman. Comparing this display to the cases I have seen, this is a display of the 6301 series, with 18 cases in the series. The cases appear to be in numerical order, with the upper left farm case being HK-6301/1 and the lower right cowboys and Indians case HK-6301/18. Note that the first six cases are farm, the next six are Civil War, and the final six are wild west. There were at least 14 different cases in the larger 6302 series, because case HK-6302/14 is shown in a photograph above. Perhaps there were 18 varieties in each series? |
Box of miniature cowboys and accessories from Hong Kong Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman. This larger box includes five cowboys, and each pose is one of the six poses that I have seen in the plastic display cases described above. |
Top of Lipton Tea package with Famous Canadian figure premiums | Side of Lipton Tea package listing all 36 Famous Canadian figures |
Figure sealed in original package with English side of card facing forward | Figure sealed in original package viewed from back with reverse side of card in French | Figure with name on pedestal and biographical card | Figure as seen from back with dates of birth and death |
1. John Cabot | 2. Jacques Cartier | 3. Samuel de Champlain | 4. Chouart des Groseilliers | 5. Pierre Radisson | 6. Frontenac |
7. Jean de Bre'Beuf | 8. Montcalm | 9. Wolfe | 10. Sir Isaac Brock | 11. Alexander Mackenzie | 12. Lord Selkirk |
13. Governor Simcoe | 14. William Lyon Mackenzie | 15. Joseph Brant | 16. Tecumseh | 17. George Vancouver | 18. Laura Secord |
19. Jean Talon | 20. Simon Frasor | 21. Daumont de St. Lusson | 22. Sir William Alexander | 23. Henry Kelsey | 24. William Osgoode |
25. Joseph Howe | 26. Etienne Brule | 27. Joseph Frobisher | 28. Sir John A. Mcdonald | 29. Samuel Hearne | 30. La Salle |
31. Jean-Bapt. Colbert | 32. Sir Guy Carleton | 33. Lord Sydenham | 34. Louis-Jos. Papineau | 35. David Thompson | 36. Louis Riel |
All 36 Famous Canadian figures |
Examples of cowboy (left) and Indian bases with Marx insignia used on some figures at Swansea. |
Swansea figures made with U. S. 60mm Town Cowboy mold | Swansea Figures made with WOW mold |
1. Mounted with lasso | 1. Standing with whip Similar to U.S. Ranch Cowboy figure - end of whip is much better done here. |
2. Mounted on bucking horse, one hand up | 2. Standing with arms at sides Similar to U.S. Ranch Cowboy figure who has lasso in left hand |
3. Bandit mounted, shooting pistol |
3. Twirling rope Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev. |
4. Mounting horse | |
5. Turned to right, firing pistol back | |
6. Sheriff with two guns drawn | 4. Sheriff with two guns drawn Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
7. Bandit with hands raised | 5. Bandit with hands raised Similar to figure at left |
8. Sheriff with bag, pistol pointed forward | 6. Sheriff with bag marked "gold," pistol pointed to right |
9. Walking with harness | 7. Walking with harness and rope Similar to figure at left |
10. Sitting, waving | |
11. Sitting on ground, hit by punch | |
12. Punching | 8. Punching Similar to figure at left |
13. Kneeling with separate rifle Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
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14. Woman with basket |
Swansea figures made with U.S. Camp Indian mold | Swansea figures made with U.S. Skinny Indian mold | Swansea figures made with WOW mold |
1. Chief sitting, right hand up | 1. Mounted with spear |
1. Running, rifle raised Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
2. Chief sitting, holding peace pipe |
2. Running, rifle raised |
2.Dancing with rattles |
3. Dancing with rattles | 3. Advancing, tomahawk raised | 3. Advancing, tomahawk raised |
4. Woman standing with bowl |
4. Dancing with club and bow | 4. Dancing with club and bow Club had been broken off |
5. Woman walking with papoose |
5. Stabbing | 5. Stabbing |
6. Woman kneeling |
6. Kneeling, shooting bow and arrow |
6. Kneeling, shooting bow and arrow Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
7. Standing, shooting bow Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
7. Crawling with knife and tomahawk | 7. Standing, shooting bow |
8. Crouching, shooting bow | 8. Shot with arrow | 8. Shot with arrow Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
1. Standing, firing rifle | 2. Kneeling, firing rifle |
3. Clubbing with rifle |
4. Woman reloading rifle |
5. Firing pistol |
6. Running with rifle |
