An Affordable Source for Russian Personality Figures? (1 Viewer)

MikeNick

MikeNick

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Hello.

I am looking for a company that manufactures Russian personality figures...at an affordable price. My collection is in need of the Russian Czars, Trotsky, Lenin, or Rasputin.

Granted Grenada, Aeroart, etc., make some incredible miniatures of Russian leaders, but I really cannot afford the $70 plus cost for each. Is there a company that makes figures that are comparable in quality and price to King and Country?

Another problem that some companies on the web do not use their own sculpts. The goal here is, if worse comes to worse and I have to sell my collection, I want to get at least some of my money back when I sell them.

Moreover, I do not collect models, and I don't paint.

Thanks,
MikeNick
 
I don't think you'll find such a source, given your conditions.

You can find the same or similar castings to those used by Aero-Art's suppliers and the other studios. On eBay, for example, there are several Russian sellers who get the same and similar castings, and who must get them directly from the casters. I see them selling for $9.99 as a starting bid. The castings are very good. But you don't paint, so that is probably not an option.

In the years immediate after the fall of the Wall, I got a catalog from a surplus seller who sold Eastern Bloc army surplus, mostly Soviet and East German army equipment, as well as Russian goods like lacquerware, textiles and also, toy soldiers. I remember several figures of Stalin and Lenin, as well as a set of the Big Three at Yalta. The quality of the castings was very good, and they were painted in a relatively simple matte fashion, similar to the Chinese style. I've always thought that these figure came from the same casters as the ones we see today.

It does occur to me now that Niena might have some. Don't we have a member here who sells Niena figures, or represents Niena in some way? Maybe he'll have some info on possible sources.

Prost!
Brad
 
marco55 said:
Treefrog sells them.
Mark
Click to expand...

Yes, but what brands? There is a separate catalog for Niena, for example, split into premium and top quality, but event the top quality figures average $150 or more for foot figures, and the catalog online doesn't show any of the figures MikeNick mentioned. Are there other Russian manufacturers in the online store, and do they have the personality figures, for the cheaper prices he's looking for?

Prost!
Brad
 
I've seen their work on ebay but I have wondered if they make their own sculpts. Do they do their own painting? Are they reputable enough to have SOME resale value?
Does anyone have any knowledge of the company?
Thanks,
MikeNick
 
Mike if want something that has resale value then you are going to pay in kind.Many many items on ebay do not sell,even at the retail price.Once in a while someone will sell something at a huge profit but that is rare nowadays.
Mark
 
I still say, look on eBay, especially if you're looking for bargains. You'll find some finished figures, too, as well as the castings I described.

Prost!
Brad
 
Hi MikeNick,

I have to agree with the Baron, Ebay is a way to get ahold of good Russian Figures for usually reasonable prices. I have some figures I picked up from a guy or gal over there called Kolobob they are amazing figures and were really well priced at the time of purchase. So if I was hunting for some specific personalities I would dig around on ebay and figure out which sellers you like and then just play the waiting game. You will eventually find the ones you are looking for. I would also contact few of them and see if they will sell castings, some will.

Here is aphoto of the a couple of the figures I picked up from the Russians.

wingedhussars.jpgWinged Hussar3.jpg
 
kolobob--I know him, too, through auctions of castings.

I'm sure I've seen figures of Lenin and Stalin painted to a mid-level matte quality, like the basic Niena figures. I'll keep my eyes open and post back if I see any.

Prost!
Brad
 
Here's an auction for Stalin, of better quality than Ledger's Lenin, and for a reasonable price:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tin-toy-54-...330978947?pt=Toy_Soldiers&hash=item233c077c83

I have seen this figure up for auction before. Here's a variant, also from the same seller:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tin-toy-54-...323846900?pt=Toy_Soldiers&hash=item258fa68cf4

$32 plus shipping is pretty good for these figures. Take a look at that seller's items, he has some other good deals, plus some other Russian and Ukranian historical figures.

Prost!
Brad
 
Hi,

I noticed that the Niena site has three of the late (Alexander III, Nikolas I and II) czars in 54mm. Other figures from Russian history are either in 90mm or non-existent.

As for Tin Toy, does anyone know if they make their own sculpts? I try not to buy pirated figures as a matter of principle.

Thanks,
MikeNick
 
MikeNick said:
As for Tin Toy, does anyone know if they make their own sculpts? I try not to buy pirated figures as a matter of principle.
Click to expand...

You may cut yourself off from perhaps 50% of the figures you see on eBay, because the Russians are shameless pirates of Andrea and Pegaso figures, among others.

Of course, in the case of Andrea, there's a certain justice to that, because Andrea puts out figures that are clearly copyrighted subjects, like a figure of Spock from "Wrath of Khan" or the one after that, packaged simply as "Space Captain", or a figure of Clint Eastwood as "The Man With No Name", billed as "Gunfighter".

Prost!
Brad
 
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