Purchasing "job-Lots" (2 Viewers)

[theBaron]

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

These are great finds for your collection, John, and your repairs are expert and excellent! I look forward to the painting!

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

These are great finds for your collection, John, and your repairs are expert and excellent! I look forward to the painting!

Prost!
Brad

I have to sort out some slugs which are nibbling my courgettes, runner beans, and also flirting with my tomatoes first - but maybe this evening, I can make a start on these two and "Winston", Brad.

These old "Hunt" figures are getting more popular - but as my two looked so damaged - nobody else wanted them, so once again, I was the only bidder. jb

 

[Michael Seemann]

I also snap up these vintage toy soldiers in need of repair and restore them. Now I know who has been outbidding me!

 

[johnnybach]

I also snap up these vintage toy soldiers in need of repair and restore them. Now I know who has been outbidding me!

As stated - there was no other bidder on these two.

That's what e-bay is all about. If you want 'em badly enough - you buy 'em. jb

 

[Michael Seemann]

As stated - there was no other bidder on these two.

That's what e-bay is all about. If you want 'em badly enough - you buy 'em. jb

I was of course joshing. Besides, I see that you are located in the U.K., and I only bid on items located in N. America.

Cheers.

 

[johnnybach]

I was of course joshing. Besides, I see that you are located in the U.K., and I only bid on items located in N. America.

Cheers.

[/I]

Well, after getting my fingers burned on import taxes and additional Postal charges from items sourced from the USA - I also restrict my purchases to this side of the pond, these days, sadly.

And with Brexit looming - I can't see my horizons broadening much either. The World seems to be turning in on itself lately - but there may be a silver lining for UK manufacturers - who may sell more to UK residents as a result.

Small World looks set to get smaller. Ho-hum - so be it. jb

 

[Michael Seemann]

[/I]

Well, after getting my fingers burned on import taxes and additional Postal charges from items sourced from the USA - I also restrict my purchases to this side of the pond, these days, sadly.

And with Brexit looming - I can't see my horizons broadening much either. The World seems to be turning in on itself lately - but there may be a silver lining for UK manufacturers - who may sell more to UK residents as a result.

Small World looks set to get smaller. Ho-hum - so be it. jb

I know what you mean. I used to buy most of my model soldier kits from the U.K., but postage rates have really put the kabash on that practice largely. It is cheaper to buy the same kits already imported by U.S. vendors than directly from the manufacturer overseas because of this. Ditto the toy soldier project lots I'm buying off of eBay.

 

[johnnybach]

I know what you mean. I used to buy most of my model soldier kits from the U.K., but postage rates have really put the kabash on that practice largely. It is cheaper to buy the same kits already imported by U.S. vendors than directly from the manufacturer overseas because of this. Ditto the toy soldier project lots I'm buying off of eBay.

Well, I've been restoring figures - whether by painting - or repairing and painting for around 25 years now Mike - because just collecting them doesn't float my boat at all. This means that I normally do get my raw materials, so to speak, a lot cheaper. But yes, Postal charges are getting quite outrageous nowadays - so I also visit swap meets - or smallish TS shows or Car Boot sales etc.,and pick some up directly that way.

I was looking at a painted figure online, just the other day, being offered by a well known manufacture - and noted the price tag - $169!

I nearly fell off my chair. That's about £125 - which is considerably more than my grocery bill each week.

No thanks - I think that I will stick to doing what I REALLY enjoy most. Repairing, sometimes converting and repainting whatever I like, which is usually the true Hollowcast old figures I love best.

Here's one that I completed last night. Originally with only one leg left on the horse - this is my JoHillCo Cowgirl with pistol drawn and looking towards the rear. Just lovely, I think - and CONSIDERABLY less than $169 ! - and a whole heap of fun to do as well. (Note the three new legs - and a holster added by me - as JoHillCo forgot! ).

If you're doing the same as me - good luck to you - We are both saving these old pieces from the rubbish dump! - and I hope you get the same enjoyment in doing what you do, as I do from my hobby



Below see attached how she looked like when found (bottom left in this little job-lot).

