Frontline Glossy Figures (2 Viewers)

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

At first I thought I should put this in the Traditional Glossy section but I dont think its good to seperate them so I decided to post my latest acquisition here and as for some help.

In the photo you will see my recently acquired Glossy 15th Ludhiana Sikhs but dont have any idea of when they were made. I would guess early 90's but am hoping one of you will be able to help me out. Interesting to note is they all look pretty much the same except two of the marching soldiers have white straps on their haversacks and the others have a tan one may be just some fun they were having with the sets but I figured I would point it out. I also noticed that two of them have a different colored base might not mean much but like I said I figure its good to point this little things out so maybe there is a clue to when they were made. Anyway any help on when they were produced would be greatly appreciated.

All the best

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Dave,

These figures are from about 1990-1995. They are from Frontline's Indian Army - 1880s series which had eight sets of the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs and eight sets of the Kyber Rifles. The six figure sets retailed for $79.

What you have is parts of two different sets. The four figures on the left are from LS 5 - Patrol, 5 Advancing, 1 NCO. The two on the right are from LS 2 - 3 kneeling, 3 Standing, To Repel. My guess on the paint variations could be due to differences in the time they were made and/or they were produced in different factories.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Mike,

The two standing loading came in a frontline box marked LS3 - The Sergeant and the other 3 were not in a box. So thanks for the information. I thought they were early 90's since I have several sets from the Sudan line from this period. I really enjoy the glossy Frontline Figures a great deal. Do you have a source or cataloge from this time for them or do you keep really good notes?

All the best

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Dave,

I thought the two figures on the right were from LS 2, because I have two similar sets from the British Colonial Army - 1880s: YL 2 Yorks & Lancaster Regt and GH 2 Gordon Highlanders. They are holding their rifles with their right hands on the rifle stock just behind the receiver. On the loading sets I thought the figures had their right hand in the air above the receiver as if loading. I could be mistaken about LS 3 though since I don't have that set or the similar YL 3 or GH 3 sets.

I have a large (more than 1,000 figures) Frontline collection. I have know Gerard Prime and the late Howard Swales for more than 10 years. They told me that I was one of their top 3 or 4 non-dealer customers in the world. However, they may just have said that to puff up my ego. I always buy something from them at both the West Coaster and Chicago shows.

I have a number of old price lists and color sheets of their products that I have accumulated over the years. They never had a catalog, per se. But one can also use their web site, assuming the items are not retired, to help identify their figures.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Mike,

I have a nice little collection of Frontline Glossy figures from the Sudan run I will have to pull the out and see if they have the differences you mention. It could be that they were in the wrong box and the person selling them didnt know any better.

I would really love to discuss the possibility of obtaining copies of any old paperwork or flyers you might have from the Frontline Glossy era. If you would be willing to get the copies made of these materials. Let me know and I will send you my address and a check to cover costs. Appreciate the help so far.

Thanks

All the best

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Dave,

Actually, I would bet they are in the box they came in. I have received figures in the past from the factory that were in the wrong boxes. In one color product sheet, they show the correct YL 2 figures, but show CG 2 (Coldstream Guards) with the loading figures from CG 3 and CG 8.

I also have Frontline's WWII figures which have two errors that I brought to Gerard and Howard's attention. The BAR set has some wierd representation of such. I told them that was not a BAR and that I was probably one of the few people they knew who had actually fired one. I pointed out to them that the BAR has a massive metal receiver group including the 20 round box magazine; it has two barrels with a small wooden front hand guard. Howard insisted it was researched and correct. The next time I saw him he said I was right and that the factory had taken another rifle (M-1?), turned it upside down and added a box magazine. The German MG-42 machine gunner is wearing an American helmet. Gerard disagreed with me, but later confired that the factory had indeed used the wrong head. You can see these errors on their web site.

I'll be happy to copy some of what I have for you. No charge.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Mike,

Please take a photo of the guys with the wrong head thats amazing! I would love to see something like that. I'll PM you with my address. Thanks for copying the material you have. Like I mentioned I am mainly interested in their glossy figure run that are all retired I think. Thanks again for the amazing little story its not something you hear often.

All the best

Dave

 

[jazzeum]

Really nice figures Dave.

Louis can tell this better but there are some Frontline figures that are marked K & C. Gerard used to work for Andy at an early point in both of their careers and apparently the factory that made K & C then started making for Frontline.

I think I have my facts rights but Louis should comment. I know that Larry Lo has one of these mis-marked Frontline figures.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Really nice figures Dave.

