Hi Guys,
Well now that I’m back in Hong Kong it’s time to say a lot of very big “thankyou’s”. First and foremost must be a special note of appreciation to Mike & Myzska Hall of Sierra Toy Soldiers… They made my all-too-brief visit not only incredibly memorable but also doubly enjoyable!
From the minute Mike picked me up at San Francisco airport and drove us up to Los Gatos the enjoyment began. The weather was beautiful and so was the countryside all the way up past Stanford University to Los Gatos itself. We arrived at the Sierra store which is located in a very attractive little mall on the outskirts of town.
Mike had told me that he had a couple of surprises in store for me and the first was about to happen…
After looking around Sierra’s store and picking up Myzska we headed off for collector Bill Cleary’s magnificent home.
Bill lives in the hills near Los Gatos and has been a major collector of toy soldiers for many years… he is also an avid American Civil War enthusiast as his home amply proves. He welcomed us into his home and immediately I saw the most incredible series of Civil War dioramas I have ever seen. Occupying several entire rooms were massive displays of Antietam, Gettysburg and other Civil War encounters bursting with life and death. Literally thousands of soldiers from many companies (including I’m happy to say K&C) were doing battle across whole tables laid out with military precision.
Surrounding us on the walls and on antique chairs, chests and tables were an amazing assortment of rifles, bayonets, muskets, uniforms, swords, paintings, pistols and even musket balls relevant to this great American conflict.
Bill’s great pride and passion in his collection was self-evident and contagious. Our original one-hour visit soon extended itself to well over two hours. Bill’s generosity and some very good red wine saw to that!
All too soon we had to take our leave however the following day was to prove equally enjoyable and exciting.
The next day Mike picked me up from my hotel and we drove off for a “working-breakfast” at the Sierra Warehouse. Amid bagels, coffee and juice I had a chance to meet up with the rest of the Sierra “gang”… Anne… Kathy… Gary and, of course, Andrew (Mike & Myzska’s fireman son and part-time helper). The warehouse is big and packed with lots of great product. Mike even hinted that if their growth continued they might even need more space.
After breakfast, Mike and myself drove out of Los Gatos for “Surprise No.2”. As Mike’s Chevy Suburban left behind the low-lying mist of the town we climbed into the beautiful treelined slopes that surround the area. After almost an hour’s drive we took a side road that led upwards to a simple stone gateway.
“Welcome to the Littlefield Collection”, said Mike as we passed through the gates. I was not sure what kind of collection he was referring to until, a few minutes later, we rounded a bend and saw some workshop buildings complete with several armoured vehicles (in varying degrees of repair) resting outside. Waiting to welcome us were two guys. We came to a halt, got out and Mike made the introductions to Jacques Littlefield and Michael Green.
As it soon emerged these two gentlemen are responsible for the largest private collection of Twentieth Century Armor in the U.S. today…
Jacques owns it and began it and Michael is his museum curator. We chatted outside before entering the first of several workshop buildings. And what an entrance! On my left was a “mint-condition”, fully-restored and operable German Panther tank awaiting final assembly. On my right sat one of approximately eight various U.S. Shermans the collection holds which was also under renovation. All around were bits and spare parts for all kinds of vehicles as well as shelves of reference books and operating manuals not only in English but also in German, French and Russian.
After a spell in this first workshop we moved onto the main collection housed in three large, custom built, air-conditioned and de-humidified hanger-style buildings built on 3 sides of a parade-square complex.
As soon as I entered I was “blown-away” by the quality, variety and, in some cases, rarity of the fighting vehicles on show. Tiny mark I and II German Panzers sat alongside an early-war British Vickers Mk.VI Infantry support tanks… Farther along a pair of T34’s squatted menacingly in front of several different models of Shermans. Everywhere you looked you saw examples of vehicles most of us only see in books, magazines or old movies.
Sierra’s Mike and myself were free to roam anywhere we wanted to… Our guides Michael Greene and Jacques provided a running commentary on each piece… It’s providence, history and how it came to be in the collection. Both Jacques and Michael very kindly allowed me to climb into and onto several of my own personal favourites such as the M3 Halftrack… the M24 Chaffee and an old favourite… the German Zundapp Motorcycle combination. To be honest the few hours Mike and myself had to “explore” the collection was far too brief… I reckon a week or two of at least 12 hour days would be the minimum required to really “discover” this unique collection.
The sheer magnitude and variety of what’s on offer is truly awesome! Not only has Jacques acquired the everyday “work-horses” of the world of fighting armour but he’s also picked up prototypes and examples of some things that never saw the light-of-day beyond the experimental stage. Plus, how many people own 2 (yes two) Mobile Scud Launchers complete with missiles of course.
Jacques, Michael and their full-time team of mechanics and restorers have produced and “protected” many, many rare and valuable military vehicles that are rarely seen outside national collections in France, Germany, Britain and the U.S. Not only that… they have in many cases restored them to a fighting readiness state that is probably superior to when either they left their original factory or were issued to line outfits in their respective countries.
What a collection and what great and generous hosts both Jacques and Michael were. Mike and myself (especially me) were almost, but not quite, dumbstruck with appreciation.
After another all-too-short few hours Mike and myself “saddled-up” and headed downhill back to Sierra for our “get-together” with a great bunch of K&C collectors later that same day. That, however is anther story… To be continued…
All the best, muchos gracias to everyone at Los Gatos and… best wishes and happy collecting to one and all!
Andy C.
OD
