Fancy a Knight out in Agincourt? (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Here's my completed figure of The Duke of Brittany (Duc de Bretagne). He's the Knight in Right foreground. I've put a slip of paper under him - to stop his newly varnished base from sticking to my "photo-booth" ( actually, a shoe box - with a piece of felt as the base!). No expense spared here!!!

I've shown him here with a few of my other similar figures - to show my new friend Pepe, from Spain, who is keen to "have a go" at painting some of these - what can be done with these figures. Two of the others are exactly the same basic casting ( with a few modifications) - whilst the third one is a different figure - but has had the same lance arm put on - instead of his more normal sword. Just change a few heads - and arms/weapons, and with a new paint job - "Voila" - a new figure is born.



Other sides: Note that this is the first time that I attempted to sculpt an ornament (a Swan on a Coif)), on the top of the Great Helm of the Duke. I'm not sure it's the best swan in the world - but at least it's MY swan!



That's all that I have for this time around - but I'm already planning how I can increase my range of Knights for the future - and have a few more ideas for changing and adapting some more castings next time. See you later???

P.S - Good luck with them Pepe - all the best - johnnybach

 

[koenig]

Good luck with them Pepe - all the best

Thanks a bunch Johnny! Hope to show you soon some of my efforts

 

[johnnybach]

Thanks a bunch Johnny! Hope to show you soon some of my efforts

Sounds like you were able to get hold of a few bits and pieces amigo? Glad to be able to help - good luck with them. Welcome to the Forum - and "Painter's Corner"^&grin

Yes - it will be good to be able to see what someone else does with them. johnnybach

 

[Jack]

Here's my completed figure of The Duke of Brittany (Duc de Bretagne). He's the Knight in Right foreground. I've put a slip of paper under him - to stop his newly varnished base from sticking to my "photo-booth" ( actually, a shoe box - with a piece of felt as the base!). No expense spared here!!!

johnnybach

Unless these are 1/72nd scale you have very wide feet!

 

[johnnybach]

Now where, dear boy, did I say that the box once contained shoes that were mine??^&confuse

In fact, the box that once contained shoes, was gifted to me by a very large man ( with larger feet than mine) - who once upon a time, lived at the top of a bean-stalk. He had traded the box to a lad, (whose name escapes me), for something else that he wanted. The lad, being a chum of mine, and knowing that I needed a photo-booth - donated it to me. A kind boy!:smile2:

Here's a pic below. Note that two of the sides have been removed - and the remaining two sides have been extended upwards by using inserts - and this is my "Western" one. (Note that I have added a 54mm Western Injun Chief, to help with scale, and perhaps for those who may not understand what a Western insert might look like).

Lighting is provided by an "Angelpoise" type of overhead light - which can be directed by angling the lamp head ( hence - the rather catchy name!).

Other inserts, or even a plain white sheet of paper, can be substituted for this current insert - whilst at the bottom of the (former) shoe-box , ( now a Mark V Photo-Booth - as others preceded it, in it's gestation), is now clad with a piece of felt material - the colour of which can be changed at will ( note the green one underneath the yellow one - which hopefully suggests a desert type scenario) - by bunging in a different coloured piece. Neither the lad - or the Giant gave me these bits of felt - I bought them from Tesco! ( my local British Supermarket - for anyone unfamiliar with the name!).

Hope that all of this detail, which I really didn't want to bother anyone with, now clarifies what my "Shoe-Box Photo Booth" actually looks like. It works quite well, for taking pics with my Box-Brownie of rather smallish displays. ^&grin

La Commandante tells me that I have rather dainty feet - but I don't like to boast about them, as I'm usually quite a modest chap! jb

 

[Jack]

Now where, dear boy, did I say that the box once contained shoes that were mine??^&confuse

In fact, the box that once contained shoes, was gifted to me by a very large man ( with larger feet than mine) - who once upon a time, lived at the top of a bean-stalk. He had traded the box to a lad, (whose name escapes me), for something else that he wanted. The lad, being a chum of mine, and knowing that I needed a photo-booth - donated it to me. A kind boy!:smile2:

Here's a pic below. Note that two of the sides have been removed - and the remaining two sides have been extended upwards by using inserts - and this is my "Western" one. (Note that I have added a 54mm Western Injun Chief, to help with scale, and perhaps for those who may not understand what a Western insert might look like).

Lighting is provided by an "Angelpoise" type of overhead light - which can be directed by angling the lamp head ( hence - the rather catchy name!).

