Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (2 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

The two Hiriart sets now on display for the first time are a double Set No. 1100 CAMERON REGIMENT COLONIAL with 18 figures including two flag bearers and three pipers and Set No. 1321 BRITISH ARTILLERY ON CAMELS, EGYPT.

 

[DMNamiot]

The Camerons are spectacular! Thanks for sharing them

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

The Camerons are spectacular! Thanks for sharing them

Dave

Your welcome Dave. Bob W. has the same double set plus a full band. It makes a great display with 38 figures.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

At a February auction, I was able to pick up five framed "Types of the .....Army" uniform prints by R. Simkin. They are about 10 X 7 inches which is just about perfect for me since my toy soldier room has almost no open wall space. I have the Belgian, Austro-Hungarian, Italian, German, and Russian Armies. If they had offered the British and French Armies, I would have also bid on them.

 

[ucla1967]

Until this recent pick up on eBay, I didn't have any soldiers representing Denmark. This is any interesting set from Tradition No. D3A THE DANISH NAVY 1880.

 

[johnnybach]

Brad,

During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, there were several connoisseur British sculptors and model makers including Richard Courtenay, Frederick Ping, Charles Stadden, Russell Gammage, John Greenwood & Kathleen Ball, Marcus Hinton, and John Tassell. My familiarity with them, such as it is, is due entirely to my friendship with Bob Walker who collects all of them. John Tassell produced single connoisseur figures under the name of Lasset Models in the early 1970s and when Bob mentioned to me that he liked Lasset better than the extensive Greenwood & Ball collection he has accumulated, it got my attention. They have unique eyes and longish faces to my mind's eye. They can also be identified by their very thin metal bases with clipped corners which are very similar to the bases on Stadden's figures. Lasset may have sold castings, because I came across several figures on eBay that claimed to be Lassett but did not appear to be painted to Tassell's standards---far from it.

Mike

You might be interested to see this short clip (from You-tube) by John Tassel himself, Mike - which explains some of his work from the past. jb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo3r_M5kDOg

 

[theBaron]

Those Lasset figures are very interesting. When were they made?

Brad,

During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, there were several connoisseur British sculptors and model makers including Richard Courtenay, Frederick Ping, Charles Stadden, Russell Gammage, John Greenwood & Kathleen Ball, Marcus Hinton, and John Tassell. My familiarity with them, such as it is, is due entirely to my friendship with Bob Walker who collects all of them. John Tassell produced single connoisseur figures under the name of Lasset Models in the early 1970s and when Bob mentioned to me that he liked Lasset better than the extensive Greenwood & Ball collection he has accumulated, it got my attention. They have unique eyes and longish faces to my mind's eye. They can also be identified by their very thin metal bases with clipped corners which are very similar to the bases on Stadden's figures. Lasset may have sold castings, because I came across several figures on eBay that claimed to be Lassett but did not appear to be painted to Tassell's standards---far from it.

Mike

They were available as kit castings, too. You can find them with boxes or other packaging from time to time on eBay. I recall seeing a plastic bag stapled to a card with the label, too. John Tassell went on to produce figures in 77mm as Series 77, too.

As you mention, Mike, his figures tend to have longer, narrower faces than Stadden figures, generally speaking. I like to say that the castings are more graceful, if you will, than Stadden's normal style. Stadden figures are stockier, when we compare the two lines. But yes, Lassets are often labeled as Staddens in sales, because they are so similar. Usually, people see the tinplate base and just assume it's a Stadden. I also find that many of the castings sold primed for painting were primed with a thick, medium grey primer that covered the figure well. By comparison, if you bought a Stadden casting, the primer was often so thin as to be a white wash that settled into the details.

Figures from both makers do fit in well with each other, though.

Prost!
Brad

 

[ucla1967]

You might be interested to see this short clip (from You-tube) by John Tassel himself, Mike - which explains some of his work from the past. jb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo3r_M5kDOg

Thanks for the You-Tube video JB. I wish it had shown some of his work. So, he was producing from 1971 until he retired in 2001.

Mike

P.S. Maybe it was the camera angle, but he seems to have a long face like his figures.

 

[ucla1967]

They were available as kit castings, too. You can find them with boxes or other packaging from time to time on eBay. I recall seeing a plastic bag stapled to a card with the label, too. John Tassell went on to produce figures in 77mm as Series 77, too.

As you mention, Mike, his figures tend to have longer, narrower faces than Stadden figures, generally speaking. I like to say that the castings are more graceful, if you will, than Stadden's normal style. Stadden figures are stockier, when we compare the two lines. But yes, Lassets are often labeled as Staddens in sales, because they are so similar. Usually, people see the tinplate base and just assume it's a Stadden. I also find that many of the castings sold primed for painting were primed with a thick, medium grey primer that covered the figure well. By comparison, if you bought a Stadden casting, the primer was often so thin as to be a white wash that settled into the details.

Figures from both makers do fit in well with each other, though.

