Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

Here are some of the Beau Geste sets that I have in my collection, but not on display due to space limitations.

BG177 Russian Navy Corps, Boxer Rebellion, 1900
BG179 French Zouaves, Boxer Rebellion, 1900
BG186 Italian Bersaglieri, Boxer Rebellion, 1900
BG235 Fusiliers, Albanian Regiment, 1808
BG288 World War I Bulgarian Reservists, 1914

I also have a couple of others.

 

[lancer]

What a magnificent collection. I don't know where to start but I will say I never had any idea that Trophy made such an extensive number of those gorgeous Indian Army sets. The Lancers and Limber sets are fantastic. All so colorful. I also liked the Highland regiment in the white uniform jackets. They are quite striking. The Indian regiments from the other makers are equally as colorful and beautiful. Just an unbelievable collection. -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

What a magnificent collection. I don't know where to start but I will say I never had any idea that Trophy made such an extensive number of those gorgeous Indian Army sets. The Lancers and Limber sets are fantastic. All so colorful. I also liked the Highland regiment in the white uniform jackets. They are quite striking. The Indian regiments from the other makers are equally as colorful and beautiful. Just an unbelievable collection. -- Al

Al,

Thank you so much for your kind comments. I just wish I had more of Trophy's Indian Army sets---they are really hard to find now. I find the Indian Army uniforms to be especially colorful and diverse; only the Nickolson sets are currently being produced, but I rarely see them at the West Coaster or on eBay. I know you have previously said you don't travel much, but if you ever make it out here to California, be sure and let me know so that you can see my collection (also Bob Walker's and Ed Ruby's collections).

 

[ucla1967]

I started collecting Imperial Productions of New Zealand's sets about 20 years ago. There are without question, in my mind, one of the finest manufacturers of glossy toy soldiers, past or present. I wrote an article in the September 2007 issue for Toy Soldier & Model Figure magazine about the company; if you have a copy, you might enjoy reading it.

It took me many years, but I was finally able to acquire all the early sets (prior to set No. 29) they produced. Imperial's numbering system (i.e., No. 1, No. 2---No. 35, etc) made it easy to keep track of and search for missing sets. Here are some photos of my Imperial collection. The sets are arranged in numerical set order starting with set No. 1, The Girl's Khaki Brigade, No. 2 The Waikato Militia (the rarest of the early sets), No. 3 New Zealand Infantry, etc. The first six sets were produced for the local, New Zealand market, prior to Imperial's expansion to world-wide sales.

 

[ucla1967]

Oops! Obviously, the third photo in the previous post is not Imperial, but rather are Trophy Ulundi figures. I meant to post photo #2215, but rather posted #2115. Here is the correct photo and four others.

 

[ucla1967]

The first three photos are Imperial while the last two are from their Officers & Men series showing the Marines at Tripoli and a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier deck crew plus a Zulu War gun crew.

 

[jazzeum]

Oops! Obviously, the third photo in the previous post is not Imperial, but rather are Trophy Ulundi figures. I meant to post photo #2215, but rather posted #2115. Here is the correct photo and four others.

Well, I still like them ^&grin

Brad

 

[Go for Broke]

Mike, I just came back from vacation and have a ton of work to catch up on, but I just spent an hour looking at your great collection. Wow.

 

[Beaufighter]

The first three photos are Imperial while the last two are from their Officers & Men series showing the Marines at Tripoli and a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier deck crew plus a Zulu War gun crew.

Bravo Mike,

What a splendid collection and a job well done on displaying a majority of the sets which obviously provides a lot of enjoyment. Hey, if you ever come across the "U.S. Navy aircraft carrier deck crew" set please let me know! Thanks again for posting all of the great images.

Keep Calm & Fight On!
Marc

 

[ucla1967]

Mike, I just came back from vacation and have a ton of work to catch up on, but I just spent an hour looking at your great collection. Wow.

I am glad you enjoyed it and could take an hour out of your busy schedule to look at it.

 

[ucla1967]

Bravo Mike,

What a splendid collection and a job well done on displaying a majority of the sets which obviously provides a lot of enjoyment. Hey, if you ever come across the "U.S. Navy aircraft carrier deck crew" set please let me know! Thanks again for posting all of the great images.

Keep Calm & Fight On!
Marc

Hi Marc,

Thank you for your kind comments. I have been told by a number of Imperial collectors at the West Coaster that I have by far more Imperial sets for sale than anyone else. Guess what? Among the 50 or 60 sets I have for sale, there is one rare, Officers & Men set No. 1 Aircraft Carrier Crew in its original box. I will hold it for you until the West Coaster.

 

[ucla1967]

After I completed the acquisition of Imperial's Zulu War and Egypt/Sudan series, I stopped collecting them at the point when the Crimean War series came out. I already had an extensive Frontline Crimean War collection and I wouldn't have had room to display Imperial's. The only exception is that I bought about three dozen Crimean War Coldstream Guards, which are shown here. The Imperial mounted sets from the Zulu War are the Natal Native Horse, 1st Dragoon Guards, and 17th Lancers.

 

[lancer]

Al,

Thank you so much for your kind comments. I just wish I had more of Trophy's Indian Army sets---they are really hard to find now. I find the Indian Army uniforms to be especially colorful and diverse; only the Nickolson sets are currently being produced, but I rarely see them at the West Coaster or on eBay. I know you have previously said you don't travel much, but if you ever make it out here to California, be sure and let me know so that you can see my collection (also Bob Walker's and Ed Ruby's collections).

Thank you, Mike. That is extremely kind of you. I will certainly contact you if I ever do make it to the left coast. I am not a big fan of commercial air travel, unfortunately.:redface2: -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

These are the only King & Country sets I have on display. They are the early (1991) Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler sets LAH 1 through about LAH10. Interestingly, I had quite a few of K&C's early glossy sets which I sold at well below market prices (unknowingly) to a French collector.

 

[ucla1967]

At one time, I had about 20 of Charles Biggs Britains Premier sets. To free up display space, I sold many of them at the West Coaster. These are the ones I am keeping.

 

[ucla1967]

As many of you may know, Jan and Frank Scroby on Portobello are generally credited with being the first to start commercially selling new toy soldiers in 1973. Their company, Blenheim Military Models, was in business until 1982 when they started a new company, Marlborough Military Models. I have 44 Blenheim sets on display, including some of the hard to find, first ten Napoleonic War sets. I have others not on display. They are displayed in set numeric order starting with B1 Coldstream Guards, 1815.

 

[ucla1967]

More Blenheim.

 

[ucla1967]

These are close-ups of some the Frontline Figures special forces series.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are some close-ups of my Zulu War Battle of Isandlwana Trophy display. There is so much going on there, that it is sometimes hard to see some of the details.

 

[GICOP]

Here are some close-ups of my Zulu War Battle of Isandlwana Trophy display. There is so much going on there, that it is sometimes hard to see some of the details.

Nice Hand To Hand, BD and TD sets in there Mike :salute:: Good to see the Rocket Battery set in action {bravo}}, do you have the add on, I've only ever seen one?

Cheers

Martyn