Things that are amazing that we don't own! (2 Viewers)

[zblang]

I decided we should have a thread just to share amazing things that we see from Russian manufacturers that we'd love to own but don't.

I'll start with this beauty.

It is Knight in ceremonial armor, Western Europe, the beginning of the XVI century.
Sculptor Valery Byzov, Artist Margarita Mikhailova, 1/14 scale (120mm)

All photos can be found here: http://ruvit.ru/details.php?id=1662

 

[BLReed]

I have this one. Plus, several others. Now I no longer send dollars to Russia.
More choices. http://www.ebay.com/sch/Toys-Hobbies-/220/i.html?_nkw=russian+vityaz&_frs=1



This one should be a big seller.

 

[zblang]

you don't send money to Russia as a political issue or as a security issue (re: banking,etc)? Just curious bc I've never had an issue

 

[BLReed]

you don't send money to Russia as a political issue or as a security issue (re: banking,etc)? Just curious bc I've never had an issue

I've never had a security issue or banking etc. But then I keep a separate bank for use only with such transactions,
and only transfer enough to cover matter at hand.

 

[tryfon]

Hi the 2 Greeks , one who is injured is that 54mm and were can this be obtained from or the kit
very nice
Trevor

 

[Mirof]

I decided we should have a thread just to share amazing things that we see from Russian manufacturers that we'd love to own but don't.

I'll start with this beauty.

It is Knight in ceremonial armor, Western Europe, the beginning of the XVI century.
Sculptor Valery Byzov, Artist Margarita Mikhailova, 1/14 scale (120mm)

All photos can be found here: http://ruvit.ru/details.php?id=1662

Let's be realist http://ruvit.ru/ru/pages/221
on foot from 700$ to ....
on horse from 2000$ to ....
120mm foot 4000$ to ....
120mm horse 10000$

those prices are insane


at those prices you can buy every Gold Medal winners from all competitons across the world

 

[zblang]

That's why its "things we don't own"! Haha.

 

[nmrocks]

What are toy soldiers and what is art? After visiting Mirof's links it is quite obvious that these are not toy soldiers but art in it's truest form. People would not hesitate to spend 10s of Thousands or more on an original canvas painting by a great artist because it does rise above and stands the test of time. I frankly see little difference between these and canvas other than the obvious medium and I would venture that while they do not have the acceptance that canvas has now these type of work will sustain and maybe one day will be recognized with the greats of human artistry. I have no problem seeing a Southerby's auction in 100 years of these figure that would draw what we mere mortals consider insane prices.
Ray

 

[BLReed]

Hi the 2 Greeks , one who is injured is that 54mm and were can this be obtained from or the kit
very nice

Available from: http://ruvit.ru/
Most Russian Vityaz items are Special Order .
It is 120mm metal: Spartans [more views here http://ruvit.ru/details.php?id=70
The death of the King of Sparta Leonidas in the Battle of Thermopylae , 480 BC
Sculptor Viktor Grachev
Artist Svetlana Novikova

I don't know if it is available as a kit. Probably not.
Perhaps you can ask: ORDER : vityazr@gmail.com

 

[zblang]

I agree with Ray - my one caveat as to these expensive figures is the limitedness (I know, not a word) of them. If there are hundreds made, the thing better be cheap. Many of the Vityaz figures are made in 5s and 10s.
The only issue is that you can commission a piece from a sculptor you love and have it painted by a painter you love for less money and have a one of a kind.
From a collectible stand point, a ltd edition from a known company may appreciate in value more than a one of a kind item. I personally collect for me in the present so don't care. That being said, I have no intention of dropping $10,000 on one figure! (for now.....)

On a side note - I love that we have discussions in the Russian forum now. For so long it was just picture posting

 

[Alex]

Very interesting discussion
I would like to give my point of view as a collector and painter of miniatures.

