Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[johnnybach]

Is Rice a collector?
Ray

No - it's a cereal - and you can eat it Ray.

 

[ucla1967]

Is Rice a collector?
Ray

No Ray, I don't believe she is. Bob's connection with her is through Stanford University and the Republican Party.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

Last Friday, Bob also gave me a set from Britains Regiments Range: BRITISH HORSE GUARDS (BLUES), 1795. The figures are very well done and are sculpted and painted to a very high glossy toy soldier standard.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the toy soldier set that I gave Bob for Christmas from Brigade Miniatures. The wooden box it comes in has a painted top with the Roman numeral XXIII. There are 16 figures in the set which are approximately 48mm in size.

 

[ucla1967]

On post number 1474, on December 23rd, I said I would take some pictures of the Bastion Models Set No. A.49 BOSNIAN JAEGERS, 1910. So, here they are. Although the Austro-Hungarian Army introduced the pike-grey uniform in 1908, it had been worn by jaeger and technical troops for decades. The photos, with the exception of the close-up second photo, don't show the pike-grey as the set actually looks; they appear to be wearing a light blue uniform due to some vagaries of my camera.

 

[ucla1967]

About a week ago, I mentioned that I had picked up six Bastion Models sets from a French collector. Here are the three non Austro-Hungarian Army sets: A.17 FRENCH LINE INFANTRY 1914, A.27 CHASSEURS A PIED 1900, and A.24 BRITISH INFANTRY MIDDLE EAST 1914.

 

[ucla1967]

Bastion Models Set No. A.17 FRENCH LINE INFANTRY 1914 is described as follows: "The colorful, outdated uniform in which the French went to war in 1914 was soon replaced by 'Horizon Blue' in an attempt to render the troops less conspicuous." I picked up this Bastion set even though I have a very similar set from Hiriart.

 

[ucla1967]

Bastion Models Set No. A.27 CHASSEURS A PIED 1900 is described as follows: "The French Light Infantry Regiments were organized and equipped just like the Line Infantry, but wore distinctive blue-grey kepis and trousers." I also picked up this Bastion set even though I have a Hiriart set which is very similar.

 

[ucla1967]

Bastion Models Set No. A.24 BRITISH INFANTRY MIDDLE EAST 1914 is described as follows: "Wearing shorts, first worn in India in the 1900s, and the 19092 Wolsely helmet, these infantrymen typify the Service Dress worn overseas right up to 1939."

 

[ucla1967]

This is a new Bastion Models Set No. B.13 ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS 1900 with an officer and seven men plus an add-on set with eight additional men.

 

[ucla1967]

I recently acquired Bastion Models Set No. A.19 THE HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT 1905 which is described as follows: "Wearing the Line Infantry Full Dress uniform of the 1902-14 period, the Hampshires display their traditional yellow facings, a distinction which they had regained in 1905."

 

[ucla1967]

I have almost completed the post earthquake reorganization, dusting/washing, and tacky waxing down the figures in my collection. The last two displays that I am working on are the two table top dioramas with Frontline Figures Napoleonic and American Civil War Ranges. Several figures that were near the edges of the tables fell onto the hardwood floor during the earthquake and were damaged; most have been repaired. The first diorama is the Battle of Waterloo (my version, for better or worse) which has 183 figures: 62 French and 121 opposing Allies (British, Scottish, Nassau, Brunswick, and Prussians). The resin European Farmhouse is from W. Britains.

These exposed figures were so dusty that the dusting with an automobile detailing brush and then "washing" them with a Q-Tip dipped in distilled water didn't really work very well. What finally worked was totally submerging each figure in a container of distilled water and changing the water frequently as it got dirty. I am going to have a man who makes acrylic display cases come over to the house and measure the tables for custom-made acrylic display covers. Once they are made and installed, it should help greatly in keeping the dust off the figures and also containing them during the next earthquake.

This is an overall view of the Battle of Waterloo diorama. Since I took this photo, I found a missing set of six marching Prussians, which are now displayed with the others at the farmhouse.

 

[ucla1967]

Some closer up detail...