Example of cowboy base with Marx insignia used at Swansea | 1. Ready to draw | 2. Fanning pistol | 3. Two pistol drawn |
Example of Indian base with Marx insignia used at Swansea | |
1. Chief with right hand up Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
2. Shooting bow and arrow Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
3. Running with club and spear Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
4. Chief running with tomahawk and knife Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
5. Throwing spear |
6. Running, turned to right Photo courtesy of Max Epifantsev |
Painted Wild West Mounted Figures Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
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1. Sheriff with pistol drawn Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
2. Outlaw Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
3. Waving hat Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
4. Holding lasso Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
5. Saddled horse running |
6. Saddled horse stopping Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
7. Indian with spear Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
8. Indian with rifle |
9. Indian with torches |
10. Indian shooting bow and arrow Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
11. Horse with blanket, running Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
12. Horse with blanket, stopping Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
In the 1950s, Marx facilities in Germany produced a series of figures called "Hand Painted Masterpieces." Similar to Hong Kong Warriors of the World that were made in the 1960s, these were made (or usually were made) in hard plastic -- generally tan plastic for the cowboys and red brown for the Indians -- and painted with a flat paint, unlike the glossy paint later used in Hong Kong. The Masterpiece figures were sold in boxed sets, as well as individually. As with WOW figures, they did not appear in playsets, except for the one exception noted above. Individual figures were sold as unpackaged bin figures, not in the individual boxes with fictional biographical cards used for the Hong Kong figures. |
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Comparison of German and Hong Kong figures In each pair shown, Hong Kong figures to the left have glossy paint, Germany on the right use flat paint. The shirt on the German cowboy second from left has been left unpainted and is the color of the plastic. |
Imprint on bottom of bases | |||
1. Walking with lasso and bridle | 2. Punching | 3. Standing with whip | 4. Twirling rope |
5. Standing, ready to draw pistols | 6. Standing with pistol and gold sack | 7. Sheriff with pistols drawn | 8. Bandit with hands in air Whoops, a pose change with figure looking to right! No, most likely a molding error. But I like the variation! |
1. Dancing with rattles | 2. Stabbing |
Top of box with 8 Masterpiece cowboys (see inside of box below) Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Box of 8 Masterpiece cowboys Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Window box of four Heimo mounted Indians with horses Photo courtesy of Mark Hegeman |
Cowboy punching | Cowboy with arms at sides | Heimo logo pressed into the bottom of the figure base |
Dancing with rattles | Running with rifle overhead | Mounted with spear |
Indians similar to Marx 60mm Camp Indians and Skinny Indians -- stamped Germany on bottom of base and perhaps re-issues from Marx Masterpieces series. Note that there is damage to left hands of the green and yellow figures. |
Standing with whip Section of whip is missing Photo courtesy of Max Epitantsev |
Standing, twirling rope Photo courtesy of Max Epitantsev |
With Rope and harness Photo courtesy of Max Epitantsev |
Cowboy punching Photo courtesy of Max Epitantsev |
Two pistols drawn | |
Sherriff with gold bag and pistol Photo courtesy of Max Epitantsev |
Imprint on bottom of bases Photo courtesy of Max Epitantsev |
Indian kneeling with bow (feather is missing) Photo courtesy of Larry Tomikel |
Indian dancing with club and bow Photo courtesy of Larry Tomikel |
Indian dancing with rattles | Indian shooting bow and arrow |
6-inch re-issue Indian with a little revision of the head. | I've heard of Paul Bunyan's Blue Ox, but this is a steer! | 54mm Roy Rogers figures in many colors. Cream figures at top are originals. |
Re-issue cowboys made from a WOW mold in Russia |
6-inch re-issue figures made in Italy Photos courtesy of Giovannia Cordone |