Prost!
Brad

Thank you Brad for your input. Much appreciated.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is another Danish set from Tradition that I recently picked up on eBay: Set No. D4A THE DANISH ROYAL GUARD. NB: Tradition had ten sets of Danish Troops in its catalog. Four sets of the Danish Garder Hussar Regiment; D1A & D1B, on foot and D1C & D1D, mounted. Two sets of the "Steadfast Tin Soldier," D2A & D2B. One navy set, D3A. Three sets of the Royal Danish Guards Regiment, all on foot, D4A, D4B & D4C.

 

[ucla1967]

In January, I picked up two World War I Italian sets from Beau Geste. This is Set No. 312 ITALIAN INFANTRY, WINTER UNIFORM, WWI. The fourth photo is the set as displayed. This is the first Italian Army set that I have with this uniform. I don't have room to display the other set, so it is still in its box like several hundred other sets that I don't have room to display. I just hope my wife doesn't discover that those are not empty boxes in storage when in fact they are full of soldiers not displayed.

 

[Obee]

This is another Danish set from Tradition that I recently picked up on eBay: Set No. D4A THE DANISH ROYAL GUARD. NB: Tradition had ten sets of Danish Troops in its catalog. Four sets of the Danish Garder Hussar Regiment; D1A & D1B, on foot and D1C & D1D, mounted. Two sets of the "Steadfast Tin Soldier," D2A & D2B. One navy set, D3A. Three sets of the Royal Danish Guards Regiment, all on foot, D4A, D4B & D4C.

There is also a Drum major, and below is my set of figures I painted from castings I bout about 10 years ago from the shop in Mayfair. they were in the discount, retired box, and I was very pleased to get them.

later I inquired if the had any of the Hussars available, but the answer was 'No' but Steve Hare, the manager suggested I try Tradition USA, who did have a set of castings, so I was lucky enough to buy their last stock, seen below.

My main reason to have the figures was that after seeing the Royal Wedding of Crown prince Frederick to his Australian bride, Mary Donaldson, in 2004 and so she may be our first Aussie Queen !!!

John

 

[ucla1967]

There is also a Drum major, and below is my set of figures I painted from castings I bout about 10 years ago from the shop in Mayfair. they were in the discount, retired box, and I was very pleased to get them.

later I inquired if the had any of the Hussars available, but the answer was 'No' but Steve Hare, the manager suggested I try Tradition USA, who did have a set of castings, so I was lucky enough to buy their last stock, seen below.

My main reason to have the figures was that after seeing the Royal Wedding of Crown prince Frederick to his Australian bride, Mary Donaldson, in 2004 and so she may be our first Aussie Queen !!!

John

John,

Those are just spectacular, as is always the case with your work. They are much better than my factory painted sets.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is another recently acquired Bastion Models set: Set No. A.43 FOREIGN LEGION IN ACTION, 1900.

 

[ucla1967]

This is my new Eagle Design 1/30 scale Panzer III ausf. L with the long barrel 50mm gun in panzer grey. I really believe that it is a good value for the money at $135 and hope that they continue making less popular AFVs rather than making more Panthers and Tigers. We shall see.

 

[Artillery_crazy]

Hi Mike,
Great sets and a great library......many of your titles are also present here with me! Great reference books...
Cheers
Luiz

This is my new Eagle Design 1/30 scale Panzer III ausf. L with the long barrel 50mm gun in panzer grey. I really believe that it is a good value for the money at $135 and hope that they continue making less popular AFVs rather than making more Panthers and Tigers. We shall see.

 

[DMNamiot]

There is also a Drum major, and below is my set of figures I painted from castings I bout about 10 years ago from the shop in Mayfair. they were in the discount, retired box, and I was very pleased to get them.

later I inquired if the had any of the Hussars available, but the answer was 'No' but Steve Hare, the manager suggested I try Tradition USA, who did have a set of castings, so I was lucky enough to buy their last stock, seen below.

My main reason to have the figures was that after seeing the Royal Wedding of Crown prince Frederick to his Australian bride, Mary Donaldson, in 2004 and so she may be our first Aussie Queen !!!

John

Hey John, I was privileged to meet them when my wife and I were stationed in Poland. Very nice lady.

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,
Great sets and a great library......many of your titles are also present here with me! Great reference books...
Cheers
Luiz

Thanks Luiz, much appreciated. Here is a photo of the library wall in our bonus room which is located on the second floor over the garage. The toy soldier sets on the cabinet top are being set up to photograph prior to selling them---I have no room left to display them. I am keeping the two sets on the far right.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a partial Bastion Models set (with seven figures rather than eight) that I picked up last week: Set No. A.52 GORDON HIGHLANDERS, WORLD WAR I.

 

[jazzeum]

In January, I picked up two World War I Italian sets from Beau Geste. This is Set No. 312 ITALIAN INFANTRY, WINTER UNIFORM, WWI. The fourth photo is the set as displayed. This is the first Italian Army set that I have with this uniform. I don't have room to display the other set, so it is still in its box like several hundred other sets that I don't have room to display. I just hope my wife doesn't discover that those are not empty boxes in storage when in fact they are full of soldiers not displayed.

Very neat set Mike!

Brad