The Long and winding road (1 Viewer)

[NZGary]

The path of being a toy soldier collector has been a wonderful departure from the humdrum of being a senior government auditor. I have been lucky that my job allows me to look at the performance of organisations and subject matter rich and diverse in its nature. It has taken me around the world from all parts of the UK, New Zealand, Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Australian mainland and currently Tasmania. But I confess to being a history nut. A passion that has been with me all my life. And somehow through some weird and wonderful connection collecting toy soldiers helps me satisfy my passion. Of course, this is linked to and only enhanced by reading about the history of the rea and conflict the ‘little guys’ represent.

 

[NZGary]

My passion is all encompassing. And here lies the rub and no doubt keeps me poor and perhaps not focused on spending my money where it should be spent. I do not have a favourite when it comes to toy soldiers. Any ere or conflict, any manufacture gloss or matte, makes no difference to me. I love them all! I collect what I like with unrestricted abandon. I am loyal to none. Diversity is king in my world as serving up the same thing every time has its limitations.

 

[NZGary]

There are of course the ‘go to’ manufactures. And I have recently documented my collecting habits with these icons of our collecting world on this very forum. William Britain’s, K&C, Thomas Gunn, John Jenkins Designs and the sadly demised Conte Collectables all form the backbone of my collection.
But there were others. Oh so many other manufactures that I have been tempted to purchase from time to time. I feel they give my collection a point of difference, diversity and allows me to mix and match my figures. You can tell I am no purest.

 

[NZGary]

When I started collecting it was a mad scramble to get hold of as many figures in a short a space of time as possible – but apart from the model shop in my home town where to get hold of them. The internet was not as developed as it is today with website from dealers and manufactures only just starting to be developed. But I came across Rose Miniatures and commissioned some homespun US Cavalry and Crusader knights to add to my Britain’s figures in the small cabinet they resided in. The smaller glossy nature of these figures was hard to digest to start with and I stuck to an expanding collection using the now established larger manufactures mentioned previously.

 

[NZGary]

Fast forward a few years to an October day in the small Somerset town of Yeovil (UK). I was leading a team doing some audit work for the local Council and was going to be onsite for a week. I had grabbed the latest edition of Toy Soldier Magazine on the way out on that autumn Monday morning. I opened it after dinner in the hotel and resplendent on the cover was East Of India’s new ancient Greeks. A shiny phalanx that was oh so tempting. I phoned up a UK dealer (Maison Militaire) and grabbed around dozen boxes of the Greeks. They were smaller than other manufactures figures but were well sculpted and painted. They certainly had the wow factor in my diorama attic room that had replaced the small dining room cabinet many years previous. Many more Greeks and Persians were added over a two year period to splendidly recreate the Battle of Marathon.

 

[NZGary]

Next up came figures produced by Maison Militaire under the guise of Heritage Miniatures. I was tempted by their English Civil War Roundhead Pike and Musket men. These well-crafted figures were also joined by 24 American Civil War Union and Confederate cavalry to swell my ranks from battles fought on hallowed ground. Zulu and Sudan War British Cavalry and Chinese Boxers were also interesting additions to my collection.

 

[NZGary]

I was now up and running with ordering from more and more diverse manufactures. The dreamlike release of Conquistadors and Aztec Warriors from Morgan Miniatures was too much to resist. Such colour and vitality from these chunky figures was a joy to behold in the palm of my hand. I got around 50 figures way before JJD decided to tackle this unique conflict. I also got hold of a few French Foreign Legion and Mexican opposition from the French and Maximillian takeover in the 1860’s just for good measure.

 

[NZGary]

Trawling through websites I came across Frontline Figures. How had I missed these little beauties? I was bewitched by the Sudan War figures, long before the Britain’s ‘War along the Nile’ releases. I used the now old fashioned approach of phoning up their UK business address. I got disheartening news. They had long sold out and were discontinued. They would have a look in their garage to see if any remained but didn’t hold out much hope. A day or so later I got a call back saying they had found some stock in a dusty corner long forgotten about. Not just any old stock but about 20 boxes including 7 Mahdists on camels, British infantry and a mountain gun team. I could have the lot for half price! Of course I jumped at the chance.

Later I added around 30 ACW cavalry, infantry and artillery, a great Confederate marching band and I went big into FIW sets. I loved the white uniforms of the French. I got some of the last FF releases with the Seven Years War Prussians and Swedish troops. How I wished I had picked up some of their Napoleonic’s though.

 

[NZGary]

I confess to having a mixed relationship with Figarti. It did some great ‘shock and or pieces’ and I paid a lot of money for a 1/30 scale German E-Boat. I picked up some Japanese Pacific WW2 figures including a great tank with jungle bunker. I went modern era with a Vietnam War motor boat straight out of ‘Apocalypse Now’ together with more later produced US figures and Helicopter. I also got an Abrahams Tank and US figures from the Gulf War era. Probably my favourite items were WW2 winter Russian tractor and gun and German six horse gun team. A V2 rocket set up was also a thing of beauty and went well with Thomas Gunn late war rocket releases. I also had a number of planes but found a lot of Figarti’s pieces arrived broken or paint chipped. This probably stopped me from going further into this manufactures items. I wished I had got the ‘Anzio Annie’ railway gun though.

