Vintage Elastolin or Lineol Germany Composite Ram and Sheep Toy Figures (2)
1 Ram standing
1 sheep standing
Both 2 1/2 inches tallunsigned
Textured detail
Ram has grey painted horns
Painted facial features strong on both
Stick legs
A couple of leg cracks and/or plaster like leg repairs
Ram showing some paint crackling/cracks
Sheep body paint is mostly worn off
c1930s to 50s
Last photo shows a flock of smaller sheep, same style (listed separately) and penny for size
Leyla was founded by Christian Freidrich Ley and Richard Lades in 1934 in Nuremburg Germany. In 1945 they destroyed all of their molds, catalogs and stock. They restarted after the war with new molds/designs and continued with making composite figures till 1959. Then they switched to plastic and were in business till 1978. Leyla only signed their composite figures.
O & M Hausser (Elastolin)
was founded in 1904, producing composite/sawdust based toy figures and
soldiers, along side competitor Lineol. Hausser developed a hard and
soft polystyrene plastic and started
producing toy
figures with it in 1955. The composite figures were still produced up to
1969. Hausser declared bankruptcy in 1983 and stopped production. The
Hausser moulds were purchased by Preiser Co who reproduces them in
modern plastic.
Lineol Germany was
founded in 1906. Famous, along side competitor Hausser Elastolin, for
production of composite toy soldiers and animal figures. Esteemed
sculptor and porcelain artist Albert Caasmann born 1886 died 1968, head
of design and production for Lineol, designed over 600 figures, spending
a lot of time at the Berlin Zoo using the animals there to model his
creations. Lineol ceased production in 1965. In 1985 Lineol Duscha
acquired trademark rights and now produce plastic reproductions using
the original moulded designs.