Mike Tarantino's Toy Soldier Collection (3 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

I never heard of Langley's Boys of the Old Brigade. Very nice looking sets.

Brad,

According to Stuart Asquith's "The Collector's Guide To New Toy Soldiers," they started producing toy soldiers in 1980. It was apparently a family business started by Tony McLellan in Sussex in which his wife and parents participated. They had a large illustrated catalog which included castings. Their theme was the British Armed Forces at the turn of the century and the Indian Army of the same period, both of which are right up my collecting alley. They also produced a 20 set range of Infantry Volunteers plus RAF, Commonweath troops, and even Napoleonic subjects. There is a black & white photo in Asquith's book which shows the Canadian Princess Pat's Light Infantry set with an officer, bugler, and 5 men.

The soldier sets had two flag colour parties plus five men. five mounted figures, and 12 figures in their mounted bands and Drum Corps. All of this makes me wonder why they seem to be so rarely seen. Maybe, they basically were sold in the U.K. and not here in the states. I would really like to see their Volunteer and Commonwealth sets. I am guessing that they are no longer in business and may have been so for many years.

 

[ucla1967]

Mike, what a wonderful collection and so well displayed. I especially like the WWI artillery sets. Just sorry I was collecting when Trophy was still in business. But I have started with Hiriart, as you know. :smile2: Chris

Thank you so much Chris for your kind comments. I, too, really miss Trophy's absence, but I am glad that you have decided to join me and others in collecting Hiriart.

 

[ucla1967]

Mike

Very impressive collection. You have some great glossy stuff there. A very enjoyable view of what you have - Thanks!

Peter

Thank you Peter. I am glad you enjoyed them.

 

[ucla1967]

superb figures and a stunning collection
Mitch

Than you Mitch for your kind comments.

 

[ucla1967]

Since I started collecting Hiriart at a point in time where my collection was already fairly large, I don't have all that many Hiriart sets on display. My next project is to increase Hiriart's display space by adding two and three tier steps to the curio they are currently displayed in. What I really would like, if I can get my wife to agree, is to have two large, custom made display cabinets bulit that are six feet long by three feet high with LED lighting that I can mount on the wall in our bonus room.

Here are some photos of my displayed Hiriart sets including WWI French Infantry in 1916, French Foreign Legion in 1900, WWII Deutsches Afrika Korps, WWI German Alpen Korps, WWII Kriegsmarine U-Boote crew, WWII Kriegsmarine, and WWII British Infantry.

 

[ucla1967]

Some additional Hiriart sets including the WWII French Foreign Legion 13th Demi-Brigade as they looked in Syria. Many Hiriart sets come with an officer, bugler, and 7 men, so I often order extra figures which are shown in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th photos.

In the second photo they include WWII Kriegsmarine in winter, WWII US 101st Airborne Inf, WWII desert Italian Bersaglieri, WWII Italian Young Fascists, WWI Germans in stahlhelms, Italian Cacciatori d'Africa, the Royal Canadian Regt, French Foreign Legion in 1923, Japanese Inf in 1904, and WWI ANZACs.

In the third photo they include Ecuadorean cadets, Argentine cadets, WWII Italian Bersalgieri in Europe, Imperial German Gardegrenadiers, French Pom Pon Rouge sailors, WWII Finns, WWI German Inf in pickelhaubs, WWII Soviet Guards, and WWI Seaforths in 1914.

The fourth photo includes Royal Marines, Royal Marine Light Inf, French Foreign Legion in 1990, Italian Bersaglieri in 1900, French Chasseurs a Pied in 1890, WWI Austrian Rifles, Moroccan Inf, WWII Italian Inf in Europe, Swedish Horse Guards, WWII US D-Day Inf, and WWII Berlin Inf.

The last photo shows about 150 Hiriart sets still in their boxes. I periodically sit down on the floor and look at them.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are a few more non-displayed sets that I thought you might like to see. Nickolson's 15th "Cureton's Multanis" Bengal Cavalry, Kingcast's 7th Bombay Infantry (Pioneers), and Beau Geste's Lyonnais Regiment, 1720.

 

[johnnybach]

Brad,

According to Stuart Asquith's "The Collector's Guide To New Toy Soldiers," they started producing toy soldiers in 1980. It was apparently a family business started by Tony McLellan in Sussex in which his wife and parents participated. They had a large illustrated catalog which included castings. Their theme was the British Armed Forces at the turn of the century and the Indian Army of the same period, both of which are right up my collecting alley. They also produced a 20 set range of Infantry Volunteers plus RAF, Commonweath troops, and even Napoleonic subjects. There is a black & white photo in Asquith's book which shows the Canadian Princess Pat's Light Infantry set with an officer, bugler, and 5 men.

