Barclay Manufacturing Company

[3][4] Soldier's uniforms followed military fashion of the times, replacing closed standing collars with open ones with shirt and tie.

Prior to the company's temporary closing in 1942 the foot soldiers were purchased individually for a nickel.

Also about this time, and into the 1940s, the company made a variety of military vehicles – tanks, trucks with cannon and other cars painted brown.

Though cruder than European offerings, such as Britains, Barclays soldiers had a verve and energy that was popular with American youth.

Cast figures on motorcycles with generalized, but non-moving rings for wheels, exuded speed and were simple but very effective toys.

[6] In 1960, the lead soldiers were generally removed from Woolworths and other dimestores and more commonly found for sale in hobby shops.

Barclay cars are recognizable for their simple single cast bodies, somewhat like miniature Tootsietoys, though distinct from that company, some Barclay models had drivers separately cast in metal and painted then put in proper position in the vehicles.

Notable were the vehicles' pinched flat axles that protruded rather boldly from the wheels (something that safety standards would likely not allow today).

Barclay's tiny vehicles were placed in a small blister card covered with clear plastic in the form of a bottle.

Barclay ceased trading in 1971 due to an inability to compete with plastics and the rapidly changing market (e.g. Mattel Hot Wheels), not because of issues regarding lead, which has been a popular misconception.