Franklin Mint 90mm Rev War Pewter Figures (1 Viewer)

[Obee]

I thought that you may like to see what can be achived with a 'lick of paint' applied to a set of Franklin Mint pewter figures that are a set of 13 x 90mm soldiers from the American War of Independance.

The soldiers represent each of the 13 states:

1. Pennsylvania "Rifleman" from Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion.
2. Massachusetts "Militiaman" from Minot's alarm company of Concord, Massachusetts.
3. New Jersey "Private" from 1st New Jersey Regiment
4. New York "Officer" from 3rd New York Regiment
5. Georgia "Drummer" from 4th Georgia Regiment
6. Delaware "Officer" from the Dover Light Infantry Company of Delaware
7. Connecticut "Trumpeter" from the 2nd Connecticut Regiment Continental Dragoons
8. Maryland "Private" from the 2nd Maryland Regiment
9. New Hampshire "Private" from the Green Mountain Rangers of New Hampshire
10. North Carolina "Private" from the 3rd North Carolina Regiment
11. South Carolina "Private" from the 2nd South Carolina Regiment
12. Virginia "Officer" from Baylor's 3rd Virginia Regiment Continental Dragoons
13. Rhode Island "Artilleryman" from the Rhode Island Train of Artillery

I was asked to paint them by a collector in New York who is an avid Rev War collector and who bought them off EBay.
So far he's sent me 11 of them, one is in transit, but he hasn't found the 13th figure yet.

The first figure I have painted is the Rhode Island "Artilleryman" from the Rhode Island Train of Artillery

One item of interest is that they have the name of the unit on the base, and one some of them there is an "IR" on the side of the base, and so I'd guess that they were sculpted by Imrie Risley and produced for the Bicentenary in 1976.

The figures arrived in various states of damage, ranging from bent rifles, leaning over, and 2 have no butts on the muskets and the drummer is missing his right hand thats holding his hat. I will have to some 'creative construction' to make them look good, so I sure have a challenge there.

As I progress over the next few months, I'll add more images for you to see these finely detailed figures.

John

 

[Obee]

Here are the figures before painting:

Note the bent muskets, rammer held by the gunner, and some figures leaning over.

I'm working on 3 right now, so in a week or so, there should be more to see,

John

 

[wadepat]

Hi John,

I most certainly look forward to watching your progress as you repair and paint these figures. It is always a significant treat to view the progression of your work!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[theBaron]

Hi, John, I believe you are correct about the origins of the figures. I think some of the same figures, if not all, are still available through Imrie-Risley as kits.

For all of the mass-produced kitsch that Franklin Mint produced, they had a lot of really good items, too. The Yorktown set, and the Frederick the Great commemorative set sold through FM-Germany were sculpted by some of the best in the business. The Prussian army figure molds later wound up with Army House of Spain, too.

They also offered a reproduction of Menzel's uniform studies, in a nicely-bound box. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find them, though I do have one of the promotional leaflets for the set. An old college buddy of mine worked for FM briefly, in marketing/strategic planning. And his sister was a painter/illustrator for them, too.


FM offered some really nice die-cast vehicles, too.

But I digress! Looking forward to seeing your work on this set, they're really nice figures.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Cardigan600]

Yo John, looking forward to seeing the end results mate. I am impressed with the painting of the Rhode Island Train figure, very good likeness with the Stadden in my albums. Some job you have doing the repairs, this is always the case with Pewter being so soft a metal. Good luck with them cobber.
Bernard.

 

[Gideon]

I have a stash of these someplace - they were great figures but the weapons are so soft. How are you going to secure them once they've been painted? Eventually, they'll sag again and the paint will be pulled loose.

Hard to believe they didn't consider this when they designed them.

 

[Napoleon1er]

As a private in the Rhode Island United Train of Artillery, I commend your job on the figure!

 

[Obee]

Thanks for the tip about the bending..... I did think that they bent back quite easily, but I thought that had happend in transit or packing.

The guy who I'm painting them for is in New York, and found them on EBay and commissioned me to paint them for him, so I'll mention that.

There are 4 figures with muskets level, so they are the problem ones.

Anyway, keep looking at my work, I'm really enjoying painting them.

John

 

[Gideon]

that didn't happen transit, they are that soft. anything with any length will bend. definitely mention it and maybe try to find something to stabilize them. Maybe a paper clip guage steel wire glued somewhere.

it'd be a shame to see your great paint work damaged due to poor design of the figure.

 

[Obee]

I was even thinking of cutting off those mustkets at the hand, and drilling into the barrel and inserting a fine stiff wire, that way there wouldn't be as much unsupported weight getting dreagged down by gravity. I could drill in about an inch, and 2 of the muskets will need new butts, as they are missing, so I may try on one of the first.....

Thanks for the tip, I appreciate your comments, and isnt' that what this forum is for.... sharing help with our hobby and have fun ???

JOhn

 

[Gideon]

You'd need to find something pretty stiff yet thin to pull that off.

Please post photos of what you come up with.

And, yeah, forums are great for this type of information sharing.

 

[wds0855]

I have never seen these before. How long ago were they offered by FM?

 

[Gideon]

I think late 1970's/early 80's.

 

[Obee]

Hi guys,

here are the next 3 figures.

This time its Infantry:

Left to right:
New Jersey "Private" from 1st New Jersey Regiment at Valley Forge
Maryland "Private" from the 2nd Maryland Regiment
New York "Officer" from 3rd New York Regiment

next will be 2 Cavalry, so 'keep a lookout posted'

John

 

[Gideon]

Those are painting up really well.

Thanks for posting.

Did you find a way to stabilize the weapons?

 

[Obee]

Gideon,

no I haven't started on the weapons that need fixing yet.

There are 3 soldiers holding the muskets horizontal, so they are the problem. As well 2 of them do not have butts (inc trigger and firing mech), so I'm going to have to make new ones. My thought is to surgically remove the one good one, then make 2 plaster moulds and then pour 2 new butts. These will then be pinned into position.

As far as barrells go, I'm still wondering but will try a hole drilled down te barrel and then pinned.....

By the way, I've completed the 2 cavalry figures, so hope to post the images soon.

John

 

[Gideon]

Gideon,

no I haven't started on the weapons that need fixing yet.

There are 3 soldiers holding the muskets horizontal, so they are the problem. As well 2 of them do not have butts (inc trigger and firing mech), so I'm going to have to make new ones. My thought is to surgically remove the one good one, then make 2 plaster moulds and then pour 2 new butts. These will then be pinned into position.

As far as barrells go, I'm still wondering but will try a hole drilled down te barrel and then pinned.....

By the way, I've completed the 2 cavalry figures, so hope to post the images soon.

John

That makes sense. You could even cast the entire weapon and replace the soft metal on. Otherwise cut the weapon into sections and pin.

But I don't do this kind of work so I don't know how feasible it is.

 

[pugio]

I have never seen these before. How long ago were they offered by FM?

FM started issuing them previous to the Bi-Centennial, about 1974-75, one a month I believe, to finish the series in time for 1976....

 

[Obee]

The next 2 figures are cavalry

Connecticut "Trumpeter" from the 2nd Connecticut Regiment Continental Dragoons

Virginia "Officer" from Baylor's 3rd Virginia Regiment Continental Dragoons

Now on with the problem figures with droopy muskets

John

 

[Deitz]

I have enjoyed watching your progress.