American West (1 Viewer)

[Mister Dave]

Several factors have combined to stir my interest recently in American West themed material. On one hand, having personally focused almost entirely on 19th Century British subjects for years, I suppose I've grown a bit cagey in that arena and looking for other areas of interest to pursue. I have been planning a tentative road trip with my 10 year old daughter later this Summer, and if all goes according to plan, we will be visiting a number of historic sites in So. Dakota, Wyoming and Montanna, including the Black Hills and Custer State Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield site and Fort Laramie among others. All this has combined to largely occupy my recent reading choices and TS wants and wishes.

The new Custer Movie discussion on another thread, while understandably somewhat heated and disagreeable, speaks to the level of interest in this era on some level I think. We have a fairly nice range from Blackhawk that I have finally started collecting. Metal is a bit soft on these, but they are nice figures. Also, I've been looking at the Grattan Massacre range from Southlands in So. America and think that I will stop by TF HQ next time I am in the neighborhood to have a closer look at them. Otherwise, we have little else to work with it seems. One can easily see the appeal in an expanded range of U.S. Cavalry, Native Americans, and civillians moving west-ward. Consider a Fort Laramie range with troops in garrison, migrating civilians stopping for re-supply along the Oregon or Bozeman and Bridger trails. Mountain men and prospectors, Native Americans visiting the post, and etc.....

Also consider vignettes like wood cutting parties under attack, wagon trains under attack, cavalry patrols, Native American scouts, and so on, and so on.

The fairly recent "Real West" range from King & Country, while nicely executed, seems a bit obscure to build much on, and as I've lamented on another thread earlier today, the exclusive Ford Trilogy based U.S. Cavalry figures being "held hostage" at King's X are really, really, really nice, but sadly beyond my collecting means.

Does anybody else see a potentially great, and currently under-represented TS subject area here, or is it just me?

MD

 

[SteveDavid]

No, I don't think you are alone in this - in a Britain thread, Ales, I think had the same requests...to which I can only agree.

A "Streets of Old West"-type of series would appeal very much to me! As I noted also in the other thread, Del Prado had a series ongoing on this, but these figures are not appealing to me at all...

Will someone take up such a range? Will K&C's TRW series develop into something we discuss here? No idea. My preference would be that FL take up such a range (or Briatin in their Zulu War quality), but I am already pressuring Matt for a Vietnam range, so I don't want to play to much with his nerves

Anyway, an old west series brings back childhood memories - the 1/72 plastics, the Britain Deetail etc - and I would buy such a series blindly if the quality was there...maybe one day...

 

[thebritfarmer]

I think a "Streets of the Wild West" would be a great idea. I think Britains could do a fabulous job in either matte of gloss.

Some nice little facades, hitching posts, towns folk, longhorn cattle, cattle rustlers, gun fight, poker game, stage with dancing girls, drunk in a horse trough.

There are a few makers that make some items but no one is making a full range.

 

[Aleš]

yes i am happy to see that there is Wild West fans more every day.Here you can read what it is been discussed already,maybe you will find interesting.

http://www.treefrogtreasures.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13794

someone mention a new movie based on General Custer.I think thi sis great.So when can we expekt this movie will play?

 

[Mister Dave]

Thanks for the link to your previous comments. I apologize for having missed this before.

I'm glad the Britains Deetail ranges were mentioned (and the Timpo's too for that matter). Plenty of good material there, just need to do them in metal with top notch painting.

MD

 

[thebritfarmer]

Speaking of the deetail range..........what about the Swoppets from Britains. They had buildings (bank,saloon,livery stable & a stagecoach post), a stagecoach, covered wagon, there were also wigwams, campfires.

 

[kogu]

Speaking of the deetail range..........what about the Swoppets from Britains. They had buildings (bank,saloon,livery stable & a stagecoach post), a stagecoach, covered wagon, there were also wigwams, campfires.

