Purchasing "job-Lots" (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Here's an update on my new dogs for the pack. I've contrasted them with how they looked before a few repairs and paint have been added. New rear legs required, seem to be the most common problem - and also tails - which just mean a hole being drilled, and a shaped piece of paper-clip being glued into the appropriate place. Ouch!

Next job after they are all dry - will be to add eyes , paint the new tiny stands and seal everything in with a coat of varnish. They can then join my other pair of dogs. The pack is growing.^&grin jb

 

[Buster]

Looks like "those dogs can hunt!", jb ..... nicely done so far. :smile2:

B.

 

[johnnybach]

Looks like "those dogs can hunt!", jb ..... nicely done so far. :smile2:

B.

Thanks. They certainly look the part Buster. I'm always most pleased when they can just stand up again. They are very cute - and no longer than my thumb in size. I really take my hat off to whoever sculpted these, and will look out for more damaged specimens to put back into action, whenever I see more up for sale again, (always assuming I win - as they are getting a bit sought after ).

I have also repaired - and am repainting another Mounted Gent in the usual attire - but as I already have one in this pose - and I've never seen one of these guys on a Grey horse, I've begun repainting him that way.

I will post a pic of the lot again, when they're completed. jb

 

[johnnybach]

My huntin' dawgs are now completed - and my Mounted Hunter on a dapple grey - is nearly there too (stand to get final coat later on).

So.....here's a few pics showing how they look right now. I've also added a third pic - just as a reminder as to how they looked before repairs and a splash or two of paint. (ignore the previously restored mounted hunter - he's only there as a comparison figure anyway).

I just luv 'em - so hope you do too............. jb

 

[blaster]

Hi JB,

Just wonderful! I love the dogs and the dapple grey!

Rgds Victor

 

[johnnybach]

So......there I was, thinking that my pack of hunting dogs were pretty much completed .................and then...........

I was looking for something else that I wanted ......on ebay.............and i spotted another pair of dogs. I read that these were recasts of the old Britains , and I soon realised that nobody was interested. I hit the watch button and popped in the low bid - and forgot about them.

I was soon notified that I had won ( several items actually, from the same guy) - so combined postage meant that I got these at a bargain price.

As you can see attached - they arrived this morning - so I cleaned 'em up with a small file, made a couple of bases and gave 'em a lick of matte undercoat. I will soon have 9 in my pack of fox-hounds. I'm also just waiting for a head to arrive - when I can make up a galloping Britains Huntress, who is sitting side-saddle{sm3}
jb

 

[johnnybach]

Well here goes again - and I'll see if I can get the correct image in - this time.

Here's a pic of my two latest hounds - meeting up with their new chums in the pack. The latest two are the only re-casts - whilst the most of the rest are Britains repaired and restored figures.

Now, I know what you are going to ask - which are the latest pair??? Well, darned if I know, after shuffling them about for this pic - but who cares, they're in there somewhere. jb

 

[theBaron]

That's a beautiful collection, John! But now you need to add more mounted gentlemen and ladies

Do you have any backdrops for them, too? I can picture a country inn, or a cottage, where everyone has assembled for a tot before or after the chase.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

That's a beautiful collection, John! But now you need to add more mounted gentlemen and ladies

Do you have any backdrops for them, too? I can picture a country inn, or a cottage, where everyone has assembled for a tot before or after the chase.

Prost!
Brad

Yes Brad - I have ONE mounted lady hunter in my stash - but she's waiting for a new head to arrive, ( with her Derby hat), as she unfortunately had mis-placed her original head when she showed up! I have begun painting her anyway, as her horse was fitted with a new tail - soon after arrival, as I had one in my stash.

She looks a tad bizarre without her head - so I will spare her blushes and not show her yet.

I'm always on the lookout for any of the Britains Mounted or dismounted Hunting figures Brad. I think I have enough dogs in the pack now though - unless a Group comes along on e-bay which includes some more. Damaged figures are best for me - as it's more enjoyable to rescue some - and usually more sensibly priced too. (More Dutchiness showing through again!

