WWI Rare Tin Litho Jointed "Sammy" Soldier with Sword

Regular price $48.00

I have only found one other of these out there anywhere, which its citation referred to as an "Active Sammy"--"the first action figure!"--produced by UToys (Patent Pending). That one was attached to a base advertising the Thomas S. Childs Inc. shoe company of Holyoke, Massachusetts, so I think perhaps these were produced during WWI as promotional give aways, fitting into bases customized for various companies. This one no longer has a base, but a pretty terrific small tin litho soldier he is, with riveted joints, allowing one to pose him in all sorts of ways, stating or sitting, sword raised or at rest. I especially love his very pink cheeks, and the laced up side of his back leg, which is the one that would have slide into his base, and this he would be fantastic as the subject of a stop motion animation! 5" tall not including sword. Overall very good condition, especially for being 100+ years old, with just a bit of loss to the color litho on his chin, wrist and around the edge of his back leg and a bit of a bending to the tin. He needs to lean a bit against something to stand up.