What else do you collect beside toy soldiers (2 Viewers)

[jazzeum]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Must have been great growing up in that climate and culture. I assume you saw the movie about the Essex. I enjoyed it even though it didn't get good reviews.

I'd love to see the MD piece. I assume you read the book.

Brad

 

[zblang]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I'll try to post more, but here are some quick iphone photos of the Moby Dick tooth. This was a large tooth I've had for a while and when my father passed away, I had this commissioned as Moby Dick was always his favorite. The artwork is from David Smith: "David Smith is entering his third decade of a full time career as a scrimshander. Over the years he has become well known as a Master Scrimshander, having received numerous awards and recent submission into the American Art Museum Library at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. His work is sold to collectors worldwide and to fine gift shops and galleries throughout the United States."
I include a picture with a tape measure to show the size. The reverse is a portrait of Herman Melville (PS - once I get the world expo - there just might be a new Moby Dick/Melville piece added to my toy soldier collection too! {sm3} )

 

[zblang]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I figured teasing isn't completely fair, so here is a link to my moby dick / melville commission that I'll be picking up this summer at the World Expo:

https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/showthread.php?49735-Zach-s-Collection&p=776842#post776842 {sm4}

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Very nice Louis, do you have a catalogue or list of what figures they made over the years?

I have a book called "Button in Ear" which is the official history of Steiff. The book shows photos of about two dozen different German Soldiers, Marines and Sailors of all ranks, including various infantry, a Chevauleger, a Dragoon and various officers, two Austrian soldiers, two Italian soldiers (Bersaglieri and Carabinieri), several different French soldiers and officers, including Zouaves and Spahis, two Spanish American War Era American soldiers, in field and dress order, Turkish, various Russian, English, Red-Coated Scots Guards, etc. According to the book, more than 120 different soldiers, in sizes varying from 11 inches to 22 inches, were produced. I have collected photographs off the internet of around 30 soldiers in addition to the ones in the book, including a World War I American Doughboy, a WWI highlander, and a Japanese infantryman. They range from detailed, realistic figures, to short, fat or tall, thin comic figures.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

It's all whaling and all pre ban. It's become a pretty difficult hobby. AND just to be clear...I am 100% on board with the ban on whaling, etc. All of these pieces are legal. Since the laws have changed and you don't know where stuff is coming from, I've turned to getting some of my old teeth scrimshawed through commissions rather than buying actual new pieces.
To get some pieces validated now, can costs upwards of $2,000 for certification!!!! Just not worth running afoul of the law, nor is it worth the cost.

Zach,

My collection is much smaller than yours, but I have five 19th Century scrimshawed or carved whales teeth. Here are a couple of photos of some of mine:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I figured teasing isn't completely fair, so here is a link to my moby dick / melville commission that I'll be picking up this summer at the World Expo:

https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/showthread.php?49735-Zach-s-Collection&p=776842#post776842 {sm4}

Both you Moby Dick items are absolutely epic, Zach!^&cool^&cool^&cool^&cool^&cool

 

[zblang]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Very nice! That corn cob piece is fascinating! I've never seen anything like that before.

As an aside - what do you know about that small wedgwood piece in the bottom of the cabinet? I have one of those laying around my house from my Grandmother. I never had emotional attachment too it, but could never get rid of it for some reason

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Very nice! That corn cob piece is fascinating! I've never seen anything like that before.

As an aside - what do you know about that small wedgwood piece in the bottom of the cabinet? I have one of those laying around my house from my Grandmother. I never had emotional attachment too it, but could never get rid of it for some reason

I buy most of my pieces from various antique shops on Long Island. I got the shucked corn cob tooth from an antique shop down the street from the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum. I bought it, because the Museum had a similar tooth carved as a banana being peeled, and I thought it was really unique, then I walked into the antique shop, and there it was: a really well executed variation on the same theme.

I don't know a heckuva lot about the Wedgewood pieces, they are my wife's.

 

[zblang]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I don't know a heckuva lot about the Wedgewood pieces, they are my wife's.

She want another one? hahaha {sm3}

 

[Louis Badolato]

She want another one? hahaha {sm3}

I was hoping to offer a couple of hers to you for one of those scrimshawed teeth!

 

[Napoleon1er]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Louis- I love the Columbia/Liberty with the cannon

Zach- you should post some of your POW items. They are stunners.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

I have a book called "Button in Ear" which is the official history of Steiff. The book shows photos of about two dozen different German Soldiers, Marines and Sailors of all ranks, including various infantry, a Chevauleger, a Dragoon and various officers, two Austrian soldiers, two Italian soldiers (Bersaglieri and Carabinieri), several different French soldiers and officers, including Zouaves and Spahis, two Spanish American War Era American soldiers, in field and dress order, Turkish, various Russian, English, Red-Coated Scots Guards, etc. According to the book, more than 120 different soldiers, in sizes varying from 11 inches to 22 inches, were produced. I have collected photographs off the internet of around 30 soldiers in addition to the ones in the book, including a World War I American Doughboy, a WWI highlander, and a Japanese infantryman. They range from detailed, realistic figures, to short, fat or tall, thin comic figures.

The book also mentions Dutch, Moracan and Argentinian Soldiers. The soldiers usually came in 3 sizes, 11, 14 and 17 inches, but some were available in sizes over 20 inches, and these had jointed knees. All of mine are 14 inches, except for the British officer in Khaki, which is 17 inches.

 

[zblang]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Sandor, you got it. Coming soon

 

[zblang]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

POW stuff can be seen here:

https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/showthread.php?49735-Zach-s-Collection&p=776981#post776981

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Here are some shots of the Steiff German Infantryman in full kit with his comrades on my Trophy World War I set up. The kit is really remarkable. His backpack unhooks, opens, and there are supplies inside.

 

[thebritfarmer]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Thanks for the info Louis :salute::

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Thanks for the info Louis :salute::

My pleasure. And I just found these photos of a red coated British Soldier, perhaps a guardsman, on a German auction site:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

The Steiff figure I think is some kind of a British Officer in a Khaki Uniform is one of the 20 inch figures with jointed knees! ^&cool^&cool I figured he would fit in with the Long Range Desert Group, so I put him on the "Indiana Jones" desert airfield diorama:

 

[mestell]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Added these two points to my Ohio River Valley Adena Culture artifact collection yesterday . . . . Both points are over 2,000 years old . . . .
:smile2: Mike

2.5 inch Late Adena point made out of Flint Ridge flint



4.75 inch Late Adena point made out of Coshocton flint

 

[Al Fisher]

Re: What else you collect,beside toy soldiers

Family stories . . . particularly of my ancestors.

Bosun Al