Lead Cast - Felt Covered – Lion Toy Figure from the Taylor & Barrett Zoo Series c1940

Here on offer is a lead cast and felt covered Lion toy figure from the Taylor & Barrett Zoo series, circa 1940.

The figure is in excellent condition, retaining its original felt covering and dark details to its face and feet.

It measures 2.8” (7.2cm) long, head to tail and is 1.5” (3.7cm) high.

It weighs 52g.

Some history of Taylor & Barrett.

The three founders of the Taylor & Barrett partnership company started in 1920 on a part time basis, and were brothers A.R. Barrett and S. Barrett, and their brother-in-law Fred G. Taylor. The Barrett brothers worked in their regular job as casters for Britains ltd, and Fred Taylor was an engineer. By 1923 they were doing well enough to go full time, along with several others in both families.

The Barrett brothers obviously knew a lot about the lead toy business from their time at Britains, and Fred Taylor's engineering expertise was used to make the moulds. S. Barrett dropped out of the business as a partner, but later re-joined as an employee. They started in a small run down building in Schofield Road, Upper Holloway, London N19, and in 1929 were doing well enough to move to a larger factory building in East Finchley.

They were doing very well until the start of World War Two, selling to wholesalers/re-packers such as Turnbull/Cetandco and Kay/Kempner family, big stores such as Selfridges and the Co-Operative (who had some big department stores back then), and their extensive zoo range was sold in zoo souvenir shops worldwide, plus they had arrangements with other lead toy companies such as Britains and Charbens for odd items.

Unfortunately their factory was bombed by the Luftwaffe in 1940, but everything possible was salvaged, and they briefly started again in another factory in North Finchley, but all toy production was stopped by the government in 1941, to concentrate on the war effort, plus several workers had been conscripted. So the partners shared out the moulds 'for safe keeping' during the war, although as there had been some arguments over the years, both men probably knew they wouldn't restart as a partnership post-war. Considering what happened to their factory, and the bombing going on all around them before it was hit, it is perhaps not surprising that T&B produced a very interesting range of Blitz related figures.

Both of the partners re-started, independently, in 1945, Fred G. Taylor with his son-in-law Fred Squires, and son Fred Taylor Jr joining in 1947 under the business name F.G. Taylor & Sons, and the motto 'For Good Toys'. They were located at 22 Hampden Road, Upper Holloway, London N19. It is believed, but not certain, that the company closed down circa 1980.

Mr Barrett snr also re-started in 1945, with his sons Alfred and Bert under the name A. Barrett & Sons (Toys) Ltd at 9 Sonderberg Road, London N7, a small an unsuitable building for a factory, especially not one doing lead casting. The Barrett family had been supplying A Barton & Co with their doll's house furniture items since about 1953. Barton & Co had been in another small London building, but had been forced to move because of compulsory purchase for road widening in 1955, to a large modern factory at New Addington, near Croydon. Barrett & Sons were also forced to move because of compulsory purchase for redevelopment some years later, in 1970, so rented part of Barton's New Addington factory from then on. By 1982 Mr Barrett senior had long since died, and his two sons were approaching retirement, so they sold out to Bartons, who just continued making the dolls house stuff, as they were essentially a dolls house company.

After the mould share out, and the 1945 restart of now two separate companies, there were obvious gaps in both ranges, so they both had to make some new moulds. For example, B&S had the original zoo kangaroo mould, so FGT produced a new kangaroo.
It is not entirely clear who had what of all the original moulds, although most are known.
Also, during the early 1960s both companies gradually changed from lead to plastic production, in the case of some sets with some interim versions of some lead and some plastic items, plus there were a few items which were never made in plastic.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

Please see my TERMS OF BUSINESS regarding Deliver Charges and Insurance regarding additional insurance cover, should you require it, BEFORE the item is dispatched.

The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Thanks for taking the time to look.

Code: 51833