where is all the plastic discussion? (7 Viewers)

[Jay]

Re: Let's Please get back on Topic

I started this topic in order to get leads on where I could have fun discussing plastic figures. Unfortunately, several of you continue to try and hijack the thread and turn it into a Conte bashing exercise. I must also say that several of you attempted to intimidate me with private emails on a similar thread a few weeks back apparently in the hope of chasing me from the site. Two of you who made unwelcome private emails to me which led to the deletion of the other thread are backat it again.
apparently there is a continual theme here of attacking Conte Collectables and its owner no matter what the theme of the thread is. This is sad behavior. YOUR ATTACKS EVIDENCE A WEIRD FASCINATION OR FIXATION WITH CONTE COLLECTABLE AND CONTINUALLY RAISE QUESTIONS AS TO YOUR MOTIVATIONS.

I am not quite sure if you are tring to implay that I am one of the people who supposedly sent you private emails in hopes of 'chasing' you away, because I will clarify for all that I DID NOT NOR WOULD SEND YOU ANY PM emails, let alone requesting you go away. I could care less if you stay or go. But what bugs more than one person here is, as you put it so well, your 'WEIRD FASCINATION OR FIXATION WITH CONTE COLLECTABLES (which) WITH CONTINUALLY RAISES QUESTIONS AS TO YOUR MOTIVATION.

BTW, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TRY TO 'PM' ME. Any communication you wish to have with me will be in public.

 

[The Lt.]

Maybe others can help me: Let's start at the begining:

Accessories for the War Lord Tower (licensing, really?)
or for the Zulu set.
Then there's the glider set for the WWII D-Day set,
Or the tanks plus how many other figures were supposed to come out then. (Where are the reissued btw?)
Then, going back to the beginning; the Spartacus set,
The the Foreign Legion and Arab cavalry.
Then the Alamo Cavalry,
and gun crews,
then the Civil War Cavalry,
and gun crews,
then the additional Viking villages, with the monk's tower,
then the rest of the Alamo,
the Patriot/Rev War set (licensing again? K and C didn't have that problem.)
And the Rogers Rangers that were in the flyer you attached. (thanks, by the way)
And the Indians to go with them. And the Indian village
Oh, Pirates, and a boat.

Okay, let me catch my breath and think of others. I'm sure others can add to this. Yes, he did do some of these in metal, AND THEY WERE GOOD, but... that's not what was promised, nor is it the point. I'm sure the metal collectors are please with his stuff when it comes, but the big roll out how ever many years ago it was was that this was going to be a new plastic playset company that we could all enjoy and live happily ever after.

Glad you caught your breath Jay but I don't see where he promised anything and he did address many of the issuse you've mentioned but once again you deemed them a excuses. I'm sure most will agree that they may have been very good reasons why Conte went the route he has an why certain items never came to be but there's no doubt your not one of them. It's very easy to be critical when your not fitting the bills an having to make decision which are in the best interest of your company. There's no doubt an it's well known that a few of you feel the Conte didn't live up to your expectations but they are far more than the few of you who are very happy he took the routes he has. Currently there's no lack of plastic figures being made by some very good sources. There's alot of excitment about what's being offered so spend the time discussing what's headed your way from them. As you well know Conte's currently putting his efforts in his metal series and has certain plans for plastics. It's time for me to call it a night so take care an enjoy your evening.....Joe

 

[wadepat]

Gentle Friends,

You have been having a truly "spirited" discussion, but it is now time to take a deep breath, clear your heads, and relax. If the discussion becomes too much more "spirited," it may require direct intervention.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[eborris]

Don't all the Conte discussions become spirited? It seems one can't voice their frustration with one manufacturer who shall remain nameless in this post without the defenders of the oppressed coming to his rescue.

Anyway, maybe, just maybe, people wouldn't express their frustration quite as often or as spirited if we didn't get hints (notice didn't say promises) of future projects , by displaying prototypes or starting a project and stopping half way or two thirds of the way through.

