Fancy a Knight out in Agincourt? (2 Viewers)

Hello JB,

Thanks for more info. I have been doing a bit more reading into this.
Your two figures have clarified that the tail is free of the cloth barding. These knights are bl..dy colourful, aren't they? Although I think that Thomas Beauchamp is out of period for me, William Marshal is still on the cards for me. On my casting, the crest figure is definitely lupine, with ears... But given some of the examples of better dog crests that I have seen, I will take your suggestion to convert this to another crest - still searching, most like looking for a crest with feathers or horns, probably European?

Rgds Victor
 
Hi Vic. Good stuff - the more you read - the more you get to know. I've read that barding varied considerably - and horse tails were to be found both in and out of both caparisons. All of mine are outside - and for me - gives the most pleasing result.

Here's a pic below - which is from Whitetower Miniatures (Matthew Thair), catalogue, which may be of interest. It's of "heads and arms" from his Medieval Knight Kit. ( Find it in the Robin Hood section). You can find more - but this one shows some decorations he does for the top of helms. He actually made up a head for me for my William the Conqueror casting, by modifying the crowned head shown below. The flowing lambrequin (cloth neck cover) of the helm shown in "C" comes in two parts - so would fit another helm - although it wouldn't be too difficult to model that??

Yes - an early knight had less of the plate armour of later times - so William Marshall is a good choice - if he's wearing a lot of mail - unless you get modelling, and add some. He was a remarkable man - and I've read quite a bit about him in various books.

I also agree - knights are most colourful - especially done as Glossies. You wait until you get a bunch of them together - they will knock your eye out then!

If you don't already have a copy - I can thoroughly recommend Peter Greenhill's book on Heraldic Miniature Knights - which has loads of lovely TS pictures in it - which may give you lots of ideas for future projects. I was already hooked on Knights - but this really made me an addict to the genre. I picked my copy up from Amazon as a used copy at a reasonable price. Shows lots that I'll NEVER own ( because of the eye-popping prices they go for) - but with a bit of care - and a reasonable casting - a pretty good approximation of many of the more expensive versions can be made up - as I hope you have seen. And as I say - when they are all displayed together - they make a pretty impressive sight.:D



I'll take another pic of all my latest additions later on - as I've just given Thomas a coat of varnish. That should get your creative juices flowing:D All the best chum - jb
 
Here's what I mean Victor. All five of my latest recruits to my Medieval shelf ( with another three to go). There's a bit of a spread in time here, across my five - but as a colourful spectacle......................jb

 
Hi JB,

Your knights are absolutely stunning!

Yes, I have that Greenhill book (!) and it is a terrific read. I also have another book by Peter Armstrong "Ancient and Medieval Modelling Masteclass" which is also quite good. I am still dithering over which knight to represent. I came across a single reference to Philip Augustus with red and white heraldry and a fine looking feather crest but then all other references refers to him as the King Of France with the more familiar blue white fleur de lys.

Rgds Victor
 
Hi Victor - glad you like 'em.

Phillipe Agustus, King of France - also sounds a good choice. He was a crusader - on the third Crusade - so red and white would go for that. Have you seen the Wonderful Desfontaine version - which shows a mix of the Fleur-de-lys - and him wearing the Cross??? It's an absolutely stunning mounted figure - and your version might incorporate some of the features. How about a mostly white barding - with maybe a separate centre section showing a panel of Fleur-de-lys. Keep his helm but model a crown on top edge - something like below - maybe add some feathers in red/white/blue, if you want - and display the Crusader Cross on the rest of the caparison and on his surcoat?? That would be SO original???



Whatever you eventually choose to do - you'll get there eventually - so best of luck with him. Wouldn't you just love that Desfontaine though?? :D jb
 
Andanna said:
JB, great collection. I really like it.
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Yo! - thanks buddy. I was really lucky to find six of these old Stadden/Tradition figures - which helps enormously when it comes to painting. Despite being just a wee bit knocked about ( they are around 60 years old after all), the quality of the sculpting and the detail, still shine through. Note the soldered thongs from the axe and reins going around the hands on some of them. Some of the details are just excellent. They are just superb - so I really did the best that I could with the paint jobs. I don't use transfers, as it spoils the fun - so mine are probably not as refined as some of the more commercial offerings - but that doesn't matter to me - I just like doing it!

Currently painting another as a Knight Templar.

When I eventually get them back to join up with my others - I'll be tempted to post a pic or two - but that won't be until next year - as I won't risk taking them by air in my hand luggage!

Glad you like them too. :D jb
 
WOW! How did you get that large pic of that Desfontaine figure? That is an amazing figure. I've only ever seen a small pic of it in one of those early toy soldier books. She is without doubt one of the best makers, next to Roger Berdou.

And thanks for the link to Knights of Avalon (http://www.knightsofavalon.com/toy-knights.html) which should be shared and tweetered with all knight birds.

Rgds Victor
 
blaster said:
WOW! How did you get that large pic of that Desfontaine figure? That is an amazing figure. I've only ever seen a small pic of it in one of those early toy soldier books. She is without doubt one of the best makers, next to Roger Berdou.

And thanks for the link to Knights of Avalon (http://www.knightsofavalon.com/toy-knights.html) which should be shared and tweetered with all knight birds.

Rgds Victor
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My daughter bought me one of those "black box" computer memory thingy's for my laptop several Xmas's ago. It plugs into the side of my laptop - and gives you a terabyte of extra memory capacity - which allows me to have a comprehensive filing cabinet of Toy Soldier things - that I find on the net.

If I find anything that I like the look of - I therefore save it to a file. Goodness knows exactly WHERE I found that pic, but I do remember the enjoyment I got when I did find it. No longer in production now - unfortunately - but a real beauty. I must have thousands of pics stored there now.

