MarkeytMaker
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King & Country or Somerset Camels? (1 Viewer)
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tdubel
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K&C, but the design is by Ron Leh of Somerset! THey use to be very hard to find, now you can find them in great numbers as more collections are sold.
TD
King & Country
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Thanks for the additional info Brad...
Now, how exactly did K&C 'exceed the terms of the license'..?
Andy.
jazzeum
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I had heard several years ago Andy that you continued to sell them past the expiration of the license term but if I'm wrong, I happily and profusely apologize. Notwithstanding I have all those that you made and have always liked them a lot. I have a few of the Somerset as well, which I also like quite a bit.
Brad
MarkeytMaker
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Thanks guys...they are colorful and I have some similar with picks and shovels but not so much color!
King & Country
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No problem Brad...apology gratefully accepted.
Somerset and ourselves cooperated on several small projects back in the day...Over 30 years ago...
I always loved their work...and still do!
Andy.
jazzeum
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Andy, thank you. I had always hoped (as I’m sure many had) that you would make another Camel Corps one day as yours was terrific. It took me about 10 years to get the full set!
Somerset’s Lawrence range is very nice but a little too costly for me.
Speaking of Lawrence, do you have any plans to expand that range. Those are some great figures.
Brad
Brad, I have a modest Somerset Camel Corps collection of 9 figures; 7 25th Punjab (dark green coats) and 2 Birkiner (white coats). They are fantastic figures. -- AlHere's an example of a Somerset Camel, for those who may be interested.
Does anyone here know anything about prices and relative availability of the early gloss KC Indian Camel Corps figures on the Somerset style camels? Any info is appreciated. Would also appreciate any info on the units KC represented in this series. -- Al
Louis Badolato
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Here are photos of all of the K&C Camels Corps figures, as well as the text from the K&C Books about them:
By 1989 King & Country released five different regiments of Indian Army Camel Corps and Guards Camel Corps (BC1: The Bikaner Camel Corp - Afghanistan, NW1: the Northwest Frontier Mounted Rifles - Afghanistan, SH1: The Skinner's Horse Camel Squadron - India, ML1: the Madras Light Horse Camel Troop - India, and GC1: the Guards Regiment Camel Corps - Sudan), along with new mounted officers (Seaforth, Cavalry, Anglo-Indian, Anglo-Egyptian, Kings African Rifles, Royal Artillery and Anglo-Sikh).
The Indian Army Camel Corps figures were produced in China upon casts licensed from Somerset figures. Ron Leh from Sommerset was also responsible for sculpting the prone wounded and dead Highlanders. Interestingly, some of the regiments Andy chose to depict never had Camel contingents.
The camels all have colorful saddle cloths, saddles with high front and back canticles, on which are two slung equipment bags, one with a rifle, and one with a sword. All of the Indian Army camel corps figures are bearded, hold a camel prod angled down with their right hand, which is positioned behind the figure, and the reins in their left hand, which is held out in front of the figure. The guards camel corps trooper had a rifle slung over his right shoulder, and held the reins in his left hand, which was positioned against his belt buckle.
The Bikaner Camel Corps trooper wore a red turban with white stripes, white tunic with red trim, silver epaulettes with red trim, white pants, black boots and white gauntlets. The Northwest Frontier Mounted Rifles trooper wore a navy blue turban with light blue and white stripes, a khaki tunic with navy blue trim, silver epaulettes with red trim, white pants, black boots and white gauntlets. The Skinner's Horse Camel Squadron trooper wore a navy blue turban with yellow stripes, a yellow tunic with navy blue trim, silver epaulettes with navy blue trim, white pants, black boots and white gauntlets. The Madras Light Horse Camel Trooper wore a navy blue turban with light blue and white stripes, a light blue tunic with yellow trim, silver epaulettes with navy blue trim, white pants, black boots and white gauntlets. The Guards Regiment Camel Corps trooper wore a khaki pith helmet with goggles on the brim, a medium blue-gray tunic, white belt, cross belt and pouches, khaki pants and black boots.
By 1990-1991, King & Country issued (for $10) a catalogue, consisting of twelve two sided post-cards in a “collectors edition” envelope (on which a Victoria Cross is depicted) with a price list and King & Country “Beginnings” press release featuring a photograph of a young Andy as a Royal Marine in fatigues. In this catalogue the Seaforth Highlander sets were again reconstituted and renumbered. Marching Egyptian Infantry, Kings African Rifles, Ludhiana Sikhs (with a Maxim Gun & Crew) and additional Guards Camel Corps (with a maxim gun & crew) were added, as were two pack camels.
