Soldiers of the World rarities (1 Viewer)

[Haphazard]

Hi Al,
My understanding of the whole situation with SOW is that the brand and distribution rights in North America are owned by Anthony Ciccarello, which is the Toy Soldier Gallery and Armies in Plastic, while the molds and the distribution rights in the rest of the world are owned by Regal. The Sow and AiP figures look the same as they are made from the same molds.
The way it's been explained to me is that the Toy Soldier Gallery will receive an order which is forwarded on to Regal to cast and paint and then shipped. The photos I took of the Matte Civil War figures two weeks ago were actually an order from the Toy Soldier Gallery, so it must be possible to order through them.
Maybe if you know exactly what you want you just have to contact them and let them know?

 

[boerboy]

Hi Al,
Maybe if you know exactly what you want you just have to contact them and let them know?

I think this is a problem: we do not know what they have to offer because they do not have an on-line catalog with detailed pictures and prices in USD!
Even pictures on NZ website are quite poor and small

Your blog is actually the best source of information on S-O-W sets and ranges now, you should really ask them to pay you a % of their sales

In my book: Regal has a very poor executed marketing model and they are surely loosing a lot of on-line customers which is sad because they make very nice figures.

It would be much easy for me to take 1.5 hour ride to the Stockade Miniatures store and see what they have in stock then talk with guys from the Toy Soldier Gallery to find out what they have and how it look like ....

I personally think that S-O-W could be the second Trophy" if their sets were more innovative and pictured some actual historic events as Trophy did. They also need to add "heavy equipment" to their ranges because without it, their ranges look a bit old-fashioned and "boring".

If Ian needs some advice in this department, he can give me a buzz

Just my humble opinion.

Al

P.S I personally did not like their new Russian mounted cossacks: they did not pick the best ones (I would rather go with His Majesty Own Cossack Guards) and their uniform is not quite accurate.

However Regal did a great job with Sudan War Egyptian cavalry sets and I am going to get them for my collection

 

[theweinz]

Haphazard,
Thanks for the info, looks like my Landwehr may be rare! I have to agree with Al. It is too bad Regel/SOW figures to not have better availability in the US. I remember in the late 1980s buying sets of SOW from Tony when he was in Highland Falls NY. At that time he had every set they were producing and excellent stock. Hope availability improves. JW

 

[Haphazard]

I think this is a problem: we do not know what they have to offer because they do not have an on-line catalog with detailed pictures and prices in USD!

Hi AL
I totally agree with you and talking to Ian they themselves can't understand it either. He didn't say this but I get the feeling that Tony might be concentrating on the AiP and not worrying about SoW which doesn't help you guys in America much.

In my book: Regal has a very poor executed marketing model and they are surely loosing a lot of on-line customers which is sad because they make very nice figures.

And I've said the same thing too, but I have to say in their defence they have started to get their web site sorted out, getting all the ranges on there and photos, though it will take time, Ian told me today that there are 92 different WWI sets alone! I know this doesn't help you in America since you can't buy from Regal directly, which to me is the obvious solution.

They also need to add "heavy equipment" to their ranges because without it, their ranges look a bit old-fashioned and "boring".

I agree, and that will change. I know for sure (because I'm building it) there is a WWI Mobile field kitchen in the works, and after you asking about Boer War guns they've asked me to have a go at making some. I've been a wargamer for a long time and have designed and built my own scenery and buildings and have dabbled in model making so it's a good time to see if I can make living out of it. Wish me luck.

looks like my Landwehr may be rare!

Hi JW, rarer than you think, Ian told me today that they only ever produced three complete sets of the Landwehr, which is a total of only 15 figures.

Scott

 

[PolarBear]

I emailed Ian recently and he said that Americans can order directly from the Regal website.


Randy

 

[boerboy]

I emailed Ian recently and he said that Americans can order directly from the Regal website.
Randy

It's good news, Randy...
It would be nice to have prices in USD as well but shipping from NZ is not exactly cheap
Al

 

[theweinz]

Scott,
Thanks for all your excellent information. You are quite the contact. I always keep my eyes open for SoW sets, excellent quality stuff. Thanks for the numbers on the Prussian Landwehr! I cannot believe I own a set. take care.
JW

Hi AL
I totally agree with you and talking to Ian they themselves can't understand it either. He didn't say this but I get the feeling that Tony might be concentrating on the AiP and not worrying about SoW which doesn't help you guys in America much.



