K&C Napoleonics v.s. Collectors Showcase (1 Viewer)

[nysoldiers]

No doubt that K&C has some serious competition from Collectors Showcase on their Napoleonics.

The CS Currasiers are better sculpted, scaled and posed.
With discounts of 10% plus available (may be temporary due to market conditions) the price is approximately 20% to 25% less than a new K&C cavalry figure.

The cavalry can be mixed between the two makers almost perfectly (scale).

If CS intends to expand their range of Napoleonics K&C collectors have to give them a serious look.

 

[Capitolron]

I haven't had a chance to see CS Napoleonic Mounted figures - so I can't make a judgement - but, those are some big shoes to fill if they are to take on K&C.

Although - I am not too crazy about CS promotion programs - still I guess it is nice they offer it - although they need some work on it.

King & Country have set a very big standard for other producers to match up to IMHO.

 

[nysoldiers]

I will still collect K&C as I have done for over 20 years.
If you are into displays and dioramas the CS mix nicely at least for the Currasiers.
The discounts are coming from the dealers.
I know you are a Napoleon collector and I think you should check out the CS for your collection.

 

[Jagdpanther]

I received the Currasier officer and British 28th Color Sergeant Set. There not bad, nicely sculpted the painting quality is not up to King and Country standards but still pretty nice and some what cheaper. I plane on getting the rest of them. And they are in scale with K&C.

 

[rick36]

Permit me to rivet count.

28th was not wearing the Belgic shako at the time of Waterloo, they were still in the stovepipe shako. Lady Butler had this wrong as well, that being said, I like the Belgic shako better.

The cuirassier musicians (Bugler) did not wear a cuirass, rather he should be wearing the Imperial Livery.

I agree that they are nice figures and do look like the paintings of old. Economics are dictating my purchases this year and unfortunately I am saving money for other figures.

-Rick

 

[Spitfrnd]

Re: K&C Napoleonic v.s. Collectors Showcase

No doubt that K&C has some serious competition from Collectors Showcase on their Napoleonics.

The CS Currasiers are better sculpted, scaled and posed.

With discounts of 10% plus available (may be temporary due to market conditions) the price is approximately 20% to 25% less than a new K&C cavalry figure. The cavalry can be mixed between the two makers almost perfectly (scale).

If CS intends to expand their range of Napoleonics K&C collectors have to give them a serious look.

I tried a couple of sets of the Guards and a couple of Cuirassiers and I would agree that in general they are better sculpted, scaled and posed than their K&C counterparts. I also think the painting is equivalent to K&C, better in some particulars, not as good in others. While I believe the CS hands and weapons are in better scale and detail, I prefer the body and faces of the K&C Guard figures. The CS Guard faces are a bit too chiseled to me and the bodies are a bit too thick. They remind me of those craggy guys that generally play thugs or enforcers in movies. This is interesting because the two CS Cuirassiers I have are not really like that and more comparable to the more handsome K&C faces and thinner bodies (relatively). I do prefer the CS horse, most because they are not showing their teeth. As I have noted before, showing all these cavalry horses with bared teeth is not really correct. One or two of a set maybe ok, but all or most not right. I do like the Belgic shako better as well BTW. Overall, I don't think there is much to chose between them. If you like one, you will probably like the other and both are decently done to be sure. There are differences between them that may cause some to prefer one over the other. Neither one can match the First Legion figures but that is story for another time.

Where did you see the 10+% discounts BTW? All the deal sites I saw had the standard pricing for these.

 

[Hadrian]

I agree with Rick. In my opinion there are to often mistakes on the CS figures. The bugler should be on a white horse, also the saddle-cloth should be black.
(BTW here in Germany every serious collector is very amused about other mistakes on CS figures, where Adolf Hitler is written as ADOLPH or where you can read on the brochure about the LIEBstandarte instead of Leibstandarte. Liebstandarte would mean: lovely guard ) All these things are correct on the K&C figures. Additionally the faces on K & C figures are much better and more realistic than the CS figures. I saw both at the LONDON TOY SOLDIER SHOW. I prefer in every case K & C. The only improvement on CS Napoleonics compared to CS figures of WW II are the faces. In my opinion the faces of CS WWII figures are really like monsters. In London you could purchase them for only 10 GBP, about 15 USD, but I saw not a single collector who liked to buy these monsters.