In edition to the Camel Mounted Grenadier Guards Camel Corps trooper with slung rifle (GC5) and the set of six marching guardsmen (GC1), Andy released a camel-mounted guardsmen pointing with his right arm (GC2), a camel-mounted Guards-officer with binoculars in his right hand (GC3), a camel-mounted Guards-officer with a map in his right hand (GC4), and a Guards Maxim Gun and five man crew (GC6). The new camel-mounted figures are merely the original trooper with the slung rifle with his right arm removed and the right arms of several figures from the Royal Artillery Field Gun and Maxim Gun officers substituted. The Maxim Gun crew is a repaint of the Royal Artillery Maxim Gun crew with the officer from the 9lb Field Gun crew added to make the fifth figure. What in the Royal Artillery sets were officers are now a corporal and sergeant (with the appropriate stripes on their sleeves). The camel-mounted figures originally retailed for $35 each and the Maxim Gun Crew for $80.
The two pack camels were merely the camels for the above camel corps figures with packs to fit into the saddle-holes instead of figures. The first (PC1) carried a gunpowder barrel and ammunition boxes. The second (PC2) carried water barrels, general supplies and a pick and shovel. These pack camels originally retailed for $35 each.
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Many thanks, Louis. This is exactly what I needed to know, with the pictures being an added bonus. I was lucky enough to win an E-Bay auction that contained 7 King & Country Indian Camel Corps figures in what appear to be near mint condition. There are 5 Birkinir figures in the white coat and 2 figures in Khaki coats (NWF). I am thrilled to get them and am now sweating out delivery, hoping they arrive in good shape. Any idea what these type figures might be valued at these days? Thanks again. -- Al
Louis Badolato
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Sorry Al,
I have no idea what they are worth today. I bought mine years ago. Some I bought when they were in production, others I added at a premium back when K&C prices were off the charts in the early 2000's. I imagine Brad might have a better idea than I do.
Shameless plug: For less than $30 you can by an e-version of Volume II of the K&C book, on all non-WWII K&C Glossy production, and have all the details plus far better photographs of the figures taken by Kevin Elliott (Panda1gen). Here are links to the volumes of the book as e-books:
http://www.blurb.com/b/605783-toy-so...o?ebook=635490
http://www.blurb.com/b/2463835-toy-s...a?ebook=635496
http://www.blurb.com/b/976975-toy-so...r?ebook=634862
http://www.blurb.com/b/2467414-toy-s...o?ebook=634870
If you follow the links, there are previews of the books, about 35-45 pages of each, which show Kevin's incredible photography, and give you an idea of the information provided.
Just for the record, although I researched and wrote much of the text, I make nothing off the sale of these books. I am posting this because I think Kevin did a fantastic job with the books, especially his masterful photography, and, as e-books, I think they will be very useful to K&C collectors interested in the early history of the company from 1984 through the year 2000. A fifth volume, on K&C's treatment of desert warfare up through around 2010, is in the works and should be published shortly.
Many thanks, again, Louis. The links are apparently expired, as all I am getting is a 'page not to be found' notice (unless it is just my famous ineptitude with computers:rolleyes2
. -- Al
Louis Badolato
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Many thanks, again, Louis. The links are apparently expired, as all I am getting is a 'page not to be found' notice (unless it is just my famous ineptitude with computers:rolleyes2
Sorry Al!
This link should work:
http://www.blurb.com/b/976975-toy-soldier-picture-books-volume-3-king-country-ear?ebook=634862
Bingo! -- Al
jazzeum
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Al, if you like I will copy or scan the brochure that shows the Camel Corps.
I saw the auctions you won and looks like you won some spectacular camels. Sad to say (if you’re a seller, that is), the price of K & C camels has plummeted. When I bought my first camel, I paid around $130, if my memory serves me correctly, and I had to fend off Larry :smile2: I think I have seen them go in the $160 + range. This is just a guess but I’d say the going price is around $60. Regardless, you did very nicely.
I saw the auctions you won and looks like you won some spectacular camels. Sad to say (if you’re a seller, that is), the price of K & C camels has plummeted. When I bought my first camel, I paid around $130, if my memory serves me correctly, and I had to fend off Larry :smile2: I think I have seen them go in the $160 + range. This is just a guess but I’d say the going price is around $60. Regardless, you did very nicely.
Thanks Brad, I would love a scan as I have no info at all on the KC figures. I figure I couldn't lose at about $33 per figure. Ironically, if I hadn't lost 5 Somerset auctions yesterday, I wouldn't have had the money to even go near the KC figures tonight. Go figure. -- Al