An update for my friends! (3 Viewers)

[Sahara]

Ken's dioramas are the best. What a display piece to have. Your son truly received a wonderful piece. Congrats 2 him for a wonderful piece.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Ken's dioramas are the best. What a display piece to have. Your son truly received a wonderful piece. Congrats 2 him for a wonderful piece.

Ken built him an African Queen Diorama for his 13th Birthday, and has given him a couple of other dioramas, each with prototype vehicles and figures. He also taught my son how to make dioramas. He has been a wonderful friend to my family for years, as has his lovely wife, Erika.

 

[King & Country]

Ericka and I just returned to the office after spending ten days in Italy. In addition to some spectacular sites in Rome we went to some great WWII locations, including two visits to Monte Cassino Abbey and an interesting private World War II museum. On the third day we hiked up to the ridge of the WWII German Winter line to experience the difficult terrain first hand. It was grueling hike and along the trail wartime debris could still be found. The combined Japanese-American 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team fought in this mountainous terrain during their time in Italy during 1943-44. The unit was awarded seven Presidential Unit Citations and twenty-one of its members were awarded the Medal of Honor. Visiting the area that this and other Allied units had to fight in against a determined German defender really made me appreciate the hardships they faced.

So, I thought I should share some other important news with our return to the United States. My wife Ericka was recruited for a historic clothing position by the state of North Carolina at the reconstructed colonial Tryon Palace. She is over the moon to be able to return to her chosen field and will be starting there on July 1st. As a result we will be relocating to New Bearn, North Carolina and resigning my position as President and Creative Director of W. Britain. I will be assisting the team in Chillicothe, Ohio during the transition and hope to keep my hand in some of the new product development and possibly writing historical notes. Finally I will be able to tackle some art projects, finish some private commissions and host some workshops. I look forward to this new chapter of our life!

All the best,

Ken and Ericka Osen

Hi Ken & Ericka,
Congratulations on Ericka’s new position but also sad to hear of Ken’s departure from running the WB enterprise… You will be a hard man to replace however all best wishes to both of you going forward in this exciting new chapter of your lives!
Andy and all at K&C.

 

[Lo1863]

I have to say, after a little time has passed I'm very curious as to what the future of W. Britain holds. A couple of you have raised some good questions (such as jazzeum). Years have past since the unsteady days of W. Britains, and Ken had much to do with their new rise. There have been and continue to be some great products coming out. Ken was their chief creative director and sculptor; to replace him will be very difficult I think. I'm very curious and a little concerned as to what will come. Some clear answers would be very welcomed...

 

[Louis Badolato]

I have to say, after a little time has passed I'm very curious as to what the future of W. Britain holds. A couple of you have raised some good questions (such as jazzeum). Years have past since the unsteady days of W. Britains, and Ken had much to do with their new rise. There have been and continue to be some great products coming out. Ken was their chief creative director and sculptor; to replace him will be very difficult I think. I'm very curious and a little concerned as to what will come. Some clear answers would be very welcomed...

I am biased, because Ken is a close friend, but I think that Ken is irreplaceable. I can't imagine anyone else having the talent and skill to effectively bring W. Britain's back from the dead like Ken did.

 

[jazzeum]

Best of luck in your new lives Ericka and Ken. You guys will be missed.

Brad

 

[villagehorse]

Yes good luck on the new chapter of your journey. Makes me appreciate all your wonderful diorama pieces and figures even more. Cheers, Robin.

 

[kingbabymeat]

Without trying to sound ignorant, but will W.Britain’s still be manufacturing toys as their creative director has left?

 

[Spanish soldier]

good question


Francisco

 

[NZGary]

I was a big WB collector in the early naughties and there early matte ACW and Waterloo ranges got me into the hobby in 2002.

Quality and irratic releases ended my WB collecting together with better products from other manufacturers in around 2012.

In recent years I have come back to WB collecting with some great releases coming out.

Let's hope the future of the company remains bright in challenging times and that Alfred the Great figure makes it to production.

 

[Running-Buddy]

I keep hoping that somehow Ken and Ericka will reconsider their positions with W. Britain. I am reluctant to invest in some of the lines of soldiers that I collect with them until I can see the direction the company will go. Just keep thinking about Ericka with the Hudson and Allen Studio and Ken with the development of new figures and the force behind the Standard makes it hard to reckon with their decision to step down so suddenly. In my opinion we as collectors need a little more light shed on this devastating situation the company has found itself in. To me it would be like losing Andy from K&C or John from JJD. At the median price of $50 per figure it makes me take pause.

Hoping for the Best
Howard

 

[Barkmann]

I keep hoping that somehow Ken and Ericka will reconsider their positions with W. Britain. I am reluctant to invest in some of the lines of soldiers that I collect with them until I can see the direction the company will go. Just keep thinking about Ericka with the Hudson and Allen Studio and Ken with the development of new figures and the force behind the Standard makes it hard to reckon with their decision to step down so suddenly. In my opinion we as collectors need a little more light shed on this devastating situation the company has found itself in. To me it would be like losing Andy from K&C or John from JJD. At the median price of $50 per figure it makes me take pause.

Hoping for the Best
Howard

Agree - Andy from K&C and John from JJD have pushed the hobby forward in leaps and bounds. Would be a blow to the industry if they retired.

 

[jazzeum]

I keep hoping that somehow Ken and Ericka will reconsider their positions with W. Britain. I am reluctant to invest in some of the lines of soldiers that I collect with them until I can see the direction the company will go. Just keep thinking about Ericka with the Hudson and Allen Studio and Ken with the development of new figures and the force behind the Standard makes it hard to reckon with their decision to step down so suddenly. In my opinion we as collectors need a little more light shed on this devastating situation the company has found itself in. To me it would be like losing Andy from K&C or John from JJD. At the median price of $50 per figure it makes me take pause.

Hoping for the Best
Howard

This is the point I made more or less early on. Obviously Ken wants to do something different and Ericka wants to follow her heart’s dream, to which they are each entitled, but I hope that there is a strong plan for transition so that WB survives.

Perhaps a written release from Ken would go a long way to soothe concerns.