King and Country Glossy (1 Viewer)

[Louis Badolato]

Pat,

I am happy to help. I get a vicarious thrill helping others post their photos. It's almost like it's my collection too in a small way. I also really enjoy helping to get Louis' photos up since he has such a wonderful collection. There is something there that appeals to all of us and friendships, as Louis says, is what it's all about.

Here's one more that he sent me. I just love those mounted figures.

These are the first Cavalry figures ever produced by K&C in 1984, undesignated British Lancers (officer, bugler, scout and trooper). About a year or two later, K&C took these castings, put different heads with traditional lancer hats, and repainted them as 12th Lancers. The 16th Lancers, New South Wales Lancers, and various Indian Army regiment lancers released in 1988 were totally recast figures, with much better sculpting and paintjobs.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I will be photographing the entire "Commerative Edition" series from 1990-1993 and sending them off to Brad to post later today. A quote from the book about this series:

"In addition to the four RAF pilots described above (CE1), a modern U.S. Jet Fighter Pilot (CE10), a set of four WWI Flying Aces (Mannock, McCudden, Von Richtoven and Immelman) (CE4) and a set of United States Gulf War Marines (CE3) (inexplicably included with the pilots), the Commerative Editions included the following WWII sets: 4 German Luftwaffe Pilots (CE2), a U.S. Marine Corps Pilot (CE5), an American Volunteer Group Flying Tiger Pilot (CE6), a Japanese Kamikaze Pilot (CE7), United States Army Air Force Captain Clark Gable (CE8) and Churchill and the Few (CE9)."

 

[Louis Badolato]

I just sent Brad 8 photos to post, 7 of the various glossy CE sets (pilots, personality figures, and Gulf War US Marines) as well as an 8th shot of the various glossy RAF ground crew sets.

 

[jazzeum]

Here goes in sets of four. I will let Louis add commentary.

 

[jazzeum]

Second set. By the way, the paint job on the Zero is about as good as I've ever seen.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Here goes in sets of four. I will let Louis add commentary.

The first set of four photos includes (1) CE1 (the first of the few)/CE9 (Churchill and the Few) in front of a Spitfire Mark V, (2) CE2 (the 4 Luftwaffe Pilots) in front of a ME262 Swallow, (3) CE5, CE6, and CE8 (the Flying Tiger Pilot, U.S. Marine Pilot and Clark Gable) in front of a B17 Flying Fortress, and (4) CE9 (Japanese Kamikaze Pilot) in front of a Zero in mottled camouflage.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Second set. By the way, the paint job on the Zero is about as good as I've ever seen.

The second set of four photos includes (1) CE10 (the modern jet pilot), (2) CE3 (the Gulf War U.S. Marines), (3) RAF01 (RAF ground crew) and RAF02 (RAF Dispatch Rider on Triumph Motorcycle [stand custom made by Tony Ciccarello of the Toy Soldier Gallery because they tend to fall over] and RAF M.P.) around the new clear canopied Hawker Typhoon, and (4) CE4 (World War I Flying aces Von Richtoven, Immelman, Mannock and McCudden) in front of a Sopwith Pup and Fokker DR1 Tri-Plane.

 

[Louis Badolato]

My next foray into photography will be classic K&C glossy marching sets and mounted officers, including the following Marching sets: Ludhiana Sikhs, Egyptian Infantry, Kings African Rifles, Seaforths (Foreign Service), Gordon Highlanders (Home Service) Black Watch (Home Service) Highland Light Infantry (Home Service), Hong Kong Indian Police (circa 1895), Hong Kong Chinese Police (circa 1895) as well as the following mounted officers: Original Seaforth Officer (in Khaki) with claymore in hand (produced in 1984), Later Seaforth Officer (produced in 1988-1992) (in both Red and Khaki), Royal Artillery Officer, Egyptian Infantry Officer, and Hong Kong European Police Officer (circa 1895).

Larry Lo has several other mounted officers based on these same 1988-1992 sculpts, including a very rare Governor General's Body Guard Officer, Ludhiana Sikh European Officer (both with a Pith Helmet and a Turban) British Indian Army Officer, and a British Kings African Rifles Officer. He also has a Ludhiana Sikh marching Sergeant with the regimental banner suspended from his rifle barrel. I will try to get him to post some shots of his collection (which is superior to mine when it comes to pre-1990 glossy stuff).

 

[jazzeum]

A couple of observations. The MP in blue saluting and the motorycycle and rider were part of one set. Also, the four pilots are known as the First of the Few and came in a numbered edition in a nice box, as shown.

Also, the ground crew is another nice set, which I fortunately have.

The Captain Clark Gable is another rare figure. I was able to obtain him at the same time as I obtained the First of the Few.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I just e-mailed Brad eleven photos. In addition to the sets I described in my last post, I also photographed early marching and standing Royal Marines, Royal Marine Color Party and the Royal Marine Band (all from 1984), Ditto the Royal Marine Light Infantry and Chesire Regiment (1985), and marching Bahamas Police and the Bahamas Police Band (1987). With these 11 photos you can trace the development of K&C glossy marching poses from the original 1984 Seaforths through to the last glossy marching parade figures of 1995-1996.

