Who are Addco?

This old Pyro toys auction mention Addco. Who are they anyone?

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1954-addco-magic-guide-pyro-488611089

Paint-by-Numbers Pyro Birds by Paul Adams

The Pyro Plastics Corporation, of Union, New Jersey, was one of the smaller American kit makers. 

Originally a general plastics firm, it was active in the kit field from the 1950s until the early 1970s. In 1958 it launched a small series of Bird kits, carrying the Mark Trail name. Mark Trail being a newspaper comic strip, with a conservation theme.

 There were only three kits in the series:

C280-.89 American Bald Eagle

C281-.98 Ring-Necked Pheasant

C282-.98 Mallard Duck

The Eagle sold for 89 cents, and the other two for slightly more, at 98 cents. There was apparently also a set, containing all three kits, but I have not seen a picture of this.

All three kits were re-issued in 1963 in new boxes, with new numbers, as Paint-by-Number sets. This being the first such range by Pyro. The paints came on a palette, and were common to all three sets. The colours were generic: black, white, yellow, red, blue, and green. A brush was also included.

All the birds were basically brown, and the kits were moulded in brown plastic (dark brown for the Eagle, and medium brown for the Pheasant and Duck), so only the details and the base needed to be painted.

At some point, possibly 1965 when the Paint-by-Numbers line was extended, the original paints were replaced with NEW ! Water Soluble Paints. This was pointed out on the side of the box, but not on the box tops.

All the kits now sold for 98 cents, although this did increase later. That was good value, given that most of the kits were no more expensive than the original issues, but now included paints and a brush.

The new boxes were basically white, with a full-colour painting of the bird within. This would have undoubtedly helped with finishing the model.

C353-98 Bald Eagle

C354-98 Ring-Necked Pheasant

C355-98 Mallard Duck

In the 1970s the Pyro range, including the birds, went to Life-Like, who sold the kits under the American Wildlife name. According to the Scalemates site, these kits were also issued by Bull Mark, which seems to be a Japanese company. The Eagle has also been re-issued by Lindberg. None of these appear to be Paint-by-Number sets, with paints and a brush, just normal kits.

The series was also released in Britain by Kleeware, as these pages from a 1960 Hobbies Annual list all three kits, with a retail price of 7/- (seven shillings, or 35 New Pence). But the only kit I have seen on-line is the Pheasant. Again, these appear to be the original kits, not the Paint-by-Numbers versions. Kleeware kits of any subject seem to be rare.

Category:Kleeware plastic construction kits - The Brighton Toy and Model Index (brightontoymuseum.co.uk)

Eight photographs, all from Worthpoint

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Rob C's Vintage Car Kits

Woodsy,

I’ve decided to take a break from building those “heavy” vintage Japan SF models and tackle something simpler from my childhood.

 Before I discovered Japan SF, circa 1968, I built pretty much anything I could get my hands on - planes, cars, monsters, etc. One of the most fun were the 1/32 “antique cars” or “hot rods” released by various manufacturers, including Palmer, Johann, Pyro and Lifelike.

 A lot of kids modified these cars for electric slot-car racing, but I always made them as display models.

 I found a few of these vintage kits dirt cheap on eBay, and thought I’d give them a try. (It will also be a chance to practice my airbrushing.) If they come out well, I’ll send along pix. Here they are in kit form.

Rob C

USA

Paint-by-Number Kits - Pyro Cowboys by Paul Adams

The last of the Pyro Paint-by-Number sets of the 1960s were three Cowboy kits - together with the Indian figures these formed the Western Figure Series. All the kits dated back to the late 1950s.

It is my guess that the Cowboy kits were introduced after the American Indian Series, as the Indian boxes only show the Indian kits, while the Cowboys show both Cowboys and Indians.

Most sources date both ranges to 1958, and the Cowboys were shown in the 1958 Pyro catalogue as new items. All were linked to various TV Westerns of the day. Both the Cowboys and Indians were listed under the heading American Western Series in the 1959 catalogue. The tie-in had been dropped by the time the Paint-by-Number versions were released in 1965, probably because only one of the three shows was still on the air.

276 TV's Rawhide - Western Cowpuncher - Eric Fleming as Gil Favor

277 TV's Restless Gun - Deputy Sheriff - John Payne as Vint Bonner

278 Hugh O'Brian TV's Wyatt Earp - U.S. Marshal

The first time I saw the Restless Gun - Deputy Sheriff figure I thought it was Gary Cooper in the film High Noon (1952). The look and stance just scream Gary Cooper, although the clothing is a little different.

Hugh O'Brian was the only actor to have his name ahead of the series title. The sides of the boxes, and the instruction sheets, show all three Cowboy and all three Indian figures, so both ranges were available at the same time.

