Spare parts for old Lucotte (3 Viewers)

[johnnybach]

In the meantime Dave - here's the first of my Lucottes now repaired - A French Officer - ready for duty in WW1, once more.

A simple but elegant figure, which turned out quite nicely - don't you think?

Now waiting for more spare parts for the other five figures - which I'm writing up right now. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Most of my spares list arrived today from Dorset.

So.................let's see how the parts fit my remaining five Lucottes - a couple of pics below.

My ordered "Russian hats" heads - turned out to be the familiar side-caps (Pilotka), which really didn't belong to WW1 - so I went with the familiar Adrian "French"helmet. Not such a bad choice, as Russia bought several hundred thousand of them from France in around 1916, as they were appalled at the sheer volume of head injuries being inflicted on their troops. Here's an interesting link - with loads of photos about that ( with many thanks).

https://alexanderandsonsrestorations.com/tsars-french-helmet-imperial-russian-adrian/



As you can see - all parts fitted quite well. My two French Infantry have been given a new head and rifle - the charging one has had a new rifle end with bayonet attached to what was originally left ( also see rifle end sprue - which is a spare part from Dorset. Just detach whatever you want and adapt). You can see that I drill into both new end and old part - and pin and glue together. The marching figure has also had a new arm and rifle/bayonet replacing the original much damaged arm/rifle.

The two "Russians" have also had missing heads replaced with Adrian helmet head. One is an infantryman - so has a similar replaced arm/rifle, whilst the other is a Trumpeter - and I've also given him a "plug in rifle" attached to his pack. My last figure has a new Indian Infantryman "Sepoy" head - and is straight out of Andrew Rose's book - as shown earlier in the thread - and is now marching at the slope - once again.

I'm really pleased that it has been so easy to replace missing parts - which can me made with just slight adjustments, to fit these Lucottes. The more so, as you realise that these parts from Dorset Model Soldiers - were really intende to fit Britains old soldiers. Just need to paint 'em up now. jb

 

[DMNamiot]

As usual the work you do is amazing! The office looks super and the repairs to the other figures look like they are coming along nicely! Thanks for the updates

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

As usual the work you do is amazing! The office looks super and the repairs to the other figures look like they are coming along nicely! Thanks for the updates

Dave

You're most welcome Dave - and thanks for the helpful advice which enabled me to get this far.

I have learned a lot about Lucotte's as we've gone along with this thread - and thanks also to all others who have chipped in with helpful information too. Some of the main things that I think I've learned - is that the current owner of the brand - isn't interested in helping anyone to repair any damaged specimens at all - and these, which date from the 1930's are no longer in their current range. BUT don't let that despair - as there ARE others who certainly can - and WILL help.

Dave found that "London Bridge" in the USA can provide spare parts that can be persuaded to fit Lucotte's - and I have done exactly the same here in the UK.

My spares came from Dorset Model Soldiers - and I bought them from their online catalogue, ordered them online, and had them posted to me around a week later!

How good is that! ^&grin

I have currently begun painting up my remaining five figures - to add to my one already completed - so will soon be the owner of six fully restored Lucotte's to represent Soldiers of WW1

Jolly good! Cheers all - jb:salute::

 

[johnnybach]

Here's an update on my Lucotte repairs so far. I've had a go at the Khaki clad Soldiers in my Lucotte stash first. Here's some pics of how I got on. Also see one of my Britains repaired marching soldiers; he's the one in the gas-mask - that I made up - you can't mistake him - he's first left! I included him in with my Lucotte figures - as his colour-scheme was practically the same (shades of khaki) - so whlist I had the can open................ . He is an amalgamation of parts from two broken specimens - plus an arm with rifle at the trail from Dorset.

Next along are my two "Russian Soldiers of WW1 - with the strange looking back-packs. I read somewhere, that Russians would often carry their items in a rolled-up tent, which would then either be strapped to their backs - or tied across their body - from shoulder to waist. Whatever! - that's how what was left of them came to me - so I retained the packs - and painted them up in a similar style. Both men have new heads ( original missing ) with Adrian style French helmets. Russia purchased hundreds of thousands of these from France in 1916 - though they really needed millions of them.

The first Russian soldier has an arm with rifle at the slope - replacing his previous arm with a partial butt only remaining. Note also that the bugler now has a new arm with trumpet, carried at the ready to relay commands from his Officer - and a rifle is now attached to his back-pack. His lanyard is original, by the way, and as it had traces of red paint still attached - I repainted it in similar fashion. I really do believe in retaining as much as possible of the original figure - whenever I can - when repairing any of my figures.

The third WW1 participant is an Indian Army Sepoy ( Infantry Soldier). From what was left of this figure - I deduced ( with a lot of help from my Eagle-eyed friend Dave [DMNamiot]), that this guy had his picture shown in the Andrew Rose book, "The Collectors all-colour Guide to Toy Soldiers" (Page 25, fiigure24). From this picture, I was therefore able to order a suitable turbaned head and arm with weapon from Dorset Model Soldiers. [ Prices begin at a modest 50 pence per item] - so a head, and weapon arm cost me a princely £1 - and I could begin fixing him up.

The last figure is the Officer with sword - that you saw earlier. jb

Just the two more french soldiers in Horizon blue tunics to go - and my Lucotte fixing-up days will be over. I'm left wondering if I'll ever get the chance to purchase any more of these rather rare birds ever again - in a job-lot, no less!!

