Who made these castings? (1 Viewer)

[Obee]

I recently bought these 3 figures as castings from an intestate seller in Australia.

They came with painting instructions, but they have no maker's identification on that, nor on the casting, so can anyone identify the maker?

L - R
SP-185 British 1st Foot Guards grenadier 1776
SP-160 General Blutcher (Prussian General at Waterloo)
SP-147 Russian grenadier 1812

By the look of the instructions, they appear to have been typed on a typewriter, then copied, so possibly 1960s or 70s era.

They look OK with my 'paint job' ........



Thanks, John

 

[theBaron]

Hi, John,

They look like Stadden/Tradition sculpts, and your description of the painting instructions makes me think of Bussler's copies of Stadden figures. He added the base to the castings when he made his molds.

I've got a number of Bussler's Staddens in my collection. Besides the painting instructions, the original boxes and packaging help further identify them. The boxes were for single figures, with an upper piece that slid over the bottom. The lid had a sort of cross-hatched pattern printed on it, and there was a piece of batting-best way I can describe it-to wrap the figure in the box.

That's my educated guess.

Prost!
Brad

 

[theBaron]

Hi, John, here are some pictures of Bussler's boxes, to illustrate what I'm talking about.

The first 4 pictures are of a box and painting guide for a figure I painted. The casting itself was a Prussian Guard Uhlan, though the painting instructions can be used to paint him as a Bavarian Uhlan. Of course, it's not enough to use the specific colors; the helmet plate on the Bavarian Tschapka was the Bavarian royal crest, not the Prussian eagle. But you can see what I mean about the box, the wadding used to pack the figure and keep it from rattling around in the box, and the painting instructions. Those were mimeographed for multiple copies, and cut as appropriate to fit in the box.

Prost!
Brad

 

[theBaron]

And these photos are from a current eBay auction, but they also illustrate what I mean. The figures are Stadden/Tradition castings, in Bussler's packaging, with his squared base attached to the master figure to be cast integrally with the figure.

The auction is for 2 figures, a French infantryman from the First World War, and a Russian grenadier officer (the seller wrote "Prussian" by mistake in his auction listing). Again, we see the quality of the casting, the type of box Dr. Bussler used, and the printed painting guide for each figure.

Now, I don't know if your figures came with the original packaging. But they certainly look like Bussler's Stadden/Tradition figures, and if they did come with packaging like this, then the ID is complete.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Obee]

I think you have found the maker, well done !!!

Yes, the square base, the same coding for the kits, SP-*** and the way that the arms is attached is the same as my figures.
No, there was no box with mine, they came in a clear plastic zip-lock bag, but the instructions confirm the identification.

Thanks Brad, I appreciate your help.

John

 

[Obee]

Brad,

I found an image of a page of a Bussler catalogue, and I have 'starred' 2 of my figures.




Thanks again for that info,

John

 

[theBaron]

Sure thing, John, glad to help!

I still haven't found the connection between Bussler and Stadden/Tradition, apart from the fact that he sold these. That is, I'd like to learn if he sold them under some agreement, or if he copied them, or something similar. Bussler made his own figures, of course, most notably his Civil War figures. I should ask some of the remaining old-timers in our club...

Prost!
Brad

 

[theBaron]

Looking closely at your photo, I see on the right-hand page, bottom row, second from the left, a Prussian officer from the Seven Years War. In the Tradition catalog, that's a portrait figure of Frederick the Great's brother, Prince Henry. Of course, he can be painted as an officer from a number of regiments, and he doesn't really look like Prince Henry. That's common for many of Stadden's portrait figures-not many really look like the subject. His Duke of Cumberland does, though; it's a good one.

Prost!
Brad