Other inserts, or even a plain white sheet of paper, can be substituted for this current insert - whilst at the bottom of the (former) shoe-box , ( now a Mark V Photo-Booth - as others preceded it, in it's gestation), is now clad with a piece of felt material - the colour of which can be changed at will ( note the green one underneath the yellow one - which hopefully suggests a desert type scenario) - by bunging in a different coloured piece. Neither the lad - or the Giant gave me these bits of felt - I bought them from Tesco! ( my local British Supermarket - for anyone unfamiliar with the name!).

Hope that all of this detail, which I really didn't want to bother anyone with, now clarifies what my "Shoe-Box Photo Booth" actually looks like. It works quite well, for taking pics with my Box-Brownie of rather smallish displays. ^&grin

La Commandante tells me that I have rather dainty feet - but I don't like to boast about them, as I'm usually quite a modest chap! jb

That touched a nerve!!

 

[johnnybach]

That touched a nerve!!

Femoral, Sciatic, Saphenous and Sural. jb

 

[nmrocks]

Wow JB, how did I miss this! a very impressive group! I'm really appreciating the high gloss, especially for this period.
Ray

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

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? 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???

Cheers Buddy! - Your thoughts are much appreciated. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Wow JB, how did I miss this! a very impressive group! I'm really appreciating the high gloss, especially for this period.
Ray

Told you I liked them this way, didn't I? There are a few at the back of the group from Tradition, Whitetower miniatures etc, - but most of these started off as re-casts of Roy Selwyn-Smith's pieces, that he sculpted c.1948, though they do get modified somewhat, along the way. They are really quite timeless in their appeal though, as earlier producers found out.

I became interested in them quite a while ago - and later realised that such people as Freddy Ping and Peter Greenhill would use various parts of their own and these lads - to create other figures by adapting and modifying them. I'm really just trying to follow in their footsteps - mostly because the originals by them are worth really big bucks, nowadays. Besides, I rather like the challenge of having a go at assembling and painting them myself.

The Internet is a wonderful source of information about the real Knights of old - and I regularly spend magic hours getting lost in researching the knights and the clothing/weapons/heraldry that they used. I'm also building up a modest library of books about them - which includes my current favourite, Peter Greenhill's book "Heraldic Miniature Knights" - which is also a great resource.

Then - I paint them up - to the best of my ability - in the Glossy Toy Soldier Style that appeals to me the most.

And then - I sometimes pull them out for a quick dust - and play Medieval wars with them!

Glad you like 'em too Ray - jb

 

[johnnybach]

I thought that I had finished painting items for my Medieval shelf - but forgot that in my "stash", I had a few more items which I bought last year! On having a rummage through them, I found another Agincourt Archer figure - and another knight - though we shall have to fast forward another 70 years from Agincourt for him.

The mounted figure is Sir William Brandon, shown here as he took the field at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 ( where the fate of Richard III was sealed) - bearing the bannerette of Henry Tudor. I found this casting - which is by New Hope Design, at a much discounted price in Holland. He was originally an unarmed Squire - though he bears a striking resemblance to a painting of the Battle of Bosworth, which shows Sir William being struck in the chest by the Lance of Richard III on that day. As my figure shows, he was not carrying a shield on that day, and dressed in full plate armour - with no jupon or coat-of-arms. A shield may possibly have saved him. Note also, that the fashion for barding the horse had diminished to just a few scraps of material - which I have attempted to follow from the picture below. I added a sword to my Knight from my stash of medieval weapons, which come from a variety of casting suppliers - which means I forgot which one!





Here are two more views of both figures - the second of which is an archer - English or Welsh, at Agincourt. Originally sculpted by Graham Mollard - and produced as a kit casting by Dorset Soldiers, I have added an axe to his free hand - for him to sharpen a wooden stake which offered some protection from mounted French Knights.



My Bannerette, by the way, is made from a can - that once held Wesh Beer - which I thought was most appropriate for a banner bearing the Welsh Dragon. of Henry Tewdor. And oops! - I forgot to paint the bottom half of his pole for the banner, and the base needs touching up too - where's my brush? jb

 

[johnnybach]

I have now united my newest archer figure with the rest of his band at Agincourt. In my own view, these were the real winners at Agincourt, humbling the might of the French Knights and Nobility - with the use of a simple 6 foot piece of yew - and around three feet of goose-fledged, iron tipped Ash. They were numerically outnumbered, cold and wet, hungry and ravaged by dysentery and fever - yet they won.

My latest figure (centre), has yet to let loose - and is simply watching the havoc created by his fellow archers. I plan to increase this band, over time, but want to ensure all are slightly different to each other - which can be achieved by modifying each figure. I have another standing archer casting in the painting pipe-line - so will be making him up to show a slightly different figure - next time.

I like these simple castings - a lot. jb

 

[nmrocks]

More great figs JB, and your comments about there part in the battle ring true for me as well. I love the Bernard Cornwell books and the great way he tells the story within the story of these famous and decisive battles in history.
Keep on keepin on!
Ray

 

[aujj65]

Hi JB,
I've just caught up with this thread - great painting and makes for a very nice collection of glossy toy soldiers! {bravo}}

Jeff :salute::

 

[johnnybach]

More great figs JB, and your comments about there part in the battle ring true for me as well. I love the Bernard Cornwell books and the great way he tells the story within the story of these famous and decisive battles in history.
Keep on keepin on!
Ray

I'm currently painting up my last archer casting Ray, ( same as the latest one), but am making him up slightly differently. When he's finished - I'll post a pic of him - with MY copy of Azicourt ( the correct spelling then and now - of the French Town), in the background.

NB - I have ALL of Bernard's books - except the latest one - which will be out soon! jb

 

[johnnybach]

Hi JB,
I've just caught up with this thread - great painting and makes for a very nice collection of glossy toy soldiers! {bravo}}

Jeff :salute::

Cheers Jeff - glad you like 'em too. I think I have 35 on my Medieval shelf now. All except one was bought as a casting ( the other being a Delprado Foot Knight - that I found damaged at a Car-Boot sale for 50p.). A bit of repair work and a touch-up of paint - and he was good as new. And yes - they do make a VERY colourful set in my Cabinet.

I'm currently working on a few more, and already ordered some more to pick up, work on and adapt - next time I visit Dorset. - jb.

 

[johnnybach]

Here's the other Archer figure that I mentioned earlier - now completed and added to his "Band of Brothers" at Agincourt. The new archer is standing at the centre.

Front view: I have changed the position of his sheaf of arrows to being held in his free hand, instead of being attached to his belt.



Rear view: The new archer is to the right - and now has a sword at left hip - and the dagger at his right. ( both from my "spares" box). I have kept the same pallet for painting both of their tunics - but changed hose and undershirt details, (red/blue) around a bit, by way of variation. Shows how using basically the same casting, you can change things around a bit. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Here it is Ray - for all lovers of Bernard Cornwell's books. jb

 

[nmrocks]

Nicely done JB, great figures, great book!
Ray

 

[johnnybach]

Back to Bosworth again in 1485 for my next figure;



If you look back to the painting of Sir William Brandon ( also included - as I've now tidied up and completed his Standard pole and base) more closely, you may just make out a crossbowman with pavise (large shield) in the background, between the two horses. I was lucky enough to also find another New hope Design figure of a crossbowman - so painted his pavise to look similar to that in the picture. The shield shows both red and white roses above a portculiss design - on the green and white background field - which was Henry Tewdor's colours, later to become King henry IV, (retained up to this day - along with the red dragon - in the National Flag of Wales). The original picture shows the bowman dressed in red - but I have used a bit of artistic licence here - to give my man a similar surcoat to the pavise and Henry's colours. I think that the colours of the Standard, horse barding and my new figure - now links them both rather nicely, to the same side in the conflict.

Quite a nice figure - though I think that the crossbow could have been modelled a bit more finely by the sculptor. The figure itself is again excellent, I think, and shows the bulk of many padded layers and chain-mail nicely. The faces on both of these figures are modelled very finely - and are a joy to paint. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Back to Agincourt for one last time in this thread, for now. Standing bare-headed below, is Humphrey,Duke of Gloucester and Earl of Pembroke (1390-1447) - the younger brother of Henry V, and fought alongside him at Agincourt. He is standing between my last two archers, bare-headed - before the battle started.

Humphrey was the youngest son of HenryIV, brother to Henry V - and Uncle to Henry VI after Henry V died - a rather unique set of circumstances in those days.

Another nice one piece cast figure from my stash of New Hope Design - and my last for a while. He could really have been painted as almost anyone - but I rather liked the shield - read up on him a bit - and eventually chose to paint him, for the Agincourt connection. Must find a casting for his elder brother, one of these days. jb