Some Scots Greys (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Here's a nice little project - that I've been saving up bits and pieces for.

Here's a pic below - which shows what I have been collecting up for about a year or so. The pic really shows - two parts to a small haul of figures. The unpainted pair, have been put together using broken Britains castings, repaired by using Dorset Soldiers spare parts. Both missing heads have been replaced - as have various horse legs - holes filled etc., to make up two Scots Guards Troopers.

The 5 painted ones are a little more special. They are a complete early set of 5 - with the date 1.11.1902 marked under the belly of each horse - so one of the first produced - BUT ALSO - in addition each is marked with the French word "Deposé". ( I'll show another pic AFTER paint is removed - so you can see the dates etc much better).

This means that the mould for these figures was once used in Britains' French Office in Paris (opened 1912) - though of course the moulds could probably have been returned and used again after the Paris Office closed in the 1920's. An interesting set, nevertheless.

Not all arms with swords at the carry you can see in the pic came with this lot - but a raid on my "spares" box came up with these old originals shown - so at least the five won't have new spare parts added.

Indeed, if one figure had not been damaged (see holes in top right painted figure), and the paintwork been better than the poor state they are now in - with quite a bit of overpainting too - I might have retained them without re-painting.

I WILL keep the Five French marked figures as a separate set - but will give all my best shot at a complete repaint for them all. Once completed, they can join my ever-growing collection of this fine body of soldiers. jb

 

[theBaron]

This'll be a pretty set when you've finished, John! I look forward to seeing your progress pics, too.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Obee]

They should look great when you bring them up to your standard

Will you also be adding a bugler or guidon ??

John

 

[johnnybach]

They should look great when you bring them up to your standard

Will you also be adding a bugler or guidon ??

John

Not this time John - I already covered those two specialist Troopers in previous repair/refurbs - and funnily enough, both of those also have the Deposé mark - although these two don't have a date mark.

Here they are: jb

 

[johnnybach]

I have now cleaned off the old paint and grunge from my five dated figures, after they all had a bath in oven cleaner.

Here's a pic of how they look at the moment. You can also probably see that I have begun filling in some holes in the bodywork of the damaged figure.



I have also added in a close-up view of one piece which I hope clearly shows the date (1.11.1902) - and the French word "Deposé", which was added to the original dated casting by Britains, to indicate Copyright to their french Office in Paris, whilst it was open for that few short years (1905-1923). All five have such marks - the remaining two figures on repaired cantering horses with more flowing tails - are neither dated or have the |French Office markings - so are NOT really part of this set of five. jb

 

[theBaron]

So this will give you, what, John-a little troop of nine, when you've finished them and add them to your others?

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

So this will give you, what, John-a little troop of nine, when you've finished them and add them to your others?

Prost!
Brad

I haven't really counted them all up Brad - but it's more than that. I have a mounted Band of 15 - plus odds and ends of figures by various manufacturers.

The Band was from Dorset Soldiers - but the others are from several broken/repaired finds.

I intend to keep the 5 French figures as an entity - but I'm sure that I'll try out various combinations - just to see how they all work together, as I've never been shy of mixing things up.

Here's a messy flash-snap of what I have in my cabinet at the moment. Just add on the seven newcomers - and that'll be what I have at the end (so far). It's taken me several years to get this far - but that's just the haphazard way my collection grows. I take what comes along - and have the fun of putting them in some sort of order.

[The Trooper in Winter Dress Cape, by the way - is a converted Britains Life Guard - he was missing head and arm when found and bits off his horse - so joined The Scots Greys instead - with new head and arm and bits from Dorset. Just for fun.]

The joy of buying job-lots - and repairing and refurbishing! jb

 

[johnnybach]

Here are some first pics of my 1902 set of Royal Scots Greys - now completed.

Note some modifications to figures, which have been repaired where necessary ( just small holes) and repainted.

The Officer has a larger plume added than his Other Ranks (OR's). This was made by inserting an extra piece of steel pin into the existing casting, and building up with Milliput. Once dry - just repainted. His sword hilt has been removed from the scabbard at the side of the horse, whilst the carbine/scabbard on the other side of the horse has also been removed completely - as an Officer would not normally carry one.

The four OR's have also had the sword hilt removed from the scabbard - as they each have the sword at the carry in right hand.

My other two RSG figures are still being completed - which are themselves repaired broken figures. I'm uncertain which exacat figures they originally were - but are on cantering horses - so were never produced by Britains as RSG's - so are conversions. I'll add these in once completed. jb

 

[johnnybach]

And here are the two repaired Cantering Horse RSG's, which to my best knowledge were never made by Britains.

As both of these were unidentifiable due to parts and paint loss (heads/ arms and horse legs), I decided to make them up with Dorset spare parts to that Regiment.

Here's a couple of pics of the results.