Custer (2 Viewers)

[Captkronos]

"Nobody will ever mistake my toy soldiers for military miniatures...but it ain't 'cause I didn't try"
-CaptKronos {sm2}

Just thought it would be a fun pose, Webley revolvers in a last blaze of glory and vanity...

 

[marco55]

You enjoy your hobby don't you?That's all that counts.I haven't went past stick figures yet.^&grin
Mark

 

[maddadicus]

"Nobody will ever mistake my toy soldiers for military miniatures...but it ain't 'cause I didn't try"
-CaptKronos {sm2}

Just thought it would be a fun pose, Webley revolvers in a last blaze of glory and vanity...

I want this figure..Check your personal email..We must be physically linked...Michael

 

[GICOP]

Another great figure :salute::

Cheers

Martyn

 

[johnnybach]

Cap'n, you have a distinctive style - that just oozes personality. Don't ever change it - as it's what makes your figures so instantly recognisable. I think this is your best figure yet. Animated and colourful - and just makes me smile. Well done indeed.

Just one thought - Custer with a pair of Webley revolvers? Colts - surely??? johnnybach.

PM on its way - I would like one too. How do we do it from USA to France? Might have to wait until I'm in the UK - where its easier to organise.

 

[Captkronos]

Thanks guys. I can ship to France, no problem. You can find this figure on Ebay right now under my seller name: mytoyboxarmy I can also just send a Paypal request to your email if you provide that in a PM. Thanks again.

 

[Dragoon]

Cap'n, you have a distinctive style - that just oozes personality. Don't ever change it - as it's what makes your figures so instantly recognisable. I think this is your best figure yet. Animated and colourful - and just makes me smile. Well done indeed.

Just one thought - Custer with a pair of Webley revolvers? Colts - surely??? johnnybach.

PM on its way - I would like one too. How do we do it from USA to France? Might have to wait until I'm in the UK - where its easier to organise.

You bet Johnny B. - It is commonly believed G. Custer went into battle that day with two Webley RICs. Both he and his brother Tom each had a pair of these pistols. George's were plated w/ ivory grips and Tom's were blued w/ wood grips.

George's Webley's have gone unaccounted for since June of '76 and believed lost at the battle. - Ken

 

[johnnybach]

You bet Johnny B. - It is commonly believed G. Custer went into battle that day with two Webley RICs. Both he and his brother Tom each had a pair of these pistols. George's were plated w/ ivory grips and Tom's were blued w/ wood grips.

George's Webley's have gone unaccounted for since June of '76 and believed lost at the battle. - Ken

Well fill mah hand - and call me swifty - I didn't know that dear old George had a goldurn pair o'them thar Wibblies! Clearly, a man of exceptional taste. I hope that wasn't the main reason for him departing this World - although I do believe that there may have been a few thousand or so other reasons - most of them armed with Robin Hood equipment!

You learn something new every day - cheers Ken.

 

[Dragoon]

George loved his guns and shooting them, at almost anything or on four legs - and sometimes two.
He even got carried away once on a buffalo hunt and blew the brains out of his own horse! - True story.

 

[johnnybach]

Ha! I know the type Ken - I've see one or two like that on rifle ranges - in my time. Best thing for guys like that is to keep weapons locked away from them - and chop their fingers off up to the knuckles! You often see a particular gleam come into their eyes when guns appear. I always used to look for it - think Uh - oh! - and then lay the law down about range safety - and then - watch 'em like a hawk!

 

[trooper]

You bet Johnny B. - It is commonly believed G. Custer went into battle that day with two Webley RICs. Both he and his brother Tom each had a pair of these pistols. George's were plated w/ ivory grips and Tom's were blued w/ wood grips.

George's Webley's have gone unaccounted for since June of '76 and believed lost at the battle. - Ken

You may be interested in the attached. It is from the book "G.A.Custer to the Little Big Horn" by Stephen Alexander. Trooper

 

[johnnybach]

As we seem to be hi-jacking the Cap'ns thread nicely here - you have my interest and full attention. Did a bit of snooping around - and found this very interesting pic.

It's Tom Custer's pistol - as presented by Lord Berkley-Paget at the same time he presented his brother George with a pair of pistols - at Fort Lincoln in 1869.

Serial number 572. .44 calibre Webley with 5 inch octagonal barrel and chequered walnut grips - still retaining partial blueing of the steelwork despite age. It is currently in the Charles A Custer Family collection. How nice. - Sorry Cap'n.^&grin jb

 

[maddadicus]

As we seem to be hi-jacking the Cap'ns thread nicely here - you have my interest and full attention. Did a bit of snooping around - and found this very interesting pic.

It's Tom Custer's pistol - as presented by Lord Berkley-Paget at the same time he presented his brother George with a pair of pistols - at Fort Lincoln in 1869.

Serial number 572. .44 calibre Webley with 5 inch octagonal barrel and chequered walnut grips - still retaining partial blueing of the steelwork despite age. It is currently in the Charles A Custer Family collection. How nice. - Sorry Cap'n.^&grin jb

Actually I believe that this discussion helps him, since as a sculpting newbie, he got it historically right ,where as so many of the mass produced, assembly line mfg. frequently get it wrong..Michael

 

[BigDenny]

Actually I believe that this discussion helps him, since as a sculpting newbie, he got it historically right ,where as so many of the mass produced, assembly line mfg. frequently get it wrong..Michael

While the pistols appear to be accurate, I have to question Custer's uniform. According to most historians, he was wearing buckskin trousers and a blue cavalry officer's shirt on June 25th. It was a hot day, over 100 degrees, so he had stripped off his jacket during the advance.

