Swoppet sheriff on horseback, red jacket

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, six on foot and six mounted, with the head, body and legs 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. 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. Each cowboy had a detachable neckerchief and gunbelt with two pistols, accurate replicas of the Colt 45 revolver. The mounted cowboys were attached to their horse via a hook on the inside of each leg. In 1959 Britains released their indian series (see AIBDC : 008657 - AIBDC : 008659) and a second series of Swoppet cowboys followed in 1965 but were discontinued in 1968 (there was also a range of Swoppet Knights and Infantry plus accessories such as buildings). In 1971 all of the Swoppets cowboys and indians were withdrawn from sale, possibly due in part to health and safety concerns over choking hazards from all of the small parts.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 cowboys, a Herald sheriff (630) with a red jacket, and dates to c.1958-1971. The pistols are missing from the holster and the head has been repaired at some point (denoting the fragility of the aged plastics material). The tan coloured horse is also Herald 1st issue, dating to c.1958 - 1964 and is missing its saddle and blanket.

moulded: "swoppet" (right leg of cowboy)

moulded: "Herald" (left leg of cowboy)

moulded: "Herald. Made in England." (underneath horse)

AIBDC : 008660