#1066 TEDI/HAPTIME - UNNAMED NINJAS AND SAMURAIS (2024)

 
I never purchase modern toys. I resisted the temptation of buying the 25th anniversary G.I. Joes, any Masters of the Universe which were not the original line or any other reissue so far, but when I saw these ninjas and samurais in 3.75 inches size at TEDI, I had to get a complete set of them.

They were released in all TEDI stores in Europe in April 2024, and they were very scarce. I saw two boxes in the store in which I most usually visit. The next day, there were only a few figures left. One week later there was a third box for sale, and then, they were never seen again. I had to visit a second store to get a few figures that were not available in the first one.

 

It is maybe too early to say that, but there has been no reissues, and I am not sure if there will ever be another one. I guess these went undetected by most collectors, so, if somebody in the future finds them and would like to have them, they will be impossible to find. I wanted to get the box as well, but I didn´t dare to ask of "steal" the cardboard box that included all 12 figures. I now regret that, because they would have surely given me the cardboard box for free. Still, I have some pictures of the box, that I took to share the "find" with other collector friends.

 

The twelve ninjas are made out of 6 different casts. That is, there are 6 figures in two versions each. Some of them are divided in two groups: red and blue, but others figures are very similar to their variants or use other colours, so I am not sure what is the intention behind that or if somebody though a background story for them. I guess no, they are just a series of figures with randomly chosen colours (among the available ones).

 

The best of this collection is the selection of the characters plus the use of weapons. But let´s start with the figures. They have 6 articulation points: waist, shoulders, wrists and neck. The articulation on the wrists is specially important, as it allows to pose the figures with the weapons on many "combat positions" that would be impossible without them.

Among the characters we could count the classic masked ninja, a bald martial artist in kimono (very similar to the first one), a kabuki-masked samurai (I would say this should be the leader), a second samurai with the traditional dress (armour, skirt, helmet, shoulder pads...), another masked ninja with much broader shoulders (looks like the typical American action hero) and a third masked ninja with kneepads and chest that looks a bit like a soldier (especially in its green version).

I got all twelve. On a first attempt, I bought only three, and opened the boxes to check its quality and to see if I really liked them or not, and then I bought the other nine. That is why only three of my boxes are open, and the rest are not. I didn´t want to open the rest of the boxes, even though they are only closed with several strips of sellotape. I assume the golden paint is very sensitive, so I didn´t manipulate the figure very much, just to take the pictures.

The figures are unmarked, but they came with a TEDI sticker on the back. This includes some manufacturer indications and the TEDI logo. The box included a small piece of paper with a sketch of a ninja (in a rather cartoonish style, which does not match the style of the figure) and safety instructions on the back part. These instructions are written in a very small font as it has to cover all languages in which the product was available. The box also carries a sticker with the price in every market. It costed 2 euros in most European countries, or some equivalent quantity of money in other countries whose currency is not the euro.

 

Back to the accessories, each figure included one, two or even three pieces each, all of them, classic and well known martial art´s weapons. Katanas, bo, nunchuks, claws, sais... the accessory that I like most is the Asian hut (I associate it most with Vietnam), that the unmasked warrior includes. These were always the same for each model, independently of the color, so there are six sets of weapons. The "strong" ninja comes with one claw. I was a bit disappointed that they didn´t include two, but maybe I am not aware of the usage of this particular weapon. Some characters also include a non-practicable scabbard, that can be attached to the ninja´s back.  Nice details for a budget line. It reminds me of the old bootleg toys we bought in street markets, but designed and made with more modern techniques.

UPDATE: After writing the article, but before publishing it, I discovered the same figures for sale in some Asian sites (like amazon.in) under the Haptime brand. Interestingly, they were sold in several other colour variants which are different from the European ones, and highlighting some specific features which were not clear to me. I collected the pictures and will comment them here as an addition to this article.

The figures can serve as cake toppers. I usually see cake toppers more like plastic figures (no action figures), but, of course, why not?

The figures are articulated, yes, but also detachable. This is great to play that one ninja cuts the arm or the throat or whatever to the other, but it is also a risk for children. 3 and up seems a bit too young for me.

