Okay - settle back - I wanna tell you a story:
This time it's of a new find. Cast your mind back to before Xmas. La Commandante and I were on a trip to Bristol. Shopping - you understand. Well, as it happened , once all the fascination of that had worn off - we chanced upon a covered market. inside were all sorts of stuff - but I was drawn to a stall - wherupon I noticed some Toy Soldiers. Probing a bit deeper I chanced upon two items which looked familiar.
Two knights - in various stages of dis-repair and a bit moth-eaten. Paintwork very poor - bits missing - but still recognisable as "Knights of Agincourt" - the creations of Roy Selwyn Smith - and eventually owned by Britains. But these two - well - re-casts was my guess - but potential there alright.
A quick negotiation left me with the pair - and the stallholder satisfied . He even gave me some broken bits which went with them.
Back at the Ranch - I ran an inventory. Both shields missing. Arm and sword missing. Horse tail missing. No problemo - I know a man with spare bits for Britains. A quick e-mail - and they are on the way.
To cut a long story short. They were stripped, cleaned up, bits stuck or pinned back on (including new parts) - and they were complete.
Now to re-paint. I love the poses - but have never thought that Britains really did them justice with a paint-job. I also had a new book on Heraldry for Xmas so chose two coats of arms to use for the re-paint.
Knight 1 (with the mace) was to be Lord Gilbert de Clare - Lord of Glamorgan (amongst his other titles c.1302 then aged 21)
Knight 2 (with the sword) was to be Sir John de Boscawen - a Cornish Knight, c.1335 - the year of his marriage).
And this is how they came out - with coats of arms drawn from my new book>
Anothe view from the other side:
And finally charging together - friends again.
The coats of arms on their shields are authentic - as are the dates they were around. The caparisons (padded cloth coverings on the horses) are from my imagination - but look as if they could be right.
They far exceeded my expectations - and I just love 'em. Hope you do too. johnnybach.
P.S the backgorund shots in pics 1 & 2 are of Castell Coch - whilst the third pic background is Caerphilly Castle - both in South Wales. Lovely!