What Is Your Own Story As A King&Country Collector (1 Viewer)

[PanzerAce1944]

Thought this would make for an interesting topic of discussion concerning the world of Toy Soldiers and in specific the King&Country brand. My first exposure to
the hobby and that these type of quality figures and vehicles even existed goes back to June 2002. With the passing of my father I discovered amongst some of his
posessions in his man cave were a few green boxes with rubber bands wrapped snugly around them and a plain looking white box. All had a sticker attached to the
outside identifying them as "King&Country" Toy Soldiers. Didn't pay much attention to them at first. The next day or two passed by and as I picked up these boxes
and moved them I was surprised by their weight. Opening these boxes for the very first time I was surprised to see a WS25 Tiger, a WS016 Tank Crew set, and an early
LAH 13 piece Band set. All sets from 1999-2001 time frame. Once everything was unpacked and viewed, I boxed them up and did not pay any mind to them for
several months. Several years later !!!! something drove me to open these boxes back up and have another look at these metal hand painted marvels. I then was
shocked doing some research on the internet finding out that there was a whole line of these figures and vehicles available by several of the dealers that I had found
at the time. From this point it was now in the spring of 2007 and I was frequently looking at these hand painted metal beauties again online and picked out my very
first set for myself to buy . A few days later my hand picked King&Country selection arrived and I anxiously opened my first $89.00 4 figure boxed set.....WS063
"The Defenders" from the fall Of Berlin series. I looked at each figure repeatedly several times in awe, as the painting and detail was better than those very first sets
that I layed eyes on years earlier. It was August of 2007 and I have been hooked,.... Line, and Sinker ever since !!!!!!!!! ^&grin

What is your first exposure to the King&Country world ???

 

[Mitch]

saw them in a toy store in London on a visit to the CCC when I was at Uni. Bought some then and, kept ordering them from them direct. it was years later before I realised who they were and, that Mike was the show behind the brand in the UK. The rest they say is history.

I also have lots of my grandfathers toys from when he was a child and some very nice toy soldiers they are prized possesions and will never be sold. I also have two of the LAH early bands and very nice they are too.
Mitch

 

[Iron Brigade]

I first became a "toy soldier" collector in late 1991. The local toy soldier store in our area had just been opened about 6 months before then. I do not recall seeing any King & Country sets in the store the first few times I went to this store (The Toy Soldier Shoppe then in Brookfield, Wisconsin). But by sometime in 1992 I did see K&C sets and of course they were all glossy and not as detailed or realistic looking as the K&C figures have been since say 2003. However, they were still very neat looking indeed! As I recall I got some circa 1884 British Sudan War Grenadier Guards sets in January 1993. In 1994 I got some K&C Streets of Old Hong Kong sets. I also got some Sudan War Seaforth Highlanders as well a couple of years later. In the late 1990's I was still mainly into getting Trophy Miniatures and in 1997 also many Frontline Figures sets. However, in the year 2000 I was mainly going with K&C sets as I have been since then. In 2005 when I sold off on eBay my K&C Grenadier Guards & Seaforth Highlanders sets I was amazed at the high prices I got for them. I am glad I started my collection back in 1991 with my collecting when an average foot figure was only about $10.00 USD!

"Iron Brigade"

 

[jager7080]

My father started buying me toy soldiers when i was a kid , The Britains Deetail WW2...However as most kids do i just played with them & lost almost all of them...As i got older i started to build models & that is what lead me to King & Country...I was building a Tamiya Sdkfz 223 Afrika Korps , so i started searching the internet to see what kind of Afrika Korps infantry kits were out there...That is when King & Country's AK series had started up , i believe must have been in mid to late 90's...So i ordered my very first King & Country set AK003...

Joe

 

[waynepoo]

On a quest to find replica medals to replace my Grandfather, Father and Uncles long lost ones I found after a web search a certain 'ye old toy shop' that was a short drive from home. Upon entering this Aladdins cave I was stunned to find cabinets full of Military miniatures of every era and war you could think of, a big kids paradise. But once I saw the Australian light horse figures I had to have one, so after buying the medals that I was after I returned home and did as as others have done and searched for this King and Country mob on the web and as others before me I was in awe of these wonderful miniatures from HK. So with a wish list off I went again to said toy shop and from that first ALH figure I got that day I have been addicited. But the best thing about this hobby apart from the joy of collecting is the new friendships that I formed with some fellow madmen that I have had the good fortune to meet via that 'ye old toy shop' down the road.
Wayne.

