Britains B Scale Toy Soldiers
The Kings Dragoon Guards, K.D.G.s, King's Dancing Girls
Introduction
This site exists to share pictorial knowledge concerning Britains smaller scale toy soldiers in B and later W ranges. I'm not an expert. There is an entire chapter on this effort in James Opie's Britains Toy Soldiers 1893-2013. He is an expert. This is not an effort to replicate his fine work. I will simply list what is known of production in this scale (41-45mm) . Pictures will be captured from the web, sales sites, my own collection and perhaps from reader's contributions. Every effort is made not to infringe on intellectual property- will remedy conflicts on the spot. Hope you enjoy this dive into these charming little figures and their reflection of a time long past. -SM
The Artillery
RHA Dress Uniform 125
RHA Active Service 126
The Cavalry
Life Guards 1B
Sets 2B-5B have never surfaced
Scots Greys 6 B (most common)
Scots Greys Officer/bugler variant
11th Hussars 10B
Japanese Cavalry 11B
16th Lancers 12B
17th Lancers 13B
Russian Cavalry 14B
Mounted Infantry 15B
The Infantry
Coldstream Guards 16B
Lancashire Fusileers 17B
Grenadiers Guards 18B
Running at slope-don't try this at home!
Dublin Fusileers 19B
Manchester Regiment 20B
Northumberland Fusileers 21B
Bluejackets HMRN 22B
Cameron Highlanders 23B
khaki w/spiked helmet!
Whitejackets HMRN 24b
Japanese Infantry 25B
Russian Infantry 26B
Have seen these at trail as well
The Big Sets
Set 57 12 pcs. Kings Dragoon Guards
Set 58 12 pcs. 4-Royal Horse Guards, 4-Scots Greys, 4-Mounted Infantry
Set 84 11 pcs. 4-2nd Life Guards, 7-Royal Fusileers
Set 85 22 pcs. 5th Dragoons, Scots Greys, Scots Guards, Northumberland Fusileers
Can be yours for $5,000
Set 86 14 pcs. Two rows Lancashire Fusileers/7th Royal Fusileers
sold for $3k a few years ago
Set 87 8 pcs. Two rows 13th Hussars
for $4k a few years ago
The Paris Office- Britains attempt at expansion into the French market was fruitful from 1905-23. Lets face it, British kids wanted Britains, French kids wanted Mignot. The Paris Office made figures largely to order. This resulted in a number of variations that defy efforts to categorize but are great fun to find. Again James Opie goes into great detail, we will stick to pictures!
Paris Office B size French Infantry and a size comparison of their regular and B size Chasseur
Khaki "Colonial" cavalry embellished as line officer
Dragoon and Chasseur
Have not seen a Dragoon elsewhere but depose is stamped on the horse
Guards Officer and a competitor's trooper
Officer came with PO Britains from an antique shop in Berlin.
Highlanders in Khaki, Service order at trail, the Paris Office would make whatever you wanted.
Russians at trail
Prussians at slope. One is slightly wounded, but still marching in step
Foot Chasseurs with rare Paris Office box still intact
The hobbyists- Though the latest B Series is now over 100 years old that does not stop talented folks with restoration skills from turning out soldiers looking sharper than the day they were sold. These are the efforts of enthusiasts posting on the Treefrog Treasures forum. Pop over and check out their work!
Splendid Squadron of 11th Hussars
Note stands are added for stability. They really help preclude breakage as well.
Scots Greys
Guards
Replica Metal Soldiers and Models is the only company I know of that make B scale recasts
Set 125 built from recasts by Replica Soldiers and Models
Limber riders and rearing officer added to this marvelous set painted by the late John Stainforth
As we find them- Mostly in on-line auctions, here, in the rough, are "the ones that got away"
Hussars are probably Ws
Camerons, Dublin Fusileers, Northumberland, Sailors in....well navy blue.
Horseguards, Greys, Mtd Infantry
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Click to edit textThe W Series- After WWI the smaller size became the low end product of Britains. Identified a "W" scale they were mostly B sets and individuals with lower grade paint jobs and a focus on fixed arm models.
Set 10 W, Manchester Inf in simple paint
Set 11W, Guard, Fusileer figures in different shades of red
