"One of these things is not like the others..."
The figure of the father with his young son on his shoulders was not made by Trophy. Rather, it was made by Fred Klotz in his "Present Arms!" brand, in the series, "Off to the Front, August 1914". The series depicted German troops in field grey, marching off to war at the outset of World War I, cheered on by civilians. The father and son from from set #4, "Civilians."
Besides this figure, the civilians include a mother in a broad-brimmed hat, holding a baby; a little boy with the black-white-and-red Imperial flag in one hand, pulling a pull-toy; a little girl, handing a bouquet of flowers to a soldier; a tavern owner with arms outstretched, a mug in each hand and a separate keg on a stand; a boy wearing a flying helmet, holding a model of a Fokker Eindecker; and a pastor in a black robe, white surplice, red stola, and wearing a biretta; and a young woman marching hand-in-hand with a soldier, his Pickelhaube on her head. That last figure is cast integrally on the base with the soldier, and the both have a mug of beer in their other hands.
Some of the soldiers are depicting in marching order, with some others depicted interacting with the civilians. So, one is reaching to accept the little girl's bouquet, some have mugs of beer in their hands, some have flowers stuck in the muzzles of their rifles, and so on.
Fred's figures are sculpted very nicely, and painted to a quality classic toy soldier finish. He also produced a couple of other sets of Imperial German infantry, grenadier regiments parading in greatcoats; and a set called, "First in his class," or something similar, depicting a group of young cadets and their instructor, giving an award to his star pupil. Two other figures I know of are a US sailor circa 1914, with duffel bag, and a German artillerman posing with a mug of beer, one foot resting on a small beer keg. Fred told me that that depicts his one grandfather, who served in the German Army in WW I and then emigrated to the US after the war.
Prost!
Brad
Prost!
Brad
