Purchasing "job-Lots" (2 Viewers)

[johnnybach]

jb;

Thank you !

Olde age I guess...never thought of that...wouldn't have thought there was enough of a market.

Good to know for future...sorry, I should have checked.

Just a lucky hunch that there might be a supplier who is online in the USA. Once you start putting some of those vulnerable un-based horse on a stand - you will be able to see and feel how much stronger they are. As most of the early hollowcast producers were competing very much with their rivals on price - not many put their steeds on stands - and that's precisely why we see so many of their products now with missing extremities.

Use my stand as a guide - and you will never look back. Remember, that from a sheet of !2" X !2" plate, you will get around 50 or so new stands for horses ( One inch wide by 2.5ish long) - OR around 100 for foot soldiers. How's that for value??

Best of luck - jb

 

[johnnybach]

My latest two figures from this lot - can now join those already repaired.

Both of these in the forefront are now RHG Troopers from the 1830's - repaired and converted from a pair of Britains Household Cavalry figures.

Repairs on these two involved new legs for horses, repairing a large hole in the neck and body of the horse on the left - and the usual conversions of head and sword arm. Another sword scabbard was also needed to replace the broken one on the right figure. I had run out of my small stock of carbines in scabbard for these - so I made them from some scrap lead, and pinned them in place.



Just had some good news this morning - that I won an auction for some more of these figures - so have 4 more Troopers and another Officer in the post. Looks like I need a visit to Dorset for some more spares. jb

 

[theBaron]

jb;

Thank you !

Olde age I guess...never thought of that...wouldn't have thought there was enough of a market.

Good to know for future...sorry, I should have checked.

Armed with the specs at that link, I'd look to see if a local hardware store might not appropriate product available. You might find copper sheeting, too. Either way, it might be easier and cheaper if you can find it in your area.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

My next figure to undergo some much-needed repair - is a "Medieval Knight on an armoured horse with upturned sword" - as descibed by Cherilea, when they manufactured the figure sometime between 1946 and 1961.

As usual, the first job was to get the figure standing up again - and to this effect, a new front leg was required (front left leg). I didn't have a spare long enough for this one - so what you now see is a "compound leg", made up of a variety of bits and pieces which were glued together and sanded down and fitted.

Once I had got this far - it was time to figure out whom it would become. The sculptor had neatly added in a shield - and on closer inspection, I found three lions (leopardi) were embossed on it. So......Richard The Lionheart eh??? But no......I don't think so...........that wouldn't do at all - this figure had full plate armour - and an armoured horse - so Richard would not do at all - this figure is much later.

I decided to do a little Google Images search - and pretty soon - I decided whom my figure would become - Joan of Arc.

The pose looked to me as if Saint Joan was looking heavenwards - and holding up her sword rather like a cross - and uttering a prayer - before going into the fray once more - clad in her famous armour. I looked up her armorial details - and found that they were awarded to her and her family in perpetuity by Charle VII of France on December 29, 1429. The design was on a field azure, a sword argent between two lillies and piercing a golden crown. So.... the sword again - just like my new casting had upturned in her hand. That clinched it.

So......out with a file - and off with the three Lions (sorry lads!^&grin) - and on with Joan's device.

Here's a couple of pics of how she turned out.



Well - I would have liked to show you the other side - but Photobucket has decided it doesn't want to play - and won't let me download it to this page, for now. ^&confuse

Well at least it's free! jb

 

[Ivanhoe]

My next figure to undergo some much-needed repair - is a "Medieval Knight on an armoured horse with upturned sword" - as descibed by Cherilea, when they manufactured the figure sometime between 1946 and 1961.

As usual, the first job was to get the figure standing up again - and to this effect, a new front leg was required (front left leg). I didn't have a spare long enough for this one - so what you now see is a "compound leg", made up of a variety of bits and pieces which were glued together and sanded down and fitted.

Once I had got this far - it was time to figure out whom it would become. The sculptor had neatly added in a shield - and on closer inspection, I found three lions (leopardi) were embossed on it. So......Richard The Lionheart eh??? But no......I don't think so...........that wouldn't do at all - this figure had full plate armour - and an armoured horse - so Richard would not do at all - this figure is much later.

I decided to do a little Google Images search - and pretty soon - I decided whom my figure would become - Joan of Arc.

The pose looked to me as if Saint Joan was looking heavenwards - and holding up her sword rather like a cross - and uttering a prayer - before going into the fray once more - clad in her famous armour. I looked up her armorial details - and found that they were awarded to her and her family in perpetuity by Charle VII of France on December 29, 1429. The design was on a field azure, a sword argent between two lillies and piercing a golden crown. So.... the sword again - just like my new casting had upturned in her hand. That clinched it.

