This was a range of 36 small, six-piece kits, that came pre-painted, and only needed to be assembled.
The Miniature Bird Model Kit series was described on the boxes as 'Easy to Assemble - 6 Separate Hand Decorated Plastic Pieces'. Most also had 'Beautifully Painted' on the front of the box.
Louis Marx & Co. Inc. was one of the major US toy companies, but the models were made in the Far East, as were many of their toys. I could not pin down a release date for these kits, but I am sure there are plenty of Marx toy experts who will have that information at their fingertips. The kits were certainly available in the 1960s, so either 1950s or 1960s.
Each model consisted of left and right body halves (including the legs); left and right wings; tail; and a small stand that was common to all the kits. The assembly diagram was printed on the back of the box.
The feet of each bird were rings, which slid over the twig part of the stand. The stand was always moulded in brown plastic.
A small card was included with each kit. One side showed a colour picture of the bird, which was a repeat of the box top illustration; with details about the bird on the back.
Most of the end-opening boxes are marked Made in Hong Kong, but some say Made in Taiwan. Some do not carry the country of manufacture on the front of the box, just on the ends. I did find a photo of one box that says Contents Made in Taiwan - Box Made in Hong Kong.
This site shows a box that was apparently intended for the British market, as the Assortment number has a U.K. suffix. The box end also says Empire Made, rather than the usual Made in Hong Kong. Small Scale World also has some photos.
The number 6157 is printed on the ends of the box, but this is a general number for the whole range of 36 Bird kits.
The individual kit numbers only appear on a printed list of all the models that was included in each box.
The Assortment number is usually prefixed HK, for Hong Kong, even on those boxes marked Made in Taiwan. However some do have a T for Taiwan prefix.
Scalemates only list nine of these kits, and give the scale as 1:1, or life-size. This is highly unlikely.
The real birds differ in size, yet the kit boxes are all the same size. They are also tiny - less than 3 inches (75mm) long. I doubt a full-sized Long Eared Owl (12 to 16 inches long) would fit in such a small box.
In addition to the individual kits, there was at least one large boxed set, containing 15 different Birds. This had a lift-off lid.
There was also a counter-top display unit for shops, to promote sales. This was cardboard, with a clear plastic window, showing off a selection of six assembled birds.
I also came across some very similar kits, that do not carry the Marx name. The style of the boxes suggests they are later than the Marx kits.
These might be the same kits, or copies. They all seem to be moulded in a single colour plastic, with only the eyes touched in.
It is possible that the same kits, or copies, were sold under several different brand names over the years. That would be pretty common for Hong Kong toys.
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Marx Bird Kits list:
Assortment No. 6157 (printed on box ends)
Individual kit numbers (printed on enclosed list)
Colorful Model Kits of Thirty-six Different Species
1 - Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
2 - Belted Kingfisher
3 - Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
4 - Black-Billed Magpie
5 - Scarlet Tanager
6 - Red Cross Bill
7 - Evening Grosbeak
8 - Yellow-Headed Blackbird
9 - Red-Winged Blackbird
10 - Pileated Woodpecker
11 - Blue Jay
12 - Canary
13 - Tufted Titmouse
14 - Eastern Bluebird
15 - Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
16 - English Sparrow
17 - Parakeet
18 - Baltimore Oriole
19 - Long-Eared Owl
20 - Yellow Warbler
21 - Cardinal
22 - Robin
23 - Barn Swallow
24 - Goldfinch
25 - Chestnut Sided Warbler
26 - Black Burnian Warbler
27 - Prothonotary Warbler
28 - Yellow-Throated Warbler
29 - Yellow Breasted Chat
30 - American Redstart
31 - Bobolink
32 - Rufous-Sided Towhee
33 - Chestnut-Collared Longspur
34 - Cliff Swallow
35 - Red Headed Woodpecker
36 - White Crowned Sparrow
"Collect Each of These Beautiful American Birds"
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14 photographs from Worthpoint
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Now this is really something! As I mentioned, a pal found a lot of these Marx Bird Models at a five-and-dime store in the late 60s/early 70s, and I saw several on display. Quite beautiful! Even the boxes were cool. And a kit line virtually no-one remembers, or cares about. Thanks again! SFZ
ReplyDeleteThank you. These kits are a part of modelling history, and deserve to be remembered. The information is out there, all that is required is a little digging - sometimes a lot of digging. But it is all fun.
ReplyDeleteI love that point of sale display!
ReplyDeleteMethinks there could be a post just on the subject of POS displays!
Is that a hint ? These Point of Sale displays were really popular with American kit companies in the 1950s and 1960s. If a retailer bought enough kits, the model company would send them a counter-top display unit, with one or more built-up, factory-assembled models, to help promote sales. There are collectors who have amassed large numbers of these - they must be rare, given that they were never intended to survive for decades.
ReplyDelete