In others don't put up until you know you can produce, others have stuck to this plan and it seems to work for them.

Gentle Friends,

You have been having a truly "spirited" discussion, but it is now time to take a deep breath, clear your heads, and relax. If the discussion becomes too much more "spirited," it may require direct intervention.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[Marxmaniac]

Don't forget the Immortals, mounted Normans, ACW Generals in plastic/monochrome metal, Zorro, Robin Hood.....no senior moments here. It does take a national debt level of funding to produce all these figure genres and playsets and we are likely one of the smallest consumer collectives. Kinda like DoD and commercial industry. DoD is not a large enough market to steer product direction, but I digress.

When Conte produces though we collectors listen, although more cautiously.

This same line of discussion occurred on playset list too and went the same direction ....................

 

[binder001]

Lord A. - some advice, RC is a grown up, he can defend himself. If you want to have some "fun" discussions about plastic toys or models of any sort you have to not be quite so 'thin skinned" about each manufacturer. They all have good points and they all have bad points, just like any other human being (including the ones on this forum). I agree that a good discussion shouldn't run down the manufacturers, but we have to be able to have give and take if we are to have a productive discussion. Let's hit "RESET" and go back to talking about plastic soldier figures.

As I said once before; Lord A - what do you like to collect? What figures or types of sets would you like to see? Do you paint your plastic figures or do you like to display them in their plastic color?

Gary B.

 

[LordAnhausen]

Consider The Source: Interesting Perspective AS To "Motivation"

an interesting post from Jay on 11/05/2009 here on this forum pasted below which largely speaks for itself and
demonstrates much about hidden agenda. If interested in the truth and a fair discussion why make up such crazy stories as this post in which you claim Conte was making a 1/32 scale Titanic. Conte has a response on their web page in which this was laughingly exposed as a wild and total fabrication. how can we take you seriously when you create such tales with no perceivable purpose other than defaming Conte the man and the company?

APPARENTLY YOU FORGOT TO INCLUDE TITANIC ON THE LIST OF UNMADE SETS WHEN YOU CAME UP WITH YOUR LIST LAST NIGHT. APPARENTLY YOU FORGOT YOUR OWN 11/05/2009 POST? OR WAS TITANIC LET OFF THE LIST AS IT HAD ALREADY BEEN EXPOSED AS A BALD FACED LIE?
Granny always said "consider the source"

.Jay
Private 1st Class
Join Date
Mar 2008
Location
US
Posts
177
Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

[INDENT]Well, he did say at one point that he was going to make a Titanic Playset. I'm serious. Boy, think about the play value that would have had. Glad that didn't come off.[/INDENT]

 

[LordAnhausen]

Lord A. - some advice, RC is a grown up, he can defend himself. If you want to have some "fun" discussions about plastic toys or models of any sort you have to not be quite so 'thin skinned" about each manufacturer. They all have good points and they all have bad points, just like any other human being (including the ones on this forum). I agree that a good discussion shouldn't run down the manufacturers, but we have to be able to have give and take if we are to have a productive discussion. Let's hit "RESET" and go back to talking about plastic soldier figures.

As I said once before; Lord A - what do you like to collect? What figures or types of sets would you like to see? Do you paint your plastic figures or do you like to display them in their plastic color?

Thanks. Right now I've just acquired some Atlantic Greeks Trojans Egyptians to use with some Conte Spartans. The size seems to work pretty well even tho the Atlantic sculpting isn't in the same league as the Conte. The Atlantic Romans are awful and I decided not to buy those. They must have had different sculptors doing the Romans. Anyone know where I might find large quantity say 150 of the Greeks??

