Any news on Conte? (2 Viewers)

Same as always.The move to North Carolina perked them up a little bit but now it's back to normal.I did here though that there may have been family/medical problems.2 world class makers, Conte and East of India not producing is a loss to the hobby.
Mark
 
I spoke to Richard last week when I was inquiring about his WWII plastic line. He said that he was going to do a rerun of the U.S. Paratroopers. He didn't give me a exact date but it was going to be in the spring. Hopefully he fulfills this plan. From what people have posted here in the past, it looks like he has intentions but doesn't produce. Fingers crossed!! Bill
 
That would be his first plastic since the Spartans. Seems rather odd that he would re-run the US paratroopers at this time. From his home page you would think he had 5 or 6 projects on the fire and he come out with US paratroopers, again?

billgiff said:
I spoke to Richard last week when I was inquiring about his WWII plastic line. He said that he was going to do a rerun of the U.S. Paratroopers. He didn't give me a exact date but it was going to be in the spring. Hopefully he fulfills this plan. From what people have posted here in the past, it looks like he has intentions but doesn't produce. Fingers crossed!! Bill
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billgiff said:
I spoke to Richard last week when I was inquiring about his WWII plastic line. He said that he was going to do a rerun of the U.S. Paratroopers. He didn't give me a exact date but it was going to be in the spring. Hopefully he fulfills this plan. From what people have posted here in the past, it looks like he has intentions but doesn't produce. Fingers crossed!! Bill
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Did RC say the spring of what year?
This is not a "Conte Bash", but folks he is no longer a player in this hobby. It is what it is.
Gary
 
Seems like an odd choice to re-run the U.S. paratroopers unless he plans to expand the range but that seems unlikely. I would have thought the U.S. infantry would have been a no brainer for a re-run IMHO.
 
I'm just relaying what he told me. Maybe it was lip service or him just telling me what I wanted to here.
Being late to the whole 1/32 field, I hope he remakes many of his items. He probably won't but I'm holding out
with a little hope. It's a shame that "He is no longer a player in this hobby" because his products are top notch.
 
In months gone by RC used to send me pictures of the studio sculps from his phone. Last real contact was August. Though an update was posted on his behalf in September. The quiet is concerning. So unlike him. I hope that we haven't heard the last. As for all his faults, the Conte figures will always rate as something special in the Toy Soldier world. As were years ahead of the competition in their day.
 
Charlie Brown said:
Conte figures will always rate as something special in the Toy Soldier world. As were years ahead of the competition in their day.
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He produced some great products in metal, plastic and his playsets. If he had just kept producing new items at a reasonable rate, he'd be near the top of the heap as far as current manufacturers go, we're talking millions in lost revenues and thousands of loyal collectors out of luck.

It's a shame really, a loss for everyone involved.
 
I guess the answer is "No" then.

It is a shame as the Conte Zulu (courtesy if Charlie Brown!) got me started really. I didn't mind waiting for a few new Zulu figures as it gave me chance to expand into other ranges but the "coming soon" new Zulu sets don't appear to have progressed at all.

PS anyone have a spare Officer / Butler set I would be interested :smile2:
 
Charlie Brown said:
In months gone by RC used to send me pictures of the studio sculps from his phone. Last real contact was August. Though an update was posted on his behalf in September. The quiet is concerning. So unlike him. I hope that we haven't heard the last. As for all his faults, the Conte figures will always rate as something special in the Toy Soldier world. As were years ahead of the competition in their day.
Click to expand...

I noticed quite a few pictures of new sculpts on his facebook page, including some I have not seen before.
 
playsetaddict said:
I noticed quite a few pictures of new sculpts on his facebook page, including some I have not seen before.
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That doesn't really mean much as there are pictures of new figures on the website that have never been made.
Mark
 
Warrior said:
He produced some great products in metal, plastic and his playsets. If he had just kept producing new items at a reasonable rate, he'd be near the top of the heap as far as current manufacturers go, we're talking millions in lost revenues and thousands of loyal collectors out of luck.

It's a shame really, a loss for everyone involved.
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Not easy to run such a business as events at other toy soldier manufacturers have shown. Production runs are a fraction of what they were a few years ago. So thousands of collectors and millions in lost revenue are somewhat overstated. Go back 50 years and WB's used to production runs of 5000 sets. Now WB's struggle to sell as few as 200 sets globally, i.e. the River Nile Boat. Even 2 figure Zulu sets are being produced in quantities less than 600 and don't sell out. K&C produce in 3 variants with only 250 of each variant (750 in total). So perhaps less is better in the current economic climate. Let alone the well discussed issues with production in China or poor quality output in other low labour cost countries.
 
simmo said:
I guess the answer is "No" then.

It is a shame as the Conte Zulu (courtesy if Charlie Brown!) got me started really. I didn't mind waiting for a few new Zulu figures as it gave me chance to expand into other ranges but the "coming soon" new Zulu sets don't appear to have progressed at all.

PS anyone have a spare Officer / Butler set I would be interested :smile2:
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Don't despair yet. I'm sure that RC has had good reason to remain quiet for this period of time. RC's passion is unlikely to be diminished.
 
I would suggest that Conte is our of business. Website last updated 9/2013. No products listed for sale and no dealers. The only place you can buy his stuff is on ebay ( inventory disposal ?) Does not look like a healthy business to me.
 
Conte was a wonderful, innovative company and I have loads of their products.

Whatever is going on with them I don't understand why they just can't honestly explain their situation.
If they are on hiatus or just going out of the business.....tell us!!!
It doesn't take much time or effort to write a two line e-mail.

They are off my radar and thankfully there are many well run toy soldier companies out there to choose from.
 
Charlie Brown said:
So thousands of collectors and millions in lost revenue are somewhat overstated.
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I saw first hand the reaction to Conte products from collectors at the Chicago shows from 1997 to the early 2000's, he used to have a suite that was packed with collectors everytime I visited it, plus his stand at the show was always mobbed.

If he produced sets at the rate he did from 1997 to 2003 over the past six years, then yes, we are talking of sales numbers near the million dollar mark..........................there is nothing overstated about what I said.
 
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