A mounted 120 mm knight will take hundreds of hours to paint it right.
I'm working now on a standing 90 mm Samurai and it takes a lot of time to paint.. all that freehand work is driving me crazy.. So let's be realistic here : nobody is going to sell you a high quality 120 mm knight riding on horse for less than 5.000$ ..
Those kind of miniatures are true work of arts and should be treated as such.
I think that the Arsenyev studio is charging a little bit too much for what they sell (and I have noticed a small drop in their overall quality for 54mm figures lately) but they were at the top the pyramid... until now when painters are selling more and more directly to the customers.
As you have noticed a lot of russian painters use what they call tempera paint and acrylics. Real tempera paint is well known for being fragile compared to oil paints. However, I do not think they do use real tempera. I don't like the fact that sometimes they do not prime their figure with as much care as I do. So be careful with your high end miniatures :

- do not expose them to high change in room temperature which will cause metal expansion and contraction increasing the risk of paint peeling
- do not expose them to UV / light : which means : no direct sunlight, no halogen lighting, and cover them when not on display. Otherwise, all those magnificent colors will start to fade very very fast (matter of days).

Happy collecting !

Alex

 

[Alex]

when talking about price vs size, we have to understand that you increase exponentially the time required to paint a miniature when you go from a 54, to a 75 to a 90 and then to a 120 mm figure. Not only is it a 3D object (contrary to a canvas) but the amount of sculpted details will also increase and the amount of details you paint can also increase with the larger figures !

Cheers

Alex

 

[joesgis]

Hi Alex, Agree w/ your assessments and I too am puzzled by a lack of careful priming on some Russian figures. Some are not primed at all. As you know I started painting too. It is indeed fun, but does takes big blocks of time in deep focus. I can't imagine anyone painting slower than me. I hope I get faster as I continue to practice. I can only imagine the time investment required to paint a 120mm piece. Yes Arsenyev prices are too high, but if painted by the right painter, it's worth every penny.

Joe

Very interesting discussion
I would like to give my point of view as a collector and painter of miniatures.

A mounted 120 mm knight will take hundreds of hours to paint it right.
I'm working now on a standing 90 mm Samurai and it takes a lot of time to paint.. all that freehand work is driving me crazy.. So let's be realistic here : nobody is going to sell you a high quality 120 mm knight riding on horse for less than 5.000$ ..
Those kind of miniatures are true work of arts and should be treated as such.
I think that the Arsenyev studio is charging a little bit too much for what they sell (and I have noticed a small drop in their overall quality for 54mm figures lately) but they were at the top the pyramid... until now when painters are selling more and more directly to the customers.
As you have noticed a lot of russian painters use what they call tempera paint and acrylics. Real tempera paint is well known for being fragile compared to oil paints. However, I do not think they do use real tempera. I don't like the fact that sometimes they do not prime their figure with as much care as I do. So be careful with your high end miniatures :

- do not expose them to high change in room temperature which will cause metal expansion and contraction increasing the risk of paint peeling
- do not expose them to UV / light : which means : no direct sunlight, no halogen lighting, and cover them when not on display. Otherwise, all those magnificent colors will start to fade very very fast (matter of days).

Happy collecting !

Alex

 

[Mirof]

You can also try peoples like
( they mainly paint kits )
Aleksander Michelotti

The Winterland Studio
Iguazzu Art Studio
Angelo Amorese Miniatures
The next one even give price on-line, including some converted figures, look at the prices !!!!!
Egminiaturas
Vandersteen ( work on commision, send a mail )
Milan Dufek
Roquelaine

 

[VIRIATO]

What are toy soldiers and what is art? After visiting Mirof's links it is quite obvious that these are not toy soldiers but art in it's truest form. People would not hesitate to spend 10s of Thousands or more on an original canvas painting by a great artist because it does rise above and stands the test of time. I frankly see little difference between these and canvas other than the obvious medium and I would venture that while they do not have the acceptance that canvas has now these type of work will sustain and maybe one day will be recognized with the greats of human artistry. I have no problem seeing a Southerby's auction in 100 years of these figure that would draw what we mere mortals consider insane prices.
Ray

Great point, in fact many of these painters/sculptors are art students or artists I believe.