Wyatt Earp was on US TV 1955-61, and Restless Gun 1957-59, but Rawhide did not air until January 1959, running until 1966. A 1958 release date for this kit would have meant it was in the shops before the series even aired in the US, so was it a 1958 or 1959 release ?

There is a tiny copyright notice on the front of the boxes, which in the case of the Rawhide and Restless Gun kits is 1958. I could not find a clear enough photograph of the Wyatt Earp box to read what it says beyond Wyatt Earp Enterprises Inc.

The 1959 catalogue does not mention any TV tie-in, and the figures are referred to only as the Western Cowpuncher, Deputy Sheriff, and U.S. Marshal. The Restless Gun instruction sheet lists the three figures on the back, but only mentions the U.S. Marshall as being linked to the Wyatt Earp TV series. My guess is that the Cowboy figures had already been planned as a follow up to the American Indian Series, and that the TV tie-ins were a last minute addition to increase sales.

Pyro 1958 Catalog for Plastic Models | #519964316 (worthpoint.com)

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

The 1958 catalogue shows all three Cowboy figures, but only two boxes. They are described as The Western Plastic Hobby Kit Series. The main artwork for the boxes shown is the same as on the released kits, but the small photograph of the actor playing the main role is slightly different. The Rawhide box is not shown - this was the show that did not air until January 1959.

As released, the box art was in colour, with a small black and white photo of the actor from the show added to the boxes in one corner, and on the instruction sheets.

Unlike the Indians, the Cowboys were moulded in different colours: brown for the Rawhide figure; Yellow for the Restless Gun; and light grey for Wyatt Earp. Early advertising lists all the figures as 10 inches tall, the same as the Indian figures.

The figures were rather more animated than the Indians had been. The Western Cowpuncher is carrying a saddle and smoking a cigarette; the Deputy Sheriff is about to draw his pistol; and the U.S. Marshall is resting one foot on a tree stump while holding a rifle. All the kits included a small base, in the same colour plastic as the rest of the kit.

The Paint-by-Number versions came out in 1965, with the Cowboys and Indians all being part of a single line, the Western Figure Series. All were re-numbered, and the Western Cowpuncher was re-named, becoming the Texas Cowboy. Oddly, the Cowboys were now all described as being only 9 inches tall, while the Indians were still listed at 10 inches.

C284-100 Texas Cowboy

C285-100 Deputy Sheriff

C286-100 U.S. Marshal

All the Cowboys were moulded in the same light brown plastic as the Indians. The same palette of five generic paint colours: black, white, red, yellow, and blue, was included in each kit, along with a brush. The paints were now of a water soluble type (non-toxic...non-staining according to the box side), although they still came in solid cake form. The use of these new paints being emphasised on the box sides, and in the dealer catalogues.

The background to the full colour box top paintings had disappeared, leaving just the figures on a white box. All reference to any TV tie-in had also been dropped. The back of the instruction sheet showed the full range of Paint-by-Number kits, including the Birds.

In Britain, Kleeware had released the Pyro Indian figures, but I could not find any reference to the Cowboys being issued.

Once again, this seems to have been the last time any of these kits were released. Life-Like re-issued the Birds as normal kits in the 1970s, but not the Cowboys or Indians.

This Facebook post from Atlantis Toy and Hobby, dated 2020, states that they have the moulds for the three Indians, the Cowboy and the Marshal (no mention of the Deputy Sheriff).

(20+) Facebook

The 2022/23 Atlantis catalogue lists, but does not illustrate, a 1/8th scale Wyatt Earp figure. The catalogue number is P278, the same number as the original Pyro Wyatt Earp kit. I checked with Atlantis, and they have confirmed that this is indeed the old Pyro kit. A P-prefix to the number means that the mould is ex-Pyro. No release date yet, but this means that we will again have the chance to build a model of Wyatt Earp. Something I am really looking forward to.

Copy of Atlantis 22_23CatalogRevCoverProof.pdf - Google Drive

12 photographs from Worthpoint.

Anyone had any of these kits?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

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

AN ISLAND CRAWLING WITH MYSTERIOUS TOYS

 I've just watched Jules Verne's Mysterious Island the movie from 1961.

I've seen it many times and despite crawling with the giant crabs and hungry rocs there are still a few toy related observations I can make.

One of the high points of the film is the appearance of Herbert Lom's Nemo and his futuristic submarine Nautilus. Nowadays they'd call it steampunk but back in the day when the first Nautilus appeared on the big screen in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in 1954, a Leeds-based company got in on the underwater action.