The soldier sets had two flag colour parties plus five men. five mounted figures, and 12 figures in their mounted bands and Drum Corps. All of this makes me wonder why they seem to be so rarely seen. Maybe, they basically were sold in the U.K. and not here in the states. I would really like to see their Volunteer and Commonwealth sets. I am guessing that they are no longer in business and may have been so for many years.

Hi Mike - Langley Miniatures are still very much in business - and in fact, I am currently at the point of ordering another 20 strong band with them (HLI) - though I'm endevouring to get them with the correct uniform for the period I'm after. You can mix and match heads/arms/bodies - to get them correct. I have also just finished a couple of Mascot pieces from them actually - over in the Painting section.

Here's a link below for them. Nice people to do business with - and still available as painted or castings - so right up my street. Love your collection - thanks for posting - johnnybach

http://www.langleymodels.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Toy_Soldiers__54mm__113.html

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike - Langley Miniatures are still very much in business - and in fact, I am currently at the point of ordering another 20 strong band with them (HLI) - though I'm endevouring to get them with the correct uniform for the period I'm after. You can mix and match heads/arms/bodies - to get them correct. I have also just finished a couple of Mascot pieces from them actually - over in the Painting section.

Here's a link below for them. Nice people to do business with - and still available as painted or castings - so right up my street. Love your collection - thanks for posting - johnnybach

http://www.langleymodels.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Toy_Soldiers__54mm__113.html

Hi JB,

Thanks for the information and the link. I will check it today. Glad you are enjoying seeing my collection.

 

[ucla1967]

Here are some more unboxed figures from the hallway linen closet including unknown WWI Italians and Romanians, two early Trophy sets, two early Imperial sets, a Mars USAF Security Police set, and two St. George's Cross 1904 Russian Infantry sets. The glass is from the 2005 25th Anniversary of the Chicago Toy Soldier Show. The second photo is a heavy WWI artillery piece crewed by Austrians from Superior. The next three photos are from my clothes closet; some are empty boxes and others are not.

 

[ucla1967]

I bought this World War I gun team at the first West Coaster Show I attended in 1993. I believe it may be a hybrid of some sort made up from parts from more than one manufacturer. Note the RHA badge at the front.

 

[ucla1967]

Since the colors were washed out and untrue in my previously posted photos of Trophy's 20th Bengal Infantry, NWF, I thought I would try one more time. I closed the window shutters and didn't use a flash this time. That is the non-Trophy maroon box in the background that they came in.

 

[ucla1967]

I have five Trophy Boxer Rebellion sets that are not on display. Here is where I keep them in my closet. Note the old version box and label on set BS21.

BS02 French Sailors Kneeling at the Ready

 

[ucla1967]

Here are two more Trophy Boxer Rebellion sets:

BS05V Russian East Siberian Rifles

BS07 British Sailors Advancing

 

[ucla1967]

Here are the last two Trophy Boxer Rebellion sets:

BS21 Indian Infantry Advancing

BS22 Royal Welsh Fusiliers Charging

You can see the old Boxer Rebellion specific label that came with set BS21 better in these photos.

 

[Leadmen]

Mike: Thanks for taking the time to show us your collection. The pics are great and I will look at them often. Very interesting and I enjoy the glossy sets. John

 

[ucla1967]

Mike: Thanks for taking the time to show us your collection. The pics are great and I will look at them often. Very interesting and I enjoy the glossy sets. John

Hi John,

It was my pleasure to show you guys my collection. Thank you for your kind comments. In spite of the change in our hobby towards 60mm "in action" sculpts in matte, there are still some of us 54mm tradtional, glossy collectors still out there, although we are a minority on the Forum.

Best regards,

 

[The Lt.]

Having enjoyed spending the time viewing your collection Mike an having the pleasure of seeing the extent of it I must say whenever seeing the figures from your Trophy collection it really has made my day. Thank you for continuing to do so............Joe

 

[ucla1967]

Having enjoyed spending the time viewing your collection Mike an having the pleasure of seeing the extent of it I must say whenever seeing the figures from your Trophy collection it really has made my day. Thank you for continuing to do so............Joe

Hi Joe,

THank you so much for your kind comments. I am glad that seeing my Trophy figures has made your day. Your comment got me to pull out about a dozen more Trophy sets, that I do not have on display, and photograph them. I'll post them soon for you, Martyn, and the other Trophy lovers on this Forum.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a Kingcast two-box set that I had in storage. It is set BI 124 Black Watch with Elephant Gatling Gun. Pretty neat, don't you think?