Onto "The Knights of Avalon" web-site. I don't know just how many of us are around - who like "Painting Your Own" - but yes - maybe we should share this web-site around a bit. It's long been a favourite of mine - as Robert Hill, who runs the site - is an enthusiast for both Toy Knights - of all descriptions - and also Cowboys and Native americans too. So........right up my street on both counts. Dip into either, on his site - and you will find a whole host of past and present figures from around the World. Great for getting ideas of what perhaps YOU can do next. I get a lot of inspiration from this great web-site, and many of my own creations have come about from ideas gleaned from here.

All the best - hope that gives you a few ideas and options - jb
 
johnnybach said:
Here's what I mean Victor. All five of my latest recruits to my Medieval shelf ( with another three to go). There's a bit of a spread in time here, across my five - but as a colourful spectacle......................jb

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The Crews filling out nicely JB! :salute::
Ray
 
As usual - this is my first pass at my latest of my Stadden castings. He's a Knight Templar, circa 1190's. Templar Knights had to wear the cross at all times - amongst other stringent vows of frugal living. My casting came to me in this early style of dress - with simple helm, mail armour and surcoat - and longer Norman shaped shield. I decided that he would make a perfect Templar Knight - so after a bit of looking around the Internet - decided on this dress. A little more work to do on the base, and feet of the horse required, I think.

Four views of him below, in front of a Crusader Castle - Byblos Castle - nowadays in The Lebanon. jb







 
Taking a mini-break from my latest Stadden casting ( Sir William de Clinton - this time), I recently found a casting that could be adapted to make up a figure I have been thinking about for some time. The figure is of Edward, Prince of Wales, "The Black Prince" . Okay, I know that there are plenty of examples of him "out there" - and indeed I have one from Tradition of London myself. However, I wanted a specific one of him fighting at Tournament, with his famous "Joust of Peace" shield. I also wanted him with a Great Helm - with his three feather symbol on top.





The idea came to me - some time ago - after looking online at his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral - which shows both shields alternately displayed thereon.
(see above). He was very fond of this shield, displaying a black field and three white fethers which he often used in so called "Tourneys of Peace" ( where no harm is intended to the contestants). He is also often described wearing blackened armour - and these two attributes have often been cited as the origin of his famous Black Prince nickname. I also found a partial print of him wearing his Royal Coat of Arms - but touching a Great Helm, with three Ostrich feather plume attached. I wanted a figure like that.

So...............I've been looking...........and, found - a casting from Irregular Miniatures of a Man at Arms fighting on foot. From the same source, I found a pack of twenty Medieval heads ( heads, helmets etc,). From these bits and pieces - and armed with scalpel, Milliput and Glue - I was able to make up a figure with all of the attributes I wanted. A splash or two of paint - gave me the following figure for my Medieval shelf. Edward, Prince of Wales, The black Prince - fighting on foot in blackened armour, in a Tourney of Peace, wearing his Royal Arms on his jupon, and carrying his Shield of Peace and with three feathers atop his helm.





 
Looks very nice JB, though photo glare makes the detail of your paint treatment difficult to see.
Ray
 
nmrocks said:
Looks very nice JB, though photo glare makes the detail of your paint treatment difficult to see.
Ray
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You should have seen some of my early attempts at taking pics Ray!!! The World's best photographer - I ain't!!!!!"

In my defence - my "photo booth" is two pieces of cardboard with some paper backdrops (a4 size) - balanced on a stool in a spare bedroom! The camera is a digital-wottsit, that I have learned to use for close-ups by trial and error. By pressing a few buttons - I get the flash eliminated - a smiley face up - and then press the bottom button - whicjh by some jiggery-pokery gets it focussed (sometimes:D). I didn't even notice the glare from the rear of the figure (hi-gloss varnish) - until you mentioned it. The sun is out today! Yikes!! - What do I press for that??{sm2}

Still - you get the general idea - I hope. jb
 
Tried the stool in a place out of direct sunlight. Is this rear view better? I tried gold paint for the detailing this time - instead of yellow. Covers better - but blobs a bit on the end of a 5X0 brush. They look better in real life - as the picture on screen is much larger than the real thing. Useful for seeing where you've missed something!

 
Hello JB,

Your collection is filling out nicely. As Sir Paul McCartney wouldst rhyme for thee, "No More Lonely Knights!"


Rgds
Victor
 
blaster said:
Hello JB,

Your collection is filling out nicely. As Sir Paul McCartney wouldst rhyme for thee, "No More Lonely Knights!"


Rgds
Victor
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Ha! - Far from being lonely Vic - I've just got back from the Dorset Riviera - and now have a few more reinforcements for them. They will become my Autumn/Winter projects - as I have Five more Mounted Knights and Five Foot Knight figures as castings to play with. I bought them with specific Knights in mind - so also bought lots of bits and pieces to be able to modify them. These involve heads and weapons mostly - so that each figure can become unique.

Should be fun.

I'm nearly there with my fifth Stadden figure now - so may be able to complete him this weekend. jb
 
Sir William de Clinton is now ready to join with my previous five Stadden castings. Five completed now - with just one more left to complete my wonderful find. :D Very enjoyable to do - heres a couple of pics of all of them - so far, with William out in front. jb



 
johnnybach said:
Sir William de Clinton is now ready to join with my previous five Stadden castings. Five completed now - with just one more left to complete my wonderful find. :D Very enjoyable to do - heres a couple of pics of all of them - so far, with William out in front. jb



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OK too wierd, who's head on the helmet or self portait is that supposed to be? {sm2}
Ray
 
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