BACHMANN BIRDS OF THE WORLD MODEL KITS BY PAUL ADAMS

Following on from my Introduction to Paint-by-Numbers kits, here is the first of the more detailed follow-up articles.

Bachmann Brothers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the biggest producer of Paint-by-Numbers kits. The Birds of the World series was launched in 1959, with some of the kits surviving in to the 1980s. It was also the largest of the four Paint-by-Numbers lines made by Bachmann, comprising 22 kits. With a few others announced, but not produced. Some of the earlier models were released in Britain by Timpo.

In the 1960s the Bachmann Paint-by-Numbers kits had their own trade catalogues, which were sent out to retailers. These showed the models available, and planned, their prices, and had background information on the line. The catalogues also gave information such as number of kits per carton, shipping weight, and what extra materials were available to publicise the kits, including built-up store display models, and sales stands.

In the 1970s the kits were given just a couple of pages in the general Bachmann Hobby Catalogue - which was a separate publication from the model railways catalogue.

Some of these catalogues are available on line, and are an amazing source of reference material, but remember that not all the items shown actually appeared, and some underwent changes before reaching shop shelves.

All the Bachmann Birds of the World kits were life-sized, and came in three price ranges depending on size. The bulk of the kits (17) sold for $1.00 in the USA when they were released, with a few larger kits going for $1.49 (2) or $1.98 (3).

Several of the kits depicted the State Bird of various States, which likely helped sales.

The models were simple, snap-together kits with only a few parts, as they were aimed at a general audience rather than hard-core modellers. No glue was required. All the kits were moulded in a light pinkish brown plastic. For increased realism, the eyes were moulded in clear plastic – there seem to have been two sets per box in case you lost any. These are often not shown in photographs, and it may be that some have become lost over the years – they were really tiny. There was also a sticker, giving the name of the bird.

All the kits included a stand. In most cases, this was a half-round section of branch. This could be placed flat on a desk or shelf, with the bird sitting on an angled twig. There were two projections at the ends, with a hole in the centre, so that the branch could be screwed to the wall. The bird then sat on a straight twig.

Some kits included a larger stand, obviously a man-made perch. This had a mottled wood-grain colour, which actually looks more like tortoise-shell.

All kits came with a selection of paints specific to the subject. These paints came on a palette, in solid cake form. A bottle of Bachmann Styrene Painting Fluid and Glue was provided, along with a brush. The Fluid was used to dissolve the paint, so it could be used on the model. The Fluid could also be used as a glue, and was available separately.

The first models seem to have appeared in 1959, and the range expanded over the next few years. It was also joined by the Dogs and Animals of the World, and the Americana series. These early kits all came in a white box, with a lift-off lid.

Not all the models announced actually appeared, and there are some gaps in the numbering.

The series was finally dropped in the late 1960s.

About 1971 some of the kits were re-issued under the Bachmann Nature Craft name. Out of the 12 kits released, eight were Birds. There were further re-issues in the 1980s, again under the series title Birds of the World, the Dog and Animal kits no longer being included. 

Some kits came in a Brown Box with a large picture of the bird on the front. There were also generic Green boxes, with a standard picture of three different birds from the series, and a small picture of the actual subject in one corner. Both types of box showed the full range of kits (6 Brown Box, and 12 Green Box) on the back. 

I do not have the exact dates for these issues, or even the order, but one site states that the Brown boxes came first, then the Green. The re-issues were all of the smaller birds, with the larger kits remaining in limbo.

Different blocks of numbers were used for kits in the different price groups. The suffix is the retail price. The re-issues were re-numbered several times.

Original releases, White Box.

Small Birds, price $1.00, 9000 series numbers

9000-100 Baltimore Oriole

9001-100 Goldfinch

9002-100 Bluebird

9003-100 Scarlet Tanager

9004-100 Red Headed Woodpecker in catalogue, Woodpecker on box

9005-100 Robin

9006-100 Parakeet – paints and instructions were included for either a blue or green Parakeet.

9007-100 Cardinal

9008 This number does not appear to have been used

9009-100 Barn Swallow

9010-100 Canary

9011-100 Bohemian Waxwing

9012-100 Painted Bunting

9013-100 Hooded Warbler

9014-100 Evening Grosbeak – Not produced, but 9019 was

9015-100 Hoopoe – the Hoopoe was originally listed under this number, but was actually released as 9101-149.

9016-100 Kinglet

9017-100 Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

9018-100 European Goldfinch

9019-100 Rose-Breasted Grosbeak – seems to have replaced 9014.

