Lancers (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Whilst collecting up enough Household Cavalry figures for one of my projects - mostly from e-bay repair buys - I seem to have accumulated 9 Lancer figures along the way ( mostly from mixed lots of Cavalry figures). All are in need of some repair and restoration - so I thought I would collect the all together - and restore them in one go - as one project. All figures are hollowcast - most date from 1950's - or earlier.

let me introduce you to them now.

My first pic shows some of my Britains figures ( ignore the central two figures - as they are more Life Guards - and they will feature in another project to come). Note the top row feature two lancer regiments - 17th lancers at Urundi (tropical helmet denotes this Zulu War conflict) which is a Johillco figure which was copied from Britains in the 50's - and an Indian Regiment - which IS a genuine Britains figure. Both figures require arms/lances which were missing when found - and other repairs to horses legs - but are otherwise remarkably intact.

Bottom row features four Troopers at the halt - in various states of repair. Three require new heads, horses require leg attention in some cases - and scabbarded sabres, arms/lances again, as usual, and have generally been well played with before. I also have another Britains figure at the canter - but omitted to take a pic of him as found - but you can see him in one of the next pics - which shows them under repair.

My last two figures - will also be shown under repair - and these are a comparatively rare Charbens Lancer at full gallop - and a trotting lancer by John Hill & Co.

Here are some Britains figures - as found:



And below, my Charbens and Johillco Lancers, ( Charbens left - Johillco right). Note that I have mounted these on stands already - and repaired a foot and head plume, and put a new lance tip/pennant on the lance shaft - which was missing. The Johillco figure had two missing rear legs repaired with replacement parts from Dorset Soldier spares, and again mounted on a new fabricated stand. The lance/arm was original on this figure - the ONLY one to have survived! Regrettably, I forgot to photograph them as found - but both were again well playworn, in both cases.



My last pic for this time - shows my Five Britain's figures under repair ( includes the cantering figure mentioned earlier - bottom centre). Note the replacement Dorset arm/lance/pennant for all five - which was adapted and/or used for all figures without parts - regardless of make.



I intend to make up my Ulundi (12th) Lancer - as he was when new - whilst the Indian Lancer will becom a member of Skinner's horse ( I DIDN'T have one - and wanted one for years!!!). The 5 Britains, British lancers will become one each of figurse from the 5th (royal Irish): 9th (Queens Royal): 12th Prince of Wales): 17th (Duke of Cambrigdge's); and 21st (Empress of India's) lancers. My last two (Charbens & Johillco - will become the 16th (The Queens) - the only lancer Regiment to wear red tunics.

I have already completed putting my five Britains figures seen earlier on stands - and begun painting them up. See below - Left to Right front row - all in red plastrons 5th (Royal Irish) - 9th (Queens Royal) - and 12th ( Prince of Wales) Regimental Troopers. The Back two are 17th (Duke of Cambridge's) and 21st (Empress of India's) Troopers. All of these are in various stages of painting - and show how I generally work from the head of the figure down - and then out to do front and rear portions of the horse.



And that's about where I am with this project at the moment. jb

 

[johnnybach]

As I know some like to watch as figures develop - here's a quick pic - which shows some of my Lancers drying off a bit in some very welcome sunshine - in my "afternoon drying room" ( front bedroom - which catches the afternoon sun). I really like this natural drying process - which slightly warms the figure up and slightly accelerates drying of my paintwork. The horses will be getting further washes of paint - to build up the shading I'm after. Most British Cavalry in late Victorian/Edwardian times would use brown or even near black horses - so these will be of those shades.

Apologies also for incorrectly naming my rear left figure below as a Charbens figure in my previous post - he is of course from Cherilea - another old British Hollowcast company - now sadly gone. Note the two rear riders will be wearing red coats - so have had a wash of flesh colour applied as an undercoat - as I think that this really deepens the red top-coat which will be applied later. jb

 

[DMNamiot]

As usual Johnny I love watching you make these beauties come back to life! Cant wait to see the finished products.

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

As usual Johnny I love watching you make these beauties come back to life! Cant wait to see the finished products.

Dave

Glad you're sharing my enjoyment Dave - as it's an even better feeling when you're up close and personal with 'em. I not surewhich bit I like the best.

Finding them - a bit tired, battered and missing bits. There's a certain excitement in that. Sorting out the spares required to fix 'em up - I DO like the actual repairs themselves - which get a bit easier with experience - or the actual repainting itself. I s'pose that's the bit that gives you MOST satisfaction I think - as you can actually see the piece getting more and more close to being completed - as you get closer to the end of the process.

I'll put another pic up later - as I got quite a bit done today - The red jackets are now on - and are looking pretty good! jb

 

[johnnybach]

There you go - latest developments on these Lancers. Had enough for today - so time to clean the brushes off -and then - a nice cup of cocoa!^&grin

 

[johnnybach]

Quite a bit done with my 5 Britains figures lately - so much so, I completed enough of the figures to fit the arm holding lance to them earlier. This was possible as I have finished the detailing of the front of each trooper - so could fit the (pre-painted) arm, which otherwise would have hindered painting on buttons to plastron and cap-lines across chest, white cross-belt etc.