The figures are realistic, but I wouldn't give them to a toddler. The weapons are small, and the figures can be separated into smaller parts. Maybe this is hte reason why they are not for sale anymore at TEDI or in the equivalent European sites of Amazon.in. 

Unlike at TEDI, in some sites, they are sold by half-dozens, in a plastic bag containing 6 different figures. If you buy two bags, you complete your collection of twelve. The ninjas were sold under the name Ninja Warring States

These two are nice computer illustrations of the figures, showing the three white members, which are unreleased in Europe (we got three blck ones instead)

Here, again, two of the white members, unreleased in Europe.

Ninja Warrior Team is another name by which these figures are for sale. These seems to came in the same box than the TEDI models, although the graphics in the inlay paper are much cooler.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: UNNAMED NINJAS AND SAMURAIS
• Toy Line: (no name) / NINJA WARRING STATES / NINJA WARRIOR TEAM
• Year: 2024
• Company: TEDI (Germany / China) / Haptime (Chna)
• Size of the figures: 10 cm approx.

#1065 BRITAINS LTD. - FORDSON SUPER MAJOR DIESEL TRACTOR (9525) and TIP-UP TRAILER WITH RACKS (9550) (1965 and 1962)

Britains Ltd., also known as W. Britain or Britains Models is a die-cast and toy brand of scale models and figurines, especialized in agricultural machinery, although they also had more ordinary vehicles (cars, motorbikes) as well as more uncommon stuff, like war machines and military vehicles. 

The company actually started as a toy soldiers manufacturer in 1983, and the name does not indicate its nationality (although the brand is from Britain), but the name of its founder William Britain Jr., who invented a process of hollow casting in lead that was a big step in the manufacture of toy soldiers. The factory was in London, as it is often indicated in the boxes of the toys.

To my surprise, the company is still active, although it now belongs to multinationals and has actually splitted in two. In 1997, the company was acquired by the American Ertl, then, in 1999, it went to Racing Champions. In 2010, it went to Learning Curve UK and, finally, in 2011, to the Japanese company Tomy. 

In 2005, the W. Britain brand became independent and was sold to First Gear, an American die-cast manufacturer. So, currently Britains and W. Britain are both competing for the same agricultural miniature market. This rather narrow niche has probably eased its long life and the survival of many major crisis in the toy market and elsewhere. 

Let´s go through the history of the brand a little more in detail. We have just commented the invention of Mr. William Britain Jr., which rocketed this company to become the leader of the toy soilder market at the end of the XIXth Century. Of course this industrial secret would not last much, and other companies copied the process in the years following the invention. Their soldiers became the industry standard, but as the competition grew, they also expanded into other toy types. In 1907, the name Britains Ltd. is used for the first time. By 1931, they employed 450 people in London, producing up to twenty million models a year. Their catalogue had 435 sets listed.

Other landmarks of Britains, according to the Wikipedia, are:

• Early 1950s: Association with W. Horton Toys and Games (Lilliput generic cars and trucks)
• Early 1950s: Blue Bird land speed record car (driven by Malcolm Campbell)
• Early 1950s: Land Rovers and lorries
• 1950s: Manufacture of various vehicles including military
• 1959: Acquisition of Herald Miniatures (Plastic Figure manufacturer)
• 1966: Stop of the production of lead toy soldiers due to safety regulations
• 1966: Herald Miniatures legacy production moved to Hong Kong.
• 1971: Production of plastic figures with metal bases in England. The references were more than 2.200 by the time the production was moved to China.
• 1973: New Metal Models denomination for figures in die-cast alloy, initially for the souvenir and tourist markets. This line expanded over 20 years, including re-releases of classic toy soldier figures. This commercial brand was also known as Metal Models, and it is very similar to others like Britains Deetail
• 1984: Company is sold to Dobson Park Industries from the UK, and renamed Britains Petite, Ltd.
• 1997: Company is sold to Ertl from the US
• 1999: RC2 LLC (Racing Champions from the US) bought Ertl. Production is completely moved to China.
• 2011: Tomy acquired RC2, including the brand Britains.

