Bachmann Solid Paints: Lumps of Modelling History

While visiting a model shop recently, I came across this set of Bachmann Plasticville Sitting Figures With Paints, Item No.2914. It includes a palette of solid paint cakes, along with a bottle of cement/painting fluid, and a brush.

This was similar to the paints that Bachmann included in their various Paint-by-Number kits in the 1950s and 1960s, which I have covered previously. Finally, a chance to see first hand what these paints looked like.

The fluid included is 1 1 1 Trichloroethane, but in the 1960s some sets included Carbon Tetrachloride – was this a replacement ?

I have no idea how old the set is, as there are no dates anywhere on the box or instruction sheet. My guess, from the box style, would be 1970s ?

The box says 24 sitting figures, and the instructions say 22. The difference is due to one moulding comprising two figures sitting side by side.

The figures look to be spectators at a sporting event, and the sole standing figure seems to be a Hot Dog salesman ? One standing male figure; seven seated male figures; and four seated female figures.

There are 12 different figures, with two examples of each. All were detached from the sprues in my example.

The glass jar has a black metal cap. The label is printed in red and blue.

BACHMANN STYRENE PAINTING FLUID AND GLUE

CONTENTS: 1 1 1 Trichloroethane (14 cc) Plus 1/4 % Oil of Mustard

CAUTION: Use in ventilated area. Do not inhale concentrated vapor. Do not take internally. Avoid prolonged contact with skin. Do not keep in warm area.

ANTIDOTE: If taken internally, induce vomiting.

BACHMANN BROS., INC., PHILA., PA 19124

The paint palette is made of dark grey plastic. It is only 2 1/2 inches across, or 63 mm.

There are eight tiny cakes of paint, each just over a 1/4 inch across, or 7 mm. The colours are White, Yellow, Tan, Light Blue, Light Green, Black, and Dark Brown.

The figures are moulded in a pink plastic, so that takes care of the flesh areas. The brush is far too large for painting such tiny figures.

Painting instructions are included, and state 'Allow approx. one minute for paint to dry'. Very fast - I should imagine the jar of 1 1 1 Trichloroethane would evaporate very quickly if the top were left off.

The address on the back page of the instruction leaflet is:

Bachmann Bros., Inc.

1400 E. Erie Ave.

Philadelphia, PA. 19124

A fascinating piece of modelling history!

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Springwell and Acrylics

Hello Woodsy,

In reply to Mish (in the comments earlier this week), Springwell models do take acrylic paint. 

Here's my painted Springwell -Tudor Rose Tugboat on my Northern Heights layout.

Regards

Brian

NYC

Spiralling Out of Control

Good Lord, I had one of these in the Sixties! 

Was it called Spiral Art!

This modern one is basically the packaging box with a small motor attached to it and sent through the post like that!

I love how my daughter has framed Moonbase Junior's and Miss's pictures.

Did you spiral?

Little House Painter Set

The recent item by Ed Berg about the Empire Plastic Corp. vehicle and building set was great.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2023/01/empire-of-cars.html#comment-form

I was inspired to see what else the company did, and came up with this wonderful Little House Painter Set. It appears to use the same three buildings that were in the vehicle set.

The vehicle set had three buildings in yellow, red, and blue. While this Little House Painter Set has them moulded in white plastic, which makes sense.

Also included were six cakes of safe, water-mixed paints; and a brush. The card states that 'colors can be washed off with water'. All mounted on a yellow and green card.

The paint colours appear to be red, yellow, orange, green, brown, and blue (I think).

What a great set. I love it.

Some more photographs from Worthpoint:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1950s-empire-plastic-corp-pelham-4549221955

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-empire-plastic-corp-little-441287080

The address is given on the card as Empire Plastic Corp, Pelham Manor, (N.Y. ?), New York.

This selection of old trade advertisements shows that the buildings were available in a three-piece House Set, No.1008; in the carded Little House Painter set; a boxed Little House Painter set; and with a selection of road and rail vehicles, as shown earlier.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/promotional-sheets-empire-plastic-434682279

Another company called Keystone made larger buildings of wood, that also came with washable paints, so that the building could be re-painted as many times as you wanted.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/keystone-house-painter-set-wooden-478781403

One photograph from Worthpoint

Paul Adams from New Zealand

PAINTED MOON BUS

 

This hand-painted LP Moonbus appeared on Ebay earlier in the year. I like the S.O.A.R badge, which calls to mind Project SWORD.

Yellow and black is always an interesting combo, not altogether pleasant and makes me immediately think of Chris Foss's cover for Gillan's Clear Air Turbulance LP.

Did you paint over your space toys?

PAINT MARX

Terranova47's young Grandson has been painting plastic recast Marx space figures of late. Here are photos of the end results with an added robot in the mix for interest:

 Alien spacemen facing off with Dan Dare!

THE COLOUR OF SPACE

 I remember space being everywhere when I was a kid. It was the go-to feature for all our stuff.

Here's the type of paint box I would have had.

This is one on the Spanish auction site and has beautiful graphics, which capture the hope and dreams of space travel we all shared back then.

Did you have a paint box like this?

PAINT YOUR WAGON

 I saw this on auction earlier in the year and kept the pic. Some of the spacemen and space toys have been painted, possibly by a kid. I think the X's mean they've not been painted.

Did you ever paint your toys?

Drying Paint the Savage Way

Hi all,

           Here is a You Tube video by Adam Savage, formerly of Mythbusters, on how to dry paint or glue quickly. Make a drying over from a hair dryer and a cardboard box, although I do not think you would want to leave it running for too long, just until the air inside the box heats up, and do not leave it unattended. It looks useful, but I think you would need to be careful with it.

Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: Blow Dryer Oven! - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand

COLOUR WITCH: THE MAGIC NEW WAY TO PAINT

I half remember these arty crones, the Colour Witch. I'm pretty convinced I had them as a lad in the late Sixties. Anything to do with monsters! Its those little cauldrons that really ring a bell. They would have fit in perfectly with other creepy stuff like the game Which Witch/ Haunted House at the time.

We've mentioned them in passing a few times on Moonbase over the years. Do you remember them? The only place I could find images - from a decade ago - is on the Do you Remember forum! [hope they don't mins me re-posting them]. These are elusive witches and perfect for a Halloween re-paint.

Colour Witch was released by Joyment, a firm I don't know much about.

I do know they made Dizzy Bug though, another great toy game I had back then. I had one right up to about 2015 I think but sold it on. Doh!

Did you Dizzy Bug?

Did you have any other Joyment toys?

ROCKET PAINT BOX

Woodsy

I saw your post, http://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2020/06/painting-space.html , and it reminded me of this paint box I bought many years ago in a secondhand store. No paints are inside.

Enjoy your blog! Keep up the great posts.

Jim Lowe

https://30squaresofontario.blogspot.com/

PAINTING SPACE

I love this old paint tin with its spacey lid!

I'm pretty sure I had something like this as a kid. This was advertised on the Spanish Todocolleccion auction site.

I recognise the space station as one of the cereal premium kits from R and L's space series. Don't recognise the other images.

These tins usually contained two rows of boxed water colours and a slot for and with a paint brush. Neat and simple.

The indented inner lid was where you could mix your paints for that meisterwerk you were doing!

Did you have a Spacey paint tin?

Addendum: Reader James sent us his gorgeous tin of space paint!

OH HOW I HATE SEA BLUE!

My Humbrol Sea Blue arrived in the post. I've slapped a coat on my Sky Ship 1 and ....

I hate it!

There's nothing for it but to buy a darker blue and cover it up as soon as possible!

DETTOL AS A PAINT STRIPPER?

Hi Woodsy,

Headed up to the local shopping area. I finally managed to get some new Hot Wheels, including the Mattel Dream Mobile you featured recently - a very 1950's looking model. A few others too. I also treated myself to a Big Mac combo at McDonald's - that took care of lunch!

I think I have mentioned this before. I saw an article recently in Model Collector which recommended the use of Dettol disinfectant (and it must be Dettol brand, regular brown type) as a paint stripper which is safe to use on plastic. 

Well I was finally able to get a bottle and try it out. 

Dettol is amazing! 

It gets the paint off without melting the plastic, or your hands, unlike most types of paint stripper. How is it this is so little known? 

I have only just discovered it. There are a few instructional videos on You Tube, most dealing with fantasy wargaming figures. 

I need to do a few more experiments, as it is not always suitable for use on soft plastics, but this is really something worth knowing.

Paul Adams 

New Zealand

PAINT WHEELS - THE GREATEST ART TOY EVER?

I adored Denys Fisher's Paint Wheels as a kid. I got it one Christmas in the Sixties.

The pens. The wheels. The paint. Wow!

Is it the best artistic toy ever made?

Did you get one for Christmas?

remember painting by numbers?

I remember Painting By Numbers sets at Christmas.

There were always one or two perched on the arm of the sofa my prezzies were piled onto. 

I wish I could recall some ultra-cool JR21 Thunderbirds painting sets but the subject matter I see when I think back is mostly wildlife like horses and birds in trees. I suppose they were trying to educate us as we painted.

The Paints were supplied in small plastic lidded pots that were neatly kept in place by holes in the back card box. There was naturally a brush too, together with a stack of unpainted paper sheet designs and the finished model pictures either in a colour leaflet or on the back. No idea who the manufacturers were anymore. Berwick? 

All that was needed to paint by numbers really was a table, a glass of water and lots of childhood.

I don't get a happy feeling when I think of Painting by Numbers sets so imagine I wasn't keen on them. Like Board Games, I will have found them just too restrictive for my chaotic mind!

Even worse in my opinion were the Embroidery By Numbers sets my Mum got. Torture by a thousand stitches!

I do recall, however, loving a toy or painting set where the colour was revealed by wetting the paper with a brush dipped in water. Maybe I'm dreaming but it feels like something that I actually did as a kid! Can anyone help?

Did you like painting by numbers sets readers?

poster paints: did you?

One of those mysterious but creative gifts we got at Xmas in the Sixties was poster paint.

I've absolutely no idea what it was.

Was it really paint for posters?

I think they came in plastic pots with lids. For some reason I'm seeing the brushes already stuck in the lids, impaled through a hole! Can that be right?

The plastic lids I seem to recall had curled-in holes in the middle for the brush. Maybe these were non-drip in some unfathomable way.

What did we paint on? poster sized paper?

All in all poster paints remain a mystery.

Remember them?

mist-o matic toy: the first spray of christmas

I knew I had a paint set called MIST-O-MATIC! Phew, thought I was dreaming. After a short mooch round my loft I found it! Voila! 

It's Boxing Day so what better way to enjoy it than unboxing a toy.

This isn't the boxed Mist-O Matic set I had way back, Xmas 1970,  but it's one I picked up in the 1990's at a local boot sale. 

It's basically a stencilling machine that spatters paint on card. This set has completely unused contents but the box is a bit battered. It was made by Denis Fisher.

I made loads of cards and pictures when I was 9 with my Mist o matic and my absolute favourite design was the Merry Xmas Christmas one pictured in the instruction leaflet below. Class! 

Did you have this toy readers?

Merry Mist-O Boxing Day!