And I've said the same thing too, but I have to say in their defence they have started to get their web site sorted out, getting all the ranges on there and photos, though it will take time, Ian told me today that there are 92 different WWI sets alone! I know this doesn't help you in America since you can't buy from Regal directly, which to me is the obvious solution.



I agree, and that will change. I know for sure (because I'm building it) there is a WWI Mobile field kitchen in the works, and after you asking about Boer War guns they've asked me to have a go at making some. I've been a wargamer for a long time and have designed and built my own scenery and buildings and have dabbled in model making so it's a good time to see if I can make living out of it. Wish me luck.



Hi JW, rarer than you think, Ian told me today that they only ever produced three complete sets of the Landwehr, which is a total of only 15 figures.

Scott

 

[boerboy]

Hi AL
I totally agree with you and talking to Ian they themselves can't understand it either. He didn't say this but I get the feeling that Tony might be concentrating on the AiP and not worrying about SoW which doesn't help you guys in America much.

I agree, and that will change. I know for sure (because I'm building it) there is a WWI Mobile field kitchen in the works, and after you asking about Boer War guns they've asked me to have a go at making some. I've been a wargamer for a long time and have designed and built my own scenery and buildings and have dabbled in model making so it's a good time to see if I can make living out of it. Wish me luck.


Scott

Thank you for your reply, Scott. Good luck
See my e-mail in PM.
Al

 

[churchmouse1]

Not to cause trouble, but is this the Regal which was marketing itself as Regal Imperial a while back and selling ACW soldiers that were obvious knock-offs of David Cowes' soldiers? I notice that Regal is also based in Greytown, NZ. Just wondering what the history of the company is, because on the website they spend more time describing the history of Greytown's gum tree than of their own company.

Dave

 

[maddadicus]

Not to cause trouble, but is this the Regal which was marketing itself as Regal Imperial a while back and selling ACW soldiers that were obvious knock-offs of David Cowes' soldiers? I notice that Regal is also based in Greytown, NZ. Just wondering what the history of the company is, because on the website they spend more time describing the history of Greytown's gum tree than of their own company.

Dave

I have a number of older Regal sets, and there body type could never be confused with Imperials, which were more slight. The painting style was similar but that was where it ended. Used to buy them from Stockade Miniatures in PA...USA. Michael

 

[Haphazard]

I'd have to agree with Michael, the body type's are much different, Regal's being bigger and stockier and Imperial's being more slight.

As for the history of Regal, the information I have is that Ian and Alan used to work at Imperial, Ian I think was the manager. They obviously had a falling out as they left in the early 90's. What they fell out over however I have no idea, though I guess I could find out, though I'm a bit reluctant too, there's always two sides to a dispute and I wouldn't want to be dragged in to taking sides. I just like toy soldiers, whoever makes them.
Ian has told me however that they got back into the Toy Soldier business when Tony Ciccarello of the Toy Soldier Gallery contacted them and commissioned them to start making the SOW range based on figures which Tony had actually made. I guess from there the next step is making your own figures.
As far as I'm aware they've never marketed themselves as Regal Imperial. I've seen some of their figures listed on e-bay as Regal Imperial but I guess that's confusion on the sellers part.

Scott

 

[thebritfarmer]

Not to cause trouble, but is this the Regal which was marketing itself as Regal Imperial a while back and selling ACW soldiers that were obvious knock-offs of David Cowes' soldiers? I notice that Regal is also based in Greytown, NZ. Just wondering what the history of the company is, because on the website they spend more time describing the history of Greytown's gum tree than of their own company.

Dave

I think you may be right Dave, I seem to recall a discussion on here from a while back.

 

[thebritfarmer]

Here is the initial thread that started the Regal/Imperial discussion :-

http://www.treefrogtreasures.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9806&highlight=regal