50’s Vintage Christmas Sets

As kids we all got Christmas presents and the thing I wanted most every year was a “set.” Over the years I probably got five or six of them. Each set consisted of a number of toy soldiers, some sort of structure (a fort or castle for example), and usually several special figures.

Three sets come particularly to mind; Rin Tin Tin and Fort Apache, World War II soldiers, and dinosaurs.

The Fort Apache playset had a stockade with a couple of buildings, guard towers, landscaping accessories like a well, lots of cavalry men and Indians, and special castings of Rusty, Rinty, Lt. Rip Masters and Sergeant O’Hara. I would set this up in our sandpile and play for hours and hours.

Fort Apache Playset

Another set I got was a World War II soldiers. This must’ve been the European theater. Current research shows me that there was a Pacific theater too, but I didn’t have that one.

WWII Battleground Playset

A third set was of dinosaurs. I’m sure this set must have contributed greatly to the names of the species I know.

Prehistoric Dinosaur Playset

Terrain modeling.jpg

It looks like Marx was the major manufacturer for most of these sets.

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6 Responses to 50’s Vintage Christmas Sets

  1. Jeff K. says:

    COOL! Amazing you still have them!

  2. Wendy says:

    Look at all those dragging dinosaur tails! Although, come to think of it they dragged for a good part of my childhood too.

  3. Butch says:

    Jeff Kragskow wrote:
    > COOL! Amazing you still have them!

    Well….. I don’t really. You can find a picture of just about anything on the internet. These ARE the ones I did have however.

    Butch

  4. Doug says:

    So… these go on that ever-growing list of things you WISH you still had…a reason to stay out of antique shops! (Some of the old cooking tools fall in that same category.)

  5. A.B says:

    You were about 2 years old . You and Judy and your Mum were in England for Christmas. Your Mum and I wanted to go to early morning Church and so as you didnt go down and see the tree before we got back you were given a branch set in MUD with sweet decotations to keep you amused with your Grandmother in her bed . Guess how much of the MUD went into the bed ??? !!!

  6. I had this exact same set (the dino set)! There’s not a single piece left in my possession. Also had a Civil War set, and some sort of Alaska Gold Rush set with tin storefronts, old coot prospectors that all looked like Gabby Hayes, and Eskimos in kayaks. Of course, I look like Gabby Hayes now, too.

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