Hi Walsingham,
Hmmm interesting questions. Like most collectors I have a problem with space and the collection is housed in a large garage at our weekend residence out in the country north of Wellington. I have been toying with the idea of setting up a display area and renting suitable premises in the local town. Film director Sir Peter Jackson (who is a keen collector and lives near me) has discussed supporting the project but other priorities in his busy life have taken precedence.
As to what is my favourite? That's really hard as I am quite an eclectic collector and buy what I like. I have this ambition to buy examples of figures from every major conflict in history. This is probably not achievable and very expensive but it's what drives me to keep collecting. My favourite period is ancients as I love the historical nature of the figures and the fact we know less about these periods than from later conflicts. As to my favourite figures (and not for the ears of TG!) it has to be First Legion mounted figures. I buy a couple each month as these are quite expensive. I went for three this month, the last of the Polish Winged Hussars I was missing, a Samurai and finally one of the spectacular Mamelukes. These are wonderfully sculpted and painted figures.
I am big into figures with around 12,000 but really like planes as they are superb centerpieces for small dioramas. Just look at the one in this thread it's just fantastic. I have around 100 planes from different manufactures but TG is by far the best that I have. I have only approximately 50 or so vehicles/tanks as I only collect these to be part of dioramas and not for there own sake. I do like vehicles and intend to invest a little more with the K&C Israel 6 day war Sherman next on the list. I also like scenic items and have quite a few but storage space is always an issue with these larger items. I am in the process of completing a large garrison Roman fort from JG miniatures at the moment. Villagehorse has some of the best scenic items I have seen on these forums.
As to what am I missing? That depends on the period of history. I only have around 300 Napoleonics so would like more from this period particularly Russian troops. John Jenkins French Indian and American Revolution war figures I would like more of. They sell out so quickly and are never a priority for me. John Jenkins interwar aviation and would love some AerocArt figures from the ancient and middle ages. However, the big miss for me is fighting Egyptian and her enemies figures. I love ancients and this is the big miss on the market at the moment. I think TG are thinking about figures from this era so we will wait and see.
Anyway enough of my babbling.
Thanks for asking.
Gary
Hi Walsingham,
Hmmm interesting questions. Like most collectors I have a problem with space and the collection is housed in a large garage at our weekend residence out in the country north of Wellington. I have been toying with the idea of setting up a display area and renting suitable premises in the local town. Film director Sir Peter Jackson (who is a keen collector and lives near me) has discussed supporting the project but other priorities in his busy life have taken precedence.
As to what is my favourite? That's really hard as I am quite an eclectic collector and buy what I like. I have this ambition to buy examples of figures from every major conflict in history. This is probably not achievable and very expensive but it's what drives me to keep collecting. My favourite period is ancients as I love the historical nature of the figures and the fact we know less about these periods than from later conflicts. As to my favourite figures (and not for the ears of TG!) it has to be First Legion mounted figures. I buy a couple each month as these are quite expensive. I went for three this month, the last of the Polish Winged Hussars I was missing, a Samurai and finally one of the spectacular Mamelukes. These are wonderfully sculpted and painted figures.
I am big into figures with around 12,000 but really like planes as they are superb centerpieces for small dioramas. Just look at the one in this thread it's just fantastic. I have around 100 planes from different manufactures but TG is by far the best that I have. I have only approximately 50 or so vehicles/tanks as I only collect these to be part of dioramas and not for there own sake. I do like vehicles and intend to invest a little more with the K&C Israel 6 day war Sherman next on the list. I also like scenic items and have quite a few but storage space is always an issue with these larger items. I am in the process of completing a large garrison Roman fort from JG miniatures at the moment. Villagehorse has some of the best scenic items I have seen on these forums.
As to what am I missing? That depends on the period of history. I only have around 300 Napoleonics so would like more from this period particularly Russian troops. John Jenkins French Indian and American Revolution war figures I would like more of. They sell out so quickly and are never a priority for me. John Jenkins interwar aviation and would love some AerocArt figures from the ancient and middle ages. However, the big miss for me is fighting Egyptian and her enemies figures. I love ancients and this is the big miss on the market at the moment. I think TG are thinking about figures from this era so we will wait and see.
Anyway enough of my babbling.
Thanks for asking.
Gary
Thanks for the answer and please continue to share your collection. I see the appeal in the FL and collect the NAP Retreat from Moscow, but they are expensive and together with what other figures you can get for the same money, the sledges are just too much for me. I collect WW2 [K & C, TG and JJ], Nap [K & C and TG], Medieval Warriors [K & C] WW1 [TG and JJ], ancients I just collect the TG Spartans [Lambda shield] as they make a great small group diorama, I really like the TG Romans and have a 9th Legion Century and will be looking to increase the collection, I also use some Eagle Models Roman artillery to add a bit of strength, but I desperately need some Brit and/or Celts. I am thinking of the new JJ Aztec range, as they will make a very nice colourful little diorama. Your plane collection must take up a massive amount of space, I have all the British and German WW2 planes and they are all fighters and they take up a lot of room.
I think we are going through a golden era and with JJ, K & C and TG releasing every month there is always something to buy and the ranges, quality and accuracy are outstanding. There my attitude to missing sets has lessened as there is more and more to collect, but saying that I would like the K & C Desert Temple.
Have visited NZ, but mainly the south Island, did the normal tourist things, Queenstown, Fox Glacier, Dunedin, Christchurch and the cycle route from Cromwell to Middlemarch and back, great route. Got out the plane on the runway at Wellington on the flight from Auckland, as the plane flew to Christchurch via Wellington and Blenheim. The pilot of the small 12 seater circled the Cook Strait so the passengers could see and take pictures of a pod of whales going through the straits, that was cool. Lack of place to buy TS, but picked up some nice diecast cars 1/43 and called into K & C in Hong Kong on my way back to blighty. Can definitely see the appeal in living in NZ, but would miss the WW2 and Roman historical places to visit,
Thanks again for sharing your sets.
...What a shame!!! {eek3}