 

[gk5717]

I will man up, I sent LordA a PM, I,ll leave the contents of the PM private. As a champion of Conte that LordA is, I was just trying to help him out. And at no time was I trying to run him off this board. I truely enjoy his loyalty to RC.
Ten years ago I too was a Conte fanatic. Can remember like it was yesterday holding that piece of paper with the sketches of Contes new pirate ship, and right there in black and white, "to be released any day". But of course I,m still waiting as that was the year 2000.
I also still cherish my re-issue Marx Mexicans that I received with, what, the first four Alamo sets, they were totally useless. And don,t forget about the much hyped Archaeological Dig Playset.
Hail Ragnar, Gary

 

[playsetaddict]

I get kicked around by some members as a "Conte Basher", but this year will be my 20th consecutive year of attending OTSN. And as I look back the most memorable OTSN was 1999 when Richard Conte first arrived on the scene and at the show.
He had been advertising his new plastic for about 6 months prior in PFPC, a plastic soldier magazine.
When he arrived, Elvis could have walked in the door with RC and nobody would have noticed. RC was the king of the show. You could hardly get in his room there were so many people. And then to add to the drama his playsets did not arrive until Saturday evening and again a huge rush to get them.
I really do wish those days would come back.
Gary

Gary, I really appreciated what you said in this post. As RC shared his passion and the scope of his vision in that room at OTSN in 1999, with all the prototypes and brochures on display for the first time, we all felt the promise of a whole new day in plastic playset collecting. It sort of felt like listening to the creator of Jurrasic Park in the movie..."We spared no expense...." as impossible dreams seemed to become tangible right in front of us. And in those first few years, like you said, he delivered.
The Warlord. Zulu. Beau Geste. D-Day. Stamford Bridge. We were hooked. And then came the Alamo and the end of the self-contained, complete playsets and the beginning of the installment releases and, well, dream withdrawal. I don't think that is a metaphor...I think it was a real thing that caused scars and left some who had invested in the Alamo sets feeling victimized. So much became personal that calm, current product based discussions became difficult, and excited newcomers had to be informed of/protected from too much enthusiasm.
It's a tough situation. Noone can say that the feelings of dissapointment and disillusionment were not real. It is also true that noone can say that RC has to fly his company into the side of a cliff instead of dumping plans and projects to gain enough lift to continue on. The problem is that when dreamers and the law of gravity have a showdown, gravity wins. Something wonderful was lost, and those of us 'fortunate' enough to have been there in the beginning, in those amazing early days, have trouble being grateful for much of anything that threatens to cause us to dream again. And most stuff Conte does inflame big scope dreams.

The other thing I wanted to say is that Conte has spent alot of money on the projects that have not yet (or perhaps never will) come to fruition. Any guess how much went into making the two different Pirate ship prototypes that the factories backed out on? The investment in the sculpting for the archaeological dig has been made. You've seen the prototypes. In the early days of the company it was pedal to the metal, building the company up. Now the gravity of cash flow and timing what the market will bear and what brings the best return for the buck is setting the pace of things. And yet RC dreams on. Zulu! Northwest Frontier! Rome! The wild west! Sigh. If only we could go back to the heady delight of those early days. Or...if only the thrust of great response to new products would give the company the lift it needs to get back up to that higher altitude.
I'm grateful for the wild Conte ride. The hobby would be so much less interestng without him. And I hope that his playset and plastic figure dreams come true...cause his are bigger than ours.
Take care, Gary.

Joe

 

[gk5717]

Joe, very well said. I wish I would have been able to express it as well as you.
I will always remember when all the promises started to unravel, I would ask you for some inside scoop and the gentleman that you are would hint that things were not going to happen, but being loyal to RC you would not come right out with the true facts. I always respected you for that.
Well enough of this love fest!
OTSN 2000 was another favorite as that was when RC unveiled his WW2 sets.
I remember after buying the sets RC grabbed a bag and began stuffing it with extra figures for me.
See guys I do have fond memories.
Gary

 

[LordAnhausen]

