Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (8 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

On order, Hiriart Indian Army set No. 1203 1ST SKINNER'S HORSE BENGAL LANCERS, British, India.

 

[ucla1967]

Also on order, Hiriart Indian Army set No. 1214 the 4TH MADRAS LIGHT CAVALRY, British India.

 

[lancer]

Love the Indian lancer regiments. The Skinners in their yellow kurtas and the Madras in their French Blue kurtas have always been my favorites. Nothing quite as glamorous as the Indian lancers. -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

Also on order, Hiriart Indian Army set No. 1243 the IMPERIAL CADET CORPS, British India.

 

[ucla1967]

On a previous post, I said that I had on order the four Hiriart catalog Indian Army cavalry sets. I should have said five. Here are three figures from set No. 1080 the Governor General's Body Guard, British India. Two lancers are not shown.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of my Hiriart Indian Army set No. 1261 INDIAN MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY KHYBER PASS.

 

[4th Hussar]

This is a stock photo of my Hiriart Indian Army set No. 1261 INDIAN MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY KHYBER PASS.

Really like the officer pose

 

[Al Fisher]

Much better looking mountain screw gun than the WB version . . .

Bosun Al

 

[johnnybach]

Much better looking mountain screw gun than the WB version . . .

Bosun Al

I agree with that Al - He's a beauty. Though I do think he is rather reminiscent of the old Britains "Officer turned in the saddle" pose - which was first done about 100 years ago as a lancer Officer. I would think that if you could get hold of a recast - it would be a relatively simple conversion with a new head and maybe arm etc - to make up a passable "Britains" one, rather like this one. jb

 

[ucla1967]

This is as second, non catalog version of Hiriart set No. 1261 INDIAN MOUNTAIN ARTILLRY,KHYBR PASS with mules where you can a different view of the officer. I have this non catalog version on order.

 

[ucla1967]

I originally didn't start out collecting toy soldiers from Latin America. However, my good friend Bob Walker does and when I saw the variety of colorful uniforms and interesting regiments, schools, and military academies in his collection, it got me started, too. Hiriart from Montevideo, Uruguay, as one might expect, produces a wide range of Latin American toy soldiers. Many of their catalog offerings are inspired by and are similar to WBritains earlier efforts.

I currently have, or have on order, 33 sets from 12 different countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Of these, I currently have 14 sets in hand, with the balance of 19 sets, on order. Ten of these sets are on this year's order.

The first set is also the very first one in Hiriart's catalog: set No. 1001 ESCUELA MILITAR de AVIACION, ARGENTINA.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the second Hiriart set from Argentina that I have in my collection: set No. 1061 COLEGIO MILITAR CABALLERIA, ARGENTINA. Hiriart also has a five figure mounted version, a nine figure marching at parade step version, and a six horse gun team version, all wearing this uniform. I don't have any of those sets nor do I intend to order them at this point in time.

 

[ucla1967]

Hiriart set No. 1135 GRENADEROS de SAN MARTIN a PIE, ARGENTINA is on next year's order. There is also a five figure mounted version of these grenaderos and a musical band with 19 figures, neither of which I have.

 

[ucla1967]

I also have this on order for next year, set No. 1351 CAZADORES de los ANDES, ARGENTINA. These are Argentine light infantry. Note their green plumes, collars, cuffs, and pants stripe. I don't speak Spanish, but I believe "cazadore" means hunter which is similar to the Italian cacciatore.

 

[lancer]

Hiriart set No. 1135 GRENADEROS de SAN MARTIN a PIE, ARGENTINA is on next year's order. There is also a five figure mounted version of these grenaderos and a musical band with 19 figures, neither of which I have.

A very eye-catching and impressive looking set. -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

A very eye-catching and impressive looking set. -- Al

Thanks Al, I agree.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

The third and last Argentine set I have on order for 2015 is a non catalog set of EJERCITO ARGENTINO, 1950. They are marching at parade step and wearing greatcoats with Swiss helmets. The earlier version of this set had them wearing German stahlhelms.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the only set I have in my collection from Bolivia, it is Hiriart set No. 1287 REGIMIENTO de INFANTERIA N. 1 "COLORADOS," BOLIVIA. It is also the only Bolivian set in Hiriart's catalog.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the only set I have from Brazil; it is Hiriart's set No. 1300 ESCOLA NAVAL VERANO, BRASIL. It is an unusual Hiriart set with three flag bearers in it. I assume that they are the Brazilian national flag, the Brazilian Navy flag, and the school flag. I also assume that "verano' means summer in Portuguese.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Hiriart's Brazilian set No. 1118 ESCOLA NAVAL, BRASIL which I have on order for next year. I ordered it with three extra standing seamen.