Chelsea Militia (2 Viewers)
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theBaron
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Hard to tell if the artist depicts a royal cypher, or if it's just braiding, but the whiskers are fantastic!
What is the date of the painting? Would it be a GR or a WR? It looks like it could possibly be an intertwined and reversed GR.
Prost!
Brad
What is the date of the painting? Would it be a GR or a WR? It looks like it could possibly be an intertwined and reversed GR.
Prost!
Brad
Napoleon1er
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The red waistcoat is also quite interesting. Can't wait to see this develop!
theBaron
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I don't think it's a vest, but a dolman with some kind of red facings, or those are areas of additional lace, surrounding the usual area with the buttons and frogs appear.
Prost!
Brad
johnnybach
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Napoleon1er
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I believe you're right. That makes it even more interesting.
The uniform has to be one of the most Hungarian uniforms I have seen outside of actual Hingarian troops. It seems much more ethnically styled than most other European hussar uniforms.
johnnybach
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I'm not sure that we may be taking this figure too seriously. Chelsea is famous for it's Military Pensioners - and thus retired from service. That beard looks like it's a false one. Could this figure be a spoof - or a pantomime figure??? I've never heard of a "Royal Chelsea Militia". jb
theBaron
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If I remember correctly, the hussar fashion reached Britain with the Hannoverians. I recall from the Osprey series on King George's Army, that Cumberland had a bodyguard unit of hussars. There's an image of one in the one book. I think other local units also adopted the fashion, too. I'll have to look for examples.
Quite possibly. I just did a quick Internet search on "royal chelsea militia" and it turned up nothing regarding this image or a unit, but all posts on the Royal Hospital and the pensioners. Though the unit may not have been real, the thread is sparking a good discussion of uniform history, in any case.
Vic, where is this image from, again?
Prost!
Brad
blaster
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Hi all,
The pic was taken from my book. "The Drum". The caption states James White. Bass drummer . 1st Chelsea Militia. 1805. I presume that this would be during King George iii 's reign. I understand that the militia was raised in response to Napoleon's threat to invading England in 1805.
Rgds Victor
The pic was taken from my book. "The Drum". The caption states James White. Bass drummer . 1st Chelsea Militia. 1805. I presume that this would be during King George iii 's reign. I understand that the militia was raised in response to Napoleon's threat to invading England in 1805.
Rgds Victor
blaster
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Hi All,
I decided to substitute a Mokarex head for this piece. I had too many repeat Mokarex figures of one pose so decided to sacrifice one by scavenging him for plastic parts. That's a good face.
Wires were inserted into the figure for the limbs and also to attach the bass drum.
Rgds Victor
I decided to substitute a Mokarex head for this piece. I had too many repeat Mokarex figures of one pose so decided to sacrifice one by scavenging him for plastic parts. That's a good face.
Wires were inserted into the figure for the limbs and also to attach the bass drum.
Rgds Victor
blaster
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I spent most of the weekend working on this piece.
The beard was enlarged. The ears were sculpted. The legs were reposed to make it appear as if the figure was carrying a bass drum. Sheet metal was used to create the coat and hat flaps. The arms were fitted around the bass drum and covered with putty. Historex hands were used. The drumstick was substituted by a round pin.
The beard was enlarged. The ears were sculpted. The legs were reposed to make it appear as if the figure was carrying a bass drum. Sheet metal was used to create the coat and hat flaps. The arms were fitted around the bass drum and covered with putty. Historex hands were used. The drumstick was substituted by a round pin.
johnnybach
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Aha! Marvelous what a bit more information can do. It's NOT Chelsea - But the 1st Royal Cheshire Militia - 1805. This picture is held at the National Army Museum, London. Here's the link. jb
http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1965-10-2-1
Nice job going though on James, Vic - jb
blaster
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Re: Chelsea Militia CHESHIRE
HELLO JB!
Thanks for the clarification! Cheshire it is....
Info sifted thru the working class, eh?
I remember that this figure was first produced in metal by Pipercraft, and the piece was obviously modified from Historex parts. I had seen the kit in Under Two Flags. I wish that I had bought it then. It would have saved me the bother of making my own.