Regards,
Mike

 

[Captkronos]

While the pistols appear to be accurate, I have to question Custer's uniform. According to most historians, he was wearing buckskin trousers and a blue cavalry officer's shirt on June 25th. It was a hot day, over 100 degrees, so he had stripped off his jacket during the advance.

I make no pretense to historical accuracy in anything I do.-disclaimer from ToyBox Army

 

[pugio]

Cut his hair very short before the campaign.... but I still love the figure..... sent you a PM

 

[johnnybach]

Well - looks like this thread is continuing to arouse some debate - and stimulate a bit of interest in George's attire, hair-do - and my particular interest now - his pistols.

M'lud - I beg your indulgence to enter exhibit A - in this debate, which shows Mr and Mrs Custer at Fort Lincoln, clearly on a wet afternoon, indulging in one of their favourite pastimes. George has obviously just asked his good lady to look up the spelling of Wibblie in the dictionary, instead of popping down to the Geeral Store for some hatpins - as he may be writing to ask whether he could have the grip changed - and a plating of nickel added, to his Wibble - which if you look to the right hand side of the picture, appears to be on the gun rack with a pair of Smith & Wessons - and a fourth revolver - which I can't quite make out - but could be a Colt. The short barrelled gun, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the aforementioned Wibblie RIC, is clearly of a darkish hue - and looks like it also has dark - possibly wooden grips. In fact, really rather like his brother's - or maybe like this one (exhibit B), which is a Webley of 1868 vintage. Also - M'lud - there is only one of 'em - and not a pair - though this could just mean he has run out of room on his gun rack ( I know the feeling!).

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

In short, members of the jury - the assertion that George had a pair of nickle-plated, ivory handled wibblies - is more than just a tad suspect - and not indeed as previously hinted at by a learned member - the cast iron, nickle plated, ivory gripped certainty, which at first seemed so attractive. Goldarn it! - it seemed such a nice story too.

I rest my case - Court adjourned - bar's open - mine's a shot-o-rye!

 

[BigDenny]

I personally believe this is the most accurate sculpture of Custer out there, entitled "The Passing of Yellow Hair" by Dwight Franklin. I'd love to see a toy soldier version of this.

http://www.artnet.com/artists/lotdetailpage.aspx?lot_id=F92D22B1ABC335811E6EFD5A1E65F07F

Best Regards,
Mike

 

[Dragoon]

Well - looks like this thread is continuing to arouse some debate - and stimulate a bit of interest in George's attire, hair-do - and my particular interest now - his pistols.

M'lud - I beg your indulgence to enter exhibit A - in this debate, which shows Mr and Mrs Custer at Fort Lincoln, clearly on a wet afternoon, indulging in one of their favourite pastimes. George has obviously just asked his good lady to look up the spelling of Wibblie in the dictionary, instead of popping down to the Geeral Store for some hatpins - as he may be writing to ask whether he could have the grip changed - and a plating of nickel added, to his Wibble - which if you look to the right hand side of the picture, appears to be on the gun rack with a pair of Smith & Wessons - and a fourth revolver - which I can't quite make out - but could be a Colt. The short barrelled gun, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the aforementioned Wibblie RIC, is clearly of a darkish hue - and looks like it also has dark - possibly wooden grips. In fact, really rather like his brother's - or maybe like this one (exhibit B), which is a Webley of 1868 vintage. Also - M'lud - there is only one of 'em - and not a pair - though this could just mean he has run out of room on his gun rack ( I know the feeling!).

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

In short, members of the jury - the assertion that George had a pair of nickle-plated, ivory handled wibblies - is more than just a tad suspect - and not indeed as previously hinted at by a learned member - the cast iron, nickle plated, ivory gripped certainty, which at first seemed so attractive. Goldarn it! - it seemed such a nice story too.

I rest my case - Court adjourned - bar's open - mine's a shot-o-rye!

Great summary Johnny. I guess back in the ol' days people piled ALL their personal possessions together into one room and then got their picture taken.

Here's a question for ya'. If Custer is a Lt. Col. of cavalry, why does the rank stripe on his pants and the center of the shoulder boards appear very dark in the photo. By the evidence presented he must be Col. of artillery. ^&cool

Hurry up and tip that one back, next rounds on me.

 

[johnnybach]

Court is in session - all stand!

Well Ken, you pose a keen question there - but given the age, size and colour definition of that particular photo - I wouldn't care to hazzard a guess as to what George is wearing - rank-wise. The picture is dated, April 1874. Maybe this one - and not much later - will help throw some light on the issue. This one is 1875, and of George in one of his 7th Cavalry outfits. Now, to me - and a limey to boot - those shoulder boards look very much the same as those he was wearing in the 1874 picture.

However, it is pretty well known that George had - let us say to the court - "a thing" about uniforms. He was noted for his love of extravagent, not to say downright garish uniforms. His favourite uniform is said to have been a modified General's Frock Coat - and light blue sailor's shirt - with matching hat and a bright red scarf. He is also well known to have had the famous, entire buckskin suit, which he loved to wear and pose in.

So - Gentlemen of the jury - I put it to you that whatever George Armstrong Custer chose to wear - nothing - I say again - nothing at all would surprise me.

The defense rests - and looks longingly at the bar.