This Weeks News...King Victor Emmanuel meets Garibaldi

1. GARIBALDI IS RECRUITING

Have completed a battalion of Garibaldi Volunteers. I enjoyed converting and painting these, using the Timpo solid ACW figures. Will issue a flag later.

2. THE FENIANS PREPARE TO INVADE CANADA, just got to paint up their flag.

The four new additions.....

3. THE SCHLESWIG VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE

And here are thirteen more completed partisans. Yet another change in their establishment, have decided to have five partisan battalions of thirteen, the thirteenth will be a standard bearer. This leaves me with a spare half dozen figures for other roles.

And here they are integrated..... just five more to complete the three non-uniformed battalions of thirteen.

4. LETS GO SAILING

As a follow-on, and proof of the above. My fishing boat has gained a third crew member.

5. SOME NEW FURNITURE

A charity shop visit furnished an unusual acquisition. This Aynsley Bone china Welsh dresser is about 1/32 in scale. Now those constructing street barricades aren't too careful, I must ask them to try not to scratch the furniture.. (Aynsley produced chinaware from 1775 to 2014, and supplied items to the late Queen, and Lady Diana.) This item floats around for about £8 secondhand, picked it up for £1.

6. SAXE DESSAU GAINS A RECRUIT

Picked up another Timpo Prussian and increased the Dessau company to four. 

7. KING VICTOR MEETS GARIBALDI

Back to the 'Box that Keeps on Giving'. A 1/30 scale British Horseguard has been altered into King Victor Emmanuel the IInd of Italy. It's another odd casting which came very close to being melted down on several occasions.

Original condition

8. SAXONY FOOTGUARDS sent to Schleswig

Finally. I decided to miliput trousers and remove the side plume on some Timpo French Napoleonic Old Guard. They now represent Saxony Foot Guards in there 1848 ceremonial uniform. Although never worn in the  Schleswig War, I will still use them....... although their red and sky-blue colours are rather Danish looking.

Original condition

MGB

PS. Having completed thirty-five figures this week, it has allowed me to largely clear my work top, and tidy up a bit!

REPLIES TO FRIENDS

Hello Brad. Have been doing some basic research on the 1st Italian War of Independence. It's rather overlooked by the 3rd. But the first has some very distinctive uniforms, and the failed Defence of the Roman Republic has some interesting actions between the French Army and the Italian revolutionaries. I also found the Neapolitan Army is very similar to figures in my collection, even the Swiss Mercenaries have red uniforms similar to my Danish army. 

Hello Donnie. Yes, that dresser is a fun addition to the collection! Now I wasn't expecting to return home with that, lol. Presently working on converting some more Timpo figures, to serve as civilian dressed artillerymen. I will then pack the paints away for a while, and have some inside and outside wargames, as Brad suggested.

Hi Quinn. I have used modelling sprays on larger items, such as ships, etc. I have painted (brush) toy soldiers using several gloss varnish products, but my favourite is a very, VERY runny, cheap yacht varnish sold in a discount store. It gives a smooth and strong protection, and yacht varnish is designed to resist the effects of ultraviolet, which turns white into off-white in a year or two. Note, I only paint with acrylic matt products, never gloss enamels. I can drop lead figures on hard surfaces and the paint NEVER chips, if by a fluke the varnish got rubbed badly all I need do is touch up with more varnish. Yacht varnish may also have a measure of flexibility superior to ordinary varnish, this should reduce plastic rifles cracking, but that is always a likely risk.

Thanks MJT. In my earlier years I would have done so. But I'm less 'sure' these days so it survived, and it all turned out for the best, lol. But you know what I'm like with projects...... if my morale is high, get it sorted!