Connoisseur Figures (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

Question - Does any Connesiour company currently make WWI or WWII GERMANS ?
Thanks

Aeroart is making a few WWI personalities but they only sell on their ebay store. Almost impossible to come by since they are very limited and appear once in a blue moon. Here is the recent Hindenburg figure:

In my opinion, the more recent WWI figures are not nearly as good as those they did earlier.

Regarding WWII, there are several personality figures available but you will pay top dollar (I posted some pictures earlier) here is the link:

http://www.soldiers-russia.com/20century/

 

[Combat]

Something new from Aeroart - Roman woman:

 

[Combat]

New German WWI figure from Aeroart:

 

[Gebhard]

I have my eye on these two new beautiful Figures from Aeroart

 

[Cardigan600]

I have had several interactions with Boris Kolomytsev of Kolobob and I have been impressed with him.

The stuff available at his E-Bay store only scratches the surface of what is available.

Visit his website at:

http://www.soldiers-russia.com

He uses a quality scale of 1-10 with 6-10 covering the majority of figures. Quality doesn't only refer to the quality of painting but to the complexity of painting as well:

6-7 Top Quality
8 About Elite Quality
9 Elite Qual costity (Museum Quality)
10 Elite Quality (Show Winning Quality)

Grenada figures fall into the 6-7 quality range. Eagle is likely in the 5 quality range.

He carries the Russian Vityaz line of figures which are arguably the best in the world but the prices reflect it.

He also carries an exclusive line of figures that in my opinion are of equal quality to Russian Vityaz. It turns out these figures are made for him by Nevskaya Miniatura.http://www.soldiers-neva.com This is Tatyana Gapchenko's studio. She is a former master of Russian Vityaz studio. These exclusive pieces are about 20% cheaper than Russian Vityaz.

Lastly they do commision painting of miniatures (i.e. Pegaso Models of Italy). I suspect they use Nevskaya Miniatura for this as well since the pricing is similar but I'm not positve

Prices for these figures are exponential. For instance a mounted Samurai at level 8 quality may go for $480. The same figure at level 9 quality may go for $1400-$1800. Level 10 figures demand a premium and the same figure could command $2100. At these prices you are crossing the line from toy soldiers to fine art and they are simply stunning.

That said you can order any of the figures to the level of quality you want.

Here are a few of my recent Samurais

Yo Trooper, this has bugged me for a long time now and something I cannot get my head around. For instance if you bought a Stadden WW11 model back in the 1980s and it cost £50, then you bought a Scots Drum Major and it cost £75 I can understand that because of the extra work on the detail. But what are the Russian guys saying about the same painted model, if you want a level 8 its $480, but if you want a level 9 its $1800. (HUMBUG) I always thought an artist painted a model to the best of his ability. Give you another instance, BL Reed posted The Trophy by Andrea Miniatures a couple of days back, painted by the Master Artist David Mounquist, you look at and it says superb David gave it his best shot. But what if when BL Reed opened the box and there was a letter from David with the model saying, hope you like my work, BUT if you had paid another $1000 I could have done it much better. It would have been sent back with a note REFUND PLEASE. I think these Russians have got a great CON going, they are taking you to the cleaners. You can have the model for $480 but its crap, never heard of such a load of nonesense, and thats my honest opinion.
Bernard.

 

[SteveDavid]

I have my eye on these two new beautiful Figures from Aeroart

Nice. You have the references Geb?

 

[Combat]

Yo Trooper, this has bugged me for a long time now and something I cannot get my head around. For instance if you bought a Stadden WW11 model back in the 1980s and it cost £50, then you bought a Scots Drum Major and it cost £75 I can understand that because of the extra work on the detail. But what are the Russian guys saying about the same painted model, if you want a level 8 its $480, but if you want a level 9 its $1800. (HUMBUG) I always thought an artist painted a model to the best of his ability. Give you another instance, BL Reed posted The Trophy by Andrea Miniatures a couple of days back, painted by the Master Artist David Mounquist, you look at and it says superb David gave it his best shot. But what if when BL Reed opened the box and there was a letter from David with the model saying, hope you like my work, BUT if you had paid another $1000 I could have done it much better. It would have been sent back with a note REFUND PLEASE. I think these Russians have got a great CON going, they are taking you to the cleaners. You can have the model for $480 but its crap, never heard of such a load of nonesense, and thats my honest opinion.
Bernard.

I believe the quality difference arises because several different artists paint the figures. Some are better than others. It's not so much that an artist capable of the higher level doesn't do their best. However, even the lower quality jobs are not "crap."

 

[fmethorst]

I have no inside knowledge as to how the Russian studios operate but I suspect Combat is probably right. I highly doubt the top painters get involved in orders for the lower level painting. It would be very surprising to find out someone like Tatyana Gapchenko was painting figures to anything below her astonishing ability.

 

[Cardigan600]

Yo Terry & Frank, thanks for your answers, sorry about the ( $480 but its crap) it was just a figure of speech to get my point across. I know they are class models but wonder if its worth buying a level 8, will it be frowned upon as not good enough, and at $480 its not cheap. I remember someone a while back on the forum trying to sell a couple and he said he had to take a lose on them.
Bernard.

 

[Gebhard]

Here is a new prototype figure from Aeroart's WWI line a General of the 34th infantry Brigade . Looks pretty nice All the best Gebhard

 

[Combat]

New Aeroart Kaiser figure in a hot bidding war on ebay. Never understood why the first bidder doesn't go with the buy it now price since these always sell for much more once the bidding starts.

 

[Combat]

Here is the previous Aeroart Kaiser figure for comparison:

 

[Gebhard]

Here is the previous Aeroart Kaiser figure for comparison:

I think the older one better captures the face of the Kaiser . Gebhard

 

[theweinz]

I like the previous one too! The new one is not far from a well painted King & Country figure. I do not like the simple face on the new one and "the arm" is not short enough. AeroArt puts out mostly 7s and 8s with an ocassional better piece. I sure wish Thor still had a business relationship with Arsenyev.
JW

 

[lancer]

Have to say that the older figure is much better. It looks like the Kaiser. The newer figure doesn't. -- Al

 

[Combat]

I have some of the older WWI figures including the Kaiser and agree they are leaps and bounds better than these newer releases. Apparently the fellow who did the sculpts on the older figures had some health problems and no longer will provide them. The older figures are also 60mm and larger than the newer ones.

 

[daruss]

What is the deal with AEROART WWI figures ?? Do they sell strictly on ebay ?? I could not find that marching bavarian on there web site!

 

[Gideon]

Here is one of the Aeroarts I've kept. It is a spectacular example tho, again, I think historic accuracy is overlooked to showcase the talents of the painter. But that's not always a terrible thing...

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[Combat]

What is the deal with AEROART WWI figures ?? Do they sell strictly on ebay ?? I could not find that marching bavarian on there web site!

The WWI figures are sold only on ebay and in very limited quantities. Some of the older ones were made in numbers less than 20 or even 10 according to the Aeroart book. A couple of mine aren't even listed in the book.

 

[daruss]

Combat - i know they only make a few,, but is that marching new bavarian you showed on ebay ? Or is availible from the AERO ART website ??
Thanks