Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[Maccoy]

I have only three sets of The East of India Company's Ancient Greek Phalanx. Sets ACG01, 04, and 09. It is really too bad that this company went out of business. I extend my best wishes to Ken and hope everything works out for him.

You have a marvelous collection!!
Really like the sets you have of ancients Greeks:smile2:

Maccoy

 

[ucla1967]

You have a marvelous collection!!
Really like the sets you have of ancients Greeks:smile2:

Maccoy

Thank you so much for your very kind words. I am glad you like it, my wife, Jean, not so much.Mike

 

[Maccoy]

Thank you so much for your very kind words. I am glad you like it, my wife, Jean, not so much.Mike

I could imagine why your wife didn't appreciate...lol

I have two ancient greeks from king&country, and a few from an old collection of Altaya.
K&C have a very good range of ancient Greeks. Recently they produced the Persian's warriors.

Regards,
Maccoy

 

[ucla1967]

This is the 19-figure non-catalog band variation of the nine figure Cameron Colonial catalog set 1100: CAMERONS COLONIAL MUSICAL BAND which I received in October.

 

[ucla1967]

More close-ups of the Cameron Colonial Band's musicians.

 

[johnnybach]

Very nice Mike. I think that's one of the nicest recently produced Scottish band sets I've seen for some time. I also think that Scots bands in particular, lend themselves to the Toy Soldier treatment - because they are so colourful. Rare to see so many figures in the band too, nowadays.

Of course, there are really two bands in your picture - as you have The Pipe and Drum band - which will be followed by the Military Band - which will then form A Combined Band. The pipes always take precedence in Scots bands ( as decreed by Queen Victoria).

Here's one of mine, below - which combine Pipe & Drum Band ( in front), Military Band (at rear) and a Drum & Bugle band ( sandwiched in the centre) - this time formed from The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) in Victorian times. As light Infantry - they could have the Bugles.

By doubling up on instruments - and adding in a Colour Party - and a Regimental Escort - from the pieces you've showed us - you could easily make up a group as large as this. Very, very nice. jb

 

[ucla1967]

I have reorganized my Hiriart sets in their own curio and I am also starting half of a second curio where I will be removing my Blenheim collection and replacing it with Hiriart figures. This is my Hiriart Italian military shelf with sets ranging from the XIX Century to contemporary.

First photo, from left to right: Set 1197 special WORLD WAR II ITALIAN DESERT BERSAGLIERI, set 1179 ITALIAN ALPINI MOUNTAIN INFANTRY, and set 1291 ITALIAN ASCARI LIBICHE, III BATAGLIONE, 1929.

Second photo, from left to right: Set 1197 special WORLD WAR II ITALIAN BERSAGLIERI, set 1197 WORLD WAR II ITALIAN INFANTRY, and set 1206 ITALIA FARA DA SE with MUSSOLINI.

Third photo, from left to right: Set 1198 ITALIAN CACCIATORI D'AFRICA, ADDIS ABABA, 1936; set 1290 ITALIAN ASCARI SOTTO IL TRICOLORE, 1898; and set 1193 ITALIAN BERSAGLIERI, 1900.

Fourth photo, left to right: Set 1193 ITALIAN BERSAGLIERI, 1900, continuing which includes two extra trumpeters and set 1088 ACADEMIA MILITARE DI MODENA, ITALIA.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are close-ups of the Hiriart Italian sets in the back row.

First photo: Set 1269 ITALIAN BERSAGLIERI COLONIALE, 1896.

Second photo: Set 1230 ITALIAN CAVALLERIA COLONIALE, 1891.

Third photo: Partial views, somewhat out of focus, of sets 1227 ITALIAN DRAGONI, 1891 and 1228 ITALIAN LANCIERI, 1891 each of which has an officer, flag bearer, bugler, and two men.

Fourth photo: Set 1207 FIAT ANSALDO CV-33 ITALIAN TANKETTE.

 

[ucla1967]

Another curio shelf of Hiriart figures includes a dozen of my World War I sets.

First photo, left to right: Set 1154 DEUTSCHES INFANTERIE, 1914; set 1154 special DEUTSCHES INFANTERIE in stahlhelms; set 1154 special DEUTSCHES INFANTERIE in late war uniforms; and a non-catalog set of Italian Front WORLD WAR I DEUTSCHES ALPEN KORPS with skis.

Second photo, left to right: Set 1337 WORLD WAR I DEUTSCHES GARDE JAGER BATAILLON; set 1144 INFANTERIE DE LIGNE FRANCAISE, 1916; and set 1184 WORLD WAR I SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS.

