Ivanhoe range

Six named lead toy knights, based on the MGM film Ivanhoe. This was the first of three MGM and Timpo Toys partnership arrangement in producing film merchandising . This is taken so much for granted these days will Star Wars and Lord of The Rings, but in 1951 I thinks Ally Gee of Timpo was breaking new ground. There had been a few minor one off film figures, but this was three sets of figures, very in keeping with the style and colours of the films.

The Knights 54mm scale in hollow-cast were produced from 1951 to approx 1956 with various modifications .

Knight was detachable from his horse and complete with a removable shield and lance.

When I first started to collect these knights there was so little information on this series. what was

My first headache was trying to match knights to their names, sounds easy. but, I found no catalogue illustrations or other advertising material. Although I had collected a few boxed example, as all collectors know you can't trust that the box matches the figure. Many did not ,so I went to the MGM film for the info, luckily the Timpo Knights colours are as the films characters.

After some time in my collecting quest I came across a figure painted in all the correct Ivanhoe colours, but with a movable visor. First reaction was this must be a someone's repaint of the the Timpo Round Table Green Knight.

These initial thoughts were unfounded and gradually I collected the whole range. There is a second Ivanhoe series, but they are very scarce.

Production Changes.

Knight's Body

The Knights when first introduced were equipped both detachable metal lance and shield.

In the second series the knight's body was changed for the green knight body from the later Round Table series, with the movable small visor and the shield was soldered to the body.

The lances were originally lead, but the second series lances I have found in yellow, green, and orange.

Shields Three different types


Ivanhoe (Black Knight)	Bois de Guibert Hugh de Bracy Philip de Malvoisin	Ralph de Vipont Crusader

Packaging. Each knight was individually packed in tissue, with a sheet listing the Ivanhoe range initially in a very nice brown box with lid. It was soon changed to light blue green box ,this giving why to the usual Timpo white box with green label stuck on the front . The product number and knights name were both stamped on one flap Also on this box end is the price of 3/11 three shillings and eleven pence in the UK's pre-decimal money

			Film character played by Robert Taylor
First series	Second series	MGM film

			Film character played by George Sanders
First series	Second series	MGM film

		Film character played by Robert Douglas
First series	Second series	MGM film

		Film character played by Francis de Wolff
First series	Second series	MGM film

		Film character played by Patrick Holt
First series	Second series	MGM film

		Film character played by Roderick Lovell
First series	Second series	MGM film



The white crusaders in the film were King Richards guard, but they were also supplied in green and yellow heraldry. They were supplied as singles in white boxes with blue labels.