William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917), known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and wild west showman.

One of the most famous and well-known figures of the American Old West, Buffalo Bill's legend began to spread when he was only 23. Shortly thereafter he started performing in shows that displayed cowboy themes and episodes from the frontier and Indian Wars. He founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1883, taking his large company on tours in the United States and, beginning in 1887, in Great Britain and continental Europe.

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i'll be parting with a number of my early collectables, a number related to Buffalo Bill.... original photos, autographs, wild west show programs, toys, etc... and other tin toys.....please keep an eye on my other www.ebay.co.uk listings....thanks.

offered here is my:

SUPER RARE EARLY MECHANICAL FIGURE

LE CHAMPION  (A BUFFALO BILL SHARP SHOOTER TIN TOY)

WILLIAM FREDERICK CODY ,  FOREVER KNOWN  AS "BUFFALO BILL".

REAL ANTIQUE PIECE, WELL OVER 100 YEARS OLD

c.1900's / 1910's

I THINK MADE IN FRANCE, BY CHARLES ROSSIGNOL  (an almost identical type figure was also produced in Germany, by Gunthermann)

NICE IN ITS ORIGINAL HAND PAINTED FINISH; STILL HAS SOME GOOD COLOUR

ARTICULATED TINPLATE FIGURE, DEPICTING BUFFALO BILL HOLDING HIS HUNTING RIFLE

he has two levers at his rear calf, one can be used to raise his rifle, whilst pulling the lower one upwards would release a spring loaded firing mechanism (tiny little  projectiles would push inside the barrel / now long since missing).....spring is still inside barrel.

ORIGINAL HAND PAINTED FINISH (now clearly showing its antique distressed state.....paint loss, chips etc... as common to these earliest hand finished toys)

few tiny nibbles to metal at lower edge of base.... certainly nothing unsightly

both levers at his calf are still working  **** these figures often lose one of the levers....they should have two, as retained on my example****

FIGURE STANDS JUST OVER  22 cm / ABOUT 9 INCHES 

GREAT LOOKING FIGURE,  STILL STANDS AND DISPLAYS NICELY..... IN ITS UNTOUCHED STATE

A VERY RARE AND APPEALING SHELF PIECE

(please see  images for toy's actual condition)

SCARCE ORIGINAL ANTIQUE TIN TOY, FROM THE START OF THE LAST CENTURY

please take a good close look at all the images i've added, as these also form part of the description...and i'm parting with my BUFFALO BILL FIGURE as is / as shown and without returns...thanks.

if you need more images or have questions etc... please just ask.