TOY SOLDIER HQ INC

TIM-MEE & PROCESSED PLASTIC

AMERICAN WILD WEST TOY SOLDIERS, FIGURES AND ITEMS FOR SALE

Processed Plastic was founded in 1948 in Aurora, Illinois. Nearby Anchor Brush who made plastic brushes set up Tim-Mee Toys to sell their new line of plastic toy figures in 1951/2. The presidents John Baumgartner and Ross Bergman knew each other and shared many sources of raw materials. It is believed that they may have had an agreement to not make competing products. Tim-Mee made plastic toy figures while Processed Plastic made plastic toy vehicles. The only vehicle that Tim-Mee might have made was an army jeep with cannon (cannon also made with spoke wheels for American Civil War sets). Key personnel left Tim-Mee in 1961 and we believe Baumgartner approached his old friend Ross Bergman for help and that Processed Plastic may have made some vehicles (Atomic Cannon & Rocket Launcher) for Tim-Mee in 1962. Eventually in the summer of 1964 Processed Plastic took over Tim-Mee to help get ready for the Christmas season sales rush. Officially for legal and tax purposes the take over was January 1, 1965. Tim-Mee was kept as a separate division and some of both Tim-Mee's figures and Processed Plastics vehicles were sold by the other division resulting in many different packaging styles and names Such as the BEE LINE brand which was sometimes used by PPCO from 1950-1970. The multiple names used has caused some confusion in today's collector market.

American Wild West Figures and Items

ORIGINAL BAGGED SETS FOR SALE

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WESTERN VEHICLES

It wasn't until Processed Plastic took over Tim-Mee in 1964 that the western sets started to include vehicles. Vehicles were Processed Plastic's specialty and this was very beneficial to the Tim-Mee line.

This mold was sent to Mexico where it remained in production into the 1980s. The Mexican wagons do not have rubber like vinyl harnesses like the original USA production wagons. Also the USA wagons used the Series 3 "Medium" horses as the Series 1 horse mold had bent sent to Mexico a few years before the wagon set was produced. The Mexican wagons used the "turning" Series 1 horse as seen in the picture above.

NONE - Original wagon, red body & hitch, cream top, wheels, side boxes and hitch cross bars, two series 3 "medium" horses + 2 nice reins.()

THE "WAGON" WESTERN FIGURES

Early sets had a mix of yellow and redbrown figures but that quickly was changed to yellow only.

Figures for sale are yellow unless otherwise noted.

7.00 Woman holding baby; NONE.

7.00 Seated wagon driver; NONE.

7.00 Seated woman; NONE.

7.00 Boy walking with bucket, yellow. (1),(3.00 SPLIT IN HANDLE; 1 yellow, 2.00 NO BUCKET; 1 yellow, 1 yellow painted)

7.00 Kneeling with rifle; 9 yellow.

7.00 Eating with plate and spoon, yellow. (3)

7.00 Kneeling with meat on stick; NONE, ( 2.00 MEAT ON STICK BROKEN OFF; 1 yellow).

7.00 Fire (no logo); NONE.

Last style wagon marked Processed Plastic first made in 1978. They did away with the pesky reins piece that was/is always breaking. The wagon was made in brown or yellow and was also sold without a top as either a western buckboard or as a farm wagon

The wagon driver was the last 3 inch figure made by PPCo 1980.

3.00 Driver, tan. (NONE)

20.00 Buckboard (brown with black wheels) with tan horses, hitch & driver. (1)

Also first made about 1978 was the popular Processed Plastic stagecoach. Like the wagon it was sold in yellow/brown color variations. It was likewise sold as a platform display playset but with about six cowboys and Indians instead of farm animals. In later years the stagecoach was made in solid brown. The hand brake was also eliminated at some point.

20.00 Stage coach with driver and horses, all brown, has brake lever, black wheels.

In 1980 as part of an exclusive for the Kroger grocery chain Processed Plastic made a red Kroger delivery wagon which was sold in a playset with a covered wagon and a stagecoach. Also sold individually in 1983 for Kroger's 100th anniversary. In 1982 the same piece made a comeback in brown and tan as SIERRA JACK's Mining, Household Supplies and Medicine Supply wagon. These are not easy to find.

