Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[GICOP]

Hi Mike

That is a "variant" of set TEK. 3 - ROYAL IRISH RIFLES - ADVANCING from the Tel El-Kebir series, the original set had 1 Officer advancing, 4 Privates advancing and 1 Bugler advancing.

I have set EW7 if you would like to see a picture of it

Cheers

Martyn

Thank you Martyn. Yes, please post a photo of the set. Thanks.

Here you go Mike

Cheers

Martyn

 

[GICOP]

I have a couple of sets of the Sussex Regiment from Trophy's Egypt and Sudan series. Although they came in Trophy boxes, there weren't any set numbers on the boxes. Martyn, thanks in advance.

Hi Mike

Royal Sussex Regiment Privates standing and kneeling at the ready - set# SS2

Royal Sussex Regiment Privates standing and kneeling firing - set# SS3

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Here you go Mike

Cheers

Martyn

Thank you Martyn. The uniform differences in the two Trophy Royal Irish sets are interesting. Yours have gray blanket rolls and gray roll puttees whereas mine do not. Is it possible that, historically speaking, both uniform versions are correct and they had changed over time?

 

[GICOP]

Thank you Martyn. The uniform differences in the two Trophy Royal Irish sets are interesting. Yours have gray blanket rolls and gray roll puttees whereas mine do not. Is it possible that, historically speaking, both uniform versions are correct and they had changed over time?

Hi Mike

I have a set of prone firing Royal Irish Rifles which have exactly the same uniform as yours. Some of my 24th Regiment are wearing puttees and boots and some are wearing the shorter gaiters and boots, both would appear to be fine

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike

I have a set of prone firing Royal Irish Rifles which have exactly the same uniform as yours. Some of my 24th Regiment are wearing puttees and boots and some are wearing the shorter gaiters and boots, both would appear to be fine

Cheers

Martyn

Hi Martyn,

Thanks for the information. None of my 24th Regiment figures are wearing puttees or gaiters. It is surprising how many variations Trophy put on on their various sets. Maybe, it was due to molds wearing out on earlier versions.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is an early Trophy set that I bought without a box that has oval bases. I am not sure which regiment it represents, but they do have blue collars. Note the more basic painting detail including no colored cuffs.

 

[GICOP]

Here is an early Trophy set that I bought without a box that has oval bases. I am not sure which regiment it represents, but they do have blue collars. Note the more basic painting detail including no colored cuffs.

Hi Mike

They are SCOTS GUARDS set# TEK.4 from the Tel El-Kebir series. Up until the mid 1990's the marching figures all appear on round/oval bases, after that the were either on square bases or the later terrain bases. I can post pictures of similar figures if you wish

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike

They are SCOTS GUARDS set# TEK.4 from the Tel El-Kebir series. Up until the mid 1990's the marching figures all appear on round/oval bases, after that the were either on square bases or the later terrain bases. I can post pictures of similar figures if you wish

Cheers

Martyn

Thanks again for the information, Martyn.

 

[ucla1967]

I have several of Trophy's Highland Brigade sets in my Egypt & Sudan square display that I posted earlier. Here are a couple of sets that I didn't have room for in that display. They are HLS2, The Standing Firing Set and HLS3, The Kneeling Firing Set, as Seaforth Highlanders, in red tunics. My August 1st 1992 Trophy catalog describes HLS2 as having three each standing & kneeling firing, so at some point they changed the composition of these sets. I bet Martyn can shed some light on this. Their Trophy boxes not only have the typical white description label on the box end, but also have a black with gold letters descriptive label/sticker, too.

The Highland Brigade was offered as five Regiments: Black Watch, Gordons, Seaforths, Camerons, or Argyll & Sutherlanders. To further complicate it, they also offered them in five different uniform colors: Red (Tel-El-Kebir, etc) , Khaki (Egypt, Sudan, etc), Drab (Afganistan), Grey (Tamai), or White (Raj Parade). So each set could technically have had 25 versions, although that wouldn't have been historically correct in some cases.

 

[GICOP]

Hi Mike

You are quite right the 1992 catalogue lists

HLS2 as 3 standing and 3 kneeling firing with a price tag of £47, there is no HLS3 set listed. There are HLS1 - COMMAND set, HLS 4 - PRONE FIRING and SS30 ADVANCING and SS31 CHARGING

The catalogue prior to 1992 lists all sets and has individual set numbers for each figure, out of interest a single Highlander figure in the late 1980's cost £7.50

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike

You are quite right the 1992 catalogue lists

HLS2 as 3 standing and 3 kneeling firing with a price tag of £47, there is no HLS3 set listed. There are HLS1 - COMMAND set, HLS 4 - PRONE FIRING and SS30 ADVANCING and SS31 CHARGING

The catalogue prior to 1992 lists all sets and has individual set numbers for each figure, out of interest a single Highlander figure in the late 1980's cost £7.50

Cheers

Martyn

Thank you Martyn, I knew that, if anyone knew, it would be you. BTW, I just want everyone to know that Martyn is such a gentleman that he sent me a PM, so not to embarass me on the Forum, saying that the figures I identified as Seaforths in HLS2 and HLS3 are actually Gordons. I originally put them down as Gordons and then talked my self out of it because their kilts were blue and not green and went back and edited my post. This is just another example of how, in life, your first impressions are usually right. Thank you again Martyn for your expertise and kindness.

