Any news on Conte? (1 Viewer)

[gk5717]

In regards to Contes plastics and playsets, I was told years ago by someone in the know that RC over estimated the demand for those products and he lost his a-- so to speak. When you look back what you got for your money with those early sets was fantastic. I,m sure the demise was the Alamo fiasco, that put the final nail in the coffin. Those later GI,s to go head to head with TSSD,s GI,s was the final curtain call. If you remember a good portion of those GI,s were sculpts RC bought from ONTC.
It was such a hurry up operation that some of the header cards were Alamo.
I still say what could have been if Contes venture into plastics would have been a success.
Gary

 

[Spanish soldier]

the global crisis and rising prices have reduced sales, fewer collectors in forum there are many collectors who no longer participate, unless figures are released, it's sad for me.

Francisco

 

[jazzeum]

Maybe it's because I got interested in the hobby later than some (2004) but I never saw the attraction of their figures.

Brad

 

[marco55]

They were top notch and innovative in their day.You can't really go by todays sculpting but their playsets were amazing and their metal lines were animated like none before.Their Troiani sets were what got me collecting large scale figures. Their viking and roman ships were superb and their tie ins with movies got a lot of people interested in them.As far as losing money they probably did on their plastic sets but from what I understand Conte is a very wealthy man.
Mark

 

[Spanish soldier]

His roman galley was icreible.

Francisco

 

[larso]

I heard it was the plastic Spartans. They were incredible but the cost must've been astounding. I loved them and couldn't wait for the promised follow on Roman army. Maybe he should've done them first? Surely his other plastic stuff must've sold well enough? He probably tried to do too much - too many poses, too many lines.

It's hard to see him come back. I don't think he has many dealers, so selling new (any) product is hard. The costs have risen and the Chinese have other, more consistent business types to give preference to. Certainly he couldn't do things to the scale he used to without large price rises. The competition can't be ignored either. Indeed, there's more talk of current makers being forced out than of room for a 'new' player.

 

[Mitch]

I think the gritty realism they went for (similar with TCS) was something quite new and on the whole still is. I don't have lots of Conte but, they are sets that I like. They certainly are an acquired taste.

Would like to see the playsets reissued
Mitch

Maybe it's because I got interested in the hobby later than some (2004) but I never saw the attraction of their figures.

Brad

 

[binder001]

Maybe it's because I got interested in the hobby later than some (2004) but I never saw the attraction of their figures. Brad

Brad,

I got into toy soldiers about the same time. My fascination with Conte was based on 1) historical accuracy - his US paratroopers were the first plastic American airborne troops to get the M1942 jump uniform correctly along with all the accoutrements. 2) His poses were generally quite good at conveying action. His plastic GIs were top notch. 3) I also like his movie tie-ins. I grew up watching the movies that he was honoring. For money and space I don't collect much outside WW2, but I sure wish I had the full set of "The Warlord" as I really like that movie. While I don't like Conte's painting style as much as the K&C style, it sure is hard to beat his "man-to-man" combat poses. So there has been a lot of good coming from Conte over the years.

Personally, I would like to see a new run of the US WW2 GIs, but the question is "would the market absorb another 10,000 figures to make the production worthwhile?"

Gary B.

 

[eborris]

He could have been king of the plastic world, but somewhere and somehow he lost his way, whether it was promises not kept, competition, financial loss or frustration due to criticism I can't be certain. He did have a quality product and his action poses were top notch without a doubt. I'd be very surprised if he ever made a come back into the plastic arena.

 

[jazzeum]

Brad,

I got into toy soldiers about the same time. My fascination with Conte was based on 1) historical accuracy - his US paratroopers were the first plastic American airborne troops to get the M1942 jump uniform correctly along with all the accoutrements. 2) His poses were generally quite good at conveying action. His plastic GIs were top notch. 3) I also like his movie tie-ins. I grew up watching the movies that he was honoring. For money and space I don't collect much outside WW2, but I sure wish I had the full set of "The Warlord" as I really like that movie. While I don't like Conte's painting style as much as the K&C style, it sure is hard to beat his "man-to-man" combat poses. So there has been a lot of good coming from Conte over the years.

Personally, I would like to see a new run of the US WW2 GIs, but the question is "would the market absorb another 10,000 figures to make the production worthwhile?"

Gary B.

Gary,

People get into the hobby in different ways. My way in was first through Britains' English Bren Gun team and then through K & C, which was the most realistic thing I'd ever seen at that time. I know many love Conte and to each his own -- it would be boring if we all liked the same things -- but what turned me off was the poses; they didn't do it for me, not to mention plastics is not my thing. The one thing I liked, but which was beyond my means, was the Church and priory. I thought that was pretty fantastic.