So......out with a file - and off with the three Lions (sorry lads!^&grin) - and on with Joan's device.

jb

The "looking heavenwards" is a great rendition jb !

You also did excellent on the shield...very nice figure.

Thank you for posting.

 

[johnnybach]

The "looking heavenwards" is a great rendition jb !

You also did excellent on the shield...very nice figure.

Thank you for posting.

It's a totally unrealistic figure - the horse legs are way too thin to carry all of that armour - the heraldry was all wrong ...............and I have always loved and desired to own one!^&grin

You don't see so many of them around much any more either - so I was delighted when one turned up in my Job-lot purchase - albeit with a leg missing from the horse.

It was difficult to remove the original embossing from the shield - so I didn't get the best finish on the Maid's shield - but it isn't too bad for what was once a mass produced figure.

Needless to say, I'm very pleased to own her - and she will join my other St. Joan figure very nicely - to keep her company.

Glad you like her too, chum. jb

 

[johnnybach]

I'm showing my latest recovery from the Abyss - along with my other two Medieval figures from this latest batch of broken beauties.

He's the one out front, of course - and is a somewhat converted Britains figure - originally from set 1258 "Knights in Armour" - which depicted the Joust Marshall in that set.

Mine came to me originally as a Highwayman! Clearly he was a converted figure by some previous owner who desperately wanted him that way. My first clue came that all was not as it seemed, was when he emerged from his bath of oven cleaner - and his head fell off! His head was in fact not only held in place by a matchstick, but was in several pieces that had been cobbled together by someone who wanted him to have a tricorn hat - so made one! Well, full marks for the attempt - but I fear 5 out of 10 for effort - as it wasn't that convincing.

However - I recognized a figure that I didn't own - for the good reason that I have never really liked his original head (which came with a long feathered hat! - Yuk!).

But - he now had no head at all ( and no arm BTW), so at last, I had a chance to give him a head that I DID like.

I dug into my spares sub-box for a suitable head - and Voila! - I found one. The resultant "new" figure of a Joust Marshal with Kettle helmet over a mail hood - and now also holding a heavy Mace in gauntleted right hand,(his original was missing), emerged from the Chaos that I call my workbench. Here he is below: note that I kept pretty much to the original paint scheme that Britains used when he was introduced to the World, way back in 1933 - which includes his Ermine Cloak.

Hurrah! - he may be older than me!{sm4}

 

[theBaron]

I really like your finish, John! You're getting a similar glazed finish to John Firth's. The joust marshall really has that look, of colors with a glazed finish over them, almost like a piece of porcelain. I salute you for your achievement. I'm striving for that, but haven't worked it out yet.

Prost!
Brad

 

[thebritfarmer]

He is a corker JB and something a little bit unique !

 

[johnnybach]

I really like your finish, John! You're getting a similar glazed finish to John Firth's. The joust marshall really has that look, of colors with a glazed finish over them, almost like a piece of porcelain. I salute you for your achievement. I'm striving for that, but haven't worked it out yet.

Prost!
Brad

That's a heck of a compliment Brad - 'cos you know how much I admire what John does.

Glad you like him M'Lud - I'll let you in on how to get that effect, if you like - but I'm afraid you'll have to stop using the varnish that you have loved for so long.{eek3} Let me know when you can stop - without withdrawal symptoms. jb

 

[johnnybach]

He is a corker JB and something a little bit unique !

Strangely Scott, I like him too now. He will fit in very nicely with the odd Knight or two I seem to have accumulated. And I do like it - when my odds and ends are just that little bit unique too.

Glad you like him too.

 

[johnnybach]

Next figure from my "job-lot" turned out to be an incomplete figure from the old British Cherilea manufacturer.

He was originally a Lancer on a galloping horse - from the 1950's. My latest one came to me minus his head and his lance - though the arm was still there.

Here's one below, that I made up awhile ago - as a 16th Lancer (he's bottom right in this pic)



Below - see my latest version of this figure - now with a replacement Hussar head - and painted as my favourite Hussar Regiment - the 11th (Cherry Pickers) Trooper with drawn sword in his original hand. Well.............I didn't want two Lancers in the same pose - so I made him up this way.




Here's the other side view - first the Lancer again (bottom left)




and Hussar again - other side.



Spare part head - once again from Dorset - though I made up his sword and scabbarded carbine from pieces of flattened scrap lead/tin material saved from broken bits and pieces.
I now have yet another figure from Cherilea - that they never made! jb

 

[johnnybach]

Another three figures are taking their turn from this old job-lot.

