What eras do you collect and why? (1 Viewer)

[Warrior]

Thought this might be an interesting topic; and in the interest of peace on earth, goodwill towards men, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc, etc, please don't turn this into a FL vs K & C @#$%show, there are plenty of other threads and forums for that.

For me, I collect WWII, ACW and Napleonics.

As far as WWII, something I've always liked as far back as I can remember, like the camouflage on the German tanks, the German camo uniforms, the Normandy and Bulge campaigns, the war in the pacific and the bloodbath on the Russian Front. One of the first items I remember getting as a kid was the Aurora Anzio Beach playset, I still have it as a matter of fact.

For ACW, the American Heritage book on The Battle of Gettysburg I took out on loan from the book mobile (anyone remember those) as a kid got me hooked, specifically the pictures of the cyclorama and the Greenspan map in the middle of the book. I also remember the year my Aunt got me the Britains limber and cannon sets, two of the windowbox sets, one Union and one Confederate and the large Deetail ACW Confederate set for Christmas, my interest was further peaked when my parents took our family on a trip to DC and Gettysburg one summer.

For Napoleonics, my Dad took me to see the movie Waterloo for my birthday one year, will never forget the big screen image of the British rising up from the rye fields as one and mowing down the Imperial Guard on their doomed assault of the Allied right flank. I also remember the Russian version of War and Peace, specifically the epic Battle of Borodino footage. These two movies got me hooked, as did the large Britains Deetail Napoleonics set my Mother bought for me for my birthday as a kid.

 

[Rob]

Hey George,

I've been into WW1 since I went on a school trip aged 15 to the Western Front, came back, began studying it and never stopped!

WW2 has been a life long passion really since watching all those classic War films as a kid . For me its all about the Brits and their US allies. Brit Paras, Infantry, RAF, 8TH Army ...it's all good. Also love collecting your classic US GI's/Paras. Germans are just the enemy for me, someone for my Tommies and GI's to shoot !:salute::

Also over recent years Americana / Old West has begun to creep in. Always enjoyed reading about the Old West and it's characters. Am considering starting a small sarum soldiers collection too.

Have a great Christmas mate, my best to you and yours.

Rob

 

[Warrior]

Have a great Christmas mate, my best to you and yours.

Thanks Rob, Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.

 

[Leadmen]

The Anzio set was my first diorama I made. I mounted the tanks on a board with a water beachhead. I still have a few old Aurora tanks from the set. I also started with Britain's Detail civil war. I did some Napoleonics but not much about collecting a army of them. I did make Historic 54mm figures.

My favorite is WWll and French Indian war. I will always have a interest in these periods. Being a century older then George I had Dimestore and Beton figures. Nothing beats a clear BB hole thru a Dimestore figure. Well, that is enough of my happy collecting time.

15mm-1/72-54mm 1/30 scales, I liked them all. John

 

[Mitch]

WWII in its entirety. aircraft from both WWI and WWII very interested in the surface ships of WWII German and English capital ships.

not sure where it stemmed from as I have always been interested in it from modelling AFV's as a kid onwards so, may be a bit of that and, listening to Grandfather talk about his days in the RAF and an Uncle who fought in Africa and then all the way through Italy.

Like Japanese history and have a particular interest in the Samurai and early Japanese history No idea where that came from!!

Mitch

 

[Barksdale]

I collect strictly ACW. That war has always been of particular interest to me. I LOVE history in general especially U.S. history but the Civil War has/always will be my one true love. I read/watch everything about it I can get my hands on...given time of course. Being in college doesn't allow me hardly any free time but we I encounter breaks such as this one...I take every opportunity I have to do what I love the most and that is to study up on this great war.

 

[villagehorse]

The releases dictate what era's I collect, so I find myself collecting Ancient Egypt, Zulu, imperial China, Light Horse/WW1, foreign legion and Arnhem. Too many. Afraid Imperial China may have to cease. My makers in order are, K&C, Britain's, Thomas Gunn, Figarti, John Jenkins & Collectors Showcase. Robin.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I am fascinated by 20th and 21st Century warfare, from the Boer War to Iraq and Afghanistan, and everything in between. Aircraft, motorized transport, armor, machine guns. WWI, Spanish Civil War, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War. I enjoy reading about and studying other, earlier eras, but I prefer to collect 20th and 21st Century conflicts.:wink2:

 

[TomNT]

Merry Christmas George and very interesting thread you started.

I am mainly interested in WW2 although I am also interested in history so other periods such as ancient Egypt, ACW, Australian light horse also interests me. Unfortunately my budget doesn't allow me to collect in these other periods so I limit myself to my most favourite period which is of course WW2. Of that period, the theatre of war that most interests me is the Battle of the Bulge as for some reason the white washed vehicles and uniforms on the troops capture my imagination! It's rather strange actually as I started out collecting Normandy camo painted German vehicles (as well as British and American vehicles) and troops but now the Bulge is my favourite followed by Normandy, North Africa (Some North Africa vehicles, both British and German I favour over my Normandy vehicles, go figure!), Early Europe Grey Jerries (again, some grey Jerries I favour over even my Bulge stuff!) and of course Market Garden which actually slips in between my Bulge and Normandy stuff as far as favourites go. My mind can sometimes be complicated!!!:rolleyes2:{sm2}{sm4}

Tom

 

[wayne556517]

WW2 German as they had such a vast variety of intereting weapons,vehicles,tanks and uniforms.

