theBaron
Major
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2008
- Messages
- 10,343
Here's an interesting piece-a diorama made by Jim Hillestad, entitled "The Men's Club":
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lead-Toy-S...llestad-/263780602109?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276
Those of you who know Jim or have visited him at his museum and shop will recognize his work. Jim used 54mm figures from Phoenix Model Development's Georgian catalog for this piece, and he has several others on display at the museum.
Phoenix used to make vacuformed walls for making box dioramas, and Jim has used those in some of his displays. Though this one does not appear to be so; the box looks like he scratch-built it. When he still attended our show (MFCA) as a vendor, he would enter some of these dioramas in the display from time to time.
Particularly interesting is the letter in Jim's hand to the collector, outlining the figures to be used and their location in the diorama.
At sixty bucks, I think it's a steal.
I have no connection with the seller or this auction; I just thought it is a neat piece, given its provenance, and I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention. This is the first time I've seen anything of Jim's up for sale on eBay.
The seller has mis-labeled it, by the way. He calls it "Old Congress". I am not sure whether he is a toy soldier collector, or just a dealer in antiques and collectibles. I'm inclined to think he's not a collector; I would expect a collector to be more likely to recognize Hillestad's name, and the figures' make, and he doesn't seem to be too familiar with either.
Prost!
Brad
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lead-Toy-S...llestad-/263780602109?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276
Those of you who know Jim or have visited him at his museum and shop will recognize his work. Jim used 54mm figures from Phoenix Model Development's Georgian catalog for this piece, and he has several others on display at the museum.
Phoenix used to make vacuformed walls for making box dioramas, and Jim has used those in some of his displays. Though this one does not appear to be so; the box looks like he scratch-built it. When he still attended our show (MFCA) as a vendor, he would enter some of these dioramas in the display from time to time.
Particularly interesting is the letter in Jim's hand to the collector, outlining the figures to be used and their location in the diorama.
At sixty bucks, I think it's a steal.
I have no connection with the seller or this auction; I just thought it is a neat piece, given its provenance, and I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention. This is the first time I've seen anything of Jim's up for sale on eBay.
The seller has mis-labeled it, by the way. He calls it "Old Congress". I am not sure whether he is a toy soldier collector, or just a dealer in antiques and collectibles. I'm inclined to think he's not a collector; I would expect a collector to be more likely to recognize Hillestad's name, and the figures' make, and he doesn't seem to be too familiar with either.
Prost!
Brad