How Much K&C is Sold in USA (1 Viewer)

[gk5717]

When you check K&C dealers list the majority of dealers are in the USA, just wondering what percentage of K&C sales are from the U.S.
When you look at it most of the product line is geared toward U.S. shoppers.
Gary

 

[Louis Badolato]

Dear Gary,

Andy has stated that the U.S. is the biggest market for toy soldiers, and the product is geared to the this market, but you would have to ask Andy to find out percentages.

Louis

 

[jazzeum]

I think just like any other product that consumers buy, the US market, because of disposable income and standard of living, is quite significant and the biggest.

 

[victory]

I can see the US market is the largest and the one K&C targets for most of their product lines with the exception of at least one, the Orient Series. I don't think I ever ran into anyone collecting any of those.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I collect the Streets of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Police, and Silk Road series from K&C's "the Orient" lines, and I know of several other collectors who collect these series. While I'm sure that these series were aimed at King & Country's home audience in Hong Kong and mainland China, where his facilities and main shop are located, these figures are so well done that they appeal to many in the U.S. audience (not the least of which are the wives of collectors, who can be induced to collect Streets of Hong Kong and thereby feel included in their husbands hobby - sadly, not the case in my home, but I have a few collector friends with happier marriages as a result).

 

[jazzeum]

If I had the room, I would love to collect this line. I'd love to get my wife involved because she's Chinese but she's not really the collecting type. Plus, I find Chinese history fascinating. Her birthday is coming up soon and I was thinking of getting her a piece. Any suggestions?

 

[Louis Badolato]

I think getting her something from the silk road series might be nice. Its a small, but very beautiful and interesting series. The elephant is quite elegant and impressive. If you get her started on the Streets of Hing Kong stuff, you better have a lot of room.

 

[gk5717]

I get my wife the Christmas set every year.
Gary

 

[victory]

I can't afford to get my wife started in K&C. Some time ago I gave thought of collecting the Silk Road series just because of the elephant. Its a great piece and I believe the one K&C piece with the highest retail price. I am just too spread out with the other eras I already collect.

 

[jazzeum]

I'm too spread out also but I think one set might be nice. The Mandarin set from the Streets of Hong Kong looks like a possibility. I'm not sure how overall she might be interested in HK because she's not from HK but from Wuxi which is northwest of Shanghai where they speak Mandarin where Hong Kong is Southern China where they speak Cantonese. Although Mandarin is the official language, there's a certain rivalry between the two areas.

 

[Shannon Reuss]

Re: Silk Road Elephant

The Silk Road line is retired now but you can still find a lot of the pieces around. If you want an elephant though jump now. I don't know about other dealers but I only have 3 left. They are magnificent.

 

[victory]

Shannon, I appreciate the heads up. I'm still a little indecisive but do have a question. Anyone know aside from the one Silk Road Elephant has K&C done any other sets with elephants?

 

[Louis Badolato]

That's the only K&C elephant to date.

 

[victory]

Louis, I'm just thrown off by Sager's general picture for the Silk Road Series. Two elephants are depicted and their stowage definitely look different.

 

[Shannon Reuss]

After looking over our Silk Road brochure, I think if you look closely they are the same elephant - one of them has the full canopy on the top, the other has had the canopy removed. Other than the canopy they look the same.

 

[victory]

Thanks Shannon.

 

[victory]

Shannon, you've got mail.