How do you display your soldiers? (1 Viewer)

[sam04]

I know I'm in the minority but I prefer glossy figures over the "realistic" matte finish Britains. I like their simplicity and think they just look cooler lined up in rows on glass shelves.

I collect some of the matte also, but think they would look better in a diorama. Mainly because they all seem to all be pointing in different directions. I have no interest in creating a dioramas.

For lining soldiers in rows, gloss works for me. More is definitely better also, I'm up around 200 figures now. Wish I had the funds to triple that number!

So how do you show off your soldiers?
Any other glossy fans?
How many soldiers would it take to make you feel like you have a "REAL" army?

I just purchased a set 00126 Royal Scots Marching. Very cool.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Sam,

Welcome to the site. I am a big collector of Britains Glossy too. I have a large collection of the Durbar and Indian Army figures on display with a few other figures sprinkled around. The short answer is I doubt there is ever enough. The second part of the question is I have them on shelves and diplays in my office/den mostly. The great thing about Britains is that they produce a lot of sets in both glossy and matte and have something for everyone. It sounds like you are into the Ceremonial figures which is very nice. A couple of questions come to mind: Do you have a series you are focued on? Do you have a particular unit/regiment? This will help keep you focued on a goal for a particular series. For instance I collect 2 areas primarily and a few other areas when something pops up and strikes a cord with me. So I have a large Delhi Durbar display (See the Delhi Durbar Thread here) and some Napoleonics and some odd mounted figures from various eras (mainly Britains). But I am working on getting the complete run of Britains offerings and have a good chunk of Marlboroughs Durbar figures that are also glossy. But I have decided to stay focused on the Durbar because it is colorful and a really interesting subject, so try and remain focused or the collection get quickly out of hand.

Anyway, welcome and I look forward to chatting with you in the future. Also are you a mamber of the Britains Collectors Club? If not I advise you to look into it.

All the best

Dave

 

[desk11desk12]

Welcome sam04,

I agree with you that glossy probably shows better in display cabinets with glass counters and good lighting than matte finish. Also, matte finished figures are great with dioramas.

Carlos

 

[wadepat]

I know I'm in the minority but I prefer glossy figures over the "realistic" matte finish Britains. I like their simplicity and think they just look cooler lined up in rows on glass shelves.

I collect some of the matte also, but think they would look better in a diorama. Mainly because they all seem to all be pointing in different directions. I have no interest in creating a dioramas.

For lining soldiers in rows, gloss works for me. More is definitely better also, I'm up around 200 figures now. Wish I had the funds to triple that number!

So how do you show off your soldiers?
Any other glossy fans?
How many soldiers would it take to make you feel like you have a "REAL" army?

I just purchased a set 00126 Royal Scots Marching. Very cool.

Hi Sam,

I appreciate your posting. I am a fan of both glossy and matte finish figures. I collect some of both. For glossy figures, I collect Monarch Regalia Samurai figures, Beau Geste, Britains, and Marlborough Delhi Durbar figures, Britains Rorke's Drift figures, and Trophy Boxer Rebellion figures.

For the matte finished figures, I collect K&C Battle of the Bulge, Ancient Egyptian, and Napoleonic figures as well as Britains and Conte American Civil War figures. I also collect some other figures, but as you can see, my collection is diverse.

I, too, appreciate displaying my figures on glass shelves in curio cabinets. I love seeing the beautiful dioramas that others display, but I do not choose to display my figures in such a manner. I actually prefer viewing my figures under glass. On a practical level, it seems possible to display far more figures on glass shelves than one can do on a diorama. Also, a diorama limits the collector to displaying only one battle or one era. Glass shelves offer me more options for my diverse collection. If I were to specialize in only one era, then perhaps a diorama would be a more effective choice for me. One of the great things about our hobby is there is room for all sorts of preferences. Display your figures in the manner that is most pleasing to you and enjoy them to the fullest!

