Looking for Info: Excel Toy Company

[Falstaff13]

Does anyone have info on the Excel Toy Company? What years did it operate? Was it primarily regional? I'm especially interested in info on the (Little) Legends of the West line.

[Sideshow Spock]

Looks like some info here:

Colonel Raines' Toy Chest: Little Legends of Action Figure History

[Sideshow Spock]

Oh, looks like that link was already provided in an earlier thread..

info on Excel Legends of West 3 3/4 figures?? - Mego Talk

[Falstaff13]

Thanks. I did know of that thread, but I appreciate the reminder.

[turnbolt]

Thanks for posting a link to my sight. I have gathered a bunch of info on the Excel Legends stuff. What were you looking for?

[Bionic Joe]

Looks like Sideshow Spock beat me to the link
Anywho i remember seeing the EXCEL western figures at Woolworth back in the 80s i don't recall the price but i think they were pretty cheap

[jacoblb]

Very cool I stumbled upon the link with pictures! I had a few LOW figures as a kid. I couldn't remember who made them or what they were called so I've never seen any pics on the internet beforehand.

[Falstaff13]

In the long run, I'm interested in Empire and its Legends of the West line--I collected those when I was little and still look for them today. When I was a kid, I only knew of these from Empire and found out some years later about the Excel origins, thus prompting my curiosity. Did Excel fold completely, or just sell that license to Empire, or what? Why did they discontinue the line, or was there a sort of regional approach?

I first encountered these when I was living in Alabama. At age six, we moved to NC, not terribly far from Tarboro, the home for Carolina Enterprises/Empire toys, and we proceeded to find fewer of them, as the line dwindled.

[turnbolt]

I have been trying to find someone involved with the company for some time. Excel and Empire both folded in 80's and 90's. I found the company that now owns most of the old Empire properties and have been trying to get them to point me in the right direction to get more info on the LOTW series. From my research, it just looks like Excel transferred the molds and the concept for the 9in and 4 inch figures to Empire in 1975. I have found packaging for both lines with Excel and Empire date stamps with the same year of 1975 during the transition of the line. The 9in figure went out of fashion by 1976 and the 4 inch figures were produced up until at least 1980 by Empire. So...not sure why Excel stopped making the stuff. I don't think it was regional as these pop up all over the world. I am primarily a Empire LOTW guy, but I do love the Excel stuff. Those figures are very sturdy and well made....just make sure you get them MOC. There hats are hard to come by. Would love to see your collection. I updated that link above earlier this month with some new photos. I also have a ton of reference photos if you need any help with collecting the line.

[Falstaff13]

I will have to get pictures of my collection up. I know I could still find them in 1981-82, and I got the last two wagons (Peddler and Fire) in my collection in spring of 1984. For a couple of years after that, I occasionally saw a random stray figure on a peg.

I love this line and would love to share info/stories/memories.

[turnbolt]

People have said they found up till '86. Crazy! But, I have only found date stamps up till 1980.

[Falstaff13]

I should have said that I had simply found some of the toys that late. I was thinking one of my figures (maybe Annie Oakley) was 1981, but I cannot confirm that from my keyboard. The vast bulk of all my purchasing way back then was from a Woolworth's in Talladegha, Alabama, and there I got the core of the collection. Once we moved to NC, I remember tremendous excitement not only finding the toys but finding three I had not seen before--Bat Masterson, Annie Oakley, & Deadwood Dick--and snapping them off. Beyond that, the only ones I ever saw were new to me--Custer and Geronimo. These were all in a Roses.

Man, those were the days.

[turnbolt]

This thread needs some pics. Post some up people!!

Here is my quick setup at home.

[Falstaff13]

So jealous of that setup. I'll get mine setup later this spring and post pics.

[Remco Monster]

turnbolt, that is an amazing collection! I have a small collection. 8 or so loose figures, mostly complete, a few horses and a MOC Jesse James. I would love to get a hold of Bat Masterson and Deadwood Dick one of these days.

Interesting thread, I have wondered about the whole Excel, Empire transition myself.