Monday, 30 November 2020

Setting the scene - in 54mm .


These cows , scarecrow , cornstooks and farmers are from my distant childhood . Already old when they were past down to me by my older cousins they were part of a toy farm I played with as a youngster . I have repainted the farmer as he had no discernable paint left on him but have left the others untouched , the farmer is solid and hefty enough to be a viable missile if thrown , the others hollow - hate to think of the lead content in the cows paint scheme .


The walls I made myself in a homage to my late father who made me some like these as a child . They are simply wood cut to size, the stone work drawn on with a pencil and given a gloss varnish .


I have only one building at the moment , a small MDF one - I can't remember where I got it from  , I have decided that I want my buildings /scenery to have overtones of 'toy town' so it to has been give a coat of varnish and left as it is . The inhabitants of 'Rose Cottage' are a couple of figures again from my youth, from a clockwork train set again donated by an older cousin (I suspect families don't past toys down to the next generation nowadays) I have repainted them - the lady had a brilliant 'dayglow' blue coat that refused to budge when soaked in Dettol and bleach - God knows what sort of paint it was - probably used to painting battleships ! . They are Mr  & Mrs Pendergast a couple that may not be all they seem - That point on Mrs Pendergast's umbrella looks rather sharp ! and what's that ticking coming from her bag !?  - Is that an automatic pistol in Mr Pendergast's pocket ? - or is he  just pleased to see us !? ...........





 

12 comments:

  1. Lovely old figures Tony.
    Great tribute to your father also.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The walls are simple - but effective and cheap to make .

      Delete
  2. Superb - the mysterious couple have painted up well. As smart (if not smarter) as the day they left the factory ...

    ReplyDelete
  3. It’s great that you’ve managed to keep these toys from your childhood. I wish I had some of my old farm stuff, but I just didn’t value them much as I got older.

    There’s a hint of Camberwick Green about Mr and Mrs Prendergast. Which makes them more sinister.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a sort of family tradition that toys once 'grown out of' were passed on to the next generation - these have done well to survive and it's good to get them used again .

      Delete
  4. Very nice Toys from your childhood Tony- brings back a lot of memories for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely figures all.
    I was pleased to pass my brother's old castle and knights to his grandson a few years ago. (I wasn't quite finished playing with it but.......)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to hear it's still going on , don't think kids will want the modern electronic gizmos passing on .

      Delete
  6. Lovely to be still using toys from your (first) childhood.

    ReplyDelete