 

[villagehorse]

Went in search on the web one day in 2007 of my favourite theme Ancient Egypt and came across small colourful figures made by K&C. Found a dealer in Sydney and sent away for a couple of sets. Once I received them within moments after the viewing & handling, I knew I had to have them all. The rest is history. Cheers, Robin.

 

[lancer]

First ran across KC while going through shops in Gettysburg back in the mid 90's. Didn't purchase any until a couple years on when I saw their first polystone Panther (summer colors, barrel had to be inserted in mantlet) and I just had to have it. Soon purchased the ambush scheme Panther and hunted down the first polystone Tiger I. Picked up figures with them, including Russians and the first T-34. Now, due to changing tastes and whatever, only the Tiger I remains from my early purchases/collection. I remember seeing all those early lines, from the gloss LAH, to the outstanding Vietnam series. It was quite a bit of fun to run across these new matte vehicles and figures back then and to see how far they have come up through today. -- Al

 

[oberstoskar]

I used to only collect Britain's ceremonial toy soldiers as far back as 1986. That was before the days of internet and I only get them when my dad had trips to UK. Till one day in 1999 I went on a short trip to London and saw an excellently well painted Royal Marines drummer in Hamley's that was far superb to any other toy solider available in the store and I bought it without paying attention to it's manufacturer...

When I came back to Hong Kong and walked past K&C's shop I saw the same RM drummer on parade in the display cabinet! Since then I never bought any toy soldier that's not made in China...

 

[ecuriel]

While attending my 25th college reunion, I decided to check out the Hobby Bunker and see if they had some Forces of Valor. After buying all the Force of Valor stuff I could buy, I came back the next day to show my son the largest toy soldier store I had ever seen. After buying all the Flames of War items that I didn't own, I asked Matt if he had any figures depicting the raising of the Flag at Iwo Jima ( I was born on Flag Day). He showed me IWJ 19 and the rest is history. After discovering the forum and doing a little research I started hunting down everything I liked. After attending the shows, I met Andy and other collectors and many great friends. Now, there are a fewer items items that I need to complete some ranges, but I enjoy going to the shows and seeing the usual suspects and look forward to our get togethers.

 

[Thompyt]

Some jerk at work showed them to me. That hooked me. He knows who I am referring to!! {sm3}

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Some jerk at work showed them to me. That hooked me. He knows who I am referring to!! {sm3}

HOOK.......LINE..................AND.......SINKER :tongue: :salute::

 

[MarkeytMaker]

It was late 2009, a bright florescent orange sign that read; ESTATE SALE with an arrow pointing right. These signs never go un-noticed, so of course I made a few turns and arrived at the home where the estate sale was taking place. As I entered the deceased man's hobby room, I discovered 6 display cabinet's filled with many K&C items and some dimestores. Every single person at that estate sale who entered that room was astonished. I heard things like "Oh my God"..."Honey check this out"...WHoooo, Holy Smokes, I myself was saying things like "This guy has a serious collection and I'm going to buy it all! The comments and gestures were continual with each new person entering the room. I was there for an hour at least and the people's reactions alone drove me towards my offering. With some negotiating, I purchased the whole lot...then I ended up eBaying them all. Once everything was gone, I decided to see if more could be found for resale. But what happened next was a poor decision on my part. I came here to treefrog (guided from eBay from a current long term TF'r (name will never be mentioned) I started arguing and debating my intentions with many long timers. I ruffled alot of feathers as it was obvious to everyone that I was in it for the money. So as the months progressed I found more and sold more. As each figure I purchased arrived it became more and more evident that I was forming a bond with each set. As everyone says, "the rest is history". Today my collection is rather large and growing. I still enjoy finding, trading, buying older K&C glossy sets (which is pretty much all I collect with some exceptions) To this day I feel like the deceased man is haunting me saying "you think your just going to go in there (in my room) buy my collection from my family for peanuts and walk away with a profit^&confuse It is also ironic and hard at times to be here as a collector since I started out with opposite intentions of many of you but I'm happy to be here!

Markey

 

[Rob]

Must have been 2005 -ish I was making my regular pilgrimage to the London TS show to buy more Toy Army Workshop figures. Whilst browsing around I found myself at Mike Neville's tables (he had a fraction of the amount of space he now needs). Straight away the realism of K&C's figures lept out at you and they were the best I'd seen anywhere. Often at these shows in those days some of the traders were very much ' If you're not buying keep moving', but Mike took time to talk to me about the figures and give me the background. For the next couple of shows the pattern was repeated and my interest began to grow, until on the third occasion I purchased my first ever set from K&C which was the American D Day patrol. The rest as they is history. I gradually began building a collection while still collecting Toy Army Workshop, when TAW went under my collecting funds went fully to K&C. Result, one happy collecting bunny.:smile2:

