How and why did you first start collecting Jenkins? (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

For me, I saw BM 01-03 sitting on the shelf at the Gettysburg Antique Center in 2006. There were a few posts on the forum about the company. Kept looking at them, but had some reluctance to start on a new line. Finally I caved in and starting buying them. They have always reminded me of paintings of the era. Not exactly "real" reproductions, but artistic renditions like you might see from a painting.

 

[The Breaker]

I've admired the FIW figures from the outset, but I didn't want to start collecting an additional line.
However, the War in the Sudan 1884-1885 is my favorite historic topic so I couldn't resist. I just completed the set w/ the Egyptian Defenders and must say it is one of my favorite sets. I hope Jenkins continues the line with the Gordon Highlanders and the Beja tribesmen at Tamai.

 

[PolarBear]

I bought the Death of Wolfe at Quebec set since William Woollett who made the 18th c engraving after Benjamin West's painting was a family ancestor. John's scene is not based on the West or Woollett versions but on a lesser known and less romantic or more realistic view of event by Edward Penny. Then I fell in love with the Battle on Snowshoes and became hooked.

Randy

 

[marco55]

The FIW was always one of my main periods of interest and I was checking through different ranges on a dealers website and I saw FM-05 and that's when I first became aware of Jenkins and liked it so I bought it.He then came out with Snowshoes and then I started buying regularly.
Mark

 

[HistoryfortheAges]

I first met John Jenkins during the room trading at the OTSN when he was selling his FIW sets for Frontline. He didn't have a lot of sets available, mostly a few sets of Woodland Indians and if I can remember correctly, a few sets of British Infantry. I was hesitant to purchase anything at the time because I wasn't sure that the range would continue. Anyway, when I came by his room again the next day, I caved in and bought one of Woodland Indian sets. About 2 years later and again at the OTSN, I was in the Hobby Bunker room and saw the BOM British command set and I was sold on his unique style. I bought the last one of these sets that Hobby Bunker had available for the show. After that, I became a regular collector of the BOM and then the Battle of Quebec series. I also, collected the first year of the BOS series too. I am continuing to collect releases of the first 2 series for now.

 

[10TH LA.]

I also saw my first John Jenkins at the Gettysburg Antique center about 5 years ago ...my wife and I are civil reenactors and we were doing some site seeing...... at that time I was collecting Britains and was not that interested.....then about 2 years ago I bought my first Battle of Quebec and have not looked back !!!!!! I have almost stopped buying Britains to keep my JJ collection going ......

 

[mikemiller1955]

I started collecting soldiers as a little kid...WWII...the Alamo...Cowboys and Indians...Medieval Knights...both me and my cousin...we shared the same passion and played with our soldiers together a lot...at the end of the day...we always knew which were our own soldiers...never an argument when we packed them up...he knew which were his and I knew which were mine..I was always fascinated with the plastic toy soldiers...I loved them as a child...I guess I outgrew them around age 8 or 10 and put them up...but never forgot them...

I was in New Orleans about 30 years ago...I won $700 at the horse track on a long shot...I stumbled onto a shop called La Petite Soldier Shop in the Quarters...I spent it all there on assorted Naps...

I made trips to New Orleans at least twice a year after that...always stopping by La Petite...I had a modest collection of 80-100 figures...

I was in San Antonio some 10-15 years later and picked up a couple of sets of Zulus at an obscure shop...

a few years later I picked up some Civil War figures in Nashville...

I was hooked again...

After seeing the movie Zulu...

I decided that I wanted to concentrate on the Zulus...I joined Treefrog to sell my Naps and Civil War figures...I did get rid of the Naps...but still have the Civil War figures...

I got hooked on the Zulus...and used the money to make a Rorke's Drift...

when it was complete and my table was full...I moved into the K&C Knights and Saracens...beautiful stuff...

after I built a castle and filled the table I got interested in the French Indian Wars...

I hate to admit it...but again...a movie...Last of the Mohicans...one of my favorite movies...got me looking at John's work...

the same as Zulu...the movie...that's what got me started on the Rorke's Drift...

John's stuff really touched me...his 7 Year War and French Indian War series...after watching Last of the Mohicans...I started buying all his series except Quebec...I fell in love with his Indians and still think that nobody can touch his work on them...

Frontline makes some very nice Iroquois Indians...and K&C makes some nice ones too..but John's really stood out as the best work to me...please...I'm not here to argue...I'm just saying I personally like John's the best...

It seemed like a natural order of events to collect his French Indian War series...again I never collected Quebec because no Indians were in this series...however I did go after the Jacobites...which really didn't follow the Indian direction...

As long as John keeps making Indians and adds to his series of French Indian Wars...I will keep collecting...

I always found the brutality and savagery of the Indian Wars to be hypnotically captivating...prisoners...wars...scalpings...the struggle to survive and co-exist in a new wilderness...I was just drawn to it...

John has kept my interest piqued and I will continue to pursue his products...

I am going to suggest the Beaver Wars to John...Indian against Indian...literal genocide of tribes by the Iroquois nations to capture their beaver enriched neighbor's land...

I know I'll stick with his products...

I love his sculpting of action figures...the sturdiness and weight of his figures...his painting...the theme of his series and John's overall willingness to let his customers make suggestions and actually listen to them...

I never thought it could be like this...and I'm happy.

 

[Richard Tree]

I started with Airfix figures in 1/72 a long time ago and evolved to modelling 1/35 figures and Shermans. I picked up collecting model (toy) soldiers after a bad accident. As a result of that crash I was not able to paint or model as I use to do. Began collecting K & C Naps and they are beautiful to!

Hooked up with this forum and discoverd JJD and was immidiatly enchanted by the figures. Although not realy into the Indian Wars the figures caught my immagination because of the active pose of the figures. They look almost like a painting when displayed.

A long time ago I visited Culloden battlefield. I was impresed by the story of that battle. Bought a lot of books and so. Never had any models but a lonely highlander I painted myself and representing the battle and hardship.

Until the day JJD introduced the THE JACOBITE REBELLION 1745! I was hooked, but could still withhold the urge to buy them. Until recently seeing it where limited items. I bought all the models and they are beautiful. I like the English as well They stand out.Very well painted en sculpted.

Well the end of the story; I will be ordering more and more of them and probebly will buy even samples of the other ranges.

My compliment to John and hope that he will profit from his business as we profit from his the sculpting, painting and imagination.

Regards, Richard

 

[mafunzalo]

I always loved "Northwest Frontier" and started buying the Conte F/I sets. When I bought those up the folks at Michigan Toy Soldier directed me to John's F/I figures for Frontline and told me to buy them soon because they wouldn't be around for long. Wow, they were right. After searching the Internet for more of his figures I stumbled on his site and have been corresponding with him ever since and met him a few times. Like the rest of you I've added "my two cents" on what he should make. It has been a very expensive but fun hobby over the years and I have no plans on stopping.
ps....Please don't hate me for still loving my Conte and Frontline sets.