Again, to each his own as we all don't like the same things and I enjoy seeing what get others' juices flowing.

Brad

 

[6th Wisconsin]

I think the gritty realism they went for (similar with TCS) was something quite new and on the whole still is. I don't have lots of Conte but, they are sets that I like. They certainly are an acquired taste.

Would like to see the playsets reissued
Mitch

That is what I always liked about Conte, the realism. The first toy soldiers I ever bought were Britain's and Conte in 2002. In general, Britain's has had better painting, but Conte is gritty and often dramatic. For example, in the ACW line, his dead sets and hand to hand sets from the Crater series add a great touch to battle scenes.

 

[Mitch]

I bought a couple of the WWII series and the action and casualty sets were very nice. The first I bought was the dead US Para hanging from lamp post with a dead German underneath. Still one of my favourite sets.
Mitch

That is what I always liked about Conte, the realism. The first toy soldiers I ever bought were Britain's and Conte in 2002. In general, Britain's has had better painting, but Conte is gritty and often dramatic. For example, in the ACW line, his dead sets and hand to hand sets from the Crater series add a great touch to battle scenes.

 

[billgiff]

It's too bad that Conte didn't offer his painted figures and sets in unpainted versions.
I'm sure they would have sold well. Just more of my wishful thinking.

 

[Charlie Brown]

My fascination with Conte was based on 1) historical accuracy - his US paratroopers were the first plastic American airborne troops to get the M1942 jump uniform correctly along with all the accoutrements.
Gary B.

Have to agree with the point regarding accuracy. Conte figures always have had a lot of thought put into them. Still a degree of artistic licence. But never the elementary guffs that other manufacturers have blantantly made. I could never part with money for a vehicle that never saw action in Normandy, nor buy ACW figures that were armed with rifles that weren't manufactured until 2 years later.

 

[NY Collector]

Have to agree with the point regarding accuracy. Conte figures always have had a lot of thought put into them. Still a degree of artistic licence. But never the elementary guffs that other manufacturers have blantantly made. I could never part with money for a vehicle that never saw action in Normandy, nor buy ACW figures that were armed with rifles that weren't manufactured until 2 years later.

I read on a blog that his plastic Spartans break quite easily. Mine sure did. Also another blogger claims his Conte Plastic ACW have faded ?

 

[eborris]

I have some of the prototypes and they are rather pliable and hand swaps are easy to do. I tried the same thing with the red Spartans and the ball plug in broke off in the joint. I had a number of other breaks of the same sort just moving the hands around. I also had a set of silver Spartans and they were such a hard plastic I only took one set out of the blister package for fear of breakage. I sold the solver ones as soon as I could. I recently picked up the three Conte Civil War sets, sonce I didn't have them when they were brand new I can't tell if they faded or not, I did notice that the Iron Brigade seems to be a different shade of blue than set 1, don't know if either set faded or that was intended.

I read on a blog that his plastic Spartans break quite easily. Mine sure did. Also another blogger claims his Conte Plastic ACW have faded ?

 

[Beau]

I had no issues with breakage in my Red spartans. I bought a case of the silver Spartans, and I believe only one broke, and I don't own any gold (though I'd love to if I found them at the right price!). I only attempted a couple hand swaps, but had no problems.

I never noticed any fading of my Union, though I imagine, if any figure sits on display long enough, with ample sunlight, they will start to lose color.

Honestly, I would buy anything plastic that Conte put out.

Beau

 

[Charlie Brown]

I read on a blog that his plastic Spartans break quite easily. Mine sure did. Also another blogger claims his Conte Plastic ACW have faded ?

Colour is fading is down to the manufacturing process. On that front you are reliant on Chinese quality which is often far from the best.

I know that the Brown Spartans lose their colour badly over time particularly in sunlight. Which is hardly unexpected. Answer is to paint them. Which is the best outcome.

 

[Denver]

I just went to the Conte Site.
I clicked on ten different items.
None of those ten are available.

 

[Oldallamerican]

I just went to the Conte Site.
I clicked on ten different items.
None of those ten are available.

I gave up on his site for plastics. It doesn't appear as if anyone has updated it in year(s).

I bought all three colors of the Spartans, I haven't noticed any breakage but then again, I haven't had them out in a few years - I've kept them stored in as air-tight plastic container as I could find. This thread makes me want to go check on them. Been debating buying some of Expeditionary Force's Greeks to go with them but after the disappointment over no Persians ever appearing to face Conte's guys I'd just be adding more Greeks to Peloponnesian War scenarios (or imaginary Greco-Roman or Greco-Barbarian scenarios).