How did you Start collecting K&C (1 Viewer)

[oberstoskar]

This is how I started

80's
K&C shop was still in Central. Closed on Sundays, only walked by the display window with the fortress, vaguely remember the zulus and sudan brits.
I only collected W Britain ceremonials, gift from dad's conferences in England

early 90's
Shop moved to Pacific Place Mall. Window shopping only (too expensive)
1st set a gift from my best friend, the Royal HK Regiment Parade set

Mid 90's
Got my 2nd set, Black Watch on parade, again gift from my best friend, present before going to college

Bought Black Watch band and Royal Marines Band with my pocket money, inspired by 1997 changeover ceremony

2003
Broke up with girlfriend, then decided to spend money to make myself happy, so bought the entire set of LAH

This is followed by a set of 71st Highlanders, Christmas gift from dad (I reluctantly started collecting Napoleonics)
Then bought the Empress Dragoons (very very expensive)
And continued LAH + Napoleonics

2007 December
Started earning salary. While preparing for professional exams, got distracted by the internet, and saw the Limited AK Tiger... Started into AK + 8th Army

2008
First time visited K&C Museum (uninvited), Patrick was nice enough to show us around. Discovered Del Prado (yes, they're displayed in the museum) to supplement the current K&C Napoleonic range.

Increased crazy spending on Ebay... bought Del Prado, and lots of retired K&C stuff, including my favorite LAH HQ front door designed by John Jenkins, Roman Arch, glossy LAH etc... Collected all the retired AK vehicles.

Also discovered Hachette on Ebay. Bidded for the limited edition sitting Napoleon Bonarparte (with one leg on a drum) for a sky high price (at least 5 times the original price). Big regret.

Also tried buying from First Legion... But they don't display well with K&C

Up to this point, I was still a "in the closet" collector, all were kept hidden in a closed cabinet.

2009 - 2010
Got married, moved to a new apartment, got my own display room (ikea furniture, BILLY). Got more space for my collection, so it grew exponentially, visited K&C shop almost monthly (more even more).

Expanded my collection (from strictly AK, NAP and LAH) to WW1 Germans + Aussies. Built my own diorama.

Also became adventurous, and bought from less well known toy soldiers companies, such as collectorshowcase, figarti, del prado italian alpini, John Jenkins, more First Legion, Guard Corp WW1, Kronprinz, Napoleon-soldier.com (dang! some of the companies most of you guys have not even heard of!) in order to supplement K&C.

IN addition, I have been collecting Dragon Models and Star Wars 12 inches and Lego Star Wars, although I already sold a lot of them.

My wife and my parents are so angry at me for spending so much money, time and energy on this stuff. My career is developing at a slowed pace because of this.

I should stop.

 

[Rob]

Interesting story, how is it affecting your career though?.

Having collected plastic Soldiers sice I was a kid, I got in to metal with Toy Army Workshop's WW1 range.

Then six or seven years ago I walked into the London show and Mike Neville showed me the latest K&C D day figures and I was hooked.I went home with a D Day Patrol set and never looked back. There is just something about the style of K&C that puts it above all others for me, I quickly moved from figures to vehicles and have collected both ever since. There are lots of good companies out there making great stuff, but K&C are still No1

Rob

 

[Currahee Chris]

As with everything else in my life- a healthy serving of dumb luck

One day, was working on a client in Stroudsburg Pa and noticed "Stockade Minatures" thought to myself "Wow, I haven't been to a toy soldier shop since the early 80's when I lived in Germany. Met Mike Russo who sold me Yanks03- soldier and dog vingette for like $30, the rest is history. Now I spend my time complaining and whining about price hikes.

 

[6th Wisconsin]

I had been collecting Civil War soldiers soley for about 8 years, inspired by displays in the American History Bookstore in Gettysburg, but these were not K&C. I admired K&C WWII figures for years online. Then we bought a much bigger house, and I got a much bigger display case. This inspired me to buy more soldiers, and I thought it was time to expand beyond ACW. When it came to WWII, the obvious choice for me was K&C. Two years later I have close to 100 K&C figures and about 20 vehicles that include 4 planes and 2 boats. The day I received my first tank in the mail was huge for me!!!! I even bought the K&C Burnside Bridge off of Ebay for the ACW stuff.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I had been collecting 1:50 scale Corgi armour and 1:35 Minichamps and then 1:72 dragon. But none of those companies was doing a good job for me and I read about K&C on the internet and went to check them out. There was only 1 small dealer in Toronto with very little stock. I bought the early Hitler staff car and a Char B bis tank, and then found the big dealer in Quebec City with a web site, full inventory and free shipping.