Scott,
those Britains buildings that came with their Wild West Swoppet figures are absolutely stunning, beautiful items. Unfortunately now, if they can be found, they demand a very high price.
I would be in much support of an Old West line, if started by one of the many fine manufacturers at present, as long as they would announce to go "all in", meaning to have buildings, vehicles, accessories with the figures.
Konrad

 

[trooper]

An extensive range of Wild West figures are available from Sarum Soldiers. Although there was news that Patrick Willis was selling up he has changed his mind and is now back in production with further new figures under way. His sets include a longhorn stampede with mounted Indian and cowboys; a bank hold up; a saloon scene including dancing figures, dance hall girls, musicians, piano player and various character figures; a set depicting the death of Wild Bill Hickok; a saloon brawl with figures swinging chairs and bottles; a scene showing a dead desperado being photographed on a board propped up on a hitching rail; a group of mounted cowboys hoorawing a town plus many others.
Also ATS produce a series of figures depicting life in an Indian village in their Lancer range. This includes a father teaching his son how to use a bow, a medicine man, a mountain man, an early Mountie, a prospector and mule, women scraping skins, men playing a ball and stick game, woman with travois etc. Both maklers figures are compatible in scale.

 

[damian]

Thanks for the link to your previous comments. I apologize for having missed this before.

I'm glad the Britains Deetail ranges were mentioned (and the Timpo's too for that matter). Plenty of good material there, just need to do them in metal with top notch painting.

MD

I agree with Dave about the Black Hawk LBH series. The figures are a bit light but I actually quite like them. They have received quite a bit of negative reviews from collectors. I have most of the series and thought it was a good concept you know a small limited run with fixed end points. The women looting the dead trooper was also a great piece. The Jesse James series however does not appeal to me. I am not sure why. Just does not look as good as the LBH stuff. With so many movies covering this era (in fact a whole genre) it has always surpirsed me that it is not more popular. Do little boys still play cowboys and Indians at school. I know little girls still like Barbie dolls which are the epitome of evil as they give all these lasses a distorted body image. However having failed to father a little boy I am at a loss as to what they currently do for entertainment.

 

[damian]

An extensive range of Wild West figures are available from Sarum Soldiers. Although there was news that Patrick Willis was selling up he has changed his mind and is now back in production with further new figures under way. His sets include a longhorn stampede with mounted Indian and cowboys; a bank hold up; a saloon scene including dancing figures, dance hall girls, musicians, piano player and various character figures; a set depicting the death of Wild Bill Hickok; a saloon brawl with figures swinging chairs and bottles; a scene showing a dead desperado being photographed on a board propped up on a hitching rail; a group of mounted cowboys hoorawing a town plus many others.
Also ATS produce a series of figures depicting life in an Indian village in their Lancer range. This includes a father teaching his son how to use a bow, a medicine man, a mountain man, an early Mountie, a prospector and mule, women scraping skins, men playing a ball and stick game, woman with travois etc. Both maklers figures are compatible in scale.

That is great news about Patrick Willis being back in production. I need to get hold of him. Do you have an e mail address.

 

[aujj65]

An extensive range of Wild West figures are available from Sarum Soldiers. Although there was news that Patrick Willis was selling up he has changed his mind and is now back in production with further new figures under way. His sets include a longhorn stampede with mounted Indian and cowboys; a bank hold up; a saloon scene including dancing figures, dance hall girls, musicians, piano player and various character figures; a set depicting the death of Wild Bill Hickok; a saloon brawl with figures swinging chairs and bottles; a scene showing a dead desperado being photographed on a board propped up on a hitching rail; a group of mounted cowboys hoorawing a town plus many others.

My wife used to paint the Wild Wests sets for Sarum some years ago. Here is a work in progress shot.

Jeff

 

[APACHEJOL]

Several factors have combined to stir my interest recently in American West themed material. On one hand, having personally focused almost entirely on 19th Century British subjects for years, I suppose I've grown a bit cagey in that arena and looking for other areas of interest to pursue. I have been planning a tentative road trip with my 10 year old daughter later this Summer, and if all goes according to plan, we will be visiting a number of historic sites in So. Dakota, Wyoming and Montanna, including the Black Hills and Custer State Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield site and Fort Laramie among others. All this has combined to largely occupy my recent reading choices and TS wants and wishes.