All three are being restored and repainted as Royal Scots Greys (RSG) - this time, and are at differing stages of development. All three are by different manufacturers though - and one is definitely NOT what he at first seems to be.

First left at the rear - is a Reka figure of an RSG Officer. He has been repaired before - as horse front legs had beeen soldered - these required some tidying up - and a few holes filled in. I added a pouch to his cross-belt, and also made his plume larger (milliput for both). He will be an okay figure once complete.

The smaller scale figure at front centre - is by Crescent, which was an easy ID, as he is marked "Crescent Toys" under the horse. He is approx 50mm scale. All limbs were intact - with just a few holes in bodywork to fill in. Once again a pouch was required to cross-belt for him. I've taken quite a liking to this figure - and he was a joy to repaint - just the base to complete for him.

My third figure - LOOKS like a Britains RSG - but, on closer inspection turned out to be a home-cast - made in two halves from a home-made drop mould - and soldered together. He is very heavy with a high lead content. He was VERY rough - and required a lot of filling and filing, to get him to the paint stage. The soldier had lost his head - but my spare box found a suitable replacement. I also added a Dorset Scabbarded carbine to his horse. His sword arm was also missing - so a spare will be found to complete him. His horse has also had two front legs added back - as those were missing too. A lot of work for this figure - which will frankly be almost worthless when completed - but I enjoyed the challenge of repairing him to something like the real thing. I have another almost identical home-cast like him in worse condition - which I'm still thinking about. Hmmm...........jb

 

[theBaron]

...A lot of work for this figure - which will frankly be almost worthless when completed - but I enjoyed the challenge of repairing him to something like the real thing.

And that adds a value that can't be measured, John! Great progress, and I look forward to seeing them finished.

If you were display everything at once, on a single surface, about how many figures would it be, and about how much space would that take up?

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

And that adds a value that can't be measured, John! Great progress, and I look forward to seeing them finished.

If you were display everything at once, on a single surface, about how many figures would it be, and about how much space would that take up?

Prost!
Brad

Cheers Brad - and yes it does (to me) - it's a very satisfying experience.

Do you mean from this job-lot - or do you mean everything that I have painted. This job-lot was over 20 figures - but I have never counted my whole collection! I started several times - but always get fed up towards the end - and gave up. I figured that I was never cut out to be an Accountant!!
I used to "Guestimate" by counting shelves - and then counting one shelf and multiplying by number of shelves - and got to around 3,000 - but that was several years ago. I haven't got room to count them all now - and many live in boxes in my attic over the garage.

BUT - we will be moving later on this year, to a bigger house - so you never know! - I might get to count them ---- one day. jb

 

[theBaron]

Yep, I meant your whole collection. That would be fun to see, all set up at once!

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Yep, I meant your whole collection. That would be fun to see, all set up at once!

Prost!
Brad

Our new house will be considerably bigger than our present one - so once we have moved in and got straight - I'll maybe consider doing something - but NO promises - 'cos that would take quite a while to set up!!!! jb

 

[johnnybach]

Meanwhile...............I've completed my latest three Royal Scots Greys. Here's a few pics (minus the one that Photobucket just wouldn't upload!!!!????).







Here's a couple more pics - showing my repaired and repainted home-cast Trooper ( I suspect made by recasting a Britains version) - next to an almost identical second one, which has got to the "standing up" stage, by my repairing three of his damaged legs. My newly painted one looked almost as bad before I began.

The head and sword/arm came from my spares box - and the carbine is a Dorset spare part. Three horse legs are pinned from base to what was left of original legs - and clad in milliput. Turned out okay - for a Bitsa! (Bits a'this, bits a'that). jb

 

[thebritfarmer]

Well I have to say it JB, these look as good to me as the work done by beating retreat !!! Superb.

 

[johnnybach]

Well I have to say it JB, these look as good to me as the work done by beating retreat !!! Superb.

Nice of you to say so Scott - but the other John is STILL my favourite painter - though a good target to set one's own figures against, for sure!:salute::

It's just occurred to me - that my "Bitsa" Trooper is now PARTLY Britains - as I gave him a head from a Brit's Guardsman - and an arm from a Brit's cavalryman. Both of these were in my old spares box - and came as reclaimed parts from really mashed-up figures that were beyond restoration. I'll be doing something similar with my second home-cast figure, I think. Goes to show that even figures that are way beyond restoration, can be a useful source of bits and pieces for future use. jb