Talking about tractors, the first model ever in Britains' catalogue was the Fordson Major (from 1945), introduced in 1948. Farm vehicles had been released since as early as 1921, when the Model Home Farm was released with 30 figures and animals and a cart to be drawn by the horse. By 1980, there were more than 120 models available. Also in 2021, celebrating the 100 years of their farming line, they released a limited edition of the Fordson Major tractor.

FORDSON SUPER MAJOR DIESEL TRACTOR (Ref. 9525) 

The model I show here should not be mistaken with the Fordson Major, as it is the Fordson Super Major, a couple of years newer (both the real tractor and the miniature). The toy was launched in 1965, and it is made to scale 1:32. Unlike the “not-Super” model, it came without a driver, so the piece shown in the pictures is complete. The tractorr comes with several very cool features, starting with the steering wheels, rubber tyres, screw coupler to attach a trailer and an additional lever mechanism to attach a farm implement lift, which, I guess, it is required for some accesories that were sold separately.

The tractor is made in blue with grey fenders. The red lights, I think, were an “improvement” of its original owner. The tractor has all its decals: two at the front in a simulated radiator and two at the sides with the Fordson brand logo.

As I have seen in many other models, the rubber of the tyres, combined with the plastic compound of the wheels has melted slightly, resulting in a noticeable imperfection. If it does not go worse, I'm happy with that... the toy is 60 years old by the time I write these lines...

And finally, I love the cardboard box. It has an external part, with nice pictures of the tractor as seen from the front, and lists the name and the features of the toy. One of the larger sides show the trailers that share the same scale, or, at least, a selection of them, as the reference numbers do not build a row. Inside that box, there is a sliding base which is, at the same time, the closing lid of the outer box and that has some holes and cuts to firmly fit the tractor in it. Note the “shadow” that the tractor casts on the red base. The lid has some “volume” as it conceals that farm implement that can be attached or detached to the vehicle. But that is not all, in order to prevent the toy from moving inside the box, there is a third piece of cardboard that clamps the tractor. I guess this last cardboard part is hard to find, as it is not decorated and can be easily mistaken for something else.

TIP-UP TRAILER WITH RACKS (Ref. 9550)

The Tip-up trailer with racks was part of the series "Farm Implements", which fitted all tractors in the same scale and is a couple of years older than the Fordson  I just presented (they could be attached to previous tractor models). My toy came in it´s early box model from 1962. It is in very good condition, as it has been played, but it was probably kept in the box most of the time.

 As in the previous toy, the box has two parts. The outer rectagular box, plus an cardboard inlay so the trailer is not loose inside the box. It fits perfectly and stays in its position no matter what. Thanks to the box, the trailer comes with its original racks that can be attached to either ends of the trailer to increase its capacity. The rear end can be clapped, to unload whatever it carries, and the bed can be lifted (I guess the technical word is "tip up") to help in the process of unloading. A nice detail is the third small wheel (it is not actually a wheel, but a piece of plastic) that keeps the trailer horizontal when not attached to another vehicle. 

One curiosity, to those who may appreciate it: the box of the trailer has a price tag of 29, but I am not sure which currency it could be. I bought this toy in Austria, so it may be 29 Schilling (that would be around 2,10 euro from 1965.

I have the impression that it is becoming easier to find and buy die-cast jewels from the 60s, some of them in excellent condition and even boxed ones. I guess it is a biological fact, that people today are not interested in this kind of toys, and whatever comes in the market, it is difficult to sell at normal collector’s prices. The choices are now different, and tractors are not so popular anymore, as other machinery either agricultural or for construction and public works.

I was very happy to put my hands on this beautifully made Tractor by Britains Ltd., a company which is rare to find outside of the UK, and even more, as it came together with a equally beautiful hay trailer in the same series (that fit perfectly in scale and thematically). A real treasure that I got here! 

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: FORDSON SUPER MAJOR DIESEL TRACTOR (9525) and TIP-UP TRAILER WITH RACKS (9550)
• Scale: 1:32
• Year: 1965 and 1962
• Company: Britains Ltd. (United Kingdom)
• Size: approx. 10 cm long