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).

View attachment 233008

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

View attachment 233009

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.

View attachment 233010

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

View attachment 233011

And now that they are all fixed - and repainted once again - they now look like this. Hope you like 'em.

View attachment 233323View attachment 233324

And as I was photographing these - the doorbell rang - and two minutes later, La Commandante arrived with a small package. Inside was yet another small offering which I won on an e-bay auction. Yet more figures to add to my growing fox-hunt collection. This time the geezer in a Top Hat is astride a galloping nag - in need of a repair to his horse's rear right leg. The dogs were a bonus with this figure - and look to be complete! Yay!!{sm3} - that's a first! (All marked as Britains, by the way). jb


View attachment 233325

 

[johnnybach]

Looks like my last post included too many pics - so I'll show them again.

These are my repaired and repainted two figures of standing huntsman in Top hat - and galloping female hunter.



And here is my latest e-bay find - which arrived whilst I was photographing the two above.



jb

 

[blaster]

Those pooches just look fabulous. Woof!

Rgds Victor

 

[johnnybach]

Those pooches just look fabulous. Woof!

Rgds Victor

I agree Vic. I hadn't seen the sitting and lying down versions before - so was very well pleased that they came in this lot. I was really attracted though, by the Gent in the Topper on the galloping nag - so was even more pleased at winning the lot. He will complement my recently completed Female hunter in the bowler on a galloper, nicely jb

 

[johnnybach]

I thought that you might like to see these, which were made by Crescent sometime around the 1950's. They are a bit smaller than 54mm scale - at around 50mm; and they are Royal Scots Greys.

I show out in front, a fully painted version which I did some time ago. I was lucky enough to win these latest four in a job-lot, so decided that I would repair and paint these up to make up a small Troop of them.

They were just in what I would call a "rough" condition, when found. They had been painted over in just four colours - white, black, red and flesh colour - with a large brush! Yuk! There was one missing front raised leg on the horse immediately behind the painted one - which I replaced by pinning. So, just a clean up and the one repair for these.

I'll be repainting them later on, when the nights draw in.

Here they are for now. They are a bit wobbly - due to some bent legs - but I'll be making some new stands to match the completed one - which will make them far more stable.

 

[johnnybach]

I agree Vic. I hadn't seen the sitting and lying down versions before - so was very well pleased that they came in this lot. I was really attracted though, by the Gent in the Topper on the galloping nag - so was even more pleased at winning the lot. He will complement my recently completed Female hunter in the bowler on a galloper, nicely jb

Couldn't resist painting these up over the last few evenings. Gent on galloping horse with top-hat - being watched by four new dawgs - who look less interested in chasing after anything. jb



And just to remind you - this is how they looked when they arrived.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Here's one that I completed last night. Originally with only one leg left on the horse - this is my JoHillCo Cowgirl with pistol drawn and looking towards the rear. Just lovely, I think - and CONSIDERABLY less than $169 ! - and a whole heap of fun to do as well. (Note the three new legs - and a holster added by me - as JoHillCo forgot! ).



View attachment 233149View attachment 233150

jb

jb;

Your "JoHillCo Cowgirl" approaches some of my favourites of your work !
Something about 'Cowgirls'.

Always a pleasure to view your finished projects.

Thank you for posting.

 

[johnnybach]

jb;

Your "JoHillCo Cowgirl" approaches some of my favourites of your work !
Something about 'Cowgirls'.

Always a pleasure to view your finished projects.

Thank you for posting.

The something about them that I like - is that there ain't many of them thar Cowgirls about! As with female Toy Soldiers, there are many more male versions than females.

That Johillco Cowgirl, I think, is a Classic - and I had been looking for one for my collection for as long as I've been collecting cowboys. I think I got her, as her mount was quite broken originally, with work required to all four legs (and tail) of her horse - so was delighted to get a specimen at long last to fix up.

I currently have four "cowgirls" - so dragged 'em out from my cabinet - and took a pic for you.

