theBaron
Major
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2008
- Messages
- 10,331
Hi, all,
I recently picked up another set of the Charles Biggs set 8923, the German 7.7 Gun with Review Order Detachment. I've already got seven or eight of these, but it was a bargain price on eBay, so I snapped it up.
The seller noted that the figures were plastic. I chalked that up to the seller's unfamiliarity with toy soldiers; I've seen other descriptions like it ("Figures are iron", when they're white metal, etc).
Well, the package arrived today, and sure enough-the gun crew figures are not made of white metal, but are plastic. They are lighter than the white metal figures from the other sets. The standing and kneeling gunners, for example, weigh about an ounce apiece. Their counterparts in this new set weigh less than half an ounce. The figures from the other sets also show signs of the mold seam under their bases. The figures in this new set show a nub where a sprue gate was cleaned up. The figures from the other sets also have a small circular label under their bases, while the new ones have none. That in itself is not an indication of anything, but it is another difference. They are otherwise indistinguishable from the metal figures in the other sets.
The gun is white metal, identical to the field piece in my other sets.
My theory is that these might be masters or painting guides of some kind. Otherwise, I am completely unfamiliar with something like this. I never heard that any figures in the Biggs series were cast or molded in anything than white metal.
Has anyone heard anything like this?
I haven't taken any photos yet, though photos will only show that the figures are indistinguishable from one another.
An interesting little puzzle, to be sure!
Prost!
Brad
I recently picked up another set of the Charles Biggs set 8923, the German 7.7 Gun with Review Order Detachment. I've already got seven or eight of these, but it was a bargain price on eBay, so I snapped it up.
The seller noted that the figures were plastic. I chalked that up to the seller's unfamiliarity with toy soldiers; I've seen other descriptions like it ("Figures are iron", when they're white metal, etc).
Well, the package arrived today, and sure enough-the gun crew figures are not made of white metal, but are plastic. They are lighter than the white metal figures from the other sets. The standing and kneeling gunners, for example, weigh about an ounce apiece. Their counterparts in this new set weigh less than half an ounce. The figures from the other sets also show signs of the mold seam under their bases. The figures in this new set show a nub where a sprue gate was cleaned up. The figures from the other sets also have a small circular label under their bases, while the new ones have none. That in itself is not an indication of anything, but it is another difference. They are otherwise indistinguishable from the metal figures in the other sets.
The gun is white metal, identical to the field piece in my other sets.
My theory is that these might be masters or painting guides of some kind. Otherwise, I am completely unfamiliar with something like this. I never heard that any figures in the Biggs series were cast or molded in anything than white metal.
Has anyone heard anything like this?
I haven't taken any photos yet, though photos will only show that the figures are indistinguishable from one another.
An interesting little puzzle, to be sure!
Prost!
Brad