Isandlwana
Sergeant
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2007
- Messages
- 645
I create this post based on my own personal experience and observations.
I suspect that I am not alone in saying that my first exposure to the Zulu War came as a direct result of 'Hollywood'. In fact it was Zulu Dawn and not Zulu that I myself first watched. I was eight years of age and the seed was metaphorically implanted. I wanted to find out more. At that time the AZW had a limited amount of literature devoted to it, much of which was dated and subsequently turned out to be extremely flawed. Today, the AZW is by far and away the most written about and eulogised 'little war' emanating from Victoria's reign. In fact it has become saturated, with only Ian Knight's and John Laband's tireless works being worthy of attention.
I have read almost every published book, essay and pamphlet that has been written on the subject (yes, even Saul David’s abortion of a book) and it has been part of my life for the entire 31 years since I first watched Bob Hoskins, Peter O'Toole et al on Betamax video! In 2005 I finally lived the dream by visiting the battlefields with Ian Knight on the much recommended Holts Tour. Indeed when iSandlwana first came into view I wept.
However, it was on the 2005 Holts Tour I noted that at the age of 31 I was by far and away the youngest person on the tour. I thought this may have something to do with my being more affluent than most people my age; the Holts Tour is not cheap! Nevertheless, I surmised that this was not the reason for when attending subsequent lectures and museum exhibitions I still found that I was very young in comparison with other attendees.
Therefore it has come to my very real attention that the majority of AZW enthusiasts are of an aging persuasion! I don’t see the younger enthusiasts. The subject can surely not garner many more literary works, unless something huge and ultimately unlikely emerges from the murky depths of somewhere that can shed new light on events.
There is nothing left to read.
Therefore my own interests have moved away from the AZW and now I have begun to concentrate on WW1, following a brief dalliance with the Second Boer War. I had family killed on both the Western Front and in the Middle East. I didn’t have that personal connection with AZW, no matter how hard I looked for and longed for one. WW1 now resonates within me as does it for many, along with WW2. On every visit I have made to the Somme & Ypres I see schoolchildren in their hundreds being shown around the battlefields. They connect with the killing grounds and them with the children. The World Wars have new enthusiasts ‘signing up’ each and every day. The thirst for further knowledge almost tangible.
The contrast between the World Wars and the AZW is becoming more and more distinct. The World Wars will continue to live and thrive as it continues to form part of our school curriculum, whereas the AZW is in very real danger of reverting back to one of Victoria’s ‘Forgotten Wars’. The people interested in the demise of the Zulu kingdom are fundamentally old.
So, does this have or will it have an impact on Toy Soldier collecting? Possibly. The AZW will continue to have its place in the market for the time being because, much like the subject matter, Toy Soldier collecting is by and large the hobby of the more mature person. You only have to attend Fairs & Shows to see the ‘Silver Pound/Dollar’ is King. WB’s AZW range could in fact become a victim of its own success, if indeed it already has not. Not long ago ‘Cold Steel’ the first WB Modelzone exclusive was sold on ebay for £770. £770! This does not exactly encourage the younger collector to part with his/her(maybe) ‘pound/dollar’ when considering which range to collect. It’s fantastic for those of us that have this piece but surely this doesn’t help the range or indeed the hobby in the long run. Obviously I don’t know who bought this figure but I suspect it wasn’t a 14 year old, wet behind the ears, BMX riding schoolchild!
Another worry is that the money being spent to purchase older models on the secondary market is not being spent on the more recently produced ones directly from the manufacturer.
So, in an extremely verbose roundabout way I ask these questions: has the AZW a very limited and ever decreasing appeal with both the amateur historian and Toy Soldier collector? Are there any new, young enthusiasts out there? Have collectors been put off the range because they know that to collect the back catalogue would cripple them financially? If so, what range do you now collect? Are there any, like me, that have ‘grown out’ of their Zulu War phase?
I suspect that I am not alone in saying that my first exposure to the Zulu War came as a direct result of 'Hollywood'. In fact it was Zulu Dawn and not Zulu that I myself first watched. I was eight years of age and the seed was metaphorically implanted. I wanted to find out more. At that time the AZW had a limited amount of literature devoted to it, much of which was dated and subsequently turned out to be extremely flawed. Today, the AZW is by far and away the most written about and eulogised 'little war' emanating from Victoria's reign. In fact it has become saturated, with only Ian Knight's and John Laband's tireless works being worthy of attention.
I have read almost every published book, essay and pamphlet that has been written on the subject (yes, even Saul David’s abortion of a book) and it has been part of my life for the entire 31 years since I first watched Bob Hoskins, Peter O'Toole et al on Betamax video! In 2005 I finally lived the dream by visiting the battlefields with Ian Knight on the much recommended Holts Tour. Indeed when iSandlwana first came into view I wept.
However, it was on the 2005 Holts Tour I noted that at the age of 31 I was by far and away the youngest person on the tour. I thought this may have something to do with my being more affluent than most people my age; the Holts Tour is not cheap! Nevertheless, I surmised that this was not the reason for when attending subsequent lectures and museum exhibitions I still found that I was very young in comparison with other attendees.
Therefore it has come to my very real attention that the majority of AZW enthusiasts are of an aging persuasion! I don’t see the younger enthusiasts. The subject can surely not garner many more literary works, unless something huge and ultimately unlikely emerges from the murky depths of somewhere that can shed new light on events.
There is nothing left to read.
Therefore my own interests have moved away from the AZW and now I have begun to concentrate on WW1, following a brief dalliance with the Second Boer War. I had family killed on both the Western Front and in the Middle East. I didn’t have that personal connection with AZW, no matter how hard I looked for and longed for one. WW1 now resonates within me as does it for many, along with WW2. On every visit I have made to the Somme & Ypres I see schoolchildren in their hundreds being shown around the battlefields. They connect with the killing grounds and them with the children. The World Wars have new enthusiasts ‘signing up’ each and every day. The thirst for further knowledge almost tangible.
The contrast between the World Wars and the AZW is becoming more and more distinct. The World Wars will continue to live and thrive as it continues to form part of our school curriculum, whereas the AZW is in very real danger of reverting back to one of Victoria’s ‘Forgotten Wars’. The people interested in the demise of the Zulu kingdom are fundamentally old.
So, does this have or will it have an impact on Toy Soldier collecting? Possibly. The AZW will continue to have its place in the market for the time being because, much like the subject matter, Toy Soldier collecting is by and large the hobby of the more mature person. You only have to attend Fairs & Shows to see the ‘Silver Pound/Dollar’ is King. WB’s AZW range could in fact become a victim of its own success, if indeed it already has not. Not long ago ‘Cold Steel’ the first WB Modelzone exclusive was sold on ebay for £770. £770! This does not exactly encourage the younger collector to part with his/her(maybe) ‘pound/dollar’ when considering which range to collect. It’s fantastic for those of us that have this piece but surely this doesn’t help the range or indeed the hobby in the long run. Obviously I don’t know who bought this figure but I suspect it wasn’t a 14 year old, wet behind the ears, BMX riding schoolchild!
Another worry is that the money being spent to purchase older models on the secondary market is not being spent on the more recently produced ones directly from the manufacturer.
So, in an extremely verbose roundabout way I ask these questions: has the AZW a very limited and ever decreasing appeal with both the amateur historian and Toy Soldier collector? Are there any new, young enthusiasts out there? Have collectors been put off the range because they know that to collect the back catalogue would cripple them financially? If so, what range do you now collect? Are there any, like me, that have ‘grown out’ of their Zulu War phase?