The cowgirl on rearing Grey horse waving her hat is a Dorset original

The Johillco Gal you like is on the white horse - whilst the Rodeo Gal with whip is by this same maker.

The sharpshooting figure in buckskins is Annie Oakley by "Good Toy Soldiers" ( a small UK maker - with no web-site!).

There is another Annie Oakley by Crescent, carrying a double barrel shotgun - which I've been after for some time too - but she's quite rare - and whenever she's turned up on e-bay - I keep getting beaten at the end of the auction!! Drat! - keep looking. jb

 

[Ivanhoe]

The something about them that I like - is that there ain't many of them thar Cowgirls about! As with female Toy Soldiers, there are many more male versions than females.

That Johillco Cowgirl, I think, is a Classic - and I had been looking for one for my collection for as long as I've been collecting cowboys. I think I got her, as her mount was quite broken originally, with work required to all four legs (and tail) of her horse - so was delighted to get a specimen at long last to fix up.

I currently have four "cowgirls" - so dragged 'em out from my cabinet - and took a pic for you.

The cowgirl on rearing Grey horse waving her hat is a Dorset original

The Johillco Gal you like is on the white horse - whilst the Rodeo Gal with whip is by this same maker.

The sharpshooting figure in buckskins is Annie Oakley by "Good Toy Soldiers" ( a small UK maker - with no web-site!).

There is another Annie Oakley by Crescent, carrying a double barrel shotgun - which I've been after for some time too - but she's quite rare - and whenever she's turned up on e-bay - I keep getting beaten at the end of the auction!! Drat! - keep looking. jb

View attachment 233731

Thanks jb...Hope you do not mind, I saved this picture under "Johnny Bach's Cowgirls"...you are correct newest is a "Classic"...I do recall the one with the "Whip".

Love your 'restoration' of these wonderful olde-time figures...always gives me a smile to see them.

 

[johnnybach]

Thanks jb...Hope you do not mind, I saved this picture under "Johnny Bach's Cowgirls"...you are correct newest is a "Classic"...I do recall the one with the "Whip".

Love your 'restoration' of these wonderful olde-time figures...always gives me a smile to see them.

No I don't mind at all Floyd - in fact I'm quite flattered that you saved the pic at all. Thank you.

And yes - they make me smile too, now that they are all brand new and shiny once again. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Quite a while ago - a good friend of mine from Canada - showed me a picture of one of his "more modern" Britains.

This one:



Apparently, it was produced in the early 2000's for a short run, (Britains No. 40200); but I don't think the "Scots Grey in Winter Cloak" was ever produced as an old Hollowcast figure before that - or if it ever was, I have never seen one.

Now, I like Scots Greys - and that image never left me. I thought to myself, if ever an old damaged Hollowcast Britains Household Cavalry figure in Winter Cloak turns up with parts missing - I'll have a go at making one up myself.

Well - surprise, surprise - it just did!!!^&grin

Here's a couple of pics below of a cleaned up figure which was missing two lower front legs on the horse - and head and arm with sword for the rider when he arrived. You may be able to make out the newly pinned front legs - just completed - and also a new head and sword/arm for the rider. ( all parts from Dorset Model Soldiers). I'll make up a base for him tomorrow - and maybe start painting him when the footie's on ( roll on Rugby World Cup! - all this boring WC stuff on telly, is driving me nuts!).

 

[johnnybach]

I based, (pinned and glued), this repaired and converted figure up - and then proceeded to give him a paint-job, based upon the picture my friend sent me.

I came up with this figure below.

Note that he was originally a damaged Britains Hollowcast Life Guard, which looked pre-1950's, which came to me via e-bay - with two broken front legs on the horse - and no arm or head for the rider. All spare parts came from Dorset Model Soldiers. Two legs were pinned and glued. The head plugged straight in and was glued in place ( it has a spigot attached which slots straight in to the neck-hole). The gauntlet arm similarly slotted straight on to the cast-in rivet head ( suitably filed back).

I just love the resultant Hollowcast figure - which may even be unique - so hope you like him too.



Thanks go to my chum - for the idea. :salute:: jb