Photo 1, from the left: French 54th Line Infantry Regiment, Grenadiers Company, Firing and Loading; behind them with the green and red plumes, are French Fusilier Chasseurs, Attack Marching; behind the stone wall are French 54th Line Infantry Regiment, Voltigeurs Company, Kneeling Firing and Loading; to their right are the French 54th Line Infantry Regiment, Centre Company, Standing and Kneeling Firing; and behind them both are French Horse Artillery with a five man crew and mounted officer.

Photo 2: French 54th Line Infantry Regiment, Centre Company, Column Attack; French Foot Artillery of the Guard (I think); and right center attacking the Prussians with the red plumes are French Fusiliers Grenadiers, the Middle Guard, Advancing.

Photo 3: Another view of the attacking French Fusiliers Grenadiers and the Prussian 12th Brandenburg Regiment defending the farmhouse.

Photo 4: A different view which shows the entire farmhouse with defending Prussians and attacking French Fusiliers Grenadiers. As I mentioned previously, I have added six marching Prussians behind the officer and flag bearer and moved the advancing Prussians to the left and right sides of the farmhouse.

Photo 5: French dismounted cavalry attacking the Prussians. These are the French 17th Dragoons, Firing and Loading.

 

[ucla1967]

Closer up details of the Allies...

Photo 1: The Nassau Army, 2nd Regiment, Grenadier Company Advancing and Centre Company Column Attack; the British 3rd Regiment of Foot (The Buffs) Firing and Loading; and the Brunswick Army, 1st Regiment, Centre Company Firing and Loading.

Photo 2: The British 68th Durham Light Infantry Regiment Advancing and Marching; the British 71st Highland Light Infantry Regiment Firing and Loading and Kneeling to repel; the British 92nd Gordon Highlanders Regiment Firing and Loading; the Rifle Brigade Kneeling, Firing and Loading; and the Royal Horse Artillery.

Most of the Regiments in this diorama also had sets of colors, officers and drummers or buglers, and dead and dying.

 

[Asterix]

Mike,

Just opened this thread. Is there a word in the English language that expresses more than "impressive?"

What a fantastic collection. :salute::

Asterix - also a 54mm collector as well as Flats

 

[ucla1967]

Mike,

Just opened this thread. Is there a word in the English language that expresses more than "impressive?"

What a fantastic collection. :salute::

Asterix - also a 54mm collector as well as Flats

Thank you so much for your kind words. They are much appreciated. However, my wife has a couple of different words to describe it which are not so complementary.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

I have completed the tenth and last curio or tabletop diorama cleaning and reorganization of my collection since the earthquake. It took me longer than I had thought it would given that 4,000 or more displayed figures were involved. This is my Frontline Figures American Civil War diorama which has more than 150 figures plus horses and artillery pieces on display equally divided among Union and Confederated troops.

Photo 1: General view of diorama.

Photo 2: The 5th New York Zouave Regiment and the 20th Maine Regiment.

Photo 3: A union artillery gun team inaction, the 6th Wisconsin (Iron Brigade) Regiment, dismounted union cavalry, General John Bufford, and Berdan's Sharpshooters.

 

[ucla1967]

Photos 1 & 2: Confederate infantry and cavalry attacking with artillery support.

Photo 3: Close up of Mounted Confederate Artillery officer and the front part of the gun team.

Photo 4: Various Confederate regimental flags including the 1st Texas, 1st Tennessee, 3rd Mississippi, 8th Virginia, 38th Alabama, 14th Virginia Cavalry, and the Stars and Bars battle flag.

 

[ucla1967]

I traded two Hiriart sets with another collector for two of his extra Bastion Models sets. The first is Bastion Models Set No. A.10 FOREIGN LEGION 1900. It is described as follows: "These Legionnaires wear the classic 'Beau Geste' uniform of the North African campaigns before the First World War." Ironically, I had this set, but sold it at the West Coaster and then decided after the fact that I shouldn't have done that; it took me years to find another one. The same thing with the Bosnian set.

 

[ucla1967]

The other set I traded for was Bastion Models Set No. A.25 ROYAL AIR FORCE 1925. It is described as follows: "The R.A.F. was set up as an independent organization in 1918. Khaki uniforms continued to be worn for the duration of the 1st World War, but by 1925 RAF Blue was universally in use."