Possible Del Prado? (1 Viewer)

[Molloy]

Hello all!

Not a regular poster on this area of the forum, but just have a quick query - out of curiosity more than anything else - about a possible Del Prado figure I've come across.

Please see the attached link for a picture of a model being offered by a UK company which bears an almost identical similarity to one of the "Napoleon at War" figures from Del Prado:

http://www.westair-reproductions.com/mailorder/products/minnfig3.htm


If I remember correctly the British Marine figure was the very first release in the UK edition of the series. Just curious as to whether or not some of the Del Prado moulds have been used subsequently under licence by other companies. Westair is a British company which as far as I know mainly concentrates on reproduction historical coins, jewellery, etc. for sale in musuem gift shops.

For reference, please see picture of the original from Del Prado's own website:

http://www.delpradosoldiers.com/item01.php?ITEM=23SNP000000012

Thanks in advance for any assistance, like I say, I'm simply curious, as this is the first time I've come across Del Prado figures being offered under other brand names / by other companies.

Cheers,

Molloy.

 

[theBaron]

They may very well come from the same shop that sculpted the Del Prado figures. Weren't some of that line produced by K&C sculptors, too?

It seems similar to the case of King-White in Hong Kong back in the 70s through the 90s. Their figures were sold by Reeves, by the Treasure Chest in Florida, and at other stores by agents in many countries (even the Soviet Union).

Prost!
Brad

 

[kilted vampire]

Well it is made of resin. But, it looks like a knock off to me.

 

[theBaron]

Ah, good point, KV, I overlooked the description at Westair, it is made of resin, and it is a 70mm figure, not 54mm. In light of that, I'm more inclined to agree with you and say that it may be a knock-off. Though, it is possible that it might come from the same studio, but not likely.

Prosit!
Brad

 

[Molloy]

Thank you very much for the prompt replies - so you guys really think this could be a rip-off? I never noticed untill KV pointed it out that the figure being offered by Westair is 70mm, as opposed to 54mm - would that size difference make any odds as to the figure's authenticity?

Even allowing for that though, the two figures seem visually identical to me - exact same pose, uniform colourings, etc.. The similarities would seem to be a bit too much to be merely coincidental.

Cheers,

Molloy.

 

[theBaron]

Thank you very much for the prompt replies - so you guys really think this could be a rip-off? I never noticed untill KV pointed it out that the figure being offered by Westair is 70mm, as opposed to 54mm - would that size difference make any odds as to the figure's authenticity?

Even allowing for that though, the two figures seem visually identical to me - exact same pose, uniform colourings, etc.. The similarities would seem to be a bit too much to be merely coincidental.

Cheers,

Molloy.

Well, I wouldn't necessarily call the figure a rip-off, unless they're charging a hundred pounds for it. It's more of a knock-off. Not a copy, mind you, because they're not the same scale. But you're right, they are very similar. If the 70mm figure were metal, I would feel that they might have come from the same shop (sculptor); even that they are made from different material, they could come, ultimately, from the same manufacturer. Have you tried contacting the museum, to find out where they get the figures made? I'd be curious to know.

In any case, if you enjoy the figure, that's the important thing.

Prosit!
Brad

 

[aujj65]

Well, I wouldn't necessarily call the figure a rip-off, unless they're charging a hundred pounds for it. It's more of a knock-off. Not a copy, mind you, because they're not the same scale. But you're right, they are very similar. If the 70mm figure were metal, I would feel that they might have come from the same shop (sculptor); even that they are made from different material, they could come, ultimately, from the same manufacturer. Have you tried contacting the museum, to find out where they get the figures made? I'd be curious to know.

In any case, if you enjoy the figure, that's the important thing.

Prosit!
Brad

I had the Delprado Napoleonic figures of which this was one of them, and they were more 70mm than 54mm size and looking at the photo's they look very very close, but if you look at the position of the left arm on the DP figure its angled more, so I would go for a copied figure rather than a recast of the same mould.

Jeff

 

[theBaron]

I had the Delprado Napoleonic figures of which this was one of them, and they were more 70mm than 54mm size and looking at the photo's they look very very close, but if you look at the position of the left arm on the DP figure its angled more, so I would go for a copied figure rather than a recast of the same mould.

Jeff

Good point. I don't own any Del Prado figures and I've never seen them in person. The differences between true 54mm and 60mm aren't that bad, but for the difference between 54mm and 70mm, I pictured a really noticable difference in size. This really helps illustrate the wide variety in the meaning of "54mm", or any other scale, for that matter.

Prost!
Brad

 

[kilted vampire]

Those guys even copied the base detail.

 

[OzDigger]

Most of my WWII Delprado figures are around 65 mm - 2 1/2 inches in height.