The "Reno" Chessmen by Horton (not Britains!) c1950

Like many chess collectors, I have come across countless listings and auctions for this exact style set.  Where an attribution is made, it is invariably for Britains (earlier known as W. Britain), famous for their die-cast toy soldiers and scale models of farming machinary and figurines.  The "W. Britain" started in 1893, when William Britain Jr invented the process of hollow casting in lead, revolutionising the production of toy soldiers.

In the early 1950s, Britains entered into a partnership with W. Horton Toys and Games.

The remarkable survivor of the original carboard box gives rather good evidence ("A Horton Product") that the chess set may originally have been designed and made by Horton, rather than Britains.  The "Reno" set of chessmen is a reference to Horton's address: The Reno Works, Rosslyn Crescent, Wealdstone, Middlesex.

Kings approx 2" tall.