Note that old Britains never cast in - or painted the cap-cords to their versions - except for the small piece hanging from cap to collar - but I decided to add them in as painted on versions anyway. These cords stopped the cap being lost in high speed actions - and I think will greatly add to the visual appeal of these colourful figures.

The line would run from the back of the czapka - over the right shoulder and across the chest - under the left arm and up the riders back to the right shoulder again - across the chest in a "swag" - to button up on the left shoulder and hang down to finish in two "acorns".

Here's a pic of my five below. Note that the arm is NOT yet completely painted - or previously ugly rivet joint finished off. Where I have had to add small filler pieces of milliput - to blend in the new joint, the filler needs to "cure" overnight. Tomorrow, I may be able to complete sculpting and paintwork at the shoulder for each of these figures.




Here's another pic - which shows my completed figures of a "Skinner's Horse" trooper ( 1st bengal Cav.) - and my version of Britain's "Ulundi lancer". Note that he is wearing the white helmet ( overseas duty) - and therefore does not have cap-cords across the chest. Sorry now that I didn't capture their progress as I painted them up - but they came together very quickly and without any complications whatsoever.




My last two Lancers are also developing - but paint is still very wet - and I don't want to handle them yet - so maybe will take a pic tomorrow for those two. Again, very colourful - as both have the red tunic/blue plastron of the 16th Lancers. jb

 

[theBaron]

More beautiful restorations, John! You're so prolific in your output, and I really like the additional details that you add, while keeping in the classic toy soldier style. Excellent work!

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

More beautiful restorations, John! You're so prolific in your output, and I really like the additional details that you add, while keeping in the classic toy soldier style. Excellent work!

Prost!
Brad

Cheers Brad - glad you like them. The trick is - to find good (broken) specimens to begin with. I like to find "job lots" of figures with the potential to be restored back to (almost) perfect.

With mounted figures like these, that usually means broken or missing legs on horses - and commonly no riveted arm where one was fitted originally. Another common fault is broken off scabbards for sword or carbine. Heads are easy too - and I COULD have replaced my Ulundi Lancer's head with a Czapka - to match the others - but chose not to.

All of these parts can be found as spares from a number of suppliers - my closest being Dorset - so makes sense for me, to buy them there.

Damaged figures can be found usually, at very reasonable prices ( e-bay) - and spares don't cost the Earth either. So............with a little pleasant work, putting them back together - one can get back to a very reasonably priced casting - as I hope to have shown. From there on - it's just another paint job - and you can be as complicated here as you wish - and for the price of a some popular marques of painted figures - you can often end up with around a dozen or so of these.

Here's a case in point - compare these two with the pic in the previous post.



I guess that's why they are prolific from me - I like doing it - and at the prices I pay - I CAN do it without making my Bank Manager cry! jb

 

[theBaron]

Oh, yeah! I think I mentioned that I have a group of Horse Guards that I picked up somewhere, for just this kind of project. I thought they could be converted relatively easily into Prussian Gardes du Corps. I have to dig that box out sometime and tackle that. I've got a good local source, too, for Britains parts, anyway, in London Bridge Collectors Toys. the owner, Ron Ruddell is a licensed Britains dealer and supplier of replacement parts. He used to do the shows, but retired from the circuit (age catches up with us all!).

Prosit!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Here's a couple of pics of my completed project now. All now fixed - they depict nine British Lancers towards the end of the Victorian era. All old hollowcast figures, they were found in various states of dis-repair, with by far the most common fault being loss of the arm/lance - which for a lancer is a pretty serious omission.^&grin All spare parts used were from Dorset Soldiers.

In the top picture - I have arranged them as follows.

Front left: Cherilea - now as 16th lancer . Johillco: now also as 16th Lancer ( sword omitted by manufacturer, originally - and added by me).

Centre row of four - all Britains: L - R 5th (Royal Irish - Green Plume); 9th Queens Royal - Red Plume); 12th( Prince of Wales Royal - Black and White Plume); 17th Duke of Cambridge's Own) White Plume.

Rear row of three L - R. Trooper, Skinner's Horse - resplendant in Yellow tunic: centre 21st (Empress of India's) - pale blue plastron and white plume; and lastly, !7th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) - again with white plastron - but now wearing the white overseas helmet. This figure was often called the "Ulundi Lancer" by Britains - though this figure is by Johillco rather than Briitains ( as the other two are in this row). You might be forgiven for thinking it was a Britains - as it bears an uncanny resemblance to the Britains figure. The giveaway is that there is no Britains trademark on the belly of the horse - as a Britains example would have.

Two views below. I will re-photo if anyone would like to see any more of any particular repaired figure.

 

[theBaron]

Beautiful collection, John, excellent work!

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

Gorgeous work. I do love lancers. -- Al

 

[DMNamiot]

Great looking set of figures Johnny! Now you can get the rest of the musical ride together and have a real show!

I love your work

Dave