WB at West Coaster (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter PolarBear
- Start date
I had the pleasure of attending the West Coaster (my first show, in my first year of collecting), and the further pleasure of stopping by the W. Britain booth and meeting Ken and Erica.
Unfortunately, I was only able to stop by for a couple hours and see the floor show, not any of the rooms. Sorry, I did not see anything that I didn't recognize from the 2009 Catalog. However, I did get to see just about everything that was in it, if anyone was interested.
I think what most impressed me was the additions to the Rorke's Drift line. I currently have every figure available along with the hospital and it already feels like an intense battle. Seeing how the wave has been expanded so significantly makes my display seem like a mere skirmish.
The new pieces look good and work on their own, but they also fit perfectly with what has come before. When I say fit, I mean it literally...you can extend the mealie bag wall with curved sections. But those same figures work alone and in pairs to tell a story.
As friendly as Ken seems online, he's even moreso in person (as is his lovely wife). Despite the busy crowd, he took the time to describe to me the personalities he sculpted - how he had sculpted one British soldier's non-regulation canteen that's on display in (I believe the British war Museum), and how he studied pictures of this particular officer before and after the conflict so he could determine the beard growth!
Yes, that shows an attention to detail of a consummate professional and true artist. But I can't adequately convey in words Ken's enthusiasm. It's clear this is a labor of love for him.
He was also kind enough to walk the floor with me multiple times untl I found a dealer with retired WWI figures. (Thanks to The Old Toy Soldier Home in San Diego for giving me a very fair deal and having the patience as I slowly sifted through boxes for the figures I was looking for).
The Delhi Durbhar is an impressive figure, although outside my interest range. The WWI French Cavalry is really something as well. Just expanding my WWI, Zulu and AWI collections is going to give me quite a lot to collect, so to be honest I'm glad I didn't see anything new.
(Just because I didn't see anything, doesn't mean I didn't miss it at either a room show or just because I was overwhelmed by the show).
For fellow WWI fans, Ken swore me to secrecy, but suffice to say there are plans for the continuation of the line.
Unfortunately, I was only able to stop by for a couple hours and see the floor show, not any of the rooms. Sorry, I did not see anything that I didn't recognize from the 2009 Catalog. However, I did get to see just about everything that was in it, if anyone was interested.
I think what most impressed me was the additions to the Rorke's Drift line. I currently have every figure available along with the hospital and it already feels like an intense battle. Seeing how the wave has been expanded so significantly makes my display seem like a mere skirmish.
The new pieces look good and work on their own, but they also fit perfectly with what has come before. When I say fit, I mean it literally...you can extend the mealie bag wall with curved sections. But those same figures work alone and in pairs to tell a story.
As friendly as Ken seems online, he's even moreso in person (as is his lovely wife). Despite the busy crowd, he took the time to describe to me the personalities he sculpted - how he had sculpted one British soldier's non-regulation canteen that's on display in (I believe the British war Museum), and how he studied pictures of this particular officer before and after the conflict so he could determine the beard growth!
Yes, that shows an attention to detail of a consummate professional and true artist. But I can't adequately convey in words Ken's enthusiasm. It's clear this is a labor of love for him.
He was also kind enough to walk the floor with me multiple times untl I found a dealer with retired WWI figures. (Thanks to The Old Toy Soldier Home in San Diego for giving me a very fair deal and having the patience as I slowly sifted through boxes for the figures I was looking for).
The Delhi Durbhar is an impressive figure, although outside my interest range. The WWI French Cavalry is really something as well. Just expanding my WWI, Zulu and AWI collections is going to give me quite a lot to collect, so to be honest I'm glad I didn't see anything new.
(Just because I didn't see anything, doesn't mean I didn't miss it at either a room show or just because I was overwhelmed by the show).
For fellow WWI fans, Ken swore me to secrecy, but suffice to say there are plans for the continuation of the line.
Jagdpanther
2nd Lieutenant
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2008
- Messages
- 3,152
Thanks for the update.