Marx Lane  

An Inventory of Marx Playset Figures and Accessories
Manufactured from 1951 to 1979
 
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This web site was created in late 2007, providing information about Marx wild west playset figures on a single web page.  It now consists of about 60 web pages, with information on figures, structures, terrain pieces, and small accessories from playsets of many different themes.  It also has indexes for Playset Magazine and PFPC magazine.  I will continue to update these pages as I obtain more information and photos.  If you have anything to add to these pages or suggestions to make them better, please e-mail me at .  I will be glad to attribute contributions to you.  And if you have questions or comments, I am always glad to hear from you!  As some of you have noticed, however, I am not always good at replying to e-mail; you might have to kick me three or four times before I get back to you.  Sorry, but I am 1) busy and 2) a champion procrastinator.  Feel free to persist!


Home Page
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This Page
  Recent Significant Updates to This Web Site
  Toy Soldier Information, News, and Comments
     
Main Table of Contents
Other Pages
  Special Category Pages
  Introduction to Collecting Marx Toy Soldiers
  Index to Playset Magazine   
  Index to Plastic Figure and Playset Collector Magazine
  Colors Used for Marx Playset Figures
  Links to other related web sites


Recent significant updates to this web site:

 10-11-22  Eric Johns, the moderator of MarxWildWest.com, has passed away. This is what Eric’s wife Vicki said on Facebook:

 "Goodbye to my quirky husband of 22 years who passed away from ALS. He was a toy collector, and dog lover who had a Masters in Math, and was a CPA, government auditor, and tax preparer. He was a Special Education Assistant, acted in community playhouses, taught Vacation Bible School, and wrote Children’s plays. He had a degree in Theatre, and earlier than all that, he graduated from Journalism school and wrote for the Stars and Stripes in Viet Nam flying in open helicopters over the burning jungles of Agent Orange as a war correspondent. The effects of that didn’t show up for years, but last year he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He had a unique way of looking at things that were sometimes amazing and sometimes crazy-making. No amount of reasoning would change his mind. So he lived his own way, and his way was not with ALS. We will have a graveside service and burial in his native Duncan, Oklahoma as he had requested on Veteran’s Day weekend. Fitting. RIP"

7-4-19  I have added a lengthy new page on Marx miniature playsets to the Special Category Pages.  You can reach it by clicking on Special Category Pages above and then clicking on Miniature Playsets on the table of contents that comes up.  I consider it still under construction -- I am hoping I will find more information to add as time passes -- but it does include photos for most of the miniature set boxes and brief information on the sets...thanks to PFPC magazine, Playset Magazine, and several fellow collectors.  The page is meant primarily to compile a list of all the company's miniature sets in one place (as best as can be determined).  Some of the pages on this site that concentration on playset themes already have -- and others soon will have -- a bit more information and photos on some of the sets.  P.S.  The Index to Playset Magazine is now updated through Issue 80.  I will be traveling much of July and the first week of August, but I expect to have the index up to date by mid-August.  

6-25-19  I added Playset Magazine Issue 74 contents today to the Index to Playset Magazine on this web site.  No big deal, I know, but I will gradually be updating the index about an issue a day until I get it up to date.  Unfortunately, I'll be on travel for a couple of weeks in July and will not be able to do any work on it for that period.  I'll also be in Hawaii a week in August, so it might be a couple of months before I get it totally done.  And, no, I will not be putting a note here every time I update it.  Just be aware I am doing it, and you can occasionally check it out yourself if necessary.  By the way, I am preparing a page devoted to Marx miniature playsets, which will be in the Special Category Pages.  Feel free to send me any photos or information you have that might help me out on that.  I will have at least an "under construction" page up before I leave on that July trip.