 

[jazzeum]

Here are the next group of photos.

 

[jazzeum]

Next set.

 

[jazzeum]

Last set.

 

[vandilay]

Hi Louis

Great shots,Was their also a set called last stand of the seaforth highlanders,
or something along those lines ,I recall seeing one on E bay some time back.

Cheers Rob

 

[Louis Badolato]

Here are the next group of photos.

The first two sets of K&C figures made available, in June 1984, were a marching set of Seaforths in Khaki with an officer and a standing set of Seaforths with a buglar, as well as a mounted officer with a claymore in his hand. By July 1984 these two sets were available in red. By the end of the year, a band, color party and sets of Fighting Seaforths were available, as were Royal Marines marching, standing presenting arms, a color party and a band.

The first photo depicts the early marching Seaforths in Khaki, along with the 1984 Khaki mounted Seaforth Officer and the 1988 Khaki mounted Seaforth officer. The second the same early Seaforths in red. The third depicts the 1988 mounted Seaforth officer in red. The fourth photo depicts the early Royal Marine figures.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Next set.

From 1985-1989 these castings were repainted and re-released as several other marching regiments/color parties/bands. Around 1988-1992, new officers were cast, this time turning around in their saddles. Later, around 1989-1992, new marching figures were casted, taller, beefier, and in a slightly different marching pose. With different heads and new paint jobs, these officers and marching figures represented many different regiments.

The first photograph depicts the bands/color parties/marching men of the Royal Marine Light Infantry and Chesire Regiment (1985). The second photo in this group depicts these same castings re-painted as marching Bahama Police and the Bahama Police Band (1987-1988). The third photo depicts the new castings of the marching men and officer (1988-1992) with heads cast wearing a Fez, painted as Egyptian Infantry (light blue) and Kings African Rifles (light brown with red facings) and an Egyptian Infantry Officer. The final photo in this group depicts the same castings with balmoral hats painted as Highland Light Infantry and with Turbans painted as Ludhiana Sikhs.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Last set.

The first photo in this set depicts the new mounted officer casting with a khaki pith helmet, painted as a Royal Artillery Officer. The second photo in the final group depicts a near indentically painted casting with a white pith helmet with a colorful band around the brim depicting a Hong Kong European Police Officer circa 1895, leading two sets of the marching castings, one with turbans painted as Hong Kong Indian Police Officers, the second, with traditional Chinese headgear, depicting Hong Kong Chinese Police Officers.

From 1994-1996, Andy made improved marching castings, with both kilts and pants, which were painted as various Highland Regiments and Royal Marines for a new Parade series, initially offered in gloss, but after 1996 available in matt. The final photograph depicts a Gordon Highlanders color party, followed by marching Black Watch, with standing pipers off to the side.

 

[jrsteel]

Wow. Great stuff. For me personally, these figures are far more interesting than the matte stuff the major companies are releasing today.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Hi Louis

Great shots,Was their also a set called last stand of the seaforth highlanders,
or something along those lines ,I recall seeing one on E bay some time back.

Cheers Rob

Yes, there is a large set entitled "The Last Stand of the Seaforths". I have the Khaki version. Hans and Larry both have both the Khaki and Red Coated version. Here is a quote from the book describing it:

"Appearing in 1987-1989 [was] . . . the “Last Stand of the Seaforths Connoisseur Edition” (29 figures, 2 horses, 2 Medical Chests, 5 Ammunition Boxes, and 2 Rifles in a Special gift box) . . .

The large special edition boxes deserve a special mention. These large flat square boxes, which held gift sets of as many as 36 foot figures or 12 mounted figures, had blue or green tops covered with special “King & Country” labels on which 19th Century black and white military prints (mentioned in footnote 1) are reproduced. These exceptionally rare presentation boxes are quite elegant and must have made for impressive Holiday gifts. Among the sets the author has seen in these presentation boxes are a complete set of the Bahamas Police Band with marching Bahamas policemen, the two aforementioned Seaforth sets, a complete patrol (1 officer, 1 bugler and ten standing lancers) of 16th Lancers, 12th Lancers, New South Wales Lancers, Duke of Connaught's Own Bombay Lancers, and 25th Frontier Force Cavalry Lancers, and a set of the Royal Horse Artillery Gun Team. . . .

The “Last Stand of the Seaforths Connoisseur Edition”, which was available in either Khaki or Red coated Seaforths, consisted of following figures: 4 Standing firing, 4 Standing at the ready, 4 Kneeling firing, 4 Kneeling at the ready, 3 prone dead Highlanders, 2 Standing at the ready wounded corporals, 1 Piper, 1 Mounted Officer, 1 Dismounted Field Officer firing sidearm, 1 Drummer Boy, 1 Lieutenant holding Queen's Color, 1 Lieutenant holding Regimental Standard 72nd Foot, and included the following accessories: 2 Medical cases, 2 Large ammunition crates and lids, 3 Small crates, and 2 Horses - one for mounted officer and one dead horse for the dismounted field officer."

 

[vandilay]

Now a set along those lines would make a great ltd edition etc
[in glossy or matt] Their is just something about a realy large set
of toy soldiers.