Terry

 

[bearybones]

I was googling the internet, looking for Medieval Crusades figures and fortunately found the first releases of that line from King & Country. Now I have at least one of every Medieval Crusades release they've ever made, except the pavilion/siege tents. I had previously purchased the JG Miniatures Medieval pavilion/siege tents, which I'm happy with.

George

 

[ecuriel]

During my 25th College Reunion in Cambridge, Mass, I made the mistake of visiting the Hobby Bunker and I was hooked, then Treefrog, Ebay, Web Stores, The Westcoaster, The Texas Show, The Chicago Show, and all the great guys I have met, has made it a great ride. Have really enjoyed the hunt for retired K&C and Imperial Sudan.

 

[oberstoskar]

During my 25th College Reunion in Cambridge, Mass, I made the mistake of visiting the Hobby Bunker and I was hooked, then Treefrog, Ebay, Web Stores, The Westcoaster, The Texas Show, The Chicago Show, and all the great guys I have met, has made it a great ride. Have really enjoyed the hunt for retired K&C and Imperial Sudan.

Ecuriel, it sounds like you went to Harvard, so your pocket must be full...

I applied to Harvard, but was rejected twice (for college and grad school), so I ended up in Hong Kong and became a frequent visitor of the Shop.

 

[ecuriel]

Ecuriel, it sounds like you went to Harvard, so your pocket must be full...

I applied to Harvard, but was rejected twice (for college and grad school), so I ended up in Hong Kong and became a frequent visitor of the Shop.

Yes, unfortunately, Harvard's hand is always in it!

 

[Njja]

I was visiting my daughter in NYC and had always had in interest in military miniatures. My daughter located Classic Toy Soldiers on Sullivan street and thought it would be a nice suprise. We went in and I saw a very nice selection of old Dinky Toys, and terrific figures and vehicles done by King & Country.

I bought what I could carry home and opened a new chapter on my collection. I believe my first purchases were AN16, FJ01, LAH17-20,
DD20-23, and a WS14 several shopping bags carried on the plane!

About every 3 or 4 months on our trips back to NYC I would visit the shop and grab another shopping bag or two. In the early days 1998-2002 the inventory didn't turn over as quickly so often I was able to pick up items I had missed (for lack of room) on eariler trips.

There was little sign of King & Country on Ebay usually nothing or just an item or two, and few sources if any on the internet.

Unfortunately I was just a little late for all the earily wooden pieces, but I supose I was quite a bit eariler then more then a few collectors. Over the years I have been quite lucky, and have found several fairly rare diorama pieces, backlot buildings, wooden, and resin & metal pieces. I was also most fortunate to acquire the last diorama piece Andy personally made for the initial release of his classic matte finish Arnhem Series.

You never know what you may find tomorrow!

 

[craig1985taylor]

Well ive always collected toy soldiers since childhood my grandad had started me off with pretty much all the ceremonial britains he could find. That then spiralled into glossy WW1 figures about 10 years ago & then back to the new britains redcoats when they began a few years back. After my grandad died i began researching his military history & became very intrigued by WW2 & all the different fronts, I had kinda dipped into matte figures before but after seeing what WW2 ranges K&C had to offer it was the only way to go!!!

Craig

 

[Hartschier]

Believe it or not, my wife stumbled across them seven years ago.

She says it was the biggest mistake of her life as there is nothing but toy soldiers in every room now.

The things I have to do for her not to cut me off!!!

 

[kilted vampire]

I had dabbled with Imperial about 18 years ago. Started making them a little because of the expense then. Life changed and things got better. About eight or nine years ago I met the Halls selling K&C at the local flea market. I bought one for my father then one for me. Then all h#!! broke loose. Started buying everything I could. Broken stuff, glossy, Conte you name it. Then the Forum came along. well you know the rest

 

[Mitch]

My grandfather got me interested in both the war and military stuff. Got his toy soldiers from when he was a boy and lots of airfix and dinky corgi military stuff andthen it went from there
Mitch