EXETER TOY FAIR and More

                                                          EXETER TOY FAIR VISIT

A member of my family was visiting Exeter and kindly offered to provide a brief excursion to the September Exeter Toy Fair. I popped along with the intension of clearing some unwanted figures, and perhaps pick up a few that I did. Well, the traders seemed a little sombre, and I fear the public turnout might have been a bit modest?

Anyhow, I swapped thirty figures, and purchased some scenic items at a very fair price. To encourage a deal I was happy to exchange on a five to one. To be honest, the Eyes-right bagpipers, yellow-coated marching bandsmen, and also a few WW1 Lead figures were totally unwanted. So exchanging them for six Deetail or DSG French Foreign Legion was perfectly acceptable to me. They even had their bayonets and backpacks. I have always wanted some of these since my childhood, now I'm thinking about increasing them to a full battalion of twelve.

Another stall holder had a box of broken lead castings at £1 each. Now I really liked this, and I spent £12. Here are the goodies, just wish my funds allowed the purchasing of some more. (Plus a cavalryman.)

So my day trip cost £12 plus £3.50 entrance fee. I was only in Exeter for less than two hours so I must apologise for the rushed photos.

The £1 Box..... let me through, please.

And this one is for Roger....

WORKING ON THE BRIDGE

The £1 bridge shown above had clearly been in the wars. Part of the walkway was broken, and the handrails were well warped. Having sorted out the rails, I decided to glue some sandpaper to the underneath of the bridge, and then applied some Milliput.

When painted dark grey the stiff sandpaper is barely discernible.

lightly sanded.

The original paintwork was dark brown, with the stonework given a simple dry-brush in mid green. As mine was now a repaired toy I allowed myself a repaint. I adopted sand-grey stonework, with mid-green pointing to represent moss. A lighter brown was used for the walkway, and a dark green was used to bring out the moulded grass along the base.

Finally. I gave it a gloss varnish spray, and then cut some groves from one of my old river sections to permanently fix the bridge. I very much enjoyed this simple restoration.

                                                                  GARDEN PLANTS 

A small box recently arrived from Graham Apperley (Tales from the Toy Room Blog). He has recently been reorganising his wargame buildings and terrain, including garden plants. The box contained two spare lead garden pieces to link with my wooden Edwardian houses. They really do look superb, and my home-constructed alternatives are boring in comparison to these beautiful lead items....... I must get some more..... it's a new sub-hobby. Thanks again, Graham, really lovely additions to my miniature world.

                                  SOME RESEARCH ON THAT LEAD TREE just acquired.

The large £1 tree is rather interesting. I will have to keep an eye out for the appropriate gate but I'm still very pleased with it. It was commissioned by W. Britains, and possibly made in both the UK and France. The code number was 7F. I initially thought it was missing its foliage, but apparently not. I include a photo of a 'complete' boxed model for purposes of education. (The toy reminded me of a Saturday morning kid's television series 1971-73 called Follyfoot, with their theme song 'Lightning Tree'.)

Looking at my tree above, tempted to paint the ground and fencepost, but just varnish the tree..... it looks suitably dead!

Follyfoot theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqwJoEGyGMY&list=RDCqwJoEGyGMY&start_radio=1

                                                               1970s COMEDY SHOW

A few months back I picked up a three disc dvd set of a fairly well known comedy show. It only cost £1 in a charity shop. Not quite a classic, but still worth watching for an occasional scene, or just pure nostalgia, CITIZEN SMITH was broadcast in 1977 and stars a very young Robert Lindsay, and not forgetting the wonderful and much missed Peter Vaughan. They both worked together again during the 1990s in the absolutely superb Hornblower series. 

And the connection? Well, in episode three the Lindsay character cannot move into the spare room as Vaughan's character is planning to convert it into his battlefield room....... his character's daughter went on to explain 'he refights battles using toy soldiers, he always wins, and wants to recreate the Battle of Alamein'. Well, it certainly made me smile!

                                           SOME FLAGS FOR THE JAPANESE and others

Lost my internet connection for over a week, and I don't own a television! Decided to use a few evenings painting up some wargame flags. I was particularly keen all my Japanese WW2 units should have distinct colours.  

JAPANESE WW2 FLAGS, uploaded for purposes of education.