NONE IN STOCK

NONE - The General playset circa 1980 was one of Processed Plastics first attempts at making a playset. A four car free rolling train, ten figures and a paper teepee make up the 15 piece count as listed on the box. Trains is nice with lots of play value.

Circa 1948-57 the Series 1 horses are about 70mm in size and need separate saddles or blankets for their riders. These are among the nicest plastic horses made, and are quite popular with collectors. The running full stride (upper left in photo) and turning (lower right in photo) horses are much more common than the other three poses.

Earliest Poses

We believe that using the same master sculpture the running horse had a second cavity made and was included in a mold with the three "later" poses. We think this second version does not have the Tim-Mee logo inside the belly. All of these running horses will be listed here. These two poses were also made at the German factory. The German examples are more hollowed out to save on plastic and are not marked unlike those made at the US factory.

Running right front leg straight;

4.00 2 dirty white/cream, 1 white, 2 tan, 1 redbrown.

6.00 2 Silver, 2 black.

Front legs forward, turning or rearing;

4.00 3 white/cream, 2 tan/butterscotch, 2 redbrown.

6.00 1 Silver.

Series 2

This mold may have been reworked to produce the 2nd version horses with integral saddles.

6.00 Bucking; 3 cream/white, 1 tan, 1 black.

6.00 Stopping; 2 tan.

6.00 Running right front leg bent; NONE.

SADDLES

5.00 Indian blanket. (NONE)

5.00 Intact saddle, short pommel; NONE.

5.00 Intact saddle high pommel; NONE.

1.00 Saddle with split buckle; 2 rubber like vinyl, 4 SP.

Series 2a Horses

Circa 1954-57 these 70mm horses are the same poses as four of the Series 1 horses but now with integral saddles added to the mold. They were sold primarily as "bin" toys with a western rider and are not common. The mold still exists and is in production by Western Toys of Texas. Photo courtesy Wild West Toys.

6.00 Running front right leg straight; NONE.

6.00 Running front leg bent; NONE.

6.00 Bucking; 2 cream/white, 1 redbrown.

6.00 Stopping; NONE.

Here is a picture of 1/2 of the Series 2 horse mold. It has survived all of these years and is now owned by Wild West Toys in Texas. They have made reissues and you can buy them from their web site - http://wildwesttoys.com. Once you are at their web site click on the link to playset items to find the horses.

Series 3 Horses

About 1957 Tim-Mee phased out the Series 1 & 2 horses and replaced them with smaller horses that used less plastic and help saved on production costs. The Series 3 "Medium" horses were a only a bit smaller but much thinner than the series 1 & 2 horses. They were used mostly with the; Cavalry, Civil War & Rodeo figures. The Cowboy and Indian bagged sets made after this time sets used the smaller Series 4 horses and the Indian blanket for the larger mounted Indians was phased out as it was no longer needed. The new high pommel saddle was made to go with these Series 3 "Medium" horses.

4.00 EACH Series 3 "Medium" Horses

Walking; 1 black, 1 white.

Stopping; 1 redbrown, 1 black.

Both front legs forward; 1 tan, 1 black.

Series 4 Horses

These horses were made from about 1957 to 1975 and were designed for the new smaller 54/60mm western riders. The new mounted Indians that were made now had to ride horses with saddles as "Indian blanket" horses were no longer made. These smaller horses and mounted figures replaced the larger 70mm horses and mounted figures in all western bagged sets except the Rodeo sets that got two series 3 and two series 4 horses with appropriately sized cowboy riders. The stopping horse was made with two slight variations of tail length as seen above but we can see from the picture of the mold that each of the eight riders was made with a horse. This has resulted in a number of small variations in saddle decoration. Based upon the numbers we have seen perhaps five of the eight figures were made with a walking horse and three with a stopping horse, but we are unsure if this is correct.

2.00 EACH Series 4 "Small" horses

Walking. (8)

Stopping. (1)

The mold that made the series 4 horses also makes the early 54/60mm western riders. Each horse has a rider next to it in the mold. Like the Series 2 horse mold this mold is also owned by Wild West Toys in Texas. We are unsure if they will make reissues. Photo courtesy Wild West Toys.

Series 5 Horses

About 1975 the Series 4 horses were phased out and new "small" horses and riders were made by Processed Plastic who had taken over Tim-Mee in 1964. These new horses and figures have better detail and were made from about 1975 to 1995.

