Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (8 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the prompt reply. It is always refreshing to hear someone admit to liking Austo-Hungarian Toy Soldiers; there are not many of us about!

The six sets to which I referred are: 1. Hungarian Crown Guards, 2. Hungarian Trabarten Guards, 3. Leibgarde Infantry Company, 4. Landesschutzen, 5. Jaegers, 6. Bosnian Jaegers. The first 3 Guards sets are very rare. I had to talk long and hard to Andrew to get him to make me 2 sets of each, a few years ago. The intention was that I would have one set and one of my small circle of discerning Collectors of A-H figures would have the other. Unfortunately, my mate Ken passed away before the figures arrived. So, that is how I have a "spare" set.

It is true that I haven't produced anything in a long time, but that doesn't mean that I can't be "induced" into returning to limited production.

You may wish to discuss these issues further, off line.

Regards,

Bob

Hi Bob,

You are right about there being a small fraternity of collectors who like Austro-Hungarians. My good friend, Bob Walker, has a large number of figures in his collection, many of which he cast and painted himself. He is coming over to my house this afternoon and I will see if he may be interested in taking you up on your offer.

Those Bastion guards set you mentioned are new to me and I can see why. I would be interested in discussing with you the possibility of buying your spare sets. My direct email address is matara42@roadrunner.com. The Bastion Austro-Hungarian sets that I am aware of are A.21 Austrian Infantry 1914, A.48 Bosnian Infantry, A.53 Austrian Infantry in action, A.61 Jaegers, A.62 59th German Regiment, A.63 85th Hungarian Regiment, A.64 Austrian Mountain Troops, and B.7 Austro-Hungarian Sailors 1900.

Regards,

Mike

 

[Oberstinhaber]

My direct email address is matara42@roadrunner.com.

Mike,

"Roger"

Bob

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War set No. ES-25 GUARDIA CIVIL which is also found in the regular catalog as set No. 1174 GUARDIA CIVIL ESPANOL. The paramilitary Guardia Civil numbered about 34,000 men at the outbreak of the war in 1936. About 20,000 remained loyal to the Republican government while about 14,000 went over to the Nationalists under Franco. The other two paramilitary forces, the Asaltos and Carabineros also split with the Republic retaining 3,500 of 4,000 Asaltos while 8,750 of 14,750 Carabineros remained loyal to the Republic. So, a minority of each of the three paramilitary forces joined the ranks of the Nationalist rebels.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War set No. ES-27 INFANTERIA 1939. Set No. ES-01 INFANTERIA 1939 (see post #843) has them wearing their winter uniforms while this set has them in their summer, shirt sleeve order, uniforms. You can get a good view of the three man Hotchkiss machine gun section in this photo and their Spanish helmets.

 

[ucla1967]

This is another Hiriart Spanish Civil War catalog set featuring the Spanish Foreign Legion. It is set No. ES-28 X BANDERA de la LEGION which is the 10th Battalion; this set is also found in the regular catalog as set No. 1181 LEGIONARIOS del TERCIO ESPANA.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-29 MEHAL-LA HALIFINA. These were paramilitary native gendarmerie who manned local garrisons in Morocco in order to free up the regular army for operations in Spain. Post number 845 shows another of these paramilitary gendarmerie units (set No. ES-03) wearing their traditional Berber robes.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-30 FALANGE ESPANOLA. The Falangists and Requetes were the two main right-wing armed militias that fought on the Nationalist's side against the Republicans and their left-wing militas (e.g., Trotskyists, Anarchists, and Communists). The Falange was neo-fascist, anti-clerical, and anti-monarchists or almost the polar opposite of the Requetes. Originally founded in 1931 as the Juntas de Ofensiva National Sindicalista (J.O.N.S.) the movement had a philosophy based on nationalism and anarchism. After winning a large number of votes in the 1936 elections, the government outlawed the Falangist party and arrested its leaders.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-35 SECCION AMELTRALLADORAS CABALLERIA which is a Spanish cavalry machine gun section. At the outbreak of war in 1936, the army had eight small infantry divisions each with two brigades/regiments each of which had two battalions. There was also one cavalry division headquartered in Madrid.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-36 BATALLON EXPEDICIONARIO INFANTERIA MARIANA. These are naval infantry or marines. You may have noticed the unique head gear worn by Spanish troops, including this set, which is known as a "gorilla" or "isabelino." The piping and tassels have different colors designating which branch they belong to (e.g., red for infantry).

