Bergen Toy & Novelty Co.
Circus Animals and Figures

Sales list. All photos show the actual items for sale, unless stated otherwise. ID numbers are from Richard O'Brien's Collecting American-Made Toy Soldiers, Edition No. 3, 1997. Both paint condition and color variations among otherwise identical figures are very important for Beton toys, and every attempt has been made to provide accurate verbal descriptions of those features. Mild paint loss and imperfections are common, but there are no breaks, splits, cracks, chips, repairs, significant paint wear, or deterioration of the plastic unless noted. All items are in hard plastic unless stated otherwise. If you would like to see another view of any figure or group, Ponylope can e-mail photos on request — just ask! Free shipping on all orders of $75 or more.

CIRCUS SCENES

Z-250 Assorted Small Circus Animals and Figures

This Beton boxed set is in exceptionally fine condition. Even the original insert and rubber bands are present and holding the pieces firmly in place. In all likelihood, the clown, trainer, and animals have never been removed from the box, and their paint is flawless. Below are additional photos showing the condition of the box’s bottom and cover. One corner of the cover is separated, and there is very minor wear on the edges, but the illustration remains bright and beautiful. 

P139     $75

Sister Act

BT 162 Large Standing Horse, BT 84 Dancing Girl (Ballerina),
BT 120 Large Running Horse

A pretty, pastel-colored group of some of Beton’s most popular civilian pieces. Only a few vintage playsets
include female circus performers who balance atop horses, and none that ride elephants.

P060     $25 each ballerina/horse pair / pink tutu, lilac tutu      SOLD  

In the Spotlight

BT 84 Dancing Girl (Ballerina), BT 88 Elephant, BT 83 Dancer (Acrobat)

Color is Beton’s strong suit. Here, chrome yellow and kelly green contrast with a light brown, faintly marbled elephant. The male dancer balances on a circular stand - very hard to find in a dark color.

P058     $50

BT 84 Ballerina and BT 88 Elephant

Turquoise and powder pink trappings adorn this rich brown elephant, and the red-haired rider wears a tutu to match.

Fitting a dancer to an animal partner can be difficult. The slender, elongated left toe is often mismolded. If too thick, it won’t go into the hole drilled into the animal’s back at all. If the toe is too thin, the figure teeters and falls.

P059    $25      SOLD

BT 84 Ballerina and BT 88 Elephant

A lovely soft medium gray elephant wears bright red trappings trimmed with yellow. Poised on her sturdy back is a raven-haired dancer in a sky-blue dress. The red blanket shows a few thin smudges of blue, which made it to her left ear as well.

P050    $15         

BT 84 Ballerina, BT 162 Large Standing Horse

Imagine . . . in a costume of swan feathers, the dancer flies in graceful circuits of center ring, atop a gleaming silver steed.

NP019    $20         

A Chorus Line

BT 84 Dancing Girl (Ballerina) on Separate Stand

Who could pick a favorite from this array of Beton colors? Ponylope loves them all! Left to right: Deep pink, black, pale pink, lime green, rose pink, buttercup, lilac, turquoise. Each poses on a plastic three-tiered stand.

P061     $15 each / pink tutu, blonde hair     SOLD

Men at Work

BT 83 Acrobat on Separate Stand

The male dancer is absolutely unique in the playset world! Left to right: Red, black medium blue, aqua, dark blue, yellow, kelly green. Plastic three-tiered stand included.

P048     $15 each / aqua      SOLD

Send in the Clowns

BT 169 Clown, in Hard Plastic

Baggy pantaloons, ruffles, oversize buttons, conical hat - enter the classic circus clown! For some reason, it’s not uncommon for this figure to lean forward or back (note the guy on the far right). Or to become comically tubby when the mold gets overfilled. Left to right: Rust, marbled red/gray, red, brown, marbled dark gray, rust.

P062     $10 each / far left      SOLD

BT 169 Clown, in Soft Plastic

Made from the same mold used for the hard plastic version. Left to right: Green, dull red, green,
dull yellow, red-brown.

