Bob Walker 5th Annual Open House (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

Nice bathrooms...

Yes, they are both nice bathrooms. I have never seen anything like them before. However, when I asked my wife if we could have pictures of nude Roman slave women in one of our bathrooms, she said no.

 

[ecuriel]

The diversity of the collection is truly amazing.

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

Thanks very much for sharing the pictures of the amazing Bob Walker collection.

It must be the accummulation of a lifetime of collecting.....20,000 figures.:salute::

I never knew how many elephants made for a decent Durbar procession, but 18 is good.

Your wife knows where to sit. ^&grin

Cheers, Raymond.

Hi Raymond,

I am glad I could share the pictures of Bob's collection with you and the other members of the Forum. His collection is the accummulation of sixty years of collecting. Bob and I were both born in 1942, but while I started collecting 20 years ago, he started collecting when he was about eight years old and has never stopped. More than just accummulating figures, Bob has artistically added all the accouterments that he displays with his figures that makes his collection even more of a delight to behold than it would be otherwise.

There might have been more than 18 elephants since I did not completely photograph the entire top self. If memory serves me correctly, there may been "equipment" elephants. So make it 17 Durbar elephants plus "others."

My wife, who couldn't care less about toy soldiers, has tolerated my collecting all these years and has even agreed to accompany me twice to Bob's northern California open house which entails a seven hour automobile trip each way. However, she loves Bob's beautiful Victorian in and of itself. That sun room is a very nice place to sit; now that I think of it, I don't believe I even sat down once during the six or seven hours we were there on Saturday. The fact is that there are very few places to sit at Bob's house other than the dinning room. That leaves more room for toy soldiers!

 

[thebritfarmer]

What a stunning home & collection. That surely would be a place to visit!!! You must discover new stuff every time you visit Mike.

Thanks for taking and posting photos of your trip and pass on our thanks to Bob also for allowing you to. It would be hard to pick favourites with such an array to choose from but I am partial to the Durbar but then there is that enormous castle.......

 

[ucla1967]

The diversity of the collection is truly amazing.

I agree that the diversity is amazing. However, you may have noticed that Bob is an old fashioned, traditional, glossy metal collector for the most part. The Forum, as you probably know, is basically a 60mm, matte, individually sculpted figure, diorama stronghold. King & Country, John Jenkins Designs, Figarti, First Legion, etc. rule here. Usually, there are more Forum views on just K&C, for example, by a factor of two or three than there are in the entire glossy section. Bob probably has fewer than 100 K&C figures in his entire collection; he only has the Figarti HMS Victory; and none of the others. So, in spite of what one might think based on the Forum, there is another world of collectors out there, who are for the most part older than the Forum media age and who have more traditional collections. Bob is not online nor does he own a cell phone.

By the way, I see you are from Medford; I was born and raised in Pendleton, but I moved to California right after high school. If you ever attend the West Coaster in the future, Bob has three rooms of toy soldiers at the family home he grew up in here in southern California. The collection he has down here, although smaller, is well worth seeing. I have seen it at least a dozen times. If you, or any other Forum members would like to see it during the West Coaster, please let me know and I will arrange it for you. I hope to open another thread at a later date on his southern California collection for all to see.

 

[ucla1967]

What a stunning home & collection. That surely would be a place to visit!!! You must discover new stuff every time you visit Mike.

Thanks for taking and posting photos of your trip and pass on our thanks to Bob also for allowing you to. It would be hard to pick favourites with such an array to choose from but I am partial to the Durbar but then there is that enormous castle.......

You are welcome. Yes, I do discover new stuff with each visit. Bob is continually adding to and rearranging his collection. Also, he recently added LED lights under each shelf which makes a world of difference in ones ability to see details. I honestly can't pick a favorite.

 

[ecuriel]

I agree that the diversity is amazing. However, you may have noticed that Bob is an old fashioned, traditional, glossy metal collector for the most part. The Forum, as you probably know, is basically a 60mm, matte, individually sculpted figure, diorama stronghold. King & Country, John Jenkins Designs, Figarti, First Legion, etc. rule here. Usually, there are more Forum views on just K&C, for example, by a factor of two or three than there are in the entire glossy section. Bob probably has fewer than 100 K&C figures in his entire collection; he only has the Figarti HMS Victory; and none of the others. So, in spite of what one might think based on the Forum, there is another world of collectors out there, who are for the most part older than the Forum media age and who have more traditional collections. Bob is not online nor does he own a cell phone.

