SPECIAL THANKS. I would like to thank Paul Watson for his sponsorship of several lead figure collections on this blog. Having decided to clear his spare/surplus figures, he generously forwarded them on with no other requirement than they deserved to be restored. I would also like to mention George S. Mills, who kindly furnished a quantity of plastic figures which greatly enhanced several collections.

Thursday, 27 April 2023

Some PAINTED CIVILIANS, MILITARY, and my SCHLESWIG PROJECT

A few days ago I picked up a horde of metal and plastic figures at the Exeter Toy Show. Yesterday I had some time to go to work on them. 

Railway Station Staff. The red and black uniforms are to link up with my Timpo train livery. Still scratch-building a luggage cart based on the original Britains casting.

Town civilians and British policemen.

Some French soldiers. Planning to raise a second battalion of Foreign Legion troops.


Another Crescent cowboy is revamped. It was a nice range of figures, designed in the 1960s.

THE SCHLESWIG PROJECT

Have started on my Schleswig collection. Here is a Danish drummer 1864, and a captain for my merchant ship. Have also converted some large Timpo ACW figures into Schleswig volunteers. Although pleased with the results, my plans have somewhat changed. 

Have discovered a very nice figure-make to represent Danish 1848 (more on this later). This has led me to consider reducing my large collection of American 1890s (well over 200 strong) into Schleswig and German troops, to engage the potential Danish army. While I hate paint stripping completed projects, I could easily muster fifty figures towards this new project, at no cost. I also have a surplus plastic British regiment (my British Empire collection is almost entirely metal now, and numbers nearly 300!).

Don't mind admitting, I've been influenced by a wargame 'Anyone for Herring?' on Brian's blog COLLECTING TOY SOLDIERS, it involves a fictional war between Denmark and Norway c.1870.

https://toysoldiercollecting.blogspot.com/2014/04/herring-war.html#comment-form

MGB

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8 comments:

  1. Maudlin Jack Tar27 April 2023 at 14:28

    Lovely looking figures MGB, and great work with the paintbrush.

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    1. MGB27 April 2023 at 15:33

      Thanks MJT. I was rather pleased when I discovered the bout with the paintbrush had cleared thirteen figures, they normally have to be similar in their uniform to muster that number in a few hours.. A typical 30 minutes might furnish three figures. Today I completed two Timpo Foreign Legion soldiers in fifteen minutes, but they already had their main colours and bases completed. So they just needed their detail and tidying up. Will varnish them this evening so as to dry overnight in the spare room.
      Michael

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  2. Quantrilltoy27 April 2023 at 23:41

    My introduction to Crescent cowboys and Indians was via cereal packet versions in the 1960s. it was always exciting to get a new packet of Corn Checks (or whatever other cereal had them). The most common color was a pastel blue but also red and yellow and sometimes brown. they saw many wargames with marble and matchstick projectiles.
    Your new army is looking nice. i like the conversion of the Charbens running figure.

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    1. MGB28 April 2023 at 06:07

      Same here in the UK. I think it was Kellogg's cornflakes that often included toy soldiers. I now realise many of my plastic bandsmen, cowboys, and others derived from this source. I'm presently working on my Danish and North German armies c.1835-70 period. Going to paint strip about fifty figures in other collections to raise the Germans.
      Michael

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  3. Brad DeSantis28 April 2023 at 13:47

    Your Railway Staff and Civilians are beautiful Michael! I can't wait to see them with your train! I'm very much looking forward to your Danish-Schleswig armies coming to fruition! It sounds like a very interesting period!

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    1. MGB28 April 2023 at 20:14

      Hi Brad. I wanted to wargame an actual 19th century European conflict. The two Schleswig wars were quite small in scale, so it seemed a simple project. I then realised that in raising the German opposition, these could also serve in a Franco-Prussian action. With some of my collections too large to fit on my gaming table, it made sense to reassess how their numbers could be better used. Thats my plan.
      Michael

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  4. Mark, Man of TIN16 May 2023 at 19:34

    Some great civilian figures and repaints. I'm looking forward to seeing the Danish figures develop.

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    1. MGB17 May 2023 at 08:02

      Cheers Mark, the Schleswig Wars collection is certainly springing to life!
      Michael

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