6-20-19  Not any huge update today, but I've added a bit of information and photos about three of the four Arctic playsets.  This includes a bit of additional information on the IGY set on the Space Accessories page, brief information on the DEW set on the Military Accessories page, and a new, still-under-construction page of the Arctic Explorer set.  I've added that last one under the Exotic Adventures and Ancient Empires section, page E-7.  The fourth Arctic set is the Alaska Playset already described in the Wild West section.  In addition, I have added info and photos on the Dollhouse page about the "Doll's Bungalow" made in Marx' Swansea facilities, which is similar to houses included in a few farm playsets.  I hope to add more info and photos soon on at least the DEW and Arctic Explorer sets, so if you have photos of any unique items in those sets, feel free to share them!  Finally, I've added a couple of photos on the company's miniature jungle playset on the Jungle page, thanks to prolific collector Christopher Wallentine.  Again, added info and photos are always welcome...with credit. 
6-11-19  Yes, I know.  This web site has not been updated for a very long time.  But it is still active, and as of this update I am adding photos of 1) the Gallant Men figures -- based on the old TV show of the same name -- on the Military Playset Figures page and 2) of the Sears building on the Sears Playset page.  I will be making more updates in a few days.  I've had a tough time adapting to retired life -- which happened two years ago now -- but I'll be trying my best to get this site updated much more often from here on out and getting it a little better organized.  As well as updating several things that should have already been updated.  Meanwhile, as noted below, remember that the annual Chicago Toy Soldier Show (formerly OTSN) is coming up in September!
Marx and other toy soldier information, news, and comments:
Whoops!!!!  Did you miss it?  Marx collectors from all over the U.S. and a few from outside the U.S. were in Wheeling, West Virginia, June 14 and 15 to attend the annual Marx Convention at the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum.  I'm sure there were lots of Marx playsets and playset pieces sold, as well as lots of fun.  It was the 21st year of the show.  I wasn't able to make it this year, but hope you were.  If not -- or even if you were -- mark in on your calendar in mid-June for the 2020 show!  For more information check out the museum's web site.




The big show is not far away!!!!  The Chicago Toy Soldier Show (CTTS) -- formerly know as OTSN -- is coming up for the 39th year in September!  While there are many toy soldier shows throughout the U.S. every year, CTTS is THE biggest one!  I would venture to say BY FAR the biggest one, but someone can correct me if they think I am wrong.  There will be a few hundred sellers at the show, and you will find toy soldiers (including themes ranging from ancient warriors to Disney cartoons) from both vintage and current manufacturers.  You will be able to buy complete playsets, complete figure or accessory sets, or individual figures or accessories.  If you can go to only one show each year, this is definitely the one to go to!  This is not an advertisement for the show, but I am simply telling it like it is.  Many other shows offer wonderful things also, but CTTS is the mother of all shows!  It is always in late September, this year on Sunday, September 22, 10:00 am to 3:30 pm.  It is at the Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg, IL, just outside Chicago.  Cost is just $10 to get in and children 12 and under are free.  Of course, there is no limit on the amount you can spend the thousands of toy soldiers and accessories that you will see at the show.  Or you can simply look and be astonished!  You can get more info about the show at http://chicagotoysoldiershow.com/ or on their Facebook page.  And if you want to get an early start, "room trading" takes place for a few days before the show, as many sellers open their rooms so customers can buy early.

I have had at least a couple of requests by collectors to turn this web site into a book.  For better or worse, that project is beyond my capabilities.  However, I am thinking about creating a booklet that will provide a listing of the many Marx playset figures cited on this web site.  This booklet would list the figures in the same order as shown on the site and provide a brief description of each, allowing for quick reference between the booklet and web site.  It would not include photos or information on accessories.  I will be retiring for the second time in June and should have sufficient time to create such a reference, which I have already begun to put together.  Of course, I will need to charge a few dollars for each booklet, and I do not feel certain that there is sufficient interest out there for me to tackle this project.  I'd appreciate it if you could let me know me whether you might have interest in such a booklet by dropping me a brief note at to say yea or nay.  Many thanks!  

Contents of this web site may not be reproduced or duplicated for use on the Internet or for commercial purposes without permission by .

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