All figures shown obtained from "The Admiral" (a pseudonym), here with the non-firing rocket gantry from the "Genuine Cake Decorations" Space Set.
What a mob. According to the Triang Spacex / Golden Astronaut website compiled by Commodore Vreede, the figures are all cast in black, painted with a metallic "chrome" like paint and then dyed with a yellow varnish to achieve the Golden look. You can see how the chrome layer has worn off the guy at center with both hands raised, and the ones which remain silver colored are almost surely from one of the "Apollo Moon Exploring" sets (or a derivation on them by some interloper) with a likewise chromed Lunar Module.
So even though they look different the chances are very likely that the figures were produced by LP Toys, who made all of the spacemen used by both Triang for the British/European Spacex range and Multiple Toymakers for the North American Golden Astronaut range. Plus apparently their competitors who followed with toy sets echoing or outright ripping off their product. These guys got around.
The bases on the newly arrived batch. Only two are specifically marked as LP Toys product at either end, but that is recognized as a trait which might depend on which toy range was packaged by which company. Here is a link to the basic guide on identifying the figures from the Spacex/GA site.
These two were the "must-have's" from the mob. Guy on the right obviously derived from the popular Geiger Counter guy originated by Marx Toys in the mid 60s and re-purposed in Hong Kong by the ubiquitous MPC / Multiple Products Company for the Space Toy fad which came with the success of Apollo 11. Though who knows what sort of arrangement was worked out between any of them resulting in his existence.
Guy on the right is bizarre: Never seen that pose before, and what's even more striking about him is that he has a recognizable individual's face, where most of the faces on the smaller figures in particular are generic. Would love to learn more about him if anyone has any insights to share in comments or via message.
As a bonus "The Admiral" sent along these guys, which are recast/ripoffs of the inexplicably popular one inch Space Solder forms made by Giant Toys (or Giant Plastics, have seen both names used by sources I have confidence in).
Their base markings. Authentic Giant-made Space Soldiers will have their company name on the bottom in addition to a "Made in Hong Kong" stamp. I don't have any yet and quite frankly became frustrated by how they all seem to get snitched away for dollar sums I do not wish to compete with ... Let's hear it for the vendors, but these are fifty year old 1 inch spacemen made out of plastic, Gentlemen: Relax. Let someone else take a few home. And in exchange you can keep the bleeding Space Tank, K??
Yeah they are.
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