I will man up, I sent LordA a PM, I,ll leave the contents of the PM private. As a champion of Conte that LordA is, I was just trying to help him out. And at no time was I trying to run him off this board. I truely enjoy his loyalty to RC.
Ten years ago I too was a Conte fanatic. Can remember like it was yesterday holding that piece of paper with the sketches of Contes new pirate ship, and right there in black and white, "to be released any day". But of course I,m still waiting as that was the year 2000.
I also still cherish my re-issue Marx Mexicans that I received with, what, the first four Alamo sets, they were totally useless. And don,t forget about the much hyped Archaeological Dig Playset.
Hail Ragnar, Gary

Pirates are one of my main interests. I own all of the Conte Pirate sets except a collector club guy with a hook hand and I must say that yet again misinformation is being passed out. The Conte pirates were some of my first metal sets.Still some of the best Pirates in toy soldier size. Conte never passed out a 'sketches' pf a Pirate ship so this is more science fiction. they actually had ships made i think maybe 10-20 of them in wood. I saw one several painted and set up when I visited the office in Nevada. it was completely made of wood with a cloth type sail. I also have seen photos of the resin prototypes complete with all of the masts and billowing resin sails which were created about 3 years ago.
My point here is that Conte have not given up on the ship. the facts show that as recently as a few years ago (not the 2000 you harp about) they were still spending money trying to improve and to resurrect the ship.
The Conte web page says that the ship didnt happen when the wood manufacturer ceased operations. Then a second mfr who was going to make it in resin decided they couldn't get the masts and sails done right. I know who the wood ship mfr was as they also made doll furniture which my wife collected and sure enough they ceased making the doll furniture as well. They used to be heavily featured in Neiman Marcus & Horchow catalogs as well as the more expensive doll furniture places. Conte have made the best Roman ship, best WW2 landing craft and best Viking ships ever so I am still hopeful that the Pirate ship might see the light of day.
As to your comments re Marx Mexicans, I agree with you that these are not very good but that really is a criticism of Marx and not Conte. When Conte sold the sets which included the Mexicans he did not artificially increase prices and gouge people on their inclusion. My understanding is that he basically threw them in

 

[LordAnhausen]

Re:WISTFUL FOND MEMORIES

Joe, very well said. I wish I would have been able to express it as well as you.
I will always remember when all the promises started to unravel, I would ask you for some inside scoop and the gentleman that you are would hint that things were not going to happen, but being loyal to RC you would not come right out with the true facts. I always respected you for that.
Well enough of this love fest!
OTSN 2000 was another favorite as that was when RC unveiled his WW2 sets.
I remember after buying the sets RC grabbed a bag and began stuffing it with extra figures for me.
See guys I do have fond memories.
Gary

[BTHE FINE LINE BETWEEN ]LOVE & HATE HAVE ALWAYS INTRIGUED CLINICAL EXPERTS. CLEARLY YOU LOVE WHAT CONTE HAS DONE FOR YOU( THE COMPARISON TO ELVIS SHOWS SOMETHING REALLY VERY TOUCHING :tongue:AND SPECIAL BETWEN YOU AND CONTE:rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:) BUT YOU ARE MAD ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE NOT COMPLETED OR DELIVERED. LIKE A SCHOOL GIRL LONGING TO BE ASKED FOR A SECOND DATE SINCE THE FIRST WAS SO MUCH FUN, YOU ARE SADDENED BEYOND ALL BELIEF THAT HIS DANCE CARD IS CURRENTLY FILLED WITH METAL COLLECTORS [/B]IT'S SAD THAT NO OTHER DANCING PARTNERS AT THE FOND MEMORY BALL CAN MAKE YOU FEEL COMPLETE

He's a person, not some huge company like Britains or Marx or King & Country or Forces of Valor or Hasbro. He's the only guy to my knowledge who has made superb metal figures along with some of the best plastic ever made. ever wonder why Britains and K & C don't make plastic? Why Figarti, First Legion and others don't? Ever wonder why Timpo, Accurate, Marx, etc stopped making plastic figures? Ever wonder why Hasbro or Mattel don't get into it??
It's simple, plastic is a money loser if the figures are done right like Conte GIs and Spartans.
Has any one individual made so much injection molded plastic in the last 20 years? I guess HAT and Armies in Plastic may have but the quality is so bad they can't be compared to Conte and TSSD. Let's give the man credit for making what he has made for the hobby and realize that we can't be mad at him for abandoning or delaying some projects. Wait I hear my favorite tune which Conte and I shared.
May I cut in?

 

[gk5717]

LordA with all due respect, when exactly did you start collecting Conte products?
Where you there from day one as I was? From your postings I think not.
Don,t tell me I didn,t have a paper with a sketch of a pirate ship because I did.
My point with the reissue Mexicans was made that prior to The Alamo releases RC posted on his website knocking other companies stating he, Conte, would never use reissue figures in his playsets, thus when the Marx figures arrived he just opened his mouth and inserted his foot.
All of this discussion about Conte is centered on his plastic production, not about his metal, apples & oranges.
Gary

 

[LordAnhausen]

Re:Love Hate and Now Jealousy? Feeling threatened that others love Conte too?

LordA with all due respect, when exactly did you start collecting Conte products?
Where you there from day one as I was? From your postings I think not.
Don,t tell me I didn,t have a paper with a sketch of a pirate ship because I did.
My point with the reissue Mexicans was made that prior to The Alamo releases RC posted on his website knocking other companies stating he, Conte, would never use reissue figures in his playsets, thus when the Marx figures arrived he just opened his mouth and inserted his foot.
All of this discussion about Conte is centered on his plastic production, not about his metal, apples & oranges.
Gary

OR JUST ANGRY THAT OTHERS KNOW AND ARE PREPARED TO PRESENT OPINIONS AND FACTS IN DEFENSE OF CONTE. Don't be jealous, there is more than enough of the Conte Empire to be shared by all.

 

[LordAnhausen]

All We Need Is An Iceberg

What A Perfect World::smile2:
How rarely do things like this align?
We have one anti Conte member talking of the earth , the moon and the stars, another reporting a never made Conte 1/32 scale Titanic sighted off the starboard bow, a dreamy mood being evoked by another member, Elvis sightings, and tales of unrequited and lost love by another who attacks Conte viciously but really loves him

Just when I was beginning to worry about the budget talks and that the economy might affect my retirement checks, my fellow members come through and spark our imaginations with all this unsettling romance and business intrigue. Sounds like this thread has all the makings of a big romance epic for Jim Cameron to direct. NOW IF ONLY we had an iceberg to fit in that Titanic Play Set life would be so complete again.

Seems that the iceberg was estimated to be about 100 feet tall and 400 feet wide so in 1/32 I know if Conte Collectables could make one 3 feet tall by 12.5 feet wide we'd be set . Since the ship JAY reported Conte was making was to be about 35 feet long I can't see why the berg should be a problem for Mr. Conte.
Maybe if we all dream fervently enough and start the rumor of the berg he will make that for us too. There, I've started the rumor of the berg because after all, what is the Titanic without the berg accessory? Gotta say though, it's gonna be hard to hide the playset box in the closet.
Anyone know where i can find those Atlantic Greeks at reasonable prices????

 

[pfd119]

So....when are the new Alamo sets coming out?:tongue: just kidding

Travis

 

[LordAnhausen]

Conte guy told me they had only had about twenty people sign up for the next play set in the 18 months they've been asking for support. They need at least a hundred to even consider starting the next ones.

Are you THE Colonel Travis there in the fort? If so don't worry as those attacking Marx Mexicans are worthless

 

[Denver]

Greetings
Toy Soldier HQ is a website that provides much information about Toy Soldiers.
They have many pictures of many different Makers and Figures.
They are very useful as a resource and a source for Figures.

 

[MC BOWEN]

HI LORD AN.--I LEFT YOU SOME PLASTIC INFO ON THE MIXING MAKERS -BRANDS THREAD UNDER COLLECTORS SHOWCASE --ABOUT OLD ELASTOLIN.