Third photo, left to right: Set 1255 AUSTRIAN RIFLES, 1914; set 1305 special WORLD WAR I US MARINE CORPS; set 1253 WORLD WAR I TURKISH INFANTRY; set 1183 ANZACS AT GALIPOLLI, 1915; and set 1163 special WORLD WAR I BRITISH INFANTRY.

By way of explanation, those sets designated as "special" are variations of catalog sets. For example, the standard catalog set 1154 has the figures in picklehaubs while the special versions have stahlhelms with either the 1914 uniform or with the late war uniform. Non-catalog sets are just that---a special commission to make a set that is not in the catalog. Hiriart has made dozens of non-catalog sets for me over the past ten years, a number of which have subsequently been added to the regular catalog. Some examples: 1) My 1912 Balkan War commissions of Greek, Bulgarian, Montenegrin, and Romanian Infantry. 2) My 1914 World War I in Africa commissions of the King's African Rifles, Belgian Congo Force Publique, and Portuguese Colonial Infantry. 3) My World War II commissions of secondary combatants including Polish, Slovak, Hungarian, Finnish, and Romanian Infantry.

 

[ucla1967]

This is my Hiriart World War II shelf with 15 sets.

First photo, left to right: Set 1037 SOVIET HONOR GUARD in greatcoats, set 1072 WORLD WAR II SOVIET INFANTRY, set 1254 WORLD WAR II FINNISH INFANTRY, set 1155 US D-DAY INFANTRY with EISENHOWER, and set 1178 WORLD WAR II JAPANESE NAVY with YAMAMOTO. Back row: Set 1162 WORLD WAR II BRITISH BREN CARRIER and part view of double set 1220 DEUTSCHES AFRIKA KORPS showing a motorrad with a MG42 machine gun side car.

Second photo, left to right: Set 1200 LIBERATION OF PARIS with DE GAULLE, set 1299 WORLD WAR II DEUTSCHES FALLSCHIRMJAGER, and set 1333 WORLD WAR II US INFANTRY, PHILLIPINES, 1945 with MAC ARTUR. Back row : Double set 1220 DAK continuing with a Panzer II, PAK 35 anti-tank gun & Rommel and set 1067 WORLD WAR II DEUTSCHEN KRIESMARINE U-BOOTE with DORNITZ.

Third photo, left to right: Set 1129 WORLD WAR II ROYAL NAVY with CHURCHILL, set 1077 SOVIET KREMLIN GUARD with STALIN, and set 1221 WORLD WAR II LEGION ETRANGERE FRANCAISE 13th DEMI-BRIGADE. Back row: Non-catalog set of WORLD WAR II SPANISH AZUL (BLUE) DIVISION, RUSSIA. NB: The Spanish Blue Division fought with Army Group North in Russia and was carried on the Wehrmacht's order-of-battle as the 250th Infantry Division.

Fourth photo: A close-up of the DAK Panzer II which is made of die cast metal. The Eisenhower, Yamamoto, and Churchill personality figures are also visible in the foreground.

 

[ucla1967]

The previous post did not have a very good view of the Spanish Blue Division set, so I thought I would attach these photos were you can see some of the uniform details including the Spanish tri-color red and yellow national shield worn on both sides of their helmets and the Falangist red yoke-and-arrows emblem worn on their tunic's left breast pocket. They also wore the collars of their Falangist blue shirts outside the tunic collar. The Blue Division was trained and equipped in Germany before deploying to Russia, so they looked rather German other than those particular interesting uniform details. The division was made of volunteers, many from Spanish universities, but all their officers were professional military men. In two years of fighting on the Russian Front, the 18,500 man division suffered 12,726 casualties including 3,934 KIA, 8,466 WIA, and 326 MIA.

 

[ucla1967]

This is my Hiriart British Regiments curio shelf. The first photo is the entire shelf, the second photo is the left half, and the third is the right half. Note: The 13th Hussars set standing on the roof have been subsequently moved to their correct position at the rear of the shelf; I was out of tacky wax when I took these photos and just temporarily "parked " them on the roof. Also visible is my Hiriart French Military Parade, 1914 above the British shelf.

 

[ucla1967]

First photo: This is a front on view of a special Hiriart set 1010 ROYAL MARINE LIGHT INFANTRY which normally has an officer, bugler, and 7 men. The special added 2 flags, a sergeant, 2 drummers, and an extra man.

Second photo: Left to right, set 1010 special ROYAL MARINE LIGHT INFANTRY, set 1121 THE CAMERONIAN RIFLES, and a special set 1064 THE GREEN HOWARDS with 2 flags.

Third photo: Left to right, a non-catalog set of the ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT and set 1176 THE ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS.