Louis can tell this better but there are some Frontline figures that are marked K & C. Gerard used to work for Andy at an early point in both of their careers and apparently the factory that made K & C then started making for Frontline.

I think I have my facts rights but Louis should comment. I know that Larry Lo has one of these mis-marked Frontline figures.

Here's a quote from the book on the subject:

As an interesting aside, the following anecdote, originally told to the author by Andy Neilson at the 2004 Chicago Show, and confirmed by Gerard Prime of Frontline at the 2006 Chicago Show, and proven by figures in the collection of author Lawrence Lo, illustrates some of the pitfalls of doing business in the burgeoning Chinese production market. In the early days of K&C production, Andy was approached by a female acquaintance of his from mainland China about a factory on the mainland willing to retool to produce toy soldiers if K&C would absorb the expense of retooling. Andy agreed to this upon the condition that the factory would only produce his K&C line of Toy Soldiers. Unbeknowst to Andy, this rather industrious woman made a similar private offer to Gerard Prime and Howard Swales of Frontline, who also agreed. Imagine the chagrin of both Andy and Gerard when a shipment of figures arrived at K&C’s offices sometime thereafter, the bottom of their bases duly stamped with the “K&C” logo, the only problem being they were Frontline’s glossy Zulu War figures of John Chard, Gonville Bromhead, 24th Foot and Zulus! These figures demonstrated to both the K&C and Frontline brain-trusts that they had both been had. Several of these “Frontline” figures incorrectly stamped “K&C”, including the Chard and Bromhead figures, eventually found their way into the collection of co-author Lawrence Lo.

 

[ucla1967]

Sometimes it is really hard to tell apart some of the early K & C glossy from Frontlines. I am sure that this is due to Howard's involvement in both. I have the K & C RHA set and when I first saw it I would have sworn it was a Frontline set. Even the paint was the same as Frontline used.

That's a funny story about Gerard and Andy getting taken by that "lady." Does anyone know how many figures were sold with the wrong company name on the base?

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

Please take a photo of the guys with the wrong head thats amazing! I would love to see something like that. I'll PM you with my address. Thanks for copying the material you have. Like I mentioned I am mainly interested in their glossy figure run that are all retired I think. Thanks again for the amazing little story its not something you hear often.

All the best

Dave

Dave,

Why don't you go their website www.frontline-figures.com to see the two errors I mentioned. Click on the WWII section, the sets are WGI.4 and WUSI.3. There is another error that I didn't mention in their ACW series. The Berdan's firing and loading set originally had the figures ram rodding the bullet down the barrel. Of course, Berdan's men had breech loading rifles. They ultimately changed the figures to correct that error.

 

[Steven Chong]

...Does anyone know how many figures were sold with the wrong company name on the base?

I actually have several sets of Frontline Zulu sets with the K&C logo.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

I went to the web site and looked at the figures mentioned as being incorrect thats very interesting. The figures that came in the box have damage to the marks on the base. The others all have FF and the circle c I will have to pull my others out of the storage box to see if they have a different mark. Very interesting side note on the factory , thanks for posting it.

All the best

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

I actually have several sets of Frontline Zulu sets with the K&C logo.

Hi Guys,

You got me curious about my Zulus. I have 30 in a Frontline only Rorke's Drift display. I bought them all directly from Gerard and Howard at the two toy soldier shows. They are all marked correctly and most have a 2000 date with a couple of 1999 dates.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

I guess I will have to pull my zulus out to take a look at them too. The two that I have out on my desk one is marked and one isnt. But the one that isnt came from Frontline and I still have his box and papers so I know he is good.
I hope some of you other Frontline Collectors will pull out the Glossys and take a few picture for the rest of us to enjoy.

All the best

Dave

 

[kilted vampire]

Dave I just got a look at those figures. They are really nice. Lucky man!

 

[Mister Dave]

I know this is an ooooold thread, but I am new to the forum and wanted to get some photos out of some of my favorite things. Pardon my fumbling if the attachments do not happen to work.

 

[damian]

Those are cool. Do you have any Dervishes to attack them.
Regards
Damian Clarke

 

[Mister Dave]

Thanks, I love those old glossy frontline sets. I do not currently have any dervishes, but have been eyeballing some nice ones by Little Legion on display at Paul Hermann's shop down in Milwaukee. I think they will blend well in terms of scale and paint. I'd also be happy to get some Trophy dervishes but they are so elusive and pricey these days...I always get blown away by the big bidders on those.

 

[jazzeum]

Those are really nice. Reminds me of the K & C issues, probably not too surprising since Frontline used to be associated with K & C.