conte dead again? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bromhead
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The Military Workshop
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Was not aware they had a Sudan range. If you mean the Gordon Highlanders they were the Afghan range.
The Military Workshop
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I made the below post in OCT 2016 in a Conte update thread but my summary was based on mid 2014 information. Originally Posted by arnhem44mad Was speaking to Richard through his Ebay account and he told me that he has 200 new sculpts to be released but has had some personal things to attend to.Looking forward to seeing these!"ScottYou might be interested in a post I made on 23 June 2014, in response to some info from Gary, which was :"Some may recall the posting, by the LT, of an email from Richard Conte on 23 OCT 13 ( http://www.treefrogtreasures.com/for...on-new-figures )I have edited the information in that message to summarise what was in progress at that point in time and added the plastic playsets (at 7). 1) huge new Norman range which we've been quietly working on. . I think there are about 20 Normans in the pics. There are probably 10 or so additional Normans completed which I'll try to get some photos of in the next few days.2) to go with our equally large additions to our Viking range.3). I'll also try to get the 30 + Zulu War figures photographed4) as well as the 40 or so Romans/Barbarians5) and the extensive additions ( I think about 45 figures) to the Afghan War Gordon Highlander range.6) plus Foreign Legion, Earps/Clantons, Robin Hood, the "Non-Vikings" and of course more Civil War.7) 3 all new plastic playsets, Iwo Jima, Battle of the Bulge & The Marines at Khe SanhFor those interested the releases at 1 -6 would be close to 200 figures. Anyway next time you are speaking with your confidential informant could you ask him/her to arrange the above list in order of likely release. For example will the new plastic playsets come ahead of the metal figures mentioned above. I recall Firebat in late 2012 predicting new metal WW2 releases that would be available in early 2013.If anybody else knows please feel free to comment but in the absence of an actual release from Conte I am afraid any such posts have long ago ceased to be reliable facts". I agree with others that Conte has produced some great items in the past. One of my all time favourites was the flying Spartan thrusting down into the Immortal.Those that looked at his web page about five years ago would have noted great sculpts for Foreign Legion, Earps/Clantons, Robin Hood, Vikings, Mel Gibson and others from Braveheart, and Afghans for NWF series (Osama Bin Ladin lookalike being lanced by a Bengal Lancer was a classic). None have been produced but many more sculpts have appeared since then.Many of the subjects at that time had not been done but now are being covered by other brands (ie. FFL by TG, Robin Hood by K&C and Vikings by Britains). There are also a lot more Zulu and Roman related figures around now than there were five years ago.If Conte is going to produce anything he is going to have to give very careful consideration to what subject to cover as there is a huge amount of variety around at the moment and subject choice is important. I personally would like to see the Braveheart / Bannockburn figures released as movie related and not been done.In the meantime he does seem to have some bargains in his Ebay store".Apologies but tried twice to put the paras and spacing etc in but just reverts back to the above one big para. 2nd note. Even that apology sentence is not where it should be.
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On their website, https://contecostore.myshopify.com/collections, they have a Khartoum range listed. I really want that Mahdi figure, however, he is not in production.
Charlie Brown
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Time catches up with us all......
The Breaker
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Yes it does!
I was lucky enough to get a couple test sets of the new Zulu figures off of "epay." I got the Bob Hoskins, "Sgt. Williams" figure with the revolver and knobkerrie. It's a very nice figure, I hope they get released.
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larso
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It seems the molds have been made for the plastic Romans and they're just tinkering with a few things. He's put a lot into these through the year so I really hope they make it into production - I'll get heaps if they do!
Again, I've also seen some of the prototypes that then seem to disappear. His copies of Viking characters from movies and the TV series would be must haves - if they were produced. I think I'd get a shock at the price though.
Again, I've also seen some of the prototypes that then seem to disappear. His copies of Viking characters from movies and the TV series would be must haves - if they were produced. I think I'd get a shock at the price though.
larso
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There's a picture on Conte's Facebook showing the plastic Romans being assembled at a factory.
My plan is to get sets of each colour. There's potential to set up some great Civil War dios. I'll use them too with the Conte Spartans and Exped Force figures. Keen to see what they look against TSSDs Barbarians too!
My plan is to get sets of each colour. There's potential to set up some great Civil War dios. I'll use them too with the Conte Spartans and Exped Force figures. Keen to see what they look against TSSDs Barbarians too!
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There are numerous Conte pictures of new items on Facebook and/or his website. I sincerely hope i am wrong but i think this parrot is dead, loved Conte stuff but i think time has caught up with the owner and unless there is someone new then i think they are just only going to be pictures.
There are a lot of very knowledgeable people concerning toy soldiers, they would be better placed than i am on the cost of developing, manuafcturing, packing, shipping etc of plastic toy soldiers, but i think the volume would have to be pretty significant to make it worthwhile and the financial outlay high. Therefore i cannot see it, unless as i said someone else has taken. The reason i say that is the owner of Conte must be in his 70s, even older and he was in ill health. I have only conversed with him via email many years ago when i requested some stuff but he was unhealthy then. Always a nice and helpful guy.
larso
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I would've helped if I knew how to post the picture here - it was of a couple of Chinese women sorting and packing (I thought) the Roman soldiers - literally the last step in getting them on sale. So, not a sculpt or a test-shot - actual production.
Here are some pictures, do not reconise the guy on the Conte header picture, looks like possibly a new person, so there maybe some plastics, not my interest but i am sure a lot of people on the forum will be happy.
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The Military Workshop
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Years ago Richard Conte did tell me the maths involved in releasing a set of plastics. It was very significant. Unit cost low but basically need to sell high volume to recoup your initial outlay. Apart from a few boxes I have never sold much plastics. One time Conte asked me to consider getting a carton of his plastics to go with a toy soldier order. I think it was 16 the same. The "wholesale" price was US$1 less than the price he was selling in his Ebay store. I pointed this out and politely declined the offer.
Hopefully the break even point and numbers sold make it worthwhile for Conte.
larso
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"Here are some pictures, do not reconise the guy on the Conte header picture, looks like possibly a new person, so there maybe some plastics, not my interest but i am sure a lot of people on the forum will be happy."
That's them - thanks for posting! Yes, the plastic is a niche market but it's got me very excited.
Brett, I wondered when you'd pop in. I'll bring mine round to show you when I get them (hopefully, sooner rather than later). Yes, the cost is huge and will need lots of sales to make good the expense. Frankly I'm not sure the market still exists for big scale plastic? I'd love to see the Set 2 come out and the opponents (Celts I think??) but I think it doubtful....
That's them - thanks for posting! Yes, the plastic is a niche market but it's got me very excited.
Brett, I wondered when you'd pop in. I'll bring mine round to show you when I get them (hopefully, sooner rather than later). Yes, the cost is huge and will need lots of sales to make good the expense. Frankly I'm not sure the market still exists for big scale plastic? I'd love to see the Set 2 come out and the opponents (Celts I think??) but I think it doubtful....
leedsfromsouth
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Conte are back ……based just a few miles from myself…
Barkmann
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I know that Maison Militaire have a few bits and bobs from Conte on their website, they are based in Kent, great to deal with and nice people. Is that whom you mean or is there someone new?
