Repairing Britains

[Burnt65]

Hello
A friend has a collection of Britains he inherited but quite a number of them are damaged.
Does anyone know of a repairer of said treasures or a way to do it yourself
Thanks
Keith

[FramFramson]

Glue Scotland and Wales on before they fall off the way Ireland did?

_{(sorry, joke in extremely poor taste, I know, I know... I just have absolutely no idea what you're referring to)}

[Cubs]

Britains were/are a range of old metal (tin?) toy soldiers. They were classic. I can't think of any way to repair them for sure beyond simple glue without re-casting. Any attempt to use solder would probably melt the model too.

[carlos marighela]

This probably will be less than useful in an immediate sense but there was an article published on this very subject in one of the Militay Modelling annuals many moons ago. Worth tracking down. I think I may still have it somewhere, I'll have a look but as my wife has had another 'tidying' session recently,  i won't promise. If I find it I'll try and scan it at work.

If parts are broken, your best bet will be fashioning replacements with greenstuff or similar.

[Mitch K]

Britains were/are a range of old metal (tin?) toy soldiers. They were classic. I can't think of any way to repair them for sure beyond simple glue without re-casting. Any attempt to use solder would probably melt the model too.

Worth trying the very low temp solder like the railway modelling lads use?

[Eric the Shed]

Are they plastic or lead figures?

[Franz_Josef]

If the heads have been knocked off, inserting a wooden matchstick in the neckhole  and then CAREFULLY glueing will work.  Try not to repaint - that lowers value drastically.

[Gary Peach]

Dont do anything other than glue them together, Super Glue should do it.  Matchsticks is a great idea if hollow casts and you can carve them a bit.  No painting or touching up as they will loose any value.  If they are dented, there is little you can do.  Dont use heat as the 'lead' or mazac with crumble.

[Gary Peach]

Thats great too.  May I suggest you just have a check your not sitting on something that could pay for the glue, paint and stuff... Rare even in a shabby condition.

Im a Dinky Toy collector, and in some cases repaint, but always check its rarity 1st.

[carlos marighela]

re painting Britain's I have to confess my desire is to end with a figure that gives me pleasure to look at and display and not simply a piece of merchandise that will show a profit. Maybe this is an unusual approach these days when everything has a price? 

I'm with you on this one Bezzo. I don't collect Britains but I do pick up old diecasts to play with. I couldn't give a toss about boxes in mint condition etc. mine get converted and repainted. It gives me a mild sense of satisfaction to think of the horror that would inspire in collectors. I tend to think of them as toys not premium bonds.

[Gary Peach]

I agree...  paint away...  but do some checks though.

Dinky just finished on ebay at about £190...  I bought 1 for £20 2 years ago...  ebay is like a car boot in some cases.  You never know what you have till someone - nutters - want to pay for it.

The Mona-Lisa is just a bad painting but the canvas its on may be useful to someone.

[carlos marighela]

Hehee  I guess that makes the efforts of the poor woman in Spain who 'restored' that mural of Christ into a monkey, what collectors would call a 'Code 3'. 

[carlos marighela]

There are those that would she turned a fairly indifferent 19th mural by a middling painter into something distinctive and unique. I quite like the monkey Jesus myself.

[Franz_Josef]

You are quite right that many common Britains, if bare of paint and knocked about, have little value.  However, there are some rarities that - even in 35-50% paint - are still worth a surprising amount. 

[warlord frod]

Having dealt in collectables for many years the value is never more then what someone is willing to pay. In other words you may have a book or something that gives a price but unless you can find someone willing to pay that price it means nothing. If nobody is interested in the thing you have it can be the rarest thing around in the best condition possible and you will not be able to sell it at all. That being said condition and rarity is everything when people want something and most people do not want something that is repaired or repainted.