 

[ucla1967]

Hiriart British Regiments continuing.

First photo: Left to right, set 1009 THE ROYAL MARINES with 2 flags and 2 sergeants and set 1117 HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY.

Second photo: Left to right, set 1054 THE DUKE OF CORNWALL'S LIGHT INFANTRY and set 1175 THE KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERS.

Third photo: Rear on the porch, set 1014 THE WELSH REGIMENT. Rear on the roof (temporarily), set 1242 THE 13th HUSSARS, dismounted.

 

[ucla1967]

I also have a curio shelf dedicated to some of Hiriart's World War II German sets that I have in my collection. The display is not complete in that I intend to make a step in the rear which will enable me to display up to five more sets. On lower shelves I don't use steps since they aren't required to see the sets in the rear, but this shelf is at eye level and you wouldn't be able to see the sets in the back very well without it.

The first photo is a head on shot of an expanded 16 figure set of 1043 LEIBSTANDARTE ADOLPH HITLER, which as a "personality" set, normally has eight figures. You can also see the space I left in the rear for the step.

Second photo, left to right: Set 1043 LEIBSTANDARTE ADOLPH HITLER and a special version of set 1146 BERLIN INFANTRY which came with nine flag bearers, of which, I have six on display. A special set of 1043 LEIBSTANDARTE at present arms is partially visible in the background which will ultimately be on the step. You can also see some of the paint chipped bases which were damaged in the last earthquake.

Third Photo, left to right: Special set 1146 BERLIN INFANTRY with flags continuing and set 1146 BERLIN INFANTRY.

Fourth photo, left to right: Set 1146 BERLIN INFANTRY continuing and set 1048 DEUTSCHEN KREIGSMARINE.

 

[DMNamiot]

Really love seeing the tankettes and Panzer 2 in glossy! I am going to have to get off the fence and get some of these when we return to the states and settle down!

Thanks for sharing them

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Really love seeing the tankettes and Panzer 2 in glossy! I am going to have to get off the fence and get some of these when we return to the states and settle down!

Thanks for sharing them

Dave

Hi Dave,

I am always happy to share photos of my collection. Although the 60mm matte figures have been used to create some amazing dioramas as seen on this forum, I am a hopeless traditionalist who loves the 54mm glossy look and my collection reflects that.

I am not sure when you expect to return, but you may have noticed that Hiriart does not stock inventory and that everything is made to order. I submitted the 2016 order for 120 sets last October and the 2017 order, which has not been submitted, already has 96 sets on it, which leaves 24 open slots . You also might be interested in the non-catalog special commission Czech (Skoda) LT vz 35 tanks on the 2017 order including German (panzer gray), Slovak (tri-color camouflage), and Romanian (olive green) versions. Photo attached of what the Slovak version will look like.

By the way, don't forget that you have an open invitation to see Bob Walker's and my collections if you ever make it to the Los Angeles area. We just live eight miles from each other.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

My Hiriart World War II Germans display continuing...

First photo, set 1047 LUFTWAFFE with an extra Herman Goring personality figure.

Second photo, set 1045 WAFFEN SS.

Third photo, a special version of set 1147 TOTENKOPF SS PANZERGRENADIERS in winter camouflage.

 

[ucla1967]

Final photos of my Hiriart World War II German sets curio display.

First photo, set 1046 LEIBSTANDARTE ADOLPH HITLER in greatcoats with a different "personality" figure of Hitler than was found in set 1043 in post number 1255. My gawd! Do I have that many posts?

Second photo, set 1190 WEHRMACHT DEUTSCHES MOTORRAD with MG42 machine gun sidecars.

Third photo, a non-catalog set of WORLD WAR II KUBAN COSSACKS in German service.

Fourth photo, a non-catalog set of WORLD WAR II GERMAN CAVALRY.

The two cavalry sets in the third and fourth photos will ultimately be displayed on the rear step along with set 1279 GERMAN PANZER II EUROPE (dunkelgrau), set 1219 PRINZ EUGEN SS GEBIRGSJAGER DIVISION, and set 1095 WORLD WAR II GERMAN INFANTRY in greatcoats. I will be receiving those three sets next month from Uruguay as the second and final part of my 2015 order. I'll post photos of them when they arrive.

 

[ucla1967]

This week I received the second and final part of my 2015 Hiriart order which comprised 56 sets, of which, 23 were for my collection. This is a special version of set 1341 WORLD WAR II POLISH INFANTRY, 1939. The first version had the figures marching at sling arms, but I wanted them to look more like the attached historic photo with them at left shoulder arms and their right arms swinging across their bodies.