 

[NZGary]

I suppose at the top end of affordability has been the offerings of First Legion. I like their stuff but again there are some issues with broken or paint chipped items. I got stung initially with the smaller size items for the Afrika Korps motorcycles and scout vehicle. Getting over this disappointment was a hard one but French Napoleonic Carbinairies restored my faith. The Polish Winged Hussars have been a great success and AWI, ACW, Agincourt, Greeks, Renaissance and Crusaders were all additions. My favourites are the two ‘Retreat from Moscow’ slays and a brilliant Persian War elephant.

 

[NZGary]

I have dabbled with Collectors Showcase items, which are generally more affordable than most manufactures. French Napoleonic cavalry are probably my best examples. ACW Union sharpshooters, Louisiana Tigers, AWI British cannon, Napoleonic RHA six horse gun team and 95[SUP]th[/SUP] rifles have all found their way into my collection. Roman War elephants were more affordable than most others on the market although Roman cavalry were smaller in size than expected and proved to be a disappointment while the Celtic chariot was far more successful. Zulu War cavalry are also good chunky robust figures.

 

[NZGary]

Moving to New Zealand we happened to buy our weekend residence in the only town (and it’s a very small one) that manufactures toy soldiers in the whole of Australasia. And there were two of them. I first spied the tiny shop of glossy toy soldier maker Imperial Productions. I grabbed some colourful Napoleonic’s in my time living there. But my go to (and living only 100 metres from me) were Regal Enterprises. The Farley brothers did a lot of commission work for me including New Zealand Land Wars, Boxer Rebellion, WW1 NZ and Maori troops, American/Mexican War, Pacific island warriors (made by Gary Hunt) and a large amount of Battle of Hastings figures. I loved their Norman cavalry that seemed as if they had come straight out of the Bayeux Tapestry.

 

[NZGary]

More recently Team Miniatures has got me excited. Not to start with as I resisted the first nation Indians and Roman gladiators but Boxer Rebellion, Mongols, Russo/Japanese War, Boer War and Franco/Prussian War figures have got me collecting their figures with unbridled enthusiasm. They are my new source of wonder and excitement in our hobby.

 

[NZGary]

I love the colours and style of painting from Beau Geste and have around 20 sets at the moment. I have resisted so far the Deli Duba elephants but one day I am sure I will ping off an email to Ana in Argentina to get hold of some of these exquisite items.

 

[NZGary]

Nostalgia has got a hold of me with old Britain’s style figures from California based William Hocker. The retro style is great but also the subject matter covers many conflicts such as the Ashanti Campaign in Colonial Africa that I cannot get hold of anywhere else.

 

[NZGary]

I remember visiting Cornwall several years ago (an old stomping ground for my wife and I) and renting a cottage for our wider family on a trip back from NZ to the motherland. I wanted to book up a romantic meal at the restaurant where I went with my then new girlfriend on our first date. I sneaked out and got the short ferry ride across from our remote cottage to the city of Truro and booked a table. I stopped off for a coffee in the town before returning and while waiting for my beverage I was trawling my phone and came across Madrid based manufacturer Kronprinz. Spanish themed figures from The Spanish Civil War, Napoleonic’s, Renascence, Pavia and others were ordered. I started with Spanish Naps and fell in love with their sculpting and painting style.

 

[NZGary]

Alexanders Toy Soldiers were raided for English Civil War, Unusual Tudor figures, Battle of the Boyne and Napoleons Egyptian campaign Mamelukes. While slightly smaller in size these are great figures. I went for some of the higher end stuff on the website and got French Napoleonic Artillery train horse drawn vehicles.

 

[NZGary]

Little Legion and Dorset Toy soldiers added to my Sudan Campaign while Indian army figures were purchased from several manufactures on the eve of my New Zealand emigration arriving the day before we left Old Blighty and stashed in my suitcase. I dabbled in Somerset figures from the Lawrence of Arabia series and loved the rather heavyweight desert armoured cars.

 

[villagehorse]

Such a diverse and far reaching collection of TS’s, most of which I have never seen or knew they existed. Fortunately I have some limit to what I like to collect, as if I had your mind set Gary, I would have long ago perished financially. You certainly can lay claim to having one of the largest TS’s collections that exist on the planet. Still find it intriguing to listen to your journey in acquiring these little treasures. Robin.

 

[NZGary]

Blackhawk gave me 17 figures from Custer’s last stand at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. While the wow factor was provided by the Wild West stage coach. Something I could never have built and painted from the kits available. And one of the more anticipated items that took an age to arrive on my doormat was the Carthaginian War elephant. This was a great item and sits alongside the Thomas Gunn Carthaginian War elephant and I suspect an offering from JJD next year.