Rob

 

[waynepoo]

Must have been 2005 -ish I was making my regular pilgrimage to the London TS show to buy more Toy Army Workshop figures. Whilst browsing around I found myself at Mike Neville's tables (he had a fraction of the amount of space he now needs). Straight away the realism of K&C's figures lept out at you and they were the best I'd seen anywhere. Often at these shows in those days some of the traders were very much ' If you're not buying keep moving', but Mike took time to talk to me about the figures and give me the background. For the next couple of shows the pattern was repeated and my interest began to grow, until on the third occasion I purchased my first ever set from K&C which was the American D Day patrol. The rest as they is history. I gradually began building a collection while still collecting Toy Army Workshop, when TAW went under my collecting funds went fully to K&C. Result, one happy collecting bunny.:smile2:

Rob

The image of you as a 'Bunny' Rob is too nightmarish to contemplate.......{sm3}{sm4}^&grin
Wayne.

 

[Rob]

The image of you as a 'Bunny' Rob is too nightmarish to contemplate.......{sm3}{sm4}^&grin
Wayne.

^&grin^&grin

Rob

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Must have been 2005 -ish I was making my regular pilgrimage to the London TS show to buy more Toy Army Workshop figures. Whilst browsing around I found myself at Mike Neville's tables (he had a fraction of the amount of space he now needs). Straight away the realism of K&C's figures lept out at you and they were the best I'd seen anywhere. Often at these shows in those days some of the traders were very much ' If you're not buying keep moving', but Mike took time to talk to me about the figures and give me the background. For the next couple of shows the pattern was repeated and my interest began to grow, until on the third occasion I purchased my first ever set from K&C which was the American D Day patrol. The rest as they is history. I gradually began building a collection while still collecting Toy Army Workshop, when TAW went under my collecting funds went fully to K&C. Result, one happy collecting bunny.:smile2:

Rob

Rob, another great story you have shared with us. Seems once we get bit by the K&C bug there is no
Turning back....^&grin

 

[Guy]

Towards the end of my career, I was visiting a small town called" Marcinelle" in Belgium . I had an appointment with a recycling company to talk about the price of their wood chips (I was head of the purchase department of a company with world wide representation called " Quick Step laminated floorboards") It was a rainy day so, knowing the place, I did not want to drive my car through the mud and the puddles on their site. So I parked my car a couple of hundred meters away . I walked down the street and my attention was drawn by a small shop called " Le Royaume du Soldat" Its small display window was nicely decorated with K&C figures and AFV's. I was early and had some time to spare, so I entered the shop and walked out again half an hour later with my first K&C purchase ( BBA walking wounded- he had a lot of retired K&C still in stock). Don't ask me why I bought K&C because up till that moment I was into 1/35 scale and 54mm metal soldiers WWII which I painted myself.It was march 2009. Since then I never stopped buying . Yes I admit, I am another victim of the K&C bug
guy

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Towards the end of my career, I was visiting a small town called" Marcinelle" in Belgium . I had an appointment with a recycling company to talk about the price of their wood chips (I was head of the purchase department of a company with world wide representation called " Quick Step laminated floorboards") It was a rainy day so, knowing the place, I did not want to drive my car through the mud and the puddles on their site. So I parked my car a couple of hundred meters away . I walked down the street and my attention was drawn by a small shop called " Le Royaume du Soldat" Its small display window was nicely decorated with K&C figures and AFV's. I was early and had some time to spare, so I entered the shop and walked out again half an hour later with my first K&C purchase ( BBA walking wounded- he had a lot of retired K&C still in stock). Don't ask me why I bought K&C because up till that moment I was into 1/35 scale and 54mm metal soldiers WWII which I painted myself.It was march 2009. Since then I never stopped buying . Yes I admit, I am another victim of the K&C bug
guy

Seems like many of us stumbled into the world of quality metal painted soldiers, once we found it we got HOOKED ! ^&grin

 

[MarkeytMaker]

Seems like many of us stumbled into the world of quality metal painted soldiers, once we found it we got HOOKED ! ^&grin

I think that is a pretty good conclusion for the majority!

 

[Currahee Chris]

My story goes like this- A really nice and knowledgeable dealer in Stroudsburg Pa known as Mike Russo operating as Stockade Miniatures sold me Yanks 03 and subsequently all the DD 1-45, WS 8-42, cherry picked AWI sets and scenic pieces for several years. Great guy would talk your ears off about how wonderful King and Country was and then <<POOF>>> he's no longer a dealer. Pretty wild story really.