 

[marco55]

KC,CS,First Legion.You Napolean guys are gonna have a banner year in quality in 2009.
Mark

 

[theBaron]

...(BTW here in Germany every serious collector is very amused about other mistakes on CS figures, where Adolf Hitler is written as ADOLPH or where you can read on the brochure about the LIEBstandarte instead of Leibstandarte. Liebstandarte would mean: lovely guard )...

Servus, Hadrian! Dös bringt mi aa glei aus'm Hauserl, da wo die aa imma Liederhosen für Lederhosn schreib'n, koan richtiga Boar ziegt si net koan “Song pants” o, glaabs mi do!

Ös grüaßt aus die Weihnachtsstadt an der Lechaa
Brad

 

[nysoldiers]

I agree that First Legion Napoleonics are a "standout" but for those who like to handle their figures they might be too delicate. Another words if you change your displays often or move around figures in dioramas K&C and CS are more robust.

I only purchased the CS Cuirassiers and happily they go great with K&C.
Not many matt makers of 60mm Napoleonics today.

Would be great to get some Russian cavalry to melee with the French.

All these choices in an economic downturn......
Now that's ironic!

 

[Spitfrnd]

I agree that First Legion Napoleonics are a "standout" but for those who like to handle their figures they might be too delicate. Another words if you change your displays often or move around figures in dioramas K&C and CS are more robust.

I only purchased the CS Cuirassiers and happily they go great with K&C.
Not many matt makers of 60mm Napoleonics today.

Would be great to get some Russian cavalry to melee with the French.

All these choices in an economic downturn......
Now that's ironic!

Actually the First Legion figures are tougher than they look or feel. I unfortunately dropped a couple of the French infantry figures and all they did was separate an arm and attached weapon at the glue point so easily fixed without a noticeable repair. Now I wouldn't make a habit of this but Matt did tell me that they are more fragile than the newer ones so I think you can move them around with normal care just fine.

I did note that the K&C cavalry was relatively tougher than the CS.

So mate where did you find the 10% plus discounts?

 

[FirstLegion]

Actually the First Legion figures are tougher than they look or feel. I unfortunately dropped a couple of the French infantry figures and all they did was separate an arm and attached weapon at the glue point so easily fixed without a noticeable repair. Now I wouldn't make a habit of this but Matt did tell me that they are more fragile than the newer ones so I think you can move them around with normal care just fine.

Our figures will always be a bit more delicate than other makers because everything is in scale (i.e. muskets and such aren't overscaled). However, our latest figures are MUCH more robust than our earliest figures because we've played around with materials and assembly procedures to strengthen them (harder metals on certain parts, longer assembly pins, separate metal pins, soldering in more locations, etc. etc.). Thus, you can handle them very easily and change displays as often as you like. In 2008 we've learned a lot and have applied all of those lessons to our newer releases and everything moving forward.

 

[Hadrian]

Servus, Hadrian! Dös bringt mi aa glei aus'm Hauserl, da wo die aa imma Liederhosen für Lederhosn schreib'n, koan richtiga Boar ziegt si net koan “Song pants” o, glaabs mi do!

Ös grüaßt aus die Weihnachtsstadt an der Lechaa
Brad

Servus Brad, tut gut, an Weihnachten vertraute Laute zu vernehmen. frohes Fest und a spendables Christkind , das au Zinnfiguren bringt, wuenscht HADRIAN

 

[Hans]

Servus Brad, tut gut, an Weihnachten vertraute Laute zu vernehmen. frohes Fest und a spendables Christkind , das au Zinnfiguren bringt, wuenscht HADRIAN

Hallo! Machen den Thread doch einfach auf Deutsch

Do not forget the K/C errors about "Mein(e) Ehre heis(s)t Treue" in first edition of the LAH buildings; every producer can be produce some errors. The size of the CS figures in all is perfect! The heads have the right size! And yes: I have a lot of K/C but only some CS... but the CS figs I have I like a lot.