MGB

NEW BUILDINGS for my TOY SOLDIERS

MY COMPLETED INN and SECOND EDWARDIAN HOUSE

I've noticed several entries on blogs on home builds recently. For my part, it was time I increased the number of actual 54mm buildings I could utilise. Early this year, Graham Apperley (Tales from the Toy Room Blog) generously sent me a box of spare lead figures and also a tin lantern. Decided it was time to start work on the lantern. Here is my (almost) finished Inn, now ready to serve customers. 

Original lantern

Some Examples

I finally gained the resolve to complete my second MDF house c.1900-1939. Here we see the new owners moving in.

NEW ACQUISITIONS Some Metal farm items

Picked up two Crescent lead troughs, and also a goose(?) from the collectables shop. I actually popped in just to donate three painted plastic cowboys which were totally surplus to my collection. The owner furnished a small box of lead items and demanded I accept a swap.

ALFRED FIELD & CO ENGLISH MADE CANNON

Just spotted an auction for some cannon which I've long wondered who was the original manufacturer.  Lots of companies had been suggested by others on forums, but here we see the original manufacturer's box!

Have posted this link to the actual auction but I include the seller's description here for a more permanent record. I have several of these very small guns in my collection, and they paint up rather well as naval landing party guns. I'm no collector of boxes so I will give it a miss.

Seller's Description

"I found a box of these at the back of the store of an old shop - so in excellent unused condition.They are 7cm long, the wheels go round, made of a soft metal probably lead, ENGLAND stamped along the side. The lever at the back moves in and out - to fire a cork or matchstick (potentially lethal - do not give to small children or over enthusiastic adults...)

In 1836 Alfred Field started a hardware business in Birmingham England, and then 4 years later in New York. After he died in 1884 his son continued the business and that is when the Maple Leaf symbol appeared alongside the crane symbol...thus dating the cannons to around about this time. (Fields ceased trading in about 1933)"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/317247753553?_skw=cannon&itmmeta=01K4SHYB4A42WBXAC2VFMEZJ4N&hash=item49dd708d51:g:ipgAAeSwBDtovFG7&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAAwFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1eWJjjrVahUi%2B4fw3tQ%2Fc48m%2BrvULIvPVg70rsv9xScc%2BbM%2BbZV7xjnI53XNX3UiYSKLq5QBOBQ0VeMgGlPcP%2F3mr7Uha75xjyP6I43mOG7UdvD5W20uS1edYr7V1aUH8M3krngOqvpK7DUJF9PdPUuaQit1qXYyIPUryUpjydiA9wUibsZfIIeVLq%2FN2J4tPkErrIuqtpKG%2Bc1er3bmmmslGYXj50PfavTTrN%2FK5iBGQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7ay-bGmZg&pfm=0

Four of mine painted for the gaming table, the green are slightly different to the red, and some of mine arrived with lead ornaments fixed to the metal pull-backs, which I have fabricated for the others.

SOME THOUGHTS ON RED DIE-CAST ARTILLERY PIECES

As a follow-on to the previous entry, I've often seen examples of die-cast artillery pieces painted red. I've also come across comments on forums suggesting the same. But are they just examples of repainted toys? I recently came across this auction which confirms they are genuine. Thought I would record it here. 

This gun was produced by Jordan and Lewden Ltd. of London. Examining the moulded carriage shows that it is very similar to green-painted examples produced by Benbros, the latter preferring cartwheels on their 1960s version. Mind you, Benbros had a reputation for near copies, to be sold at lower prices.

So red die-cast guns did exist!

For more information do visit this link. https://www.robertnewson.co.uk/articles/Riverseries.html
NO SPEEDING PLEASE

Spotted this rather nice road sign in the collectables shop. Owner allowed me to purchase it for £3.

MGB

ITALIAN UNIFICATION WARGAME (Naples, 19th Century)

                                                    A LITTLE PATIO WARGAME

Taking advantage of the fine weather, decided to fight a quick game outside. This one is set in southern Italy during the mid-19th century.

SCENARIO

A coastal fortress was garrisoned by Neapolitan troops. It comprised a commander, 4 mounted chasseurs (B class), 4 foot chasseurs (A), 4 Veteran Guards (A), 8 infantry (B), and 6 naval gunners (C).

