Fancy a Knight out in Agincourt? (2 Viewers)

That's a great looking flag. Good job JB. Don't forget to post pictures of your tank collection, when you get to your other house.
 
Go for Broke said:
That's a great looking flag. Good job JB. Don't forget to post pictures of your tank collection, when you get to your other house.
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Here's a few to be going on with Amigo. I keep them up and out of the way - so are probably a bit dusty on top. I used to just assemble and paint them straight out of the box - but haven't done many vehicles for a while.

Top shelf - from the left we have a British Challenger with dozer blade: Chieftan: American AFV firing mortar: Abrams: Israeli Upgunned Sherman: Russian T80. Then we have an American Tank Recovery Vehicle - and on it, rather incongruously - is a modern mobile Artillery piece.
Next shelf down is a Centurion (still under construction) next to my partially painted Torpedo boat ( ran out of paint - and never continued it - Have an idea to put a motor and RC in it, one day - and run it in the pool).

I also have a Panther and a King Tiger (remote controlled motor) - in cabinets. I'll dig 'em out and photo later - when I have nothing to do.
Glad you like my dragon flag. jb


 
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nmrocks said:
Great Flag JB, I immediately thought of Game of Thrones.
Ray
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Never watched it Ray. My "Arglwydd Rhys" - is straight out of my childhood memory of the name, from some childhood history lesson in Wales - (aided lately by a good read up on him from the Internet!^&grin). My schooldays were a long time ago!:D

The Heraldic design on my figure is authentic - and the flag was influenced by one which I had seen before - made by a semi-professional Knight Painter called Tye Roberts. I think he's a Canadian teacher - who now lives and works in the USA. He's just excellent.:cool:

I used various images from the Internet to produce my flag - which was made from an empty Cola Can. I just drew it a few times till I was satisfied with my design - then transferred it by a tracing onto the metal - and simply cut it out with scissors! A piece of brass rod provided the shaft - and the flag is wrapped around it, glued on and painted. As I mentioned - I learned about this technique from the posts of a fellow Treefroger - "Fishead". Again, an excellent idea - which I learned much from - and will be using again. Cheers Fish! :salute:: jb
 
Thanks for the tank photo JB. You certainly have a diverse collection. Tanks, WWII soldiers, knights, cowboys & "injuns", and now venturing in flats. Keep up the good work.
 
Go for Broke said:
Thanks for the tank photo JB. You certainly have a diverse collection. Tanks, WWII soldiers, knights, cowboys & "injuns", and now venturing in flats. Keep up the good work.
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Yes - I'm a real magpie when it comes to painting and collecting Toy Soldiers. I like most that I see - though I like making up my own, as painting/repairing is my favourite pastime. I've more or less collected all of the Tanks I wanted (just plastic kits though) - ready made metal ones are way too costly for me.

By the way - you mentioned WWII. Whilst over in the UK - I picked up an old Dinkey Toy Jeep - and then got a crew from Dorset Soldiers that fit it - (and have been made to complement the old Timpo GI's we both like). I'll start painting them up soon - so keep a look out for the thread again. I rather like the radio-op - half in/out of the jeep - here they are below in their unrestored/unpainted state. I'm sure you're going to like these. :D jb

 
My next Medieval Knight casting to come under the brush - is Sir William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. Originally one of the superb old creations of Roy Selwyn Smith back in the 1950's - this one is a straight re-cast of one of his original five mounted knights. This time I decided to do a straight re-paint as Sir William Douglas (1327-1384), who fought alongside the black Prince - at the Battle of Poitiers (1356). At this time, his Heraldic Coat of Arms had been changed - by adding the Heart to it - which makes him instantly recognisable. This commemorated one of his illustrious Ancestors, Sir James Douglas, who was killed trying to take the embalmed heart of Robert the Bruce - for burial in Jerusalem (a dying request).

Here's Sir William - sallying forth - with sword raised. jb







 
You may have gathered by now - that I bought a few of these castings - along with a few bits and pieces to make up some more knights for my Glossy TS collection.

My next one is of Sir John Codrington - who was the Banner Bearer to Henry V at Agincourt. There have been a few TS versions of this Gent - so I thought that I would do him a bit differently to most. My version shows him dressed with his full arms, and in a Great Helm - as shown by Peter Greenhill in his excellent book, but also shown with one of Henry's many different types of Standard, rather than the more usual Royal Standard - of which there were several types. These Flags acted as rallying points during battles.

Here's my version shown in four views below: (slight re-touching required here and there - but varnish is still too wet, yet!):D jb








 
It occurred to me - whilst painting up my latest addition to my Medieval collection, that I now have six adaptations of my favourite figure from the original Roy Selwyn Smith figures, first sculpted by him around 1948. It is, of course, the figure reining in his horse, holding a banner aloft. All of mine have been created from this same original figure, by sometimes using extra parts from other ranges of figures - or from scratch. I thought there might be some value in showing each of my six - so took this pic.



From the left - which is my version of the original figure - simply repainted as Sir William Marshall - Earl Marshall of England -and Earl of Pembroke, showing his Heraldic Coat of Arms. I did add a shield to his arm - though it was not generally customary to add a weighty shield to an arm already tasked with holding a banner ( which shows his colours and the Cross of the Welsh Saint David - which is an imaginary banner).

