Swoppet medicine man on horseback

Swoppets were a range of 1:32 scale, interchangable plastics figures first produced by Herald Miniatures, then Britains Ltd, between 1958-1971, with credit for the design being widely attributed to renowned sculptor Roy Selwyn-Smith. The first release was a set of cowboys (see AIBDC : 008660 - AIBDC : 008663), followed in 1959 by an Indian series, six on foot and six mounted, each having a fixed belt with a knife. The head, body and legs were attached via a ball-and-socket joint that allowed the sections to swivel as well as be detached and swapped with the parts from other figures. The mounted Indians were attached to their horse via a hook on the inside of each leg. Injection moulded in polyethylene, the models were then painted by homeworkers, usually women, who collected their work from the factory and then delivered it back once complete. In 1971 all of the Swoppets cowboys and Indians were withdrawn from sale, possibly due in part to health and safety concerns over choking hazards from all of the small parts. This example is from the first series of mounted Indians, a medicine man (530), and dates to c.1959-1971 (the necklace is missing). The black coloured horse was made in Kong Kong for Britains Ltd, dating to c.1966 - 1971 and has a yellow, PVC blanket. Complete with box.

moulded: "Made in Hong Kong for Britains Ltd." (underneath horse)

AIBDC : 008657