 

[jazzeum]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-30 FALANGE ESPANOLA. The Falangists and Requetes were the two main right-wing armed militias that fought on the Nationalist's side against the Republicans and their left-wing militas (e.g., Trotskyists, Anarchists, and Communists). The Falange was neo-fascist, anti-clerical, and anti-monarchists or almost the polar opposite of the Requetes. Originally founded in 1931 as the Juntas de Ofensiva National Sindicalista (J.O.N.S.) the movement had a philosophy based on nationalism and anarchism. After winning a large number of votes in the 1936 elections, the government outlawed the Falangist party and arrested its leaders.

The founder of the Falange was Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera (son of Miguel Primo Rivera, who successfully ran the country, more or less, during most of the 1920s). He was shot while in prison. During the War Franco brought the Falange under his control and removed its leaders so they wouldn't be a threat to him, renaming it the Falange Espanol Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensive Nacional Sindacalista; this also effectively brought the Carlists under his control (the Carlists were a political movement of some significance dating back to the 19th Century who claimed that they were the rightful rulers of Spain).

Under Franco's Spain, every town had a street named after Jose Antonio.

 

[ucla1967]

The founder of the Falange was Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera (son of Miguel Primo Rivera, who successfully ran the country, more or less, during most of the 1920s). He was shot while in prison. During the War Franco brought the Falange under his control and removed its leaders so they wouldn't be a threat to him, renaming it the Falange Espanol Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensive Nacional Sindacalista; this also effectively brought the Carlists under his control (the Carlists were a political movement of some significance dating back to the 19th Century who claimed that they were the rightful rulers of Spain).

Under Franco's Spain, every town had a street named after Jose Antonio.

Thanks for the information Brad. On post #846, there is a photo of a F.E.T & J.O.N.S. militia color party with the red and yellow Spanish national flag, the F.E.T. & J.O.N.S. red flag with their yoke and arrows symbol, and the white and red Carlist flag. On post # 856, there is a photo of the Carlist militia along with some commentary about them.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-37 SECCION DE SANIDAD showing a medical section. Note the yellow trim and tassels on their gorilla caps which I assume is the branch color for the medical corps.

 

[jazzeum]

Thanks Mike. I had missed your commentary on the Carlists, which is spot on. For all I know, they may still claim today that they are the rightful pretenders to the Crown!

When I was a teenager and lived in Barcelona and later Madrid and knew little about Spanish history, we would always pass the Gran Via (the traditional name for the Calle Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera) and not think about what it signified. After I started to read Hugh Thomas' book, the lightbulb went off. Same thing for Calvo Sotelo and all other streets named after Nationalist figures in the Civil War. Calvo Sotelo was a leading Spanish deputy on the right whose murder by Republican forces helped lead to the outbreak of the War.

Brad

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-38 REGULARES de LARACHE, native Moroccans officered by Spaniards who were recruited from the Berber hill tribes. Interestingly, the Spanish officer is wearing a fez like the three man Hotchkiss machine gun crew is wearing. When I ordered this and other sets with the machine gun crew, I also ordered three extra riflemen so that I have six.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War set No. ES-39 FALANGE de NAVARRA and is the last set I have in my collection from this SCW series. Like the other Falange sets, they are wearing their signature blue shirts; however, this particular militia from Navarro province is uniquely wearing black berets.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog set No. ES-12 REQUETES (TERCIOS DEL SUR) which, as I mentioned before, was the name used by the Catholic, Monarchist Carlist militia which fought on the Nationalist's side. I do not yet have this set in hand, but it is on my current 2014 Hiriart order. Several years ago, on a different thread under the Hiriart Forum, I commented on the origins of Hiriart's separate Spanish Civil War catalog. There is a book by Jose Maria Bueno entitled "El Ejercito Espanol en Parada" which has 40 colored plates and which Hiriart used as the source of its 40 SCW catalog sets. Here is a stock photo of set ES-12 plus a copy of the Bueno color plate that was used as its inspiration.

 

[aujj65]

Mike, you certainly have a huge and very varied collection which is always a pleasure to catch up with on this thread.

Jeff :salute::

 

[ucla1967]

Mike, you certainly have a huge and very varied collection which is always a pleasure to catch up with on this thread.

Jeff :salute::

Thank you for your kind words Jeff. They are much appreciated.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is another Hiriart SCW set that don't have in my collection yet, but which is on order: ES-23 SERVICIO de TRABAJO de las F.E.T. y de las J.O.N.S.. It is a working party from the Falangist militia. A very unusual subject matter. I have also attached the Jose Bueno color plate from which it was inspired.

 

[4th Hussar]

Not knowing much about the Spanish Civil War I am amazed at how many splinter political party militias there seemed to be. spain must have been the European version of Afganistan.