Incredible!{sm3}

 

[johnnybach]

Last few pics of my Lucotte collection ( all six of 'em!).

Repairs and replacement parts for these six figures have now been completed in the old Glossy toy Soldier style - that I like so much. to reitterate what I have said before - these are rnot really "pure" Lucotte figures - as I found it was not possible to source any Lucotte spare parts from anyone I tried.

I repaired them with spare parts obtained from Dorset Model Soldiers - who did the best they could - from spare parts really meant for their versions of spares for repair of old hollowcast Britains Toy Soldiers. To their eternal credit - I think they don't look too bad at all - and just required a few tweaks to both figures and parts, to make them fit.

So.................if you find some too - you now know where to go for spare parts - both in the UK - and USA too, it seems.

Thanks again to all who contributed much needed information and advice in this thread, which was very much appreciated.

Hope you like 'em completed, as much as I do.

Best of luck - if you do find some - and decide to have a go.:salute:: jb

 

[DMNamiot]

Johnny they look great! I really like the ones in blue uniforms. You did a great job thanks for sharing them

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

Johnny they look great! I really like the ones in blue uniforms. You did a great job thanks for sharing them

Dave

Thanks Dave - glad you like them - and for your fact-finding for me - which is VERY much appreciated.

I like the French Horizon blue tunics too. But Man......what a tempting target!!! I particularly liked the spare pair of boots strapped to the side of the backpack with these two figures. The only thing to not like much - are the very narrow stands they occupy - which makes them rather unstable. I kept them that way though - because it isn't all that likely that I'll ever get a chance of any more - and I wanted to keep them as authentic looking as I could ( okay - even with all of the non-standard bits I added on!{sm4}).

Best - jb:salute::

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Johnny

I totally get what you mean by wanting to keep them as authentic as possible they look great. I too noticed that these and Mignot both have pretty narrow bases. Still I really like how you painted them. Looking forward to seeing your work on the rest of that musical display. Love those mounted figures the best. Dave

 

[theBaron]

Excellent repair and finish, John!

You make a good point about the narrow bases and the figures' stability, too. That's probably something that contributed to the condition they were in when you acquired them.

Comet's early figures were like that, too--bases too narrow for the figure, and they tended to fall to one side or the other, and then parts would break off.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Excellent repair and finish, John!

You make a good point about the narrow bases and the figures' stability, too. That's probably something that contributed to the condition they were in when you acquired them.

Comet's early figures were like that, too--bases too narrow for the figure, and they tended to fall to one side or the other, and then parts would break off.

Prost!
Brad

Thanks Brad - and yes - I agree, not a lot of thought given in their original construction over stability. I was tempted to rebase them - but as they are my one and only find like this - I decided to keep them looking as original as possible , (given my non-original repairs). I won't be too hard on them though - as if you know of a potential weakness - you can adjust the way you handle them accordingly.

I think that they must have a high lead content too - as they are very heavy for their size - but very easy to work with, as the metal is soft. But as they were made around the 1930's, that is to be expected. Nice to paint though.

They should be okay - for as long as they remain in my care. I sometimes wonder just how many pairs of hands they have been through - and owners such oldies have.

A very nice and unexpected find - in a job-lot of broken bits and pieces however jb

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Johnny

I totally get what you mean by wanting to keep them as authentic as possible they look great. I too noticed that these and Mignot both have pretty narrow bases. Still I really like how you painted them. Looking forward to seeing your work on the rest of that musical display. Love those mounted figures the best. Dave

Me too Dave. I'm still working on my RHG project - alongside the variety of figures found in my last couple of job-lots - which amounted to over 80 figures ( which included these Lucotte figures). Stops you getting stale - by ringing the changes this way.

Whilst we are on the subject of Cavalry - I have some good news to report.

Bob Prati, of RP World Models, has been doing a Special Offer on some of his range of castings for some time now. If you were to buy some figures before Xmas, he offers a healthy reduction of 33% off the normal purchase price.

I sent off a speculative e-mail - asking whether this also applied to his Mounted Life Guard Band - and to my surprise - IT DOES!

So................Johnnybach is now working on the idea of getting the Band that I have been after for some considerable time from RPWM! I'm currently trying to find out whether they do a Bombardon instrument - as I would love to make it an early Victorian Band. As RPWM do gold-plated musical instruments for the brass sections - they will look pretty darned good when completed.

So............watch this space for developments .....................and in the meantime .........this is one I made earlier from RPWM.......It's the Army Air Corps Band - which shows off those gold plated instruments nicely. How cool is that?^&cool

 

[DMNamiot]

I am intrigued and will keep an eye out for more photos! Gold plated instruments seems extravagant but I am still intrigued.

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

I am intrigued and will keep an eye out for more photos! Gold plated instruments seems extravagant but I am still intrigued.

Dave

That's why I attached the pic of my AAC Band - so you could see how nice the instruments really are. I'm guessing that the amount of gold used in the plating process is tiny. But in real life - they certainly give a bit more of a va-va-voom to the figures, than ordinary gold paint.

They are really quite clever at how they do the instruments. They cast in the hands on the instruments - and then you overpaint the gold on the hands only in either flesh or white (gloves), leaving the rest of the instrument in it's glittering gold. Then you carefully fit the arms to the body of the casting. The arms have slots in them at the cuff - which the ready painted hands slide into. Once you are satisfied with the positioning - you can then glue them in place, in whatever position is required.

It works out a treat - here's another view of the AAC band.