By the way, I see you are from Medford; I was born and raised in Pendleton, but I moved to California right after high school. If you ever attend the West Coaster in the future, Bob has three rooms of toy soldiers at the family home he grew up in here in southern California. The collection he has down here, although smaller, is well worth seeing. I have seen it at least a dozen times. If you, or any other Forum members would like to see it during the West Coaster, please let me know and I will arrange it for you. I hope to open another thread at a later date on his southern California collection for all to see.

I do go to the Westcoaster. I would love to see the collection. I noticed he had some Metal Shed Items, which I have started collecting for over 1 year now.

 

[ucla1967]

I do go to the Westcoaster. I would love to see the collection. I noticed he had some Metal Shed Items, which I have started collecting for over 1 year now.

Great! I know he would love to show it to you. We will have to make arrangements when the time gets closer to March. I'll attach two photos of a Metal Shed Russian battleship that Bob commissioned which is sitting in the middle of his Prussian Room in southern California. The figures are 54mm Bastion Models Russian Navy, 1900. The collection is about 30 minutes from the Irvine Marriott.

 

[ecuriel]

Great! I know he would love to show it to you. We will have to make arrangements when the time gets closer to March. I'll attach two photos of a Metal Shed Russian battleship that Bob commissioned which is sitting in the middle of his Prussian Room in southern California. The figures are 54mm Bastion Models Russian Navy, 1900. The collection is about 30 minutes from the Irvine Marriott.

WOW! I thought I was crazy! I have Bruce making a few items for me but that ship is over the top! I look forward to seeing it up close. Thank you for sharing the pictures.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are some more photos from the Diorama Room in northern California. Hiriart makes many sets representing various Latin American military schools and historic units similar to those made by pre-war Britains. I must admit that I wasn't that interested in them at first, but once I saw Bob's figures I was hooked. I now have about 20 Hiriart Latin American sets in my collection with more on order.

The first photo shows Uruguyans (L to R): Britains version of the Blandengues de Artigas Lanceros, Hiriart's non-catalog special set of 19th Century Navy, and Hiriart's Escuela Militar.

The second photo shows Hiriart bands from left to right: Venezueala Military Academy, two Naval School bands from Chile, the Eloy Alfaro Military School (in white summer uniforms) Ecuador, and the Chilean Air Force.

The third photo has Hiriart's (L to R) Escolta Presidencial, Columbia; Grenaderos de San Martin Band, Argentina; Colegio Militar, Argentina; and Colegio Militar Caballeria, Argentina.

The fourth photo has Hiriart's (L to R) Eloy Alfaro Military Academy Band, Ecudador; the Batallon Florida, Uruguay; and Aca Caraya Lanceros, Paraguay.

The last photo is a close up of the non-catalog special of the Venezuelan Military Academy.

 

[glossman]

Hi Raymond,

I am glad I could share the pictures of Bob's collection with you and the other members of the Forum. His collection is the accummulation of sixty years of collecting. Bob and I were both born in 1942, but while I started collecting 20 years ago, he started collecting when he was about eight years old and has never stopped. More than just accummulating figures, Bob has artistically added all the accouterments that he displays with his figures that makes his collection even more of a delight to behold than it would be otherwise.

There might have been more than 18 elephants since I did not completely photograph the entire top self. If memory serves me correctly, there may been "equipment" elephants. So make it 17 Durbar elephants plus "others."

My wife, who couldn't care less about toy soldiers, has tolerated my collecting all these years and has even agreed to accompany me twice to Bob's northern California open house which entails a seven hour automobile trip each way. However, she loves Bob's beautiful Victorian in and of itself. That sun room is a very nice place to sit; now that I think of it, I don't believe I even sat down once during the six or seven hours we were there on Saturday. The fact is that there are very few places to sit at Bob's house other than the dinning room. That leaves more room for toy soldiers!

Hi Mike,

Many thanks for your kind reply. I find it very refreshing to view a fine traditional gloss toy soldier collection. It is good to know there are still traditional gloss collectors out there.

I acquired my first gloss 54mm figures about 25 years ago in London. My initial sets were by William Britain not surprisingly. Unfortunately, I was not consistent in collecting over the years and deviated to painting and building plastic model kits 1/72 scale. It is only in the last 5 years that I have returned to collecting traditional gloss 54mm, mainly Trophy.

The size of my collection is modest with display and storage space being a major limiting factor. Therefore, I have to be very selective in what I collect. I really do not have much, but I do love what I have.

Best Wishes, Raymond.

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

Many thanks for your kind reply. I find it very refreshing to view a fine traditional gloss toy soldier collection. It is good to know there are still traditional gloss collectors out there.

I acquired my first gloss 54mm figures about 25 years ago in London. My initial sets were by William Britain not surprisingly. Unfortunately, I was not consistent in collecting over the years and deviated to painting and building plastic model kits 1/72 scale. It is only in the last 5 years that I have returned to collecting traditional gloss 54mm, mainly Trophy.