The new Custer Movie discussion on another thread, while understandably somewhat heated and disagreeable, speaks to the level of interest in this era on some level I think. We have a fairly nice range from Blackhawk that I have finally started collecting. Metal is a bit soft on these, but they are nice figures. Also, I've been looking at the Grattan Massacre range from Southlands in So. America and think that I will stop by TF HQ next time I am in the neighborhood to have a closer look at them. Otherwise, we have little else to work with it seems. One can easily see the appeal in an expanded range of U.S. Cavalry, Native Americans, and civillians moving west-ward. Consider a Fort Laramie range with troops in garrison, migrating civilians stopping for re-supply along the Oregon or Bozeman and Bridger trails. Mountain men and prospectors, Native Americans visiting the post, and etc.....

Also consider vignettes like wood cutting parties under attack, wagon trains under attack, cavalry patrols, Native American scouts, and so on, and so on.

The fairly recent "Real West" range from King & Country, while nicely executed, seems a bit obscure to build much on, and as I've lamented on another thread earlier today, the exclusive Ford Trilogy based U.S. Cavalry figures being "held hostage" at King's X are really, really, really nice, but sadly beyond my collecting means.

Does anybody else see a potentially great, and currently under-represented TS subject area here, or is it just me?

MD

YES YES AND YES! I wish someone would do an extensive range on the American West. I had hoped maybe K@C and the Real West was that range. But it looks like releases from this will be far and few between. I believe some part of the American West would appeal to everyone, yeah I know there are no tanks or machine guns but still alot of history and lot of different themes in the American West. Sadly I dont believe that a range like this will happen anytime soon. The best I can do is piece together small collections from companys and make my own American West! Mounted Calvary with Custer would not sell? Apaches would not sell? I have to believe good quality paint and sculps would be a good seller??

 

[marco55]

I think that expanded version of the old west might do ok with civilians,buildings,wagons,etc.but a couple polls I saw just cavalry and indians didn't do so well.
Mark

 

[APACHEJOL]

I think that expanded version of the old west might do ok with civilians,buildings,wagons,etc.but a couple polls I saw just cavalry and indians didn't do so well.
Mark

Please remember that is a poll of forum members. There are MANY collectors who dont come anywhere near forums. If you took a poll of ALL collectors in the world it would be very different. This forum is heavly waited in army men and tanks.

 

[marco55]

I can't argue that point Apachejol.
Mark

 

[eborris]

Please remember that is a poll of forum members. There are MANY collectors who dont come anywhere near forums. If you took a poll of ALL collectors in the world it would be very different. This forum is heavly waited in army men and tanks.

This forum is also probably 85% metal collectors, if you asked the same poll of plastic collectors, I'm sure cavalry and Indians would do much better. Case in point, TSSD is coming out with a Custer set and I expect it to do exceedingly well.

 

[trooper]

That is great news about Patrick Willis being back in production. I need to get hold of him. Do you have an e mail address.

Patrick can be reached at patrick.willis.@exotix.co.uk My previous information was slightly inaccurate, apparently part of the business has been sold, the matt model figurine side including Chota Sahib, but Patrick is continuing with the gloss toy soldier range which includes the Wild West, Sherlock Holmes etc which are available painted or unpainted.

 

[damian]

Patrick can be reached at patrick.willis.@exotix.co.uk My previous information was slightly inaccurate, apparently part of the business has been sold, the matt model figurine side including Chota Sahib, but Patrick is continuing with the gloss toy soldier range which includes the Wild West, Sherlock Holmes etc which are available painted or unpainted.

He told me two years ago he was going to focus on keeping his job in the City.
I will e mail him.
Thanks and happy birthday

 

[damian]

There was no reply to that email address.
Delivery failure

 

[trooper]

Damian, as I had tried Patrick's old Email address and had it returned I phoned him just before my last post. He gave me the Email address I posted telling me it was his office address. I presume that means his 9-5 job at the bank so maybe it was rejected as they are closed on Sunday. Suggest you try again during working hours. Otherwise his phone number is 02087671525 preceded by the UK code of course. Hope this helps, if not send me your request and I shall make sure he gets it. Alan