Next across - comes Sir Rhys ap Grufudd, holding aloft a Wyvern Banner ( a Mythological Dragon with a serpent's tail). Here, a change of arms shows him with a shield in his left arm - and scratch-built banner in his right hand. Some detail changes to weapons - such as a two handed sword in scabbard add to the change of effects.

Next comes Saint Joan of Arc - with her famous Jehsu et Maria banner held aloft - showing that gender changes are also possible with this figure. here, her upper body has been grafted on to the bottom half of the figure ( always on the same basic horse) - which shows her now bare-headed and holding her banner in the left hand,(again, scratch-built).

Next comes Sir Richard de Vere, Earl of Oxford - now with no banner at all - but fighting with mace in left hand and parrying with shield on his right arm and in a fighting pose around the time of Agincourt (1415). Note lso, a change of head to have him with visor closed - as he would when fighting.

My latest figure - of Sir John Codrington comes next - showing the same basic banner as the original figure - but painted as a standard used by King Henry V as a rallying point marker. The most notable change here (apart from paintwork of his heraldry, of course) is the substitution of the original head - for a re-cast of a Courtney-like tournament Great helm.

Lastly - I show my version of Sir William Thorpe - with the Banner of Sir William de Bohun - the Earl of Northampton - on his striking heraldic mount, that I call "The Bumble-Bee".

So there we have it - six of the best from the master. Roy Selwyn Smith - and showing what can be done with a few books on Heraldry - a few bits and pieces of weapons, arms and suchlike - and a splash or two of paint. jb
 
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My latest figure for my Medieval Shelf - is Sir Thomas Bernardiston, an English Knight. I first saw a version of him by Richard Courtney, several years ago - and then another by Peter Greenhill, when I bought his marvellous book ( see in Greenhil,P.1991, Heraldic Miniature Knights, page 74).

Not having the several hundred pounds readily available for either of these two figures^&grin, I decided to invest a MUCH smaller sum in a suitable casting - and try to paint one up for myself, using the Greenhill version as a painting guide (thanks Peter:cool:).

My figure is shown below - galloping into a melee with axe held high - and wearing a Tournament Great Helm - at least, somewhat in the style of a Courtney.







Lastly, here are my latest four knights - recently finished this time - and shown altogether. From L to R, I now have:

Sir Rhys ap Grufydd: Sir Thomas Bernardiston: Sir William Douglas - and Sir John Codrington. jb

 
Beautiful paint jobs jb {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

Cheers

Martyn:)
 
Hey JB

You have been busy, what a beautiful job you've made, very reminiscent of the originals. Keep up the great work.

Regards John
 
Hi guys - thanks for the positive comments - I'm pleased that you like them. That's a good word there John - "reminiscent".

I do, of course, do my best to make up my Knights - to the best of my ability, though still I hope, in the simpler Glossy Toy Soldier style that I enjoy so much. I simply couldn't do what those masters of old ( and present - in Peter Greenhill) do - hard as I may try!^&grin The paintwork on some of the figures of Richard Courtney, Freddy Ping, Roy Selwyn-Smith and the present Peter Greenhill, (to name but a few of my Knight painting heroes), sometimes takes the breath away. Little wonder then, that they sometimes change hands for four figure sums.

Mine, by comparison are just imitations of the real thing - but still give me an enormous pleasure when working out how to get something close to what I would like - then constructing them from castings and other bits and pieces - and the eventual painting up. A very satisfying experience indeed.

I'm just quite pleased that a few others seem to like mine too. Thanks again chaps. jb:D
 
JB
you underestimate your own ability, I think your style is well on par with greenhills miniatures. All you need is to sell them at his prices:cool::cool::cool:

John
 
beating retreat said:
JB
you underestimate your own ability, I think your style is well on par with greenhills miniatures. All you need is to sell them at his prices:cool::cool::cool:

John
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Ha-ha! - Now, that would be VERY nice indeed John - just think of the castings that I could buy then!!!:D

Well - it pleases me that YOU should think that John - but there's really no comparison. My hands and eyes are a lot older than some of the youngsters, and there's no pushing back time, I'm afraid. I simply can't get the fineness of detail that I would like to achieve - so I just go with what I can get - and they suit me - which is all that really matters.

Here's another pic for you - which shows how my shelf looks now. (I've got 'em out - as the shelf needed dusting!).



Now, IF those were by Courtney, or Freddy Ping - I wonder what they would have cost me?:D As it is - they have given me a rather colourful collection which have cost me the merest fraction of what they could have done - and the enormous pleasure that I did them myself - (with a little bit of help from a friend or two - who made the castings for me).

NOW - IF they were Courtneys or Pings - I wonder what this little lot would have cost me? - Where's the calculator???:D

Cheers Buddy! - Your thoughts are much appreciated. jb
 
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Outstanding jb {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

King Henry V: Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; or close the wall up with our English dead :salute::


Cheers

Martyn:)
 
GICOP said:
Outstanding jb {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

King Henry V: Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; or close the wall up with our English dead :salute::


Cheers

Martyn:)
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As long as he left the Welshmen out of it - (lottsa Welsh Archers made a small contribution to that one!!) - that's okay with me!!! :Djb

Glad you like 'em too M.:rolleyes:
 
zblang said:
Beautiful work! I love following this thread!
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Glad you like 'em Zach - keep watching - as I have one last figure (for this time) currently under development.

Here's a preview: - He's on the left - The Duke of Brittany (Duc de Bretagne) c.1400.

Of course, mine won't be exactly the same as this old print - and mine will be jousting with a lance........................ jb

 
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