The size of my collection is modest with display and storage space being a major limiting factor. Therefore, I have to be very selective in what I collect. I really do not have much, but I do love what I have.

Best Wishes, Raymond.

Hi Raymond,

While I really appreciate looking at the new trend in the toy soldier world which has a focus on 60mm, matte figures set up in amazingly realistic dioramas, Bob and I have none of that. We are both traditional glossy collectors, although my 5,000 figure collection is minor league compared to his and Ed Ruby's. I have just 3,000 figures on display on glass shelves in curios; the rest are still in their boxes. I don't have the military uniforms, headgear, regimental badges, painting, and prints that Bob and Ed have which makes their collections so great.

I started collecting by hapenstance when my wife and I flew out to San Antonio Texas almost 20 years ago to attend our son's graduation from U.S. Air Force basic training at Lackland AFB. We visited the Alamo and the Menger Hotel next door where I found the King's X toy soldier shop. I bought four sets of Tradition and Alymer there and have never stopped. The five largest manufacturers in my collection are Hiriart, Frontline, Trophy, Imperial, and Blenheim. With the exception of the later Frontline offerings (i.e., Zulu War, Napoleonics, ACW, World War I, World War II, and French & Indian War matte figures), my collection is glossy. I also have AFV in 1/32 scale from Forces of Valor, 1/50 scale from Solido, and 1/72 scale from Dragon. Finally, I have about ten 1/32 scale World War II Philippine mahogany warbirds.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is a close up of the Hiriart non-catalog set of the Eloy Alfaro Military Academy in their summer uniforms. To the right is another version, but in their gray uniforms. Bob ordered both of these special sets from Hiriart based on their catalog set 1275 ACADEMIA MILITAR "ELOY ALFARO," ECUADOR which I have attached a photo of for comparison puposes.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are four photos of the inside of the house to give you a sense of the the context in which his collection is displayed: The entry (I really love that door); the stairs; the hallway looking from the entry towards the kitchen; and the suit of armor at the top of the stairs.

 

[Leadmen]

Thank you Mike for taking pictures of Bob Walkers collection and also for his permission to show his collection. What a amazing collection of figures and Militia. The amount of planning he did on the different displays and rooms is great. I even saw one of my old favorites-- a cardboard Built Rite fort which I had as a child. I still have the cardboard figures which I picked up at shows. I enjoyed viewing his home and collection and will look at them more. John

 

[ucla1967]

Thank you Mike for taking pictures of Bob Walkers collection and also for his permission to show his collection. What a amazing collection of figures and Militia. The amount of planning he did on the different displays and rooms is great. I even saw one of my old favorites-- a cardboard Built Rite fort which I had as a child. I still have the cardboard figures which I picked up at shows. I enjoyed viewing his home and collection and will look at them more. John

You are welcome John. The amount of time, planning, effort, skill, and money it took to put this all together is very, very impressive and certainly not common place by any means. In some cases, he has paid more for just one item than many of us have put into our entire collections.

 

[DMNamiot]

Great stuff! Please post the rest of the photos. It would be great to have a collection like this nearby. Last time I saw so many French Figures like this was actually in a shop in Paris! Love the Horse drawn monument to Napoleon for the Funeral procession amazing detail!

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Dave,

It is great stuff. Close is a relative term. The collection is actually more than 400 miles from my home, but well worth the annual pilgrimage I make to see it. If I don't fly in, I drive up on Friday, spend Saturday at the open house, and drive back early Sunday to be in time to pick up my grand daughter in Orange County. I do have a few more photos to post and will also open a new thread on his smaller southern California based collection in the near future. The number of Mignots and Lucottes Bob has in his collection is amazing and includes some rare sets like the Mignot Napoleon's Funeral Procession.

 

[ucla1967]

Still from the Diorama Room: The first photo is a view partial view of a wall with shelves displaying gun teams and wagons. The upper left set with the oxen gun team is, I believe, from Bill Hocker's Boer War range. The second photo is a close up of some of those set, many of which are Britains, although I do recognize Imperial Productions Scottish Mounted Rifles (far left) and Hiriart's Indian Mountain Artillery on Oxen (front). The third shows some of the large scale figures and prints he has on display while the last shows elephants and chariots.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is a partial view of the British Hallway display which has a bind boggling number of figures on 10 or 12 long shelves and includes Bob's own figures, old Britains, new Britains, Hocker, and many others. Reviewing my photos, including the ones I posted previously, I don't believe I even covered 1/4th of what he has on display there.