Prices for these figures in good condition are quite high, and the bidding is usually very active, but not quite so keen for damaged figures. I can thus build quite a nice collection at a sensible cost. I'm watching a pair right now.

So..........the hunt goes on!

I have been searching for a suitable backdrop pic - but haven't found one I like enough yet - but do agree, they need one. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Would you believe that another female hunter turned up in another small job-lot this week. Not a Britains, this time, but one from Pixyland Kew. This firm stopped production in 1939 - so she must be 80 years old.

I'm still waiting for some "heads" to arrive - but began repairs on her and her horse anyway. The nag was missing a front leg - but I had a spare in my box. The other figure shown is a headless lancer or Hussar - so I'll have a think about what he is to become. I have a stash of Scots Greys waiting - so maybe he will join them too.

Here's a couple of pics anyway, showing progress. Both cleaned off and based - with her horse now standing up with new left leg in place. jb

 

[johnnybach]

But - the seemingly never ending list of patients continues - this time with a couple of our chums from New Zealand.

Well, Britains actually, but you know what I mean. They represent NZ Infantry in Service Dress 9 (from Set 1542, issued 1937 - 1959). Unmistakable in their "Lemon Squeezer" hats.

Once again, my pair were found minus the moveable arm - which should have had rifles at the slope. Both also had no stand (base) or feet.

My pics below show the spare parts used in front of the figures as unpainted castings. ( from Dorset Model Soldiers). I restored the one at the slope to conform to how the figure was originally - but my second figure uses an arm that I have had "in stock" for quite a while, which I've been itching to use, so I thought it might be fun to show him with his rifle slung from the left shoulder - another figure that Britains never made.

As both of these are Hollowcast figures - it is reasonably easy to remove the boots from the small stand - and simply slot them into the hollow legs of the castings with a spot of glue to fix 'em in. Once these are drilled and pinned to the stand, they can stand up once again. Then it's just a repaint - in mainly Khaki. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Back to Victorian Britains Cavalry for my next one.

I regret that I appear not to have taken a pic of this figure when found. What you would have seen was a Britains Standing cavalry Horse and a rider without a head or the usual loose right arm - with very little paint left on him. Unusually though, the horse had everything intact!

So......a relatively easy repair - and a raid on my spares box soon came up with some alternative parts.

My collection is really quite light on Dragoons - so I was tempted to go in that direction with the figure. I soon found a delightful head in my box - and also a Trumpeter arm, which settled it. He was to become a 1st Kings Dragoon Guard Trumpeter.

As a painting guide, I found a rather nice picture by that wonderful Victorian artist - Richard Simkin - see below.

Note that the Officer has a red plume to his helmet - whilst the following Trumpeter has a white one. Note also the yellow Aiguillettes attached to his tunic front.




The head was fitted first - and then I modeled the aiguillettes from tiny pieces of rolled milliput and attached them to the tunic. I made up a stand from scrap alloy sheet ( as usual) - and from then on - it was just a repaint job. As usual for me, I attached the painted Trumpet arm quite late - as it's far easier to get at the tunic front before fitting The resulting figure ( another that Britains never made), is shown below, which I must admit is quite pleasing. jb

As I have three more "repaired" Cavalry Britains castings on the go - I think that at least one more Dragoon Guard conversion may be coming soon. jb

 

[theBaron]

...Note that the Officer has a red plume to his helmet - whilst the following Trumpeter has a white one...

Interesting-that's the opposite of the German tradition. Musicians had red plumes, typically, while officers and other ranks had plumes that were often white, or showed the national colors, eg, black and white for Prussia, white and blue for Bavaria, yellow and white for Brunswick, and so on.

Excellent finishes, too, by the way

Prost!
Brad

 

[DMNamiot]

I love the attention to detail Johnny! The trumpeter looks amazing.

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

Interesting-that's the opposite of the German tradition. Musicians had red plumes, typically, while officers and other ranks had plumes that were often white, or showed the national colors, eg, black and white for Prussia, white and blue for Bavaria, yellow and white for Brunswick, and so on.