P143     $5 each / far right      SOLD

Over the Rainbow

BT 165 Trainer

Somebody at Bergen Toy really liked this guy, he was made in so many wild colors that are hard to describe!

TOP ROW   A Marbled brown/red/gray with separated whip, B medium blue, C pale blue with traces of non-factory paint or glue, D chartreuse, E marbled violet/red, F pale gray-brown with white helmet, G green. 

P063        D chartreuse SOLD

BOTTOM ROW   A Cobalt blue, B teal blue, C mint green, D red, E marbled brown/red/cream, F opalescent silver/green/pink, G olive gray. 

RN009    F opalescent SOLD

$8 each

Getting Into the Act

BT 165 Trainer, BT 164 Tiger

Painting stripes freehand, on an assembly line, makes for interesting patterns! Here are three tigers in different base plastic colors with contrasting, rather impressionistic, stripes.

P064     $15

BT 164 Black Panther (Tiger), BT 165 Trainer

Deep glossy black panthers pace the ring with a glittering trainer, molded in opalescent, brassy gray with
overtones of pink and sky blue. Superb condition.

RN006     $15

BT 149 Seal, BT 165 Trainer

Three shiny black seals have just emerged from their pool on command. Could the marbled blue at the trainer’s feet be a splash of water from overly enthusiastic pinnipeds?

RP006     $15

Old Timers

BT 100 Hippopotamus, BT 88 Elephant, BT 84 Ballerina, BT 117 Kangaroo

Veterans of expositions past, these figures are looking for an honorable retirement. The dancer has lost a hand, the elephant’s saddle is peeling, and the hippo and ‘roo both have a crack on their back (see photo 3).

RNP005     $12

THE MENAGERIE

Hard Plastic

Ships of the Desert

BT 70 Camel

Three camels in more usual Beton plastic colors, with overpainting in contrasting colors. All excellent.

NP014     $8 each / far right      SOLD

Horns Aplenty

BT 170 Rhinoceros

Four rhinos in beautiful condition..

NP013     $8 each / rightmost, top row      SOLD

Neck and Neck

BT 94 Giraffe

Three sweet giraffes. Note that the one at far right has warped legs. It still stands fine.

RNP001     $4 each / left, center      SOLD

Hippo Hurray!

BT 100 Hippopotamus

Three hippos. The guy at the right has paint loss.

NP016     $6 each / left, center      SOLD

Cool Cats

BT 122 Lion

Five male lions in a variety of plastic base colors and overpainted accent shades. All in excellent condition.

NP015     $6 each / top row, left in center row      SOLD

BT 164 Tiger

Beton calls this pose a tiger, but many were molded in solid colors with no stripes. The brown animal at the left would work just as well as a female lion. Mate it with a male from the above group!

P047     $5 each

BT 164 Tiger

A second group of big cats. Of course, a black “tiger” does double duty as a sleek panther.

N037     $5 each / left      SOLD

Soft Plastic

BT 170 Rhinoceros, BT 168 Zebra, BT 94 Giraffe, BT 122 Lion

All are in very good condition.

P043     Rhino, Zebra     $5 each                    Giraffe, Lion     $4 each

BT 125 Moose

All are in very good condition. The yellow animal has a mark as shown that is an inclusion in the plastic, and there is another such mark on the inside back leg. The blue has light wear on the left front foot.

NP005     $5 each

BT 59 Buffalo

The green buffalo is excellent; the blue has wear and some discoloration (opposite side).

P044     Green     $6                                      Blue     $3       SOLD

BT 149 Seal

P045     $2 each

BT 117 Kangaroo

Very good condition, with a little extra plastic on the right hip, where they were ejected from the mold.

NP006     $4 each

BT 132 Reindeer

These animals all have at least a touch of mold flashing on the antlers. It can easily be pruned.

NP007     $6 each / center      SOLD

BT 82 Crocodile, BT 122 Lion, BT 164 Tiger

Though they are survivors all, these animals have some scars to show. The lions were marked on the bottoms of their feet, and the color bled. The tiger lost its tail, and the croc had his tail chewed.

NP008     $1 each

Vintage Toy Horses and Plastic Playset Miscellany from the 1950s On . . .