I added more putty to his thighs to represent a muscular man. He would have to be to lug the drum around. I agree that his dress is rather fanciful, pantomime-like to attract the crowds.
Notice that I have changed the way the streamer is attached to the mirliton shako. The streamer is more usually rolled around the sides of the mirliton, not on top. I probably needn't have bothered to use (waste) a hussar torso as most of the fancy lacing is covered by the coatee. The plume has been reduced in height.
I have started to give the figure and drum a basic coat of paint. I have to paint these pieces separately before I attach the drum to the figure. I have looked at various means of possible drum attachments and decided that the bass drum is plausibly attached by metal brackets, easily detached for a quick visit to the loo and all that. I will be adding a Historex strap buckle to the drum strap.
Rgds Vic
HELLO JB!
Thanks for the clarification! Cheshire it is....
Info sifted thru the working class, eh?I remember that this figure was first produced in metal by Pipercraft, and the piece was obviously modified from Historex parts. I had seen the kit in Under Two Flags. I wish that I had bought it then. It would have saved me the bother of making my own.
I added more putty to his thighs to represent a muscular man. He would have to be to lug the drum around. I agree that his dress is rather fanciful, pantomime-like to attract the crowds.
Notice that I have changed the way the streamer is attached to the mirliton shako. The streamer is more usually rolled around the sides of the mirliton, not on top. I probably needn't have bothered to use (waste) a hussar torso as most of the fancy lacing is covered by the coatee. The plume has been reduced in height.
I have started to give the figure and drum a basic coat of paint. I have to paint these pieces separately before I attach the drum to the figure. I have looked at various means of possible drum attachments and decided that the bass drum is plausibly attached by metal brackets, easily detached for a quick visit to the loo and all that. I will be adding a Historex strap buckle to the drum strap.
Rgds Vic
theBaron
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The power of suggestion. Reading, "Chelsea Militia" and glancing at the painting, I saw "Chelsea". Taking a good close look now, I see it is "Cheshire". The old weak S (looks like a f, without the hook) was easily mis-identified. Thanks for the clarification, John!
Prost!
Brad
johnnybach
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It just goes to show the power of the written words - over what you actually can see depicted. You wrote Chelsea - and off we all went hypothesising about who/what it could be - when all of the time, painted on the drum, were the words "Royal Cheshire Militia". (Okay - the letter S looked like an F - but that was the way they wrote it way back then).
However, you wrote Chelsea - so off we went looking for that - which, of course, does not exist.
As soon as I input the further info that you had - up came both the picture - and the other information in the link - and when I looked closer at the word on the drum - realised my (and your) error.
That particular museum (National Army Museum, London), is a mine of online information Vic, so I recommend you bookmark it ( if you haven't done so already).
Maybe ask the moderators to change the title of the thread???
A nice project though, I'll watch with interest how he progresses. jb
However, you wrote Chelsea - so off we went looking for that - which, of course, does not exist.
As soon as I input the further info that you had - up came both the picture - and the other information in the link - and when I looked closer at the word on the drum - realised my (and your) error.
That particular museum (National Army Museum, London), is a mine of online information Vic, so I recommend you bookmark it ( if you haven't done so already).
Maybe ask the moderators to change the title of the thread???
A nice project though, I'll watch with interest how he progresses. jb
blaster
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Hello Brad and John,
I was looking back at why I wrote Chelsea and then realised that when I was looking up the provenance of the painting, it stated that it was located in the National Army Museum, Chelsea...
Built up the fur edging on the vest and gave the figure a basic black undercoat on these areas. Some minor putty work required on the legs to represent half-gaiters and then I'm getting into the painting.
Rgds Vic
I was looking back at why I wrote Chelsea and then realised that when I was looking up the provenance of the painting, it stated that it was located in the National Army Museum, Chelsea...
Built up the fur edging on the vest and gave the figure a basic black undercoat on these areas. Some minor putty work required on the legs to represent half-gaiters and then I'm getting into the painting.
Rgds Vic
