William Grant's Military Collection (1 Viewer)

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Wm Grant and Sons , distillers of Scotch , issued a series of nine toy soldiers representing Scottish regiments as promotional items in the early 1990's.
They were attached to the bottles . The company also issued a replica of Edinburgh Castle as a display base for the figures . I was able to obtain #'s 4 to 9 .
(not being a Scotch drinker, obtained some from liquor store clerks and directly from the company) The castle was available by way of a draw , but even with stuffing the box I was not successful.

The figures that were available were

1)Gordon Highlanders (92nd) (Private Grenadier Company) 1815
2) Royal Scots (1st) (Sergeant Drill Order) 1887
3)Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders (Private Genadier Company) (72nd) 1823
4)Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (93rd) (Sergeant Drill Order) 1873
5) Highland Light Infantry (71st) (Officer in Full Dress) 1849
6) King's Own Scottish Borderers (25th) (Private in Full Dress) 1902
7) Royal Scots Fusiliers (21st) (Piper) 1871
8) The Black Watch (42nd) (Drum Major) 1865
9) Ross-shire Buffs (78th) (Drummer) 1810

the following picture shows (from left to right) figures 4 to 9

P2160714-1.jpg


The figures are smaller than than 54mm, see the picture below with a W Britain Black Watch drummer for comparison of scale

Does anyone know who manufactured the figures ?

Does anyone have figures 1 to 3 ? I would like to see pictures of them and also obtain figues 1 to 3 , if anyone has spares .

Regards
Kirk










































P2160715-1-1.jpg
 
I do believe they are all WBritain. There is a picture of the castle in one of the club magazines, with mass displays if the firgures, and I believe it is in a museum.
-Sandor:salute::
 
According to Norman Joplin they are not Britains, not documentation has ever been found to suggest they are.
 
Hi, I completed my collection and am selling my dupes on ebay, I never got the castle! But would of course have loved to. Anyhow, I was always told Britains did make them as the promotion and they were made slightly smaller in scale on purpose, but again, this is the story passed to me as I was trying to find them.

Tom
 
thebritfarmer said:
According to Norman Joplin they are not Britains, not documentation has ever been found to suggest they are.
Click to expand...

I am not a Britains expert, but the bases sport near the same green and have that Britains style to them..Just an observation. Michael
 
Hi There,

I have seen a bunch of these on ebay in recent months so you should have no problems getting the figures. The castle is another story. I havent seen one in a mighty long time so good luck hunting that one down. As for the story that they were made by Britains I have heard that as well but have yet to confirm it with anyone who might be in the know on it. Still great idea for a promo if you ask me. I wish Jamisons would do this for the Irish Regiments...

Dave
 
DMNamiot said:
Hi There,

I have seen a bunch of these on ebay in recent months so you should have no problems getting the figures. The castle is another story. I havent seen one in a mighty long time so good luck hunting that one down. As for the story that they were made by Britains I have heard that as well but have yet to confirm it with anyone who might be in the know on it. Still great idea for a promo if you ask me. I wish Jamisons would do this for the Irish Regiments...

Dave
Click to expand...

My understanding is that Grant's stopped their promotion due to some negative public response to advertising liquor with child's toy !
 
I live in Richmond, West London, where Wm. Grants head office is based, shortly after the first series were issued I met with the Marketing Director who had commisioned the figures and asked him specifically if they had been made by Britains for Grants' he said they were not.

I had originally gone to see him to do an interview for Plastic Warrior magazine but they had so little knowledge of the collectors market and where they might go with the series that the tables turned somewhat and I ended up giving them a presentation on the magazines, the shows, manufacturers, size of the market in different countries etc. At the end of the day I came away with insufficient information to base an article on the figures but they gave me lots of point of sale material, sadly not the castle though as that didn't come out until much later.

There is some slight variation in size between the figures but generally they are correctly proportioned to 54mm scale and fit in well with the old Britains hollow cast soldiers, the modern figure they have been compared to in this thread is a bit larger than true 54mm. I never heard the story that they ended the series because of criticism over issuing childrens toys with alcohol but it is possible, during the meeting I had with them they were preoccupied with uniform authenticity as they had complaints over this from collectors.

The first four figures from series 1 are fairly easy to find here in England but the later two series are mach harder to find and turn up much more frequently in France.

Regards, Brian
 
Brian , thank you for the information
Regards
Kirk


BrianCarrick said:
I live in Richmond, West London, where Wm. Grants head office is based, shortly after the first series were issued I met with the Marketing Director who had commisioned the figures and asked him specifically if they had been made by Britains for Grants' he said they were not.