 

[kogu]

My main interest is the British Empire throughout the Victorian Era.
Then there is the Renaissance, WWI and Samurais.
But all these came up since I discovered Toy Soldier collecting as an adult.

Cowboys, Indians and Knights were the main focus while I was a kid.

I love that stuff, the old memories and the new figures.

Konrad

 

[jazzeum]

For me, it's not so much by era but company. I collect K & C glossy, regardless of era. In matte, I collect WW II and some Civil War and Crimea (only the ones made by K & C UK), plus the wooden planes. The other principal company I collect is Trophy and my primary interest is Civil War, Indian ranges, Crimea and Town & Country (civilian). Also have First Legion Civil War.

My primary reading interest is Civil War but I collect other ranges because of the way they look. No real rhyme or reason.

 

[marco55]

My interests have been from ancient times through WWI.I have collected Roman,Viking,Crusades,FIW,AWI,ACW,British Colonial,FFL.Right now I collect only FIW.Back in the nineties I was hugely interested in late 19th colonial so if my interest was still there for this period I would be collecting all the Sudan,Zulu,NWF,FFL lines.I started wanting to collect large scale painted figures when I first saw KC's Spanish-American War range but I actually started collecting Conte's Don Troiani's civil war sets.I've always been interested in war movies and toy soldiers as far back as I can remember.
Mark

 

[Malcolm Britain]

For me its the mid 18th Century. I love the uniforms and variety of that era. I also like that fact the with one or two exceptions warfare was not so bloody although living conditions on campaign were very tough.

So its Tradition, Britains and Rose Miniatures for me. Sadly with one thing and another I have yet to get a real start on converting my pile of 54mm lead into tabletop recruits. 2014 should provide an opportunity for my sergeant to dispense a few of the Kings shillings and I hope to be able to post lots of eye candy right here.

I would just like to thank all those wonderful modellers and painters who have provide a visual feast in 2013. Some of the posts have been absolutely outstanding. I would also like to thank those who provide tips and help. This is a great community and long may that remain the case.

Merry Christmas to all

 

[Rob]

For me, it's not so much by era but company. I collect K & C glossy, regardless of era. In matte, I collect WW II and some Civil War and Crimea (only the ones made by K & C UK), plus the wooden planes. The other principal company I collect is Trophy and my primary interest is Civil War, Indian ranges, Crimea and Town & Country (civilian). Also have First Legion Civil War.

My primary reading interest is Civil War but I collect other ranges because of the way they look. No real rhyme or reason.

In recent years I've just grown more and more interested in the ACW and thanks to you Brad my ACW library had a superb addition this year, thanks mate.
Rob

 

[ivanmoe]

The whole kit and kaboodle is aviation related, with a few "cultural items" thrown in for atmosphere. That said, I find myself sorely tempted by field artillery at times, anything from a 12-pounder to a '105. Hanging tough so far though!

 

[VIRIATO]

Interesting question. When I started collecting it was all about WWII matte, mostly K&C and 1/72 tanks and aircraft. Then I got interested in WWI and have a small WWI glossy collection along with a K&C diorama. Then Napoleonics and FIW took over for good: I love the colourful uniforms and standards from the Napoleonic and 18th century periods. These have been my main interests in historical periods but I find interest in any period given that the figures attract me, sometimes I can't tell if it starts with the figures or with the interest in the period... Hence I have smaller groupings which belong to the Jacobite Rebellion, the Zulu War, the Crimean War, Rome, Crusades, ACW, British Colonial and my old Britains Deetail French Foreign Legion and Arabs, direct from the childhood seventies, the cameo collecting James Opie talks about.
Fortunately (or unfortunately:rolleyes2 I have never been a completist and have never collected 2 periods simultaneously in depth, I would never make it...^&grin.


Merry Christmas everyone,
Paulo

 

[HistoryfortheAges]

My main collecting focus in the past 12 years has been ACW, Napoleonic (various manufacturers both matte and glossy and some painted plastics) and Zulu Wars (Britains Rourke's Drift only). I have smaller collections of the AWI and Alamo and a good number of Aeroart Romans and medieval knights that I acquired at past shows that I have attended. In the last year, I acquired a small collection of FL samurais (BTW, for those interested in this period, the mounted samurais are excellent!). I just started the FL Agincourt series in the past couple of months. My main focus now is the FL Agincourt series and odds and ends in both matte and glossy that I may be interested in. Space restrictions have now severely hampered my collecting ways. I am just happy that FL came out with the Agincourt series to round out my collection!

I don't collect any periods post-1900 even though I am interested in the history of both WW1 and WW2. I am content to just read, watch documentaries and view the excellent dioramas posted on this forum for these periods of history.

 

[Go for Broke]

Any major war period would be neat to collect, but I collect WWII because of the books, photographs and documentaries to reference the AFVs I collect. I would love to collect British Empire stuff, after seeing Martyn's collection. I would be really interested in modern soldiers, US, British, Israeli, etc.

 

[larso]

It's probably easier to list the eras I'm not interested in, like Conquistidors & English Civil War. My focus has been on the British army and its colourful opponents. So 18th Century vs Jacobites and Indians (mostly Jenkins), 19th Century Napoleonics (mostly K & C but a few Britains and Thomas Gunn) and Zulu & NW Frontier (both Conte). Then there's crusades (K & C), Romans/Celts (CS) and now Custer (K & C). So fairly broad and limited to the above due to cost - vehicles are out of my league. I'm happy looking at everyone elses here!