Paulo

 

[VIRIATO]

You can also try peoples like
( they mainly paint kits )
Aleksander Michelotti

The Winterland Studio
Iguazzu Art Studio
Angelo Amorese Miniatures
The next one even give price on-line, including some converted figures, look at the prices !!!!!
Egminiaturas
Vandersteen ( work on commision, send a mail )
Milan Dufek
Roquelaine

Thank you for the links, I have checked most of these previously but somehow always revert to the Gapchenko's, Puzenko's, Ruslan's, Popovichenko's, Zernina's...there is just something about their styles that I like above the others.
I am also very afraid to commission kits to painters, they are so fragile, and have had one or two bad experiences. Excellent packing is crucial I guess.
That said, here is another link, I really like this painter: http://www.lucaolivieri.net/news/default.asp?cosa=area111&nome=Benvenuto/ Welcome.

Cheers,
Paulo

 

[Alex]

There is also a BIG difference between buying an already painted a piece and commissioning one. When you buy one which was painted previously, you can see the final product before paying even one cent while commission pieces.. Well, you know, the painter will want a deposit (which is normal) but maybe you will not like the final product.
With the canadian dollar losing 20% of its value against the US dollar in the last year, I'm out collecting anyway for a while :$

Thank you for the links, I have checked most of these previously but somehow always revert to the Gapchenko's, Puzenko's, Ruslan's, Popovichenko's, Zernina's...there is just something about their styles that I like above the others.
I am also very afraid to commission kits to painters, they are so fragile, and have had one or two bad experiences. Excellent packing is crucial I guess.
That said, here is another link, I really like this painter: http://www.lucaolivieri.net/news/default.asp?cosa=area111&nome=Benvenuto/ Welcome.

Cheers,
Paulo

 

[Mirof]

Great point, in fact many of these painters/sculptors are art students or artists I believe.

Paulo

Yes they are/were art student without job in their ususal field, they use all the tricks they learned at the academy . And you see a lot of shields or carapaçons painted purely out of any context, except the pleasure of the eyes . They just look great

Simple exemple, look ( in this post ) at the shields of the Greeks
And now search for any reference or pictures of antiques of the period, like





real pavise


And such artistic caparaçons were worn in the 17century for ceremonial ( burials ) unmounted horse, mainly

 

[McFuglas]

These threads are turning into a treasure trove of information for new collectors like myself. Lets face it, at these prices learning about connoisseur figures "the hard way" can be a pretty brutal way to proceed.

I am also very afraid to commission kits to painters, they are so fragile, and have had one or two bad experiences. Excellent packing is crucial I guess.

A timely comment for me as I was thinking of taking this route (ie commissioning kits).
Were your bad experiences restricted to any one particular scale?
I mean, are 90mm or 75mm kits significantly more fragile than 54mm kits and therefore potentially problematic?

Have other members had problems with commissioned kits?

Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated.

Doug

 

[Alex]

Doug

It is the opposite. If figure parts were pinned with small rods, the 90 and 75 mm figure will be much stronger than the 54 mm figure (more often than not only glued together without reinforcements). Also, since the metal is thicker in 90 and 75 mm, there are less chances that you will receive a figure with bent parts.

Cheers
Alex

These threads are turning into a treasure trove of information for new collectors like myself. Lets face it, at these prices learning about connoisseur figures "the hard way" can be a pretty brutal way to proceed.



A timely comment for me as I was thinking of taking this route (ie commissioning kits).
Were your bad experiences restricted to any one particular scale?
I mean, are 90mm or 75mm kits significantly more fragile than 54mm kits and therefore potentially problematic?

Have other members had problems with commissioned kits?

Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated.

Doug