Excellent finishes, too, by the way

Prost!
Brad

Yes - one of the peculiarities of this particular Regiment. The Royal Scots Greys (for example) follow the traditional approach - where the musicians have red plumes - whilst the remainder wear white.

Glad you like him too Brad - jb

 

[johnnybach]

I love the attention to detail Johnny! The trumpeter looks amazing.

Dave

Thanks Dave - glad you also like him. I'm currently working on a conversion of a (originally broken) Household Cavalry Officer on a prancing horse. He's been repaired - and I'm now painting him as a 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales) Dragoon Guards Officer.

My Dragoon Guards compliment are growing!

I'll show him when he's finished too. jb

 

[johnnybach]

I thought I had taken a pic of the Trumpeter before painting him - but just couldn't find it - here he is, lurking behind a headless Lady. jb

 

[johnnybach]

As promised - here's my Mounted Officer of the 5th (princess Charlotte of Wales') Dragoon Guards. Here's how Richard Simkins captured him for posterity back in 1888 ( which was my painting guide. My gratitude goes to: http://www.uniformology.com/BR-SIMKIN-1/8_-_5th_DG.jpg).



Here's how this figure turned out after a few repairs and slight modifications to the original Britains casting. The curiass was damaged at the front and rear on the original figure - so it was removed by filing - and a new arm from Dorset was used as the original was missing when found. A few minor dents were also repaired with milliput. ( Note I have added in my previous Trumpeter from Kings Dragoon Guards to the pic., to show differences in helmet plume and OR to Officer).



Finally - I have added in a pic of my only other example of a 5th Dragoon guard, which I restored some time ago (He's by Fylde, and is a slightly larger scale than the Britains figure). jb

 

[johnnybach]

It's back to the 1st (Kings) Dragoon Guards for my next repaired figure ( which is also a conversion from the original Britains figure).

He arrived in my stash from an e-bay source without a head and sword arm for the rider - and two missing lower legs for the horse. I deduced from his high thigh boots, that he was originally a member of the Household Cavalry. Having plenty of these figures, but fewer Dragoons, I thought I would add to my existing !st DG instead.

I first repaired the horse legs (glued and pinned, left fore and rear) and gave him a stand. Once the figure could stand up again, then a head from my spares box and a new arm were found. (Dorset spares). Head fitted into hole in neck using a short pin and epoxy glue (arm was kept off to repaint chest area), I began the changes necessary.

I had to remove the tops of the boots - and cuirass by filing and sanding down - to get him back to a Dragoon Guard dress - but once there - it was just a repaint again. I refitted the sword/arm once the top half of the Trooper had been repainted.

So, here he is now as a Trooper of the 1st Kings dragoon Guards on a walking horse.



I also added him to my two other Kings DG - to show an Officer , Trooper and Trumpeter of this Regiment - note the white plume on the Trumpeter instead of the red of the others. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Another pair of Britains Hunt figures turned up for repair, recently from an e-bay source. Both required a few repairs.

Just to remind you - this is what I currently have completed ( waiting for spares for a couple of others).



And these are my latest two figures for repair - as found.



Note the Huntmaster figure - not mounted, but resplendant in a Top hat - who appears to have lost his feet, so can't stand up - and also has lost the bottom of the handle from his whip.

Then there's the lady hunter, in a bowler hat - who has the handle to her whip - but has lost the whippy end! ( just for a change!). Her horse is at the full gallop but also appears to have lost a horse-shoe, which was attached to the lower part of his left rear leg - which apparently went with the shoe!^&grin

So............a few repairs required. My first pic shows them both stripped of paint and mounted on a new base. Each base was tailor made for the figure - which was pinned and glued in place. The lower rear leg of the horse was replaced also by pinning first. ( If you look closely - you can see the join and the brighter metal of the new part. This joint will be unseen once painted) Note that the arm holding a whip was removed from each figure, each of which was repaired by pinning in place a shaped part of the whip that was missing, by using a piece of paper clip.



My second pic shows the arms loosely attached for now, to check out how everything looks. Once glued in place, and a check that everything looks good - painting can commence. jb