 

[ucla1967]

As most Trophy collectors know, Trophy figures evolved over the years. There are the early oval bases, then rectangular bases with "skinny" figures, then rectangular bases with "robust" figures, and finally terrain bases with "robust" figures. To me, the glory years were when they produced the robust figures. Almost my entire Trophy collection---Zulu War, Boxer Rebellion, Egypt & Sudan, and Indian Army---is composed of figures from this production period. I really wasn't so happy when they went to their last phase, which was the terrain bases, which seemed to me to be an attempt to go with the newest trends (at that time) epitomized by King & Country and Frontline. I think Len was missing the point that his classic, glossy 54mm figures could and did stand on their own against those matte competitors. So, in the end I didn't buy many of the sets with terrain bases. I have just a few from the American Civil War. I would be interested in hearing from any of you as to what you think.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are six early Trophy figures with rectangular bases and "skinny' sculpts. I picked up these Seaforth Highlanders about 10 years ago at the Chicago Show for just $5 a piece.

 

[GICOP]

As most Trophy collectors know, Trophy figures evolved over the years. There are the early oval bases, then rectangular bases with "skinny" figures, then rectangular bases with "robust" figures, and finally terrain bases with "robust" figures. To me, the glory years were when they produced the robust figures. Almost my entire Trophy collection---Zulu War, Boxer Rebellion, Egypt & Sudan, and Indian Army---is composed of figures from this production period. I really wasn't so happy when they went to their last phase, which was the terrain bases, which seemed to me to be an attempt to go with the newest trends (at that time) epitomized by King & Country and Frontline. I think Len was missing the point that his classic, glossy 54mm figures could and did stand on their own against those matte competitors. So, in the end I didn't buy many of the sets with terrain bases. I have just a few from the American Civil War. I would be interested in hearing from any of you as to what you think.

Hi Mike

The vast majority of my AZW collection were purchased in the early to mid 1990's and are "robust" figures with rectangular bases apart from a few sets that were released in the late 1990's that appeared with the newer terrain style base. I do prefer the "robust" style as opposed to the skinnier figures which remind me of early WB. Terrain bases started to appear on most new releases, and some of the older ones, when the Dragon Crest name was relaunched

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike

The vast majority of my AZW collection were purchased in the early to mid 1990's and are "robust" figures with rectangular bases apart from a few sets that were released in the late 1990's that appeared with the newer terrain style base. I do prefer the "robust" style as opposed to the skinnier figures which remind me of early WB. Terrain bases started to appear on most new releases, and some of the older ones, when the Dragon Crest name was relaunched

Cheers

Martyn

Thanks for your input Martyn. Do you know why Len started producing figures under the Dragon Crest name? Did he stop producing as Trophy and used Dragon Crest going forward or what?

 

[GICOP]

Thanks for your input Martyn. Do you know why Len started producing figures under the Dragon Crest name? Did he stop producing as Trophy and used Dragon Crest going forward or what?

Hi Mike

Here are a couple of "flyers" announcing the relaunch of the Dragon Crest name

They are basically the same but with different set pictures

The Dragon Crest range consisted of sets not available in the Trophy 1998 catalogue the main one being EGYPT and THE SUDAN. Trophy and Dragon Crest ran side by side up until the final close down in 2005

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Marytn,

Thanks for the information on Dragon Crest. I never saw those flyers before. Do you know why Len chose to switch to the terrain bases?

 

[ucla1967]

Some of you may know or have heard of Sergei Ilyashenko of Little Army based in New York City. He is a regular at both the West Coaster and Chicago Shows. He sells beautiful, high-end connoisseur Russian-made single figures. They are way too expensive for my collecting budget, but he also carries a 54mm glossy line called Saint George's Cross which I do collect. This line is unusual in that it covers two rarely seen historical periods: 1) World War I Eastern Front in winter, and 2) The Russian Civil War which followed World War I. Here are three Saint George's Cross sets of Russian and German Infantry on the Eastern Front in World War I wearing winter uniforms that I have in my collection, but not displayed. BTW, I can't explain why two of the Germans are wearing green uniforms while the others are in gray.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are two Saint George's Cross sets which I believe are of a Russian Rifles Regiment from the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. Unfortunately, these sets, plus the previously posted sets, did not come in their original boxes or with no boxes at all.

 

[GICOP]

Hi Marytn,

Thanks for the information on Dragon Crest. I never saw those flyers before. Do you know why Len chose to switch to the terrain bases?

Hi Mike

When I speak to him next I will ask him, hopefully the end of next week

Cheers

Martyn