 Unknown to the garrison commander, some locals in the nearby town had sent word to Garibaldi that they were willing to stage an uprising if suitably supported. Working together, they would then assault the fortress from the landward side, which had no heavy guns. 

Two transport ships duly arrived at the town harbour and proceeded to disembark using three rowboats. The expeditionaries comprised 2 mounted commanders, 12 redshirts (A), 12 allied volunteers (B), and a professional gun crew of 3, kindly lent by the Kingdom of Savoy (A).

The town response to their arrival was determined by the throwing of a dice.

A score of three would see a civil war in the town. More dice would indicate the level of support for each side. Those nationalists willing to actually take up arms numbered eighteen, while the Bourbon loyalists mustered twenty-one. As the pro-Bourbon Party was more numerous they would still control the town, and also had access to the local artillery piece. All armed locals had a morale rating of C.

THE FIGHTING BEGINS

MOVE ONE Being informed of the arrival of two ships flying tricolour flags, the town mayor despatched a rider to the fort with a request for help. He ordered others he could trust to hold the Mayor's residence, and also the dock. A dice was thrown to confirm the messenger was not hindered on his ride.

MOVE TWO Local Nationalists staged an uprising, and the respective partisans exchanged fire from several buildings. A nationalist was hit. The Bourbon cannon fired on the rowboats, but missed. MOVE THREE More fire, both sides losing a man. But the Bourbon artillery piece also scored a hit on a row boat. Well, it took the head off one of those onboard. Garibaldi's volunteers were not expecting an opposed landing from the town, but their resolve held.

MOVE FOUR The Bourbons in the Mayor's house suffered a second casualty, but the dockside cannon repeated a decapitation on a rowboat!

MOVE FIVE The Bourbons in the Mayor's house suffered their third casualty.

At half strength, fired upon from three sides, and only partisan class, the remaining three surrendered. They were given a severe beating, but survived (D4). MOVE SIX The Bourbon messenger arrived at the fort, the garrison commander (D6) decided to leave the veterans and naval gunners there, but take the remainder to the town.

The nationalist rowboats now reached the dock. The Bourbon partisans fired everything they had, but inflicted only two casualties.

But nationalist partisans were now approaching towards them from behind. MOVE SEVEN Garibaldi's redshirts charged the defenders, and the mayor and his followers scattered (D1).

MOVE EIGHT to ELEVEN The town was now controlled by the nationalists. MOVE TWELVE The Bourbon Regulars advanced on the Mayor's residence. They were met with fire from two buildings, causing a casualty on the foot chasseurs.

MOVE THIRTEEN The Bourbon infantry charged the lesser house, occupied by the Greyshirts. Their morale held (D6) and they delivered a fine volley, bringing down two Regulars. But the latter also continued their charge. In the following melee both sides suffered a casualty..... but the greys had the advantage of being more numerous and defending. MOVE FOURTEEN Another chasseur hit the dust. In the second round of melee the charge impact had been spent, and they lost the melee with a further casualty.

But their morale still held (D6). Realising that his command included two units that would no longer take the offensive, being half strength, the Bourbon commander ordered a withdrawal on MOVE FIFTEEN. Terms having been agreed with the enemy for a peaceful departure (D6). It was just as well as unknown to the Bourbon commander the town square would have also opposed him with two manned cannon and twelve nationalist partisans.

RESULT 

The Bourbon commander had lost half of his line infantry and foot chasseurs. A few days later he evacuated the fortress, having destroyed the garrison guns. With hindsight, the commander might have done better waiting for a direct assault on the fort? Perhaps the town mayor should have made his main stand in his residency?  

MGB

NEW MEDIEVAL BANNERS

A number of units in my Medieval collection were still using 28mm banners, painted some twenty years previous. It was time to issue new, and in a 54mm scale. Here are a few.

                                 One of my Guelph pike blocks now carries a Florentine banner.

Florence can also furnish a unit of crossbowmen.

The Ghibelline Duchy of Styria has issued a banner to their pikemen. Green is somewhat rare in heraldry.

Something for my Papal archers, this signal flag is imaginary, with Borgia heraldry.

My Venetians are now ready for action.

And finally. This old banner has been drafted to my Genoese archers, but they could also serve as English.

MGB