Circus Time: Britains Limited Lead Circus Horse & Ballerina

(Since this piece has only been in my collection since January, I am reposting the blog entry I wrote about it back then.)

Look what I found! A Britains Trotting Circus Horse and Equestrienne!

I was actually searching eBay for the HO scale horses, and this piece popped up in my search. I'm really glad it did.

The Equestrienne (love that British spelling) is removable from the horse. (That's because there is also a circus elephant which she can stand on.)

I don't know a lot about Britains, so I spent some time doing research. Most of what I learned comes from the Britains Toy Museum in the United Kingdom and is cut and pasted below.

Britain's Mammoth Circus (more commonly referred to nowadays as just "Britains Circus") was a range of painted lead figures made by Britains Limited between the wars. 

CATALOGUE LISTING, 1940

351B Prancing Horse –  352B Trotting Horse –  353B Man on Stilts –  354B Clown with Hoop –  355B Equestrienne –  356B Cowboy with Lasso – 357B Ring Master –  358B Clown, Standing –  359B Elephant –  446B Tub –  447B Boxing Clown –  448B Lion Tamer –  449B Performing Tiger – 450B Performing Elephant –  451B Boxing Kangaroo – 

1442 Six-piece Circus Set –  1443 Ten-piece Circus Set –  1444 Fourteen-piece Circus Set –  1539 Twenty-three-piece Circus Set –

See the rearing horse in this set? That's 351B, ironically called "Prancing Horse." (Mine is 352B Trotting Horse.) 

Oh, how I would love to get a complete set! (Yeah, right. Dream on!)

The listings I've come across over the years call the performer "Ballerina," but Britains named her "Equestrienne."

The Equestrienne came in a variety of colors.  Mine is blonde with a blue dress.

Just as the performer's colors vary, so did the horse's tack. I've seen blue, green, orange, and red as I've researched.

The paint on Britains is very fragile and there is likely a lead content, both in the paint and in the metal that the horse and performer are made from. I'm being careful and am washing my hands after I touch them. (Sadly, the Cowpokes and Pony Pals will not be allowed to handle them.)

Now I need to find the Prancing Horse and add it to my collection. Chances are pretty slim, but you never know what a random search may bring up!

Coming up next in the Circus Time series? My absolute, favorite circus horses. Can you guess who they are? Put your guess in the comments and I will send the correct guesser a little something. (If there is more than one who guess correctly, I'll draw names or something.)

Prepare to be amazed!