Medium Birds, price $1.49, 9100 series numbers

9100-149 Blue Jay

9101-149 Hoopoe, originally listed as 9015-100

Large Birds, price $1.98, 9200 series numbers

9200-198 Parrot

9201-198 Owl in catalogue, Screech Owl on boxes

9202-198 Pitta – not produced, number re-used

9202-198 Meadowlark

The Evening Grosbeak and Pitta were not produced, despite being listed in early catalogues, and even given numbers. The Hoopoe was re-numbered. Wikipedia also mention a Weaver Bird, but this is not listed in any Bachmann material I have seen.

These unproduced and re-numbered models are shown in a 1960 sales leaflet.

There were also some large assortments containing up to five different kits.

Some kits were also issued with a moulded 3-Dimensional scene, but I do not know the dates for these. According to the back of the box, there were four Birds and two Dogs in this series.

4001 Bluebird

4002 Cardinal

4003 Robin

4004 Woodpecker

In the early 1960s a few models began to be withdrawn, adding to the gaps. Some of the kits also appeared on cards - these look to be from the late 1960s, judging from the kits listed on the back of the card. The list contains just ten kits, seven Birds and three Dogs, with no mention of any Animal kits. The Birds being:

9600 Baltimore Oriole

9602 Blue Bird

9604 Woodpecker

9605 Robin

9606 Parakeet

9607 Cardinal

9616 Kinglet

Bachmann Nature Craft Kits, price $1.50, Birds, Dogs, and Animals were now all numbered together. Date appears to be 1971.

While most of the kits had increased in price, from $1.00 to $1.50, the Morgan Horse had actually come down from $1.98.

6501:150 Cardinal

6502:150 Woodpecker

6503:150 Parakeet

6504:150 Collie

6505:150 German Shepherd

6506:150 Morgan Horse

6507:150 St. Bernard

6508:150 Robin

6509:150 Baltimore Oriole

6510:150 Scarlet Tanager

6511:150 Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

6512:150 Goldfinch

Bachmann Brown Box series, Birds only, new numbers, 1980s ?

8701 Parakeet

8702 Baltimore Oriole

8703 Bluebird

8704 Scarlet Tanager

8705 Woodpecker

8706 Goldfinch

Bachmann Green Box series, Birds only, revised old numbers, 1980s ?

The kits reverted to their original Birds of the World numbers, but with a 1 added at the beginning. There were two gaps, as 9008 seems never to have been used, and 9011 Bohemian Waxwing was not re-issued.

19000 Baltimore Oriole

19001 Goldfinch

19002 Bluebird

19003 Scarlet Tanager

19004 Woodpecker

19005 Robin

19006 Parakeet

19007 Cardinal

19009 Barn Swallow

19010 Canary

19012 Painted Bunting

19013 Hooded Warbler

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Timpo Toys

Toy Importers (hence Timpo) was a British company founded in 1937. Later they manufactured their own toys, and are best known for their metal, and later plastic, figures.

At some point in either the late 1950s or early 1960s they released a number of the early Bachmann Bird kits on the British market. The kits were re-numbered, and a couple were re-named.

Different dates are given for these kits in different sources. From 1959 on a Facebook site devoted to animal kits, to the 1970s on some sales sites. The information on the end of the box says Timpo Model Kit, Manufactured by Model Toys Ltd., London, W.10, and Made in England. 

This dates the kits to somewhere between 1953 and 1964, as Timpo moved up to Scotland in 1964, and thereafter their products were marked Made in Gt. Britain.

The kits came in different boxes to the Bachmann issues, but they were still Paint-by-Numbers kits. These being the first such kits I have found by a non-US company. The plastic parts were in the same pinkish colour as the Bachmann kits, and included the clear plastic eyes. 

Paints, cement, and a brush were included. But the paints now came in small plastic capsules, which fitted in to slots in a strip of cardboard in the box. There appear to have been a standard six capsules per box.

Model numbers were prefixed with BS for Bird Series.

Timpo Model Kit – Life Size Bird Series.

B.S. 1 Goldfinch

B.S. 2 Scarlet Tanager

B.S. 3 Baltimore Oriole

B.S. 4 Bluebird

B.S. 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Red Headed Woodpecker kit)

B.S. Budgerigar (Parakeet kit)

I assume the Budgerigar (known in America as the Parakeet) would have been B.S. 6, but I could not find any photos of the box side to confirm this. All these kits seem to be rare. I do not know if this is the full range – it seems odd that such popular birds as the Canary and the Robin do not appear to have been included.

All photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand