HIRIART Imperial German Infantry (2 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

Hiriart has almost two dozen Imperial German sets in its catalog including Garde, Infanterie, Grenadier, Dragoner, Husaren, etc. Here is set 1090 KAISER GARDEGRENADIER.

 

[ucla1967]

Hiriart set 1098 GARDEGRENADIER FUSILIER BATAILLON.

 

[ucla1967]

Hiriart set 1099 LEIBGARDEGRENADIER "EMPEROR ALEXANDER."

 

[ucla1967]

Hiriart set 1313 GARDEGRENADIER with KAISER WILHELM.

 

[ucla1967]

Hiriart set 1034 KAISER GARDE DU CORPS.

 

[theBaron]

Very pretty!

The designations are a little off, though, which may come from translating from German to Spanish.

In the one shot, Mike, the miter caps look a little dark. Is that a trick of the light, or are they actually painted a dark color? They should be silver and brass, for both the Alexander-Grenadiers, and the 1st Garde zu Fuss.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Out with the brushes and paints Brad.^&grin johnnybach

 

[theBaron]

Out with the brushes and paints Brad.^&grin johnnybach

I was thinking the same thing with the cavalry figures, John! I like the overall look, but the eyes tend to have a pop-eyed look to them. I'd repaint them in the Mignot or King-White/Reeves style. Still, I think I've got to add these to my wish list, too, to fill in the Kaiser's Birthday Parade from Guard Corps.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Me too - but unless they eventually produce them as castings for me to paint ( in the correct colours) I too, will just put them on a wish-list for sometime in the future. Not bad - but ever so slightly "not quite right".^&grin jb

 

[ucla1967]

Very pretty!

The designations are a little off, though, which may come from translating from German to Spanish.

In the one shot, Mike, the miter caps look a little dark. Is that a trick of the light, or are they actually painted a dark color? They should be silver and brass, for both the Alexander-Grenadiers, and the 1st Garde zu Fuss.

Prost!
Brad

Thanks. I am glad you like them.

The designations are probably my fault. Some of the translations have gone from German to Spanish to English and back to German again. One of my favorite examples is set 1137 which I call TIRAILLEURS SENEGALAIS which they have listed as TIRAILLEURS SENEGAL (Negroes shootmen) France. Probably not politically correct, huh?

Unfortunately, the photos are not as crisp as they should be. The original CD I got from Hiriart had the photos at 2500 pixels which I had to reduce to 97 pixels because of the old Forum size limitations. They subsequently increased those limitations and I increased the photos to either 1000 or 1250 pixels, but the quality was compromised. I am not sure which ones you are referring to re the dark mitre caps. The others are silver and brass. Remember that these figures are probably not up to your (and johnnybach's) painting standards, but they do cost less than $14 a figure MIB. So I am very happy with them, even if they are not perfect.

I don't know if you saw my thread under "Dioramas" entitled "Bob Walker's Fifth Annual Open House." Bob has a hugh collection, thousands of which he cast and painted himself. He also has many vintage Britains sets and about 250 Hiriart sets in his collection. He sometimes embellishes the latter with shading or pink cheeks. You might want to take a look at it.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is Hiriart set 1033 PRUESSEN INFANTERIE. In the future, I may order these as Bavarian and Saxon specials.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart set 1035 PRUESSEN HEERESMUSIK. BTW, although all the photos I have been posting on this thread are stock photos, I do have all of them in my personal collection.

 

[theBaron]

Thanks. I am glad you like them.

The designations are probably my fault. Some of the translations have gone from German to Spanish to English and back to German again. One of my favorite examples is set 1137 which I call TIRAILLEURS SENEGALAIS which they have listed as TIRAILLEURS SENEGAL (Negroes shootmen) France. Probably not politically correct, huh?

Unfortunately, the photos are not as crisp as they should be. The original CD I got from Hiriart had the photos at 2500 pixels which I had to reduce to 97 pixels because of the old Forum size limitations. They subsequently increased those limitations and I increased the photos to either 1000 or 1250 pixels, but the quality was compromised. I am not sure which ones you are referring to re the dark mitre caps. The others are silver and brass. Remember that these figures are probably not up to your (and johnnybach's) painting standards, but they do cost less than $14 a figure MIB. So I am very happy with them, even if they are not perfect.

I don't know if you saw my thread under "Dioramas" entitled "Bob Walker's Fifth Annual Open House." Bob has a hugh collection, thousands of which he cast and painted himself. He also has many vintage Britains sets and about 250 Hiriart sets in his collection. He sometimes embellishes the latter with shading or pink cheeks. You might want to take a look at it.

Not a problem, though I think the error's at the workshop, and not on your part. What's on the box labels?

For example, there were 2 regiments in the Imperial army that wore miter caps on parade, while all others wore the Pickelhaube. They were the 1st Garde zu Fuss ("1st Foot Guards"), and the "Kaiser-Alexander-Grenadiere" (named after Tsar Alexander of Russia). There was no infantryregiment called "Garde du Corps", that was the premier cuirassier regiment. Also, there were several other grenadier regiments besides the Alexanders, that were given the title of Guard-Grenadiers. Their distinction was to wear a white horsehair plume on their helmets for parade, while the line grenadiers wore black.

However, it's not important, it's what the Germans call a Streit um des Kaisers Bart (scholars argued so long whether Barbarossa had a red beard or a blonde one, that it was said it had certainly turned white in the meantime ) , these are very nice sets in the classic tradition. My wish list has gotten that much longer, and it'll take years to collect 'em all

Prost!
Brad

 

[ucla1967]

Not a problem, though I think the error's at the workshop, and not on your part. What's on the box labels?

For example, there were 2 regiments in the Imperial army that wore miter caps on parade, while all others wore the Pickelhaube. They were the 1st Garde zu Fuss ("1st Foot Guards"), and the "Kaiser-Alexander-Grenadiere" (named after Tsar Alexander of Russia). There was no infantryregiment called "Garde du Corps", that was the premier cuirassier regiment. Also, there were several other grenadier regiments besides the Alexanders, that were given the title of Guard-Grenadiers. Their distinction was to wear a white horsehair plume on their helmets for parade, while the line grenadiers wore black.

However, it's not important, it's what the Germans call a Streit um des Kaisers Bart (scholars argued so long whether Barbarossa had a red beard or a blonde one, that it was said it had certainly turned white in the meantime ) , these are very nice sets in the classic tradition. My wish list has gotten that much longer, and it'll take years to collect 'em all

Prost!
Brad

Hi Brad,

What the regiments are called is not a problem for my friend, Bob Walker, he just throws the boxes away!

Here is what is on the boxes:

1034 KAISER GARDE DU CORPS

1090 KAISER GARDEGRENADIER

1098 FUSILIER BATAILLON

1099 LEIB GRENADIER (but description says GARDEGRENADIER "EMPEROR ALEXANDER")

1313 KAISER GARDE DU CORPS

Not a FUSS GARDE among them.

 

[theBaron]

Hi Brad,

What the regiments are called is not a problem for my friend, Bob Walker, he just throws the boxes away!

Here is what is on the boxes:

1034 KAISER GARDE DU CORPS

1090 KAISER GARDEGRENADIER

1098 FUSILIER BATAILLON

1099 LEIB GRENADIER (but description says GARDEGRENADIER "EMPEROR ALEXANDER")

1313 KAISER GARDE DU CORPS

Not a FUSS GARDE among them.

Yep, you're off the hook , the mistake is Hiriart's.

The Fusilier battalion figures could be meant to represent the 4th battalion of the Alexander Grenadiers. For a brief period, the regiment was expanded from 3 to 4 battalions, with the 4th being designated a fusilier battalion. Guard Corps represented this with a color-bearer carrying the 4th battalion's color sold as an add-on to their color party set. There was a Guard Fusilier Regiment, but they didn't wear miter caps.

I've been paging through my copy of the old "Waldorf-Astoria Uniformen der Alten Armee" cigarette card album, and refreshed my memory about the miter caps. The 1st Foot Guards (1st Garde-Regiment zu Fuss) had silvered tin plates on the front of their miters, with a rounded bag to the back. The Alexander Grenadiers had brass front plates, and the bag had more of a concave shape to it. In the photo where the miter caps looked dark must be silver in color.

I'm reminded how many regiments there were, and how colorful they were. A collection of all regiments would make a magnificent display!

Prosit!
Brad

 

[ucla1967]

Yep, you're off the hook , the mistake is Hiriart's.

The Fusilier battalion figures could be meant to represent the 4th battalion of the Alexander Grenadiers. For a brief period, the regiment was expanded from 3 to 4 battalions, with the 4th being designated a fusilier battalion. Guard Corps represented this with a color-bearer carrying the 4th battalion's color sold as an add-on to their color party set. There was a Guard Fusilier Regiment, but they didn't wear miter caps.

I've been paging through my copy of the old "Waldorf-Astoria Uniformen der Alten Armee" cigarette card album, and refreshed my memory about the miter caps. The 1st Foot Guards (1st Garde-Regiment zu Fuss) had silvered tin plates on the front of their miters, with a rounded bag to the back. The Alexander Grenadiers had brass front plates, and the bag had more of a concave shape to it. In the photo where the miter caps looked dark must be silver in color.

I'm reminded how many regiments there were, and how colorful they were. A collection of all regiments would make a magnificent display!

Prosit!
Brad

Well, that's a relief!

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's set 1091 PREUSSEN INFANTERIE where the figures are at-present-arms rather than marching as in the earlier version. They could be used as route liners or in a formation. I also ordered an add on set of nine extra men. Note: This stock photo only has eight figures and, as such, was probably made for Stefano Allorini of Saimext Toys in Italy.

 

[ucla1967]

When I think of Imperial Germany, I usually consider it to be from the Franco-Prussian War to just before World War I. However, to be technically correct, the 2nd Reich, under Kaiser Wilhelm II continued until the end of World War I. So, here is a photo of Hiriart set 1154 DEUTSCHES INFANTERIE, 1914. The standard catalog set does not include the flag bearer.

 

[ucla1967]

Also in the same vein as the last post, here is Hiriart set 1336 WORLD WAR I WESTFALISHE JAEGER BATTALION, 1914. It is unusual in that very few Hiriart sets are made with the figures running. I wonder where Westfalishe is located in Germany?

 

[theBaron]

I wonder where Westfalishe is located in Germany?

Hi, Mike, Westfalen is a region in west-central Germany, "Westphalia" in English. It covers the area between the Rhein and the Weser, to the north and south of the Ruhr. It was a province of Prussia, and today it makes up part of the federal state of North-Rhein-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen).

Prost!
Brad