Sutcliffe Pressings created the Nautilus tinplate toy, an icon of vintage play and a glint in the eye of most collectors. A beautiful toy pressed in various bright colours, what I hadn't realised was just how close Sutcliffes was to Moonbase. Literally half an hour away in Horsforth, Leeds!

Now the site of a residential car park, the Sutcliffe glory days are sometimes celebrated at the local Horsforth Museum and this is one of their past displays of submarines. You can also read about Sutcliffe's here: Sutcliffe Boats of Horsforth [there's a picture of the toy sub being sprayed in the spray shop!]. Did you own a Sutcliffe?

Watching Mysterious Island again I was also struck by Nemo's wondrous electric rifle and how it completely captured the atomic age vibe of many space rifles. See what I mean ...

There were many toy space guns like it and here's one off the top of my helmet, the sensational Pyrotomic Disintegrator by Pyro. Did you have one of these bad boys?

Can you think of a better space rifle like Nemo's?

The last toy link to the film and one I've blogged before is Ray Harryhausen's giant octopus and its influential suckers.

This large cephalopod slipped into the mind of one Mel Birnkrant back in the Sixties and its tentacles re-appeared in his triumphant Outer Space Men with Colourforms, one of my all time favourite toy figures as a kid.

The octopod of the Men was one Astro-Nautilus, perhaps the only figure of the original series I didn't have. Sadly all my Men have have left the ship but pictures still abound on the net. Here is the Man from Neptune.

Did any one you ever see the Nemo and Nautilus movies at the flicks? Has anyone got any other toys from the two movies?

Pyro Design Sets

Hi

                I do not know too much about these Pyro Design-A-House, Design-A-Plane, and Design-A-Car sets, but here is the front page from an old Pyro leaflet. This, and the rest of the pages can be found on this Ebay listing. I think these have been mentioned before.

Vintage 50s PYRO Plastic Model Company Full Line Foldout Catalog Car Plane Ship | eBay

C-360 Design-A-Plane, over 4000 models can be built from the set, 12 to 14 inch models. $3.98.

C-361 Design-A-Car, over 25,000 models, with enough parts to build two models at a time, 14 inches. $6.98.

C-362 Design-A-House, in 1/4 inch scale, which is 1/48th. Enough parts to build two homes at a time. Easy to assemble and take apart. Conforms to actual building codes. $14.95.

According to the Scalemates site, all three sets date from 1960. Apparently the Design-A-Plane set was released in Britain by Eaglewall, better known for their 1/1200th scale warship kits.

Each set included a variety of plastic parts that could be assembled in many different combinations to create different models, then taken apart again, and re-assembled in other ways. A bit like the old Dinky car and plane constructor sets.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

PYRO MONSTERS BY MAIL ORDER

Woodsy,

Inspired by your summer post about mail-order companies, I dug out one of my flyers for America's Hobby Center, a mail-order business based in New York City that primarily sold model railroad equipment. 

However, they also sold other stuff, like unusual model kits, and I attach a scan of a page of these kits, plus a close-up of those glorious Pyro "Prehistoric Monsters" models. Enjoy!

Rob C
USA

PYRO MODELS 1972

I saw this catalogue online and thought, yes! I adored those Pyro dinosaurs as a kid in the Sixties, although i thought mine were Revell when I think back. Those illustrations look damn familiar and for some reason I can see a set of Polish stamps too when I look at them. Did you have these models?

When I first started car booting I found a boxed model rifle going for a song and snapped it up. Turned out it was the Silesian rifle shown here, second from the bottom. An amazing model.

Do you like Pyro models?

PYRO DINOSAURS

I was pleased to see one of my old Pyro prehistoric monster model kits on You Tube, the Triceratops.

I had loads of these kits as a kid - anklyosaurus, dimetrodon, T. Rex et al - in the Sixties and particularly loved the box art when I was a lad. I don't recall actually making the models though! Here's a shot of the series from my old Ebay photo archive. Seeing them conjures up Christmas 1967 all over again!

As for what's inside, here's a film from 3 years ago courtesy of the Ghost of Zeon.

Did you have Pyro dinosaurs like me or maybe Airfix or Revell or perhaps even the great Aurora prehistoric scenes?

R & L CEREAL PYRO SPACE TOYS

This is a really interesting discussion from a few years back on the fabulous Alphadrome forum. 

It concerns R&L cereal space toys and includes a series from New Zealand, which appear to be Pyro miniatures.

http://danefield.com/alpha/forums/topic/11123-robert-the-robot-rl-cereal-toy/

PYRO MEETS PROJECT SWORD

A lovely trio from 2013, I noticed these this week online. I was surprised to see an Auction House get the titles wrong/confused. All three are described as Project SWORD. However the listing does say that one is by Pyro. Here.