2.00 Series 5 Processed Plastic Horses

Circa 1976-96.

These Series 5 horses come in tan/butterscotch, black ,and cream/white. If you have a color preference please list it with order and we will do our best to try and supply it.

TM234 Bucking. (26)

TM235 Stopping. (4)

TM236 Walking. (1)

TM237 Running. (1)

"70mm" Mounted Figures

Most of the Tim-Mee "60mm" mounted figures are actually closer in size to 65-70mm.

Like the foot cowboys and Indians Tim-Mee added new figures over the years. The Cowboy waving the hat in all likelihood was part of the Rodeo Cowboy mold. The Indian shooting the rifle was probably made for the 1956 Cavalry/Apache bagged set. As the large mounted Indians were phased out by 1958 this Indian pose has become the hardest Tim-Mee western figure to find by today's collectors.

4.00 Chief with tomahawk and shield; 1 dark red.

4.00 Indian w/ tomahawk and lance; 1 green, 1 yellow.

3.00 Indian w/ tomahawk and lance (WITH SPLIT IN LANCE; 2 dark flesh, 2 flesh, 3 red, 2 redbrown, 2 yellow).

4.00 Indian w/ knife and rifle; NONE.

4.00 Indian shooting bow; 4 redbrown, 4 red, 2 yellow, 2 flesh.

20.00 Indian shooting rifle; NONE.

4.00 Cowboy shooting rifle; 10 red, 6 light flesh, 2 yellow, 5 redbrown, 1 dark flesh, 1 tan/butterscotch, 1 green.

5.00 Cowboy w/ lasso; 34red, 3 flesh, 1 redbrown.

2.50 Cowboy w/ lasso, 1 rope split; 1 red, 1 tan , 1 yellow.

4.00 Cowboy mounted with pistol; 1 yellow, 4 red, 3 redbrown, 2 flesh.

5.00 Cowboy mounted waving hat; 2 flesh.

The Tim-Mee cavalry were made in response to the popular TV show Rin Tin Tin about 1956. To avoid paying any royalty fees advertising used "includes the famous cavalry dog" instead of Rin Tin Tin.

Cavalry

3.00 Famous Cavalry Dog (AKA Rin Tin Tin), tans. (2)

6.00 Cavalry with flag and pistol,blue. (NONE)

5.00 Cavalry with bugle, blue.(1)

10.00 Cavalry with bugle; 1 graygreen.

5.00 Cavalry with sword and binoculars, blue. (2)

6.00 Cavalry shooting rifle downward, blue. (NONE).

10.00 Cavalry shooting downward, gray.(NONE)

Pioneers

6.00 Mounted holding rifle and powder horn; NONE.

10.00 Mounted holding pistol and knife; NONE.

15.00 Mounted shooting rifle; 1 light flesh, 1 tan.

1.00 RECAST mounted holding rifle & powder horn, dark brown. (12)

1.00 RECAST mounted holding pistol and knife, dark brown. (8)

1.00 RECAST mounted shooting rifle, dark brown. (NONE)

10.00 All nine pioneers, 3 mounted and six on foot, dark brown. (NONE)

54/60mm MOUNTED FIGURES

These figures were produced form 1958 to about 1975 and they replaced the larger mounted Indians and started to replace the larger mounted cowboys who stayed in the Rodeo set for a few more years.

(ADD HORSE FOR 1.50 IF IN STOCK).

2.00 Cowboy shooting rifle downward; 3 tan, 1 cream/white.

2.00 Cowboy with pistol and rope; 1 cream/white.

3.00 Cowboy with lasso; 2 cream/white, (1.00 SPLIT LASSO; 1 creamwwhite, 1 redbrown, 1 tan, 1 dark red).

2.00 Cowboy with two pistols; 1 dark red.

2.00 Pioneer shooting pistol; 5 tan, 8 cream/white.

2.00 Indian with tomahawk and rifle; 7 tan/butterscotch, 3 redbrown, 9 white/cream.

2.00 Indian shooting bow; NONE.

3.00 Indian Chief w/ bow, drawing arrow; NONE.

Processed Plastic made new smaller 54/60mm mounted figures about 1975 which were used up through at least 1995.

2.00 EACH, ADD HORSE FOR 1.50 IF IN STOCK)

Chief w/ bow, drawing arrow; NONE.