I had originally gone to see him to do an interview for Plastic Warrior magazine but they had so little knowledge of the collectors market and where they might go with the series that the tables turned somewhat and I ended up giving them a presentation on the magazines, the shows, manufacturers, size of the market in different countries etc. At the end of the day I came away with insufficient information to base an article on the figures but they gave me lots of point of sale material, sadly not the castle though as that didn't come out until much later.

There is some slight variation in size between the figures but generally they are correctly proportioned to 54mm scale and fit in well with the old Britains hollow cast soldiers, the modern figure they have been compared to in this thread is a bit larger than true 54mm. I never heard the story that they ended the series because of criticism over issuing childrens toys with alcohol but it is possible, during the meeting I had with them they were preoccupied with uniform authenticity as they had complaints over this from collectors.

The first four figures from series 1 are fairly easy to find here in England but the later two series are mach harder to find and turn up much more frequently in France.

Regards, Brian
Click to expand...
 
BrianCarrick said:
I live in Richmond, West London, where Wm. Grants head office is based, shortly after the first series were issued I met with the Marketing Director who had commisioned the figures and asked him specifically if they had been made by Britains for Grants' he said they were not.

I had originally gone to see him to do an interview for Plastic Warrior magazine but they had so little knowledge of the collectors market and where they might go with the series that the tables turned somewhat and I ended up giving them a presentation on the magazines, the shows, manufacturers, size of the market in different countries etc. At the end of the day I came away with insufficient information to base an article on the figures but they gave me lots of point of sale material, sadly not the castle though as that didn't come out until much later.

There is some slight variation in size between the figures but generally they are correctly proportioned to 54mm scale and fit in well with the old Britains hollow cast soldiers, the modern figure they have been compared to in this thread is a bit larger than true 54mm. I never heard the story that they ended the series because of criticism over issuing childrens toys with alcohol but it is possible, during the meeting I had with them they were preoccupied with uniform authenticity as they had complaints over this from collectors.

The first four figures from series 1 are fairly easy to find here in England but the later two series are mach harder to find and turn up much more frequently in France.

Regards, Brian
Click to expand...


Brian, thanks for the info, that seems to get rid of the Britains angle, but I wonder who made them???

AND, has anyone located a Castle yet for me???????:):)


TD
 
I have some pm me if interested.

They are smallish but definitley collectable.
Grant
 
I have number 3 of duke of albany's own highlanders.
Would you be interested in buying.
Many thanks
Ian


Partner said:
Wm Grant and Sons , distillers of Scotch , issued a series of nine toy soldiers representing Scottish regiments as promotional items in the early 1990's.
They were attached to the bottles . The company also issued a replica of Edinburgh Castle as a display base for the figures . I was able to obtain #'s 4 to 9 .
(not being a Scotch drinker, obtained some from liquor store clerks and directly from the company) The castle was available by way of a draw , but even with stuffing the box I was not successful.

The figures that were available were

1)Gordon Highlanders (92nd) (Private Grenadier Company) 1815
2) Royal Scots (1st) (Sergeant Drill Order) 1887
3)Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders (Private Genadier Company) (72nd) 1823
4)Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (93rd) (Sergeant Drill Order) 1873
5) Highland Light Infantry (71st) (Officer in Full Dress) 1849
6) King's Own Scottish Borderers (25th) (Private in Full Dress) 1902
7) Royal Scots Fusiliers (21st) (Piper) 1871
8) The Black Watch (42nd) (Drum Major) 1865
9) Ross-shire Buffs (78th) (Drummer) 1810

the following picture shows (from left to right) figures 4 to 9

P2160714-1.jpg


The figures are smaller than than 54mm, see the picture below with a W Britain Black Watch drummer for comparison of scale

Does anyone know who manufactured the figures ?

Does anyone have figures 1 to 3 ? I would like to see pictures of them and also obtain figues 1 to 3 , if anyone has spares .

Regards
Kirk










































P2160715-1-1.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I have over 100 William Grant soldiers I am looking to part with. They are in varying conditions, some are in perfect condition, some are in original packages. I have two sets my self these are the extras I am willing to part with.

PM me for more info/pictures. 20130315_180359.jpg
 
You wouldn't happen to have a spare castle, would you? What are you asking per figure?
Thanks!
 
Napoleon1er said:
You wouldn't happen to have a spare castle, would you? What are you asking per figure?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Several years ago I found the Grant's 'Edinburgh Castle Military Collection' Edinburgh Castle display base.
As I am not an avid collector of toy soldiers I would be able to part with it, but am rather ignorant of its value, though I gather it is scarce.
I would assume eBay would be the most obvious option.
It measures approx. 6" x 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" and weighs approx. 1.8 kilos.
It is in very nice condition, overall, but has a small chip on the rear battlement.
 
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