Vintage Rare Eire Lead Football Player Miniature Figure Figurine
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:30406751 | Sport: Football |
Hard to find Eire lead football figure. Measures approx. 1 1/8” tall. Some paint loss. See photos. Marked “EIRE” on bottom of base.The following company information was found in a Google search:Authenticast, S.A.E., & Comet from sculptures Holger Eriksson and Frank Rogers.
Authenticast was the production name from the 1930’s – 1950’s by the American toy maker Comet. They created cast metal military toys and soldiers with far great detail than found by many othe...r makers.
Authenticast halted toy production during WWII to create waterline ships to be used as I.D. models by the military and after WWII these were sold as toys. Their line of soldiers followed the Comet “Brigadier” series and were made by a subsidiary of the Comet company set up in Ireland after WWII to take advantage of post-war economic regeneration initiatives. Hence the name “Eire” on the base if their toys.
The figures were cast from molds sculpted by Holger Eriksson and Frank Reynolds and can be found with the initial HE or FR on base bottoms with a characteristic cross-shaped base. Other figures marked “LN" were sculpted by Lennart Norrke. The Authenticast factory closed in 1953 after a fire and production was moved to South Africa where it continued to produce the same 54mm soldiers and an additional line of 30mm figures under the name South African Engineers or SAE. Sometimes, the "EIRE" wasn't properly shaved off the figures from which molds were made and so South African production can be misattributed to having been made in Ireland. Eriksson cast figures for both companies as well as his own production of toys in 1963. Yes, the company history can be confusing!
To further muddy the water, a third company named Malleable Mouldings, started plastic production using the Authenticast figures as well as painting Authenticast metal figures.
Authenticast was the production name from the 1930’s – 1950’s by the American toy maker Comet. They created cast metal military toys and soldiers with far great detail than found by many othe...r makers.
Authenticast halted toy production during WWII to create waterline ships to be used as I.D. models by the military and after WWII these were sold as toys. Their line of soldiers followed the Comet “Brigadier” series and were made by a subsidiary of the Comet company set up in Ireland after WWII to take advantage of post-war economic regeneration initiatives. Hence the name “Eire” on the base if their toys.
The figures were cast from molds sculpted by Holger Eriksson and Frank Reynolds and can be found with the initial HE or FR on base bottoms with a characteristic cross-shaped base. Other figures marked “LN" were sculpted by Lennart Norrke. The Authenticast factory closed in 1953 after a fire and production was moved to South Africa where it continued to produce the same 54mm soldiers and an additional line of 30mm figures under the name South African Engineers or SAE. Sometimes, the "EIRE" wasn't properly shaved off the figures from which molds were made and so South African production can be misattributed to having been made in Ireland. Eriksson cast figures for both companies as well as his own production of toys in 1963. Yes, the company history can be confusing!
To further muddy the water, a third company named Malleable Mouldings, started plastic production using the Authenticast figures as well as painting Authenticast metal figures.