Chief w/ tomahawk & shield; NONE.

Indian shooting bow; 1 black.

Indian w/ tomahawk and rifle; NONE.

Cowboy w/ lasso; NONE, (1.00 SPLIT IN ROPE; 1 tan, 2 black).

Cowboy w/ rifle x waist; 1 tan, 3 black.

Cowboy shooting pistol; none.

Cowboy shooting rifle; 1 black, 1 tan.

PIONEERS

12.00 Pioneers, 6 in all 6, NONE.

9.00 Pioneers, 6 in all 6 poses; NONE.

Individual Pioneers $2.00 EACH Earth tones, $1.50 EACH red, green or yellow.

I have a bit of color blindness and the dark red vs redbrown difference is hard for me to make.

Pioneer kneeling shooting rifle; 1 tan, 1 red, 2 redbrown.

Pioneer kneeling shooting pistol; 1 butterscotch, 1 green.

Pioneer with rifle, scouting; 1 green, 2 red.

Pioneer walking with rifle x waist; 2 butterscotch, 1 yellow, 1 green, 1 red, 1 gray.

Pioneer standing shooting rifle; 1 gray, 1 tan, 3 red.

Pioneer clubbing with rifle; 1 gray, 1 butterscotch , (1.00 MISSING RIFLE TIP; 1 butterscotch).

- 12.00 6127 REISSUE Backwoods Battle Frontiersmen figures, 24 figures in 9 poses, brown. NO HORSES.

1.00 REISSUE pioneer kneeling shooting rifle, dark brown. (NONE)

1.00 RECAST pioneer kneeling shooting pistol, dark brown. (NONE).

1.00 RECAST pioneer with rifle, scouting, dark brown. (1)

1.00 RECAST pioneer walking with rifle x waist, dark brown. (NONE)

1.00 RECAST pioneer standing shooting rifle, dark brown. (NONE)

1.00 RECAST pioneer clubbing with rifle, dark brown. (1)

10.00 RECAST All nine pioneers, three mounted, six on foot, dark brown. (NONE)

Tim-Mee had a factory in Germany in the 1950s (part of the Marshal Plan??). Some figures have bases marked GERMANY as opposed to the US marking AURORA IL. Molds had multiple copies od some poses and not all got a logo. Colors are also different in some cases.

SOLD - Lot of ten Tim-Mee Cowboys from the German factory. Peach figures do not have any markings under their bases, but the red, yellow and black are marked GERMANY. Mounted figures are in non US colors, nor was the peach color used in the US.

SOLD - Lot of eight Tim-Mee Indians from the German factory. Standing bowman's base marked Germany. Blue and tan colors were not used for Indians in the USA production.

FIRST SERIES TIM-MEE 70mm FOOT WESTERN POSES

Set #156

Early cowboys were made in tan gray, redbrown and black but red green and yellow became to color used most often by 1955. Blue and white examples are not easy to find and perhaps were made after the military navy figures were run and some of the blue or white plastic was still in the machine.

Early Indians were made in redbrown but red,green and yellow some became the colors used.

Cowboys

3.00 EACH EARTH TONE OR ODD COLORS

Standing shooting rifle; 1 gray, 7 black.

With lasso; 4 grays, 1 armygreen, 2 tan/butterscotch, 2 black.

Kneeling shooting pistol; 3 black.

Advancing with rifle; 1 black.

Sheriff with 2 pistols; 2 black, 1 tan.

7.00 8 First Series Foot Cowboys in all 5 poses; yellow (5), red (8), green (4), color mix (3).

Indians

7.00 8 First series Indians in all 5 poses; red (2), yellow (3), green (6), color mix (2).

2.00 Standing shooting bow; 1 red, 1 yellow.

2.00 Kneeling shooting bow; 2 red, 1 green.

ADD ON FIRST SERIES FIGURES AND ACCESSORIES

It seems Tim-Mee constantly made slight changes and additions to their western line. The figure molds seem to have had as many as 18 cavities so new additions probably only got 1 cavity such that the Indian mold might have; 1 canoe, fire, sitting maiden, dog, one each add on Indians and 2 or 3 each of the original pose Indians.