Now, about tripling the number of figures in your collection. It is a noble goal, but you will find that tripling is simply not enough! No matter how many figures I have, I still want more. Most of us are infected with this toy soldier disease and, I am afraid, it is terminal.

There are several other guys on the forum that prefer glossy figures, so post often and get to know everybody. The forum adds much to the joy of collecting these wonderful miniature figures!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[Leadmen]

Welcome to forum Sam. I collect glossy and matte figures and prefer glass shelves. Some with a few diorama accessories. I agree with above posts. Never seem to have enough figures. I rotate my shelves at times to change views. I like glossy Britains and matte WWll figures. Leadmen

 

[jrsteel]

I also prefer gloss although I'm collecting Britains WW1 series in Matte right now. The sad thing about gloss is that it seems to be dying out. I know Britains is producing the Crimean war series in gloss but it looks like they're going to be in action poses. Leave that for matte. Gloss figures should be marching or standing at attention. I like the Redcoat series and have been collecting them but they're only single figures. Why not make them in sets?
One of these days I'll look into Beau Geste.

 

[VIRIATO]

Hi,
I have a bigger piece of furniture which at the moment is filled with some bigger WWII dioramas and WWII aviation. For this period I prefer matte. I also have another smaller Ikea several parts cabinet where I am displaying planes and tanks in one part and figures in another and no dioramas, I guess the room for dioramas is now gone...
I have just gotten into Napoleonics and for that period I prefer matte, I am going for Art IG and K&C. But I also appreciate glossy soldiers, provided that they are sufficiently realistic. I have some Britains sets from the Delhi Durbar series and it's quite magic, gloss is just the ideal for those beautiful colours. Beau Geste or Fusilier also look very good to me for that period. Another example of what I'd call «realistic gloss», mainly because of the very good sculpting, comes from the Shenandoah Miniatures Traditionals series ( painted series in gloss finish ), it's ACW and those Aussie ACW soldiers look just the best...
Well, temptations and more temptations, I could go an all night, but unfortunately my wallet and room can not stretch forever
Happy collecting!

 

[vandilay]

I like both gloss and matte,I was a big fan of the premier line but
some of the quality seemed to get a little scratchy under the
previous owners.And of course now they have gone to matte.
I also have a moderate collection of imperial productions ,I have a few sets of trophy on the way from the states ,ww1 and napoleonic so i,m realy looking forward to seeing them first hand.
king and countrys ww2 and napoleonics are the other lines I collect.
I even like the old lead sets of which I have a couple,but youve got
to draw the line somewhere .

 

[sam04]

Thanks for the response.

Woodworking is a hobby of mine also. I built a large (though not large enough!) wall case with glass shelves and mounted two halogen lights at the top.

I figured the soldiers would look better in the case, but was really amazed how great they looked when I turned those lights on for the first time.

The case is in my home office so I can enjoy them while searching the net for more.

 

[boot51]

Welcome to the forum Sam04, have fun and display your collection any way that you think looks to you, just be careful with those halogen lights, they throw off a lot of heat, you don't want have a melt down.

Fred

 

[Louis Badolato]

I like both glossy & matt too, and I agree that marching glossy figures look great on a glass shelf, but any action posed figures look better in a diorama format. I display both ways, with shelves of marching, band & color party figures, and most of the rest of my figures on dioramas, both small and large. Buildings, vehicles, aircraft and other diorama materials just make your action-posed figures look so much better!

 

[kilted vampire]

Glossy has its' place in my collection as well. I am probably half and half right now. Sometime I mix them in dioramas. Sometimes on shelves. Most Napoleonics and AACW figures are matte, though, I have imperial figures in those eras as well. One thing I have noticed for myself that there is nothing like massed troops waiting in rank. The symetry and color,well it just does something for me

 

[wellington]

Funny I only collect matte finish and I display them in glass cabinets and each shelf is made into a diorama...and they look great....I HAVE NO INTERREST IN MAKING HUGE DIARAMA DISPLAYS........


WELLINGTON