Anyone ever hear of Ed Colaric? (1 Viewer)

[theBaron]

Hi, everyone,

I'm back with another question about some toy soldiers and the man who either made them, or sold them. His name is Ed Colaric, and he was based in California, maybe as early as the '70s and as recently as the '90s, from information I've gotten from some dealers selling figures on eBay.

I've checked my references, but haven't found anything about him.

The figures are samurai, and in their sculpt and painting, they are very similar to King-White, or early Frontline or K&C. In fact, I suspected that they might be either King-White (as sold by Reeves).

One dealer whose auction I won said he bought the figures from Ed Colaric, but he didn't think that Colaric made them. Colaric also sold Crusaders and an ACW Union band, seated. Those hints, again, could indicate Reeves, or maybe early K&C. The dealer also describe other pieces in the samurai line that included a seated general, and a low bench with the decapitated heads of captives. I know that I saw that set or a similar one in Armchair General's catalog in the mid-'90s, but I no longer have that particular issue. Those figures have stickers under their bases, with serial numbers in the format "G-#"m and what appears to be a month and year, like "4/88".

Another dealer has some figures which may also have passed through Colaric's hands; they are marked on the rim of the base with "Ed C". That could indicate that he made the figures, or their masters, or that he commissioned them. That dealer also thought that they came from Colaric, and that he was based in California.

Has anyone in the forum ever heard of him? Did he produce original figures, or was he a dealer who sold other people's lines? Even in that case, he could have made his own figures as well, or commissioned figures. These figures certainly look like Chinese manufacture from the '70s and '80s, though.

Thanks in advance for any info anyone might have!

Prosit!
Brad

 

[Showman]

Brad - I am the ebay seller who purhcased a subtantial accumulation of these figures from an old timer in Dallas , Tx earlier this year. I have no other information other than what Brad has mentioned here. I have the set with the three heads on a tray, etc. They are from this ED C.... maker. I found a price sheet for this figure with sets of seven or six going for $163 USD. They were purchased out of Los Angeles, CA. I think in the late 1980's.

I have many of the Crusaders/Sacarens line too from this ED C....

I know for certain they are not KNC. They are not frontline either. Anyone know , please let us know...

 

[theBaron]

Hi, Showman!

I do wonder if they are King-White in origin. The are so similar to the samurai sold by Reeves International that I doubt that they're original productions of an American maker.

Love a great mystery!

Prost!
Brad

 

[Leadmen]

The King White Figures- Hong Kong 1974, were marked 'Made for A.A. Hales in Hong Kong who was a dealer in models. These were 50mm second world war figures. They were pirate copies of mini-models of London. Ed might have been a dealer and not a manufacturer. I find no reference about him in the reference book on all companies. Leadmen

 

[theBaron]

Thanks, Leadmen, yes, he seems to have been in business after Garratt wrote his Encyclopedia , too, or, if he had been in business before then, he never attracted Garrett's attention.

You're right, Hales was one of the distributors for King-White, along with Reeves International and The Treasure Chest in Florida. I think it was through Reeves that the ARW figures were sold here in the States at various national parks and historical sites. For example, foot and mounted figures of Washington used to be on sale at the gift shop at Mount Vernon.

I've even seen their figures in Russian packaging, so someone was distributing them there, too. I have a Russian curassier officer from the Napoleonic wars, which was packaged in a blister pack for a Russian vendor.

There have been a few posts about the samurai; they're very close to King-White in design, but we haven't been able to place them yet.

I wish I could find that old catalog! Argh!

Prosit!
Brad

 

[William S. Grey]

Ed Colaric was an eccentric sort of guy from California. My recollection of him was that he was a very serious guy, yet he was an easy guy to chat. I remember him from the, I think, 1980s, at the OTSN shows. When we would chat at length in his hotel room. He sold a range of Samurai and assorted other figures, of which I do not know their heritage. I do remember that his ranges of figures were expensive.

His luggage and all his clothes were lost on a flight to one OTSN show, so he went across the street to the Woodfield Mall across from Hyatt and bought all new stiff dungarees. He was standing in his room greeting folks at the door like a scare-crow with new jeans, much too long for him-- rolled up at the cuffs, wearing an oversized shirt. He was a sight. I met him for a couple of years then he vanished. Sorry that's all I remember about him.

Bill
www.vintagecastings.com

 

[theBaron]

Hi, Bill!

The one dealer from whom I bought some of the figures noted that, too, about the prices.

We'll get to the bottom of this, eventually. I'm still looking from my Armchair General catalog that had these figures listed, along with a bunch of Reeves Napoleonics, it was a closeout sale, I think. I know I had the sheets when I moved 5 years ago. But I am certain that it showed these same figures.

Prost!
Bradley

 

[Gideon]

These figures sound really great.

Please post some pics...