Early 1950s add ons

5.00 First version "tippy" canoe; NONE.

3.00 First version Paddler feathers apart; 2 yellow, 2 green.

4.00 Fire; NONE.

3.00 Fire; 1 red, 3 green .

4.00 Camp dog, test shot colors; NONE.

2.00 Camp dog, earth tone colors; 6 grays, 6 black.

1.00 Camp dog, bright colors, 5 red, 5 green, 6 yellow.

5.00 Indian girl sitting; NONE.

3.00 Indian girl sitting; 1 red, 3 green, 4 yellow, (1.00 NO FEATHER; 1 yellow).

3.00 Calf, test shot colors; 5 army greens, 3 butterscotch, 2 dull pink, 1 cream with pink.

2.00 Calf, earth tone & older colors; 5 black, 4 lighter gray, 3 redbrown, 5 dark red, 1 green.

1.00 Calf, bright colors 9 red, 7 yellow, 6 green.

Early to Mid 1950s add on Indians

3.00 Indian with club; 6 green, 3 red.

3.00 Chief with spear; 3 green.

3.00 Indian with knife x chest (Dennis Hopper pose); 9 green, 1 red, 1 yellow.

Mid 1960s add on cowboys

2.00 Cowboy about to draw; 8 red, 6 yellow, 1 green.

2.00 Cowboy turned to the right shooting pistol; 9 red, 2 yellow.

SECOND SERIES 70mm WESTERN "RODEO" FIGURES

Rodeo Cowgirls

6.00 Mounted Cowgirl waving hat; NONE,(3.00 MISSING WHIP END; 1 red, 1 yellow).

4.00 Cowgirl waving; 1 yellow, 1 red, (3.00 MISSING HAT; 1 red).

3.00 Cowgirl with rope and pistol; 7 red, 5 yellow, 1 green.

10.00 Cowgirl with harness; NONE.

Rodeo Cowboys

4.00 Cowboy drawing two pistols; 5 red, 5 yellow, 3 green.

4.00 Cowboy walking with saddle; 3 red, 6 green.

4.00 Cowboy about to draw one pistol; 1 green.

4.00 Cowboy playing the guitar; 1 red.

5.00 Second version canoe; NONE.

4.00 Second version Padder feathers together; NONE IN STOCK.

THE FINAL THIRD SERIES OF 70mm FOOT WESTERN FIGURES

In 1970 Processed Plastic made a new mold of 70mm Cowboys and Indians. The older molds were all phased out over the next few years.

Cowboys

2.00 With two pistols.

1.00 Holding rifle at waist.

1.00 About to draw both pistols.

1.00 Shot, dropping pistol.

1.00 Standing shooting rifle.

1.00 Standing shooting pistol.

Indians

2.00 Kneeling shooting bow; 1 yellow, 1 green.

1.00 Throwing spear; 4 yellow, 2 red.

1.00 With tomahawk & knife; NONE.

1.00 Crawling with rifle; 5 yellow, 6 red, 1 green.

2.00 Standing shooting bow; 1 yellow.

1.00 Crawling with tomahawk; 6 yellow, 1 green.

.

- 15.40 11149 REISSUE Cowboys & Indians; 40 figures in 12 poses, brown & tan.

LARGE ABOUT 5-6 INCH FIGURES made in 1977

BASES MARKED TIMMEE TOYS DIVISION OF PROCESSED PLASTIC

Using the same masters for the new "60mm" cowboys and Indians a series of six inch figures was also produced.

6.00 Indian shooting bow, has splits; NONE.

6.00 Cowboy about to draw pistol; 1 red, 1 yellow.

6.00 Indian chief with tomahawk & knife; NONE.

6.00 Cowboy shooting pistol; NONE.

6.00 Indian throwing spear; NONE.

6.00 Cowboy shooting rifle; NONE.

.50 Split log fence section, cream/white. (NONE)

1.00 Split log fence section; NONE.

About 1998 the original Tim-Mee western figures were phased out of the small buckets they were sold in and replaced by copies of Airfix cowboys and Indians that are made in China. Like many other US companies toy production has moved at least partially to China to help maintain the business. Still it was sad to see the old Tim-Mee figures go.

8.00 Wild West Tub, 30+ pieces (colors and pose assortment may differ from above photo). These were from the last production run. (OUT OF STOCK)

25.00 Later bag with Hong Kong parts.