PYRO PAINT BY NUMBERS AMERICAN INDIANS KITS BY PAUL ADAMS

Pyro made a total of nine Paint-by-Numbers kits in the 1960s. All were re-issues of existing kits, with the addition of paints, a brush, and revised painting instructions.

Following on from their Paint-by-Number Bird kits, released in 1963, there was a Western Figure Series. Comprising six kits: three Cowboys, and three Indians. These came out in 1965.

All the Western kits are usually dated 1958, but it seems they may have come out in two batches, with the Indians appearing first.

The American Indian Series (the name appears on both the box ends and the instruction sheets) comprised three models, all 10 inches high. They were large and well detailed, and had a US retail price of 98 cents.

The kits were moulded in a mid-brown plastic - perhaps chosen as a suitable 'flesh' colour ? Each figure stood on a small base, in the same colour as the rest of the kit.

All the kits had a detailed painting of the figure, with a suitable background, on the box top. Oddly, the Pyro name did not appear on the box lid, only on the sides and ends.

The side of the boxes and the instruction sheets show the three Indian figures, with no mention of the Cowboys - yet the Cowboy boxes show all six figures. Now this is just a guess on my part, but this seems to suggest that the Indians appeared first, with the Cowboys not being released until later.

The 1959 Pyro catalogue lists all six kits, now called the American Western Series.

VINTAGE 1959 PYRO MODEL KIT CATALOG | #127337122 (worthpoint.com)

270-.98 Indian Warrior - carrying bow, spear, and knife

271-.98 Indian Chief - standing, arms crossed, wearing a headdress

272-.98 Indian Medicine Man - wearing a horned headdress, and carrying a rattle and drum

Built examples.

VTG 1950's PYRO Plastic Indian Chief Model parts pieces.. 3 PC LOT and.......... | #3881854922 (worthpoint.com)

This trio of kits was also released in Britain by Kleeware, although I have only found examples of the Warrior and Medicine Man. Again, the side of the box shows only the three Indian figures.

In 1965 the figures were re-released as Paint-by-Numbers models, and were given new numbers. The box art had the detailed background deleted, leaving just the figure against a plain white background. Despite the inclusion of paints and a brush, the price had increased by only 2 cents, to $1.00.

C281-100 Indian Chief

C282-100 Indian Medicine Man

C283-100 Indian Warrior

All came with an identical palette of paints - black, white, yellow, red, and blue; all supplied in solid cake form. The paints were of a new type, which were water soluble. This was not mentioned on the box tops, but it was heavily promoted on the sides of the boxes.

All the Western kits were now moulded in the same light brown plastic, which was lighter than that previously used for the Indian kits.

The Paint-by-Numbers kits lasted until 1967, by which time the price had increased to $1.50. As far as I am aware they have not been re-issued since.

All 12 photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand