Why Do You Collect What You Collect? (2 Viewers)

[arnhem44mad]

What is it about that specific era or theme that particularly catches your interest?

For me I've always loved War Films and the Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far stuck in my mind as examples of great battles on a grand scale!

The fact that Andy himself says that his original Arnhem'44 Range was such a massive hit due to him being one of the first Toy soldier ranges produced in Matt not gloss has always stuck with me. I don't know if anyone has any of these sets but the excellently produced AN09 - Supplies is a very interesting set. The figure carrying the mortar/piat bombs has a tattoo on his arm which is an image which has always reminded me of the quality of K&C.

The Market Garden range concept came from the original Arnhem '44 range and in my opinion has already surpassed it in terms of quality of items offered. It is also handy that most figures from this range can be used in a DDay or Varsity scenario too.

As far as I know K&C is the only metal/non plastic producer who has produced both LCVPs and LCAs as well as a DD Tank. I know we see new Shermans almost yearly but the range of choice in the dday range is awesome.

I'm one of K&Cs biggest critics but I think that stems from having collected them for ovre 20 years. Andy's products have helped me through various difficult periods in my life. I don't mean to be to brash with anyone I am a very passionate person and I just want to see the company that I love and have spent thousands with continue to perform to the highest standards.

I made a joke the other day but it must be difficult to be at the top of a range of manufacturers as who can you ask for advice as the minute you open your mouth to ask a question other companies maybe listening to your ideas and steal them.

I'm sorry that I'm so critical, Andy, I just want to see you and K&C continue to set the standard and I honestly don't feel that all the recent figures have been up to that standard, however it's been a hard few years so I believe that we'll get back up there.

I will still continue to buy but I just want to see K&C back up there leading the way.

Cheers!!

Scott

 

[Prodigal Son]

Shame all this ruined the thread. People unable to make their point without hurling insults at each other , blissfully unaware others were enjoying the thread . Hopefully the below might help calm waters .

 

[arnhem44mad]

Shame all this ruined the thread. People unable to make their point without hurling insults at each other , blissfully unaware others were enjoying the thread . Hopefully the below might help calm waters .

Yeah, sometimes we all get heated mate. Then it snowballs into a big mess. Mostly my fault

Scott

 

[Prodigal Son]

Yeah, sometimes we all get heated mate. Then it snowballs into a big mess. Mostly my fault

Scott

And to answer your question Scott....my collections have always mirrored those classic War films of the 60s and 70s ...so same as you ' Bridge too Far' ' Longest Day' ' Battle Of Britain ' etc etc. There were only 3 channels in those days so they were on all the time!

I will be adding all the new D day releases plus French resistance fighters and Jerries with their hands up set.

 

[Larry Allen]

Well ... Interesting question, Scott.

My "main" era to collect is the American Revolution. (Possibly) I am the largest K&C AWI soldier collector with over 1800 figures. I was born, grew up in New England (Cambridge, Mass) where much of the "Birth Of America" took place. I visited many AWI battle sights and the homes of many of the historical figures of that time. K&C's AWI figures were the best that I ever saw and he did cover a wide of regiments, Indians, Militia and more. Since the history was n my back yard it was a easy choice.

Second era is the WWII Pacific range. Similar logic applies I suppose with the K&C JN series (both Navy and Army), IWJ series and the USMC series. Most of my family were either US NAVY (as was I) or Marines from WWII to Korea and even into Vietnam. So collecting that era was once again a personal connection. I also have a fair collection of the K&C USN sets. Hope that K&C extends that range some time soon. But the JJD BH series has filled in nicely. I have to also mention that Thomas Gunn RS (JAPANESE) have a large presence in my collection.

Following the same thoughts and logic, I have a nice collection of JJD War of 1812. Pity that JJD has not extended that series or someone else picked up on that idea. Yes, not a huge war but of particular interest to me. I did manage to get a few of the PATRIOT Glengarry figures. Vey nice but a tad bit larger. Still they fit in nicely if placed correctly.

Good question, my friend. Stay safe Scott!

--- LaRRy

 

[Guest]

Hi,

I put some thought into this a little while ago.

Battle of the Bulge - the film originally, but now know ofcourse it is loosely based on what happed.
D Day - Film, as a child and such a momenus event.
WW2 Aircraft [only collect RAF and Luftwaffe] - Film and the stories of heroism, read and saw TV programmes about them as i grew up.
WW2 - grew up with relatives still alive who fought, collect Desert War and European Theartre, except Market garden, sorry Scott, but had to draw the line somewhere, more for you.
Romans - mainly British related, but also Gauls and stuff for Teutoburg. Roman history was an important element of the history we were taught at school, plus living in the place, not the same for the Robin Hood thou, born in Sherwood Nottingham and lived there until 18, grew up as kids pretenting to be fighting the good fight as Robin Hood, but my body has morphed into that of Friar Tuck.
Napoleonics - [only Army, no Naval] Great books, Forester, Cornwell, but later on Mallinson, Goldworthy, Low and Connery. At my school, a comprehensive in the 1970s, we had specific history lessons on the Napoleonic War, all around Waterloo Day, which was celebrated.
Saxons and Vikings - living in the places where it happened, as kids i can remember staying at Grandparents and Grandad saying he better check the doors are locked, you never know when the Vikings or the Jacobites are raiding. Vikings - there were a lot of fighting around the area and a lot of places having Viking names, Jacobites, after the Jacobites turned back at Swarkestone Bridge in 1745, some groups spilt off and made their way up the East side of England and the village where my grandfather's ancestors lived was raided by one such group and they killed seven people, 3 direct relatives in the linage, he still had not forgiven the Scots, well it was only around 230 years before, we have long memories.
The Real West - Cowboy films and the Edge books - only have 40 figures but real nice.
Aztecs - Very different and striking looking figures, the Aztecs, a friend said they look like they are fighting in their pyjamas.

Always like to think what other eras i would collect, 100 Year War, English CW, Zulu Wars, Boar Wars, WW1, Korea and Vietnam do not interest me as Toy Soldiers, thou have read a lot on 100 Year War and Vietnam, not so much on Korea and WW1. South Atlantic 1982, was my first posting, too close to home for me. One, too niche for anyone to do, would be a collection of the Border Reivers. I read The Debatable Land by Graham Robb in 2018 and i was hooked on the area and recently the Robert Low fictional stories. The area was like the Wild West, as was the area on the English Welsh Border, the Marches.

 

[Guy]

I only collect WW2 ETO figures and vehicles . Why ?
Well, I was born in 1945, each time the family came together inevitably the war and the resistance always popped up in the conversation( my father belonged to the local resistance group " the white brigade") . I never could join in in the converstaion. So I started reading about the war and started making plastic ( Airfix, Revell, Monogram) models of tanks and planes . Then, a couple of years later I switched to figure painting and diorama making . I discoverd K&C early 2000, liked what I saw and today I am still collecting K&C figures and vehicles and I am still making dioramas for myszelf and other collectors . D-day, the Battle for Normandy and of course the Battle of the Bulge are my favourite subjects in everything I do .
The first war movies I saw , together with my father, were "Ice cold in Alex"( 1958) followed by Dunkirk with John Mills.
Guy

 

[King & Country]

I only collect WW2 ETO figures and vehicles . Why ?
Well, I was born in 1945, each time the family came together inevitably the war and the resistance always popped up in the conversation( my father belonged to the local resistance group " the white brigade") . I never could join in in the converstaion. So I started reading about the war and started making plastic ( Airfix, Revell, Monogram) models of tanks and planes . Then, a couple of years later I switched to figure painting and diorama making . I discoverd K&C early 2000, liked what I saw and today I am still collecting K&C figures and vehicles and I am still making dioramas for myszelf and other collectors . D-day, the Battle for Normandy and of course the Battle of the Bulge are my favourite subjects in everything I do .
The first war movies I saw , together with my father, were "Ice cold in Alex"( 1958) followed by Dunkirk with John Mills.
Guy

Hullo Guy,
Two of my all-time, favourite British War Movies are the same as yours...’Ice Cold In Alex’ and the 1958 version of ‘Dunkirk’...both starring the great Sir John Mills.

’Alex’ inspired the Austin K2 Ambulance we produced a few years back...’Dunkirk’ inspired most of our ‘Fields of Battle’ series.

All the best and happy collecting,
Andy.

 

[Guest]

Hullo Guy,
Two of my all-time, favourite British War Movies are the same as yours...’Ice Cold In Alex’ and the 1958 version of ‘Dunkirk’...both starring the great Sir John Mills.

’Alex’ inspired the Austin K2 Ambulance we produced a few years back...’Dunkirk’ inspired most of our ‘Fields of Battle’ series.

All the best and happy collecting,
Andy.

Those films bring back memories, I always liked the character played by Harry Andrews, Tom Pugh, Ice Cold in Alex. I watched it as kid in the early 70s and did not figure until a few years later while my Dad and Uncle preferred Sylvia Sims to the soldiers...... Same went for Jenny Agutter and why my father and uncle always liked her in films. The innocence of a child. Tom Andrews in a load of war films, The Hill, 633 Squadron, Charge of the Light Brigade and others.

 

[Guest]

I only collect WW2 ETO figures and vehicles . Why ?
Well, I was born in 1945, each time the family came together inevitably the war and the resistance always popped up in the conversation( my father belonged to the local resistance group " the white brigade") . I never could join in in the converstaion. So I started reading about the war and started making plastic ( Airfix, Revell, Monogram) models of tanks and planes . Then, a couple of years later I switched to figure painting and diorama making . I discoverd K&C early 2000, liked what I saw and today I am still collecting K&C figures and vehicles and I am still making dioramas for myszelf and other collectors . D-day, the Battle for Normandy and of course the Battle of the Bulge are my favourite subjects in everything I do .
The first war movies I saw , together with my father, were "Ice cold in Alex"( 1958) followed by Dunkirk with John Mills.
Guy

I too have a 'thing' about the Battle of the Bulge, was going over, again, last year but COVID. Lovely area as well, beer is good, plus fries with abolutely eveything, what's not to like. The Malmedy museum was just openned last time i went over, great museum.

 

[NZGary]

This thread got me to thinking about what do I collect and why. I honestly can say I collect a bit of everything with some parts of my collection more heavily populated than others. Ancients, Napoleonic’s, American Civil War, Anglo/Zulu War, WW1 and WW2 would be the most heavily populated I would think. This has something to do with my interest and the availability of figures/vehicles and scenic items.

I like mounted figures the best. Not sure why but they stand out, are larger for obvious reasons and somehow seem more able to stand alone or look fantastic in a cavalry charge across those shelves.

It also got me thinking about my collection, mainly stored in New Zealand, but with a fair sprinkling of new arrivals now residing in cabinets in Tasmania.
I also hope you don’t mind my self-indulgence and perhaps puffing out my toy soldier collecting chest as I go through the collection in my own mind and try to list the conflicts and manufactures I currently have. Andy could add to this when the Falkland’s War figures are released and I really should dip into Robin Hood.

I love to mix and match manufactures and also have examples of both matte and glossy figures together. They all look wonderful to me.

Ancients – Egypt (K&C, Thomas Gunn, Cross of St George). I only have a relatively small collection but would expand it with more fighting figures if they were available. The world of the Greeks, Greeks ( K&C, Thomas Gunn, First Legion, Conte, East of India plus a few oddments), Spartans (Conte, JJD, Thomas Gunn), Macedonians (First Legion, Kronprinz), Persians (First Legion, East of India, Conte, Thomas Gun), Rome – Mid Republic, Late Republic, Imperial Rome, Late Roman Empire (Conte, Thomas Gunn, K&C, Collectors Showcase, JJD). Carthaginians (JJD, Blackhawk Thomas Gunn), Barbarians – Brits, Germanic, Gaul’s (K&C, Thomas Gun, JJD, First Legion, Conte) Dacian’s (Thomas Gun, First Legion)

Dark Ages – Vikings (Conte, WB, JJD plus some oddments) Saxons (Conte, JJD, WB, Regal Enterprises), Normans (JJD, Regal Enterprises, Conte), Byzantium (Thomas Gunn), Varangian Guard (Warrior Caste)

Medieval - Crusade’s (K&C, Thomas Gunn, First Legion), 100 Years War (First Legion, Collectors Showcase, WB), Wars of the Roses (JJD), Great Northern Crusade (Team Miniatures, K&C, First Legion), Reconquista (JJD), Mongol Horde (Team Miniatures, White Tower Miniatures)

Renaissance (age of discovery) – Pavia (Kronprinz, First Legion), Columbus (Team Miniatures), Aztec/Conquistadors (JJD, Morgan Miniatures), Age of Samurai (Del Prado, First Legion), Tudor Army (Alexanders Toy Soldiers)

Pike & Musket – English Civil War (Heritage Miniatures, K&C, Alexanders Toy Soldiers), 30 Years War (Kronprinz, First Legion), Siege of Vienna (First Legion Polish Winged Hussars), Ottoman Army (First Legion, Tradition of London)

17[SUP]th[/SUP] & 18[SUP]th[/SUP] century – Battle of the Boyne (Alexanders Toy soldiers), Jacobite Rebellion (JJD), War of Spanish Succession (WB, Tradition of London), French/Indian War (JJD, WB, Frontline Figures), American War of Independence (WB, Conte, K&C, Collectors Showcase). Seven Years War (Frontline Figures, Kronprinz)

Napoleonic’s – Waterloo, Borodino, Retreat from Moscow, Peninsular War, Egypt, Early campaigns (K&C, WB, Frontline, Collectors Showcase, Cold Steel, Kronprinz), Colonial Napoleons (Africa, Caribbean) (WM Hocker, Beau Geste), War of 1812 (JJD) Carlist Wars (Beau Geste, Kronprinz)

American Civil War – Early moves through to late war (WB, K&C, Conte, First Legion, JJD Forward March Heritage Miniatures, Northwest Trading Company, Frontline)

19[SUP]th[/SUP] Century (Colonial Wars) Crimean War (K&C, WB), Franco Prussian War (Team Miniatures), Russian/Japan War (Team Miniatures), Indian Mutiny (WB, Tradition of London) Sudan War (WB, JJD, Frontline), Anglo/Zulu War (WB, Conte, Thomas Gunn, Collectors Showcase) , Northwest Frontier (Conte, Regal Enterprises), Indian Raj (K&C WB and a whole host of glossy figures from various manufactures), Ashanti expedition (WH Hocker), French Foreign Legion/Sudan (Thomas Gunn, Alymer), Boxer Rebellion (Regal Enterprises, Team Miniatures) Boer War (Thomas Gunn, Team Miniatures, WB, Regal Enterprises) Plains Indian Wars (K&C, Blackhawk) Alamo (K&C), American Mexican War (1845) (Regal Enterprises) Spanish/American War (Kronprinz, Team Miniatures), Mexican Adventure (Thomas Gunn, Morgan Miniatures)

WW1 – Early moves, Western Front, Middle East, Arab Revolt, Gallipoli, Eastern Front, Africa (K&C, WB, Thomas Gunn, Northwest Trading Company, Beau Geste, JJD plus a whole range of other smaller manufactures)

Spanish Civil War (JJD, Kronprinz)

WW2 - Polish Campaign, Battle for France, Battle of Britain, North Africa, Malaya, Pacific theatre, Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, Market Garden, Eastern Front, Germany 1945, Luftwaffe, US Air Force (K&C, WB, Conte, First Legion, Figarti, Honour bound, Thomas Gunn).

Modern conflicts – Korea (Thomas Gunn, Figarti), Vietnam (Figarti, Thomas Gunn, K&C, Collectors Showcase), Arab/Israeli (K&C) , Gulf War (Figarti)

Anyway far too much from me and I await those Falklands figures from Andy to add another conflict to this rather eclectic collection.

Gary

 

[WeekendWarrior]

My collection is focused on the British Empire. For King & Country, it's mostly their 1776 series along with some of their US Cavalry. I'd say a mixture of nostalgia, intense interest in the period and the simple fact that I really like the look of massed scarlet clad Regulars. I also have some JJD French & Indian War and American Rev to flesh out the ranks.

I also collect Britains Zulu War series. There is a bit of a personal connection for me, as my namesake was killed in action at Isandlwana in 1879. It's a fascinating saga. I also have some of the Boer War Thomas Gunn and Team Miniatures British Infantry.

I've been tempted to put together a small display of Romans, perhaps one of Varus's Legions making their last stand on the Eagle.

 

[RobDan]

I started collecting WB ACW when the matt figures came out about 2000 if I remember correctly.

Then moved on to WB Zulu and Nile range when they came out a few years later.

Had to make a decision of what to collect so I sold all my ACW (apart from K&C Confederates) to buy more Zulus & Nile

When WB started to dry up, I got more into K&C and thinned down My WB by about 50%

Now I collect K&C Napoleon, ACW, SOE & WW1 + TG FFL, Zulu & Boer war.

Looking forward to the Falklands range. I hope that will grow

I know K&C have a very wide range of categories, but I wish the range would be widened to include wars like the Second Afghan war (including Gurkhas), or any late 1800's British wars. Maybe even the Boer war.

Rob

 

[Nicholas V Hall]

For me it all began at the age of 8 when I went to see see Zulu on the big screen. I was mesmerised. Something to do with the colours, the fire in the hospital and the dawn coming up and the final attack. So I try to recreate my bit of history be it America’s civil war, Napoleonic whatever. The struggle of ordinary men facing insurmountable odds with stoic unflinching bravery. I have a photograph of Frank Bourne who died age 94. I imagine someone saying to a little old man “what did you do”. To hear the reply. “I was the Colour Sergeant at Rorke’s Drift.

 

[Nelson1976]

Like so many it’s the Films that did it - at least for Normandy, RAF and Arnhem. The Bulge captures the imagination - the weather perhaps; First Legion’s retreat from Moscow is fantastic and I have high hopes for TG’s Korea.

... but back to K&C - I love the Battle of the Big Horn stuff but it never seems to get much of a shout-out for some reason.... and of course there are the Napoleonics - a great job and affordable. Finally, Vietnam, what can you say - and I like it that TG (another great company) is doing the French.

I have yet to Pop my cherry on JJD, but the Revenant theme will likely do it... it’s a shame to have to be selective, but space and money create the tyranny.