Toy Soldier Collector Magazine
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68 PAGES OF TOY SOLDIERS | IN-DEPTH FEATURES | COMPETITION | SHOW DATES Dec/Jan 2008 | Issue 19 | £4.50 TOY SOLDIER www.toysoldiercollector.com COLLECTOR WE’RE AS SERIOUS ABOUT COLLECTING AS YOU ARE Heritage Miniatures WIN Zulu War sets by Making the Streets of New WWI Cavalry Frontline Figures Old Hong Kong GODS OF OVER 85 WAR new FIGURES/SETS Russian Vityaz REVIEWED Roman elephant EVERY ISSUE: NEW METAL | PLASTICS | CASTINGS PLUS: NEWS | HISTORY | READERS LETTERS Please pre-order this piece from your local retailer to avoid disappointment 17869 – A complete British Royal Field Artillery Limber with 18 Available Pound Gun that includes Gun, Limber, Six Horses, Two February 2008 Outriders and Two Limber Riders. This 11 Piece Set is strictly LIMITED TO 450 SETS WORLDWIDE. These figures are 54mm (2.25") Tall Matte Connoisseur Finish For more information on the new World War I releases and to find Metal Military Miniatures. Use this stunning piece with the a retailer near you please contact W. Britain at: extensive W. Britain World War I collection that includes British From the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe From the United States, Canada, Central and South America infantry, highlanders and cavalry, as well as French infantry and W. Britain Ltd. at: First Gear / W. Britain Consumer Services Department at: Wireless Hill Industrial Estate • South Luffenham P.O. Box 52 • Peosta, Iowa 52068-0052 German infantry and cavalry. Oakham • Rutland • LE15 8NF • United Kingdom Toll Free: (888) 771-5576 or (563) 582-2071 Tel: (0) 1780 721723 • Fax: (0) 1780 729513 Fax: (563) 582-2415 Email: [email protected] • Website: www.wbritain.com Email: [email protected] • Website: www.wbritain.com WBA5007 ©2007 FIRST GEAR, INC. Why not join the largest toy soldier club in the World? Visit www.wbritaincollectorsclub.com for more information. CONTENTS 4 ....... NOTICEBOARD 8 ....... THE GIVEAWAY Win new Zulu War sets from Frontline Figures 10 .....NEW RELEASES PART 1 17 ..... CHARGE! Rob Hendrie inspects Heritage Miniatures new WWI cavalry 22 .....LIFE ON THE STREET 27 ..... SKINNER’S SOLDIERS Canadian writer and collector Guy Elliott talks about his passion for fi gures from The Scottish Toy Soldier Company 30 ..... CASTING AROUND 36 .....THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN The third and fi nal installment in Martin Ainscough’s series on fi gures that represent the British army in India 41 ..... SIX 42 .....THE MACGREGOR GENTLEMAN TOY SOLDIER 43 ..... SHOW DATES 44 ..... FANTASTIC PLASTICS 50. ....RP OPEN DAY COLLECTOR 52 .....REBUILDING HONG KONG Editor: Mark Avery Australian modeller Geoff Barnes gives some Advertising: Regis Auckland ([email protected]) advice on building a civilian themed diorama Contributors: Andy Whittaker, Mike Blake, Martin Ainscough, Rob 56.... CONSUMING ISSUES Hendrie, Paul Stocker, Geoff Barnes, Guy Elliott and Gerry McQueen. Design: Dark Star Media Ltd (www.darkmedialtd.com) 58.... NEW RELEASES PART 2 Printing: Regal Litho (www.regallitho.co.uk) 66.... FINAL WORD Toy Soldier Collector is published bi-monthly by: Guideline Publications, Unit 3 Enigma Building, Bilton Road, Denbigh East, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, MK1 1HW Tel: 01908 274433 Fax: 01908 270614 Email: Jennifer Henry on [email protected] Subscription rates: UK £25, Europe £34, USA £32, Canada £34, ROW £40 (all prices include shipping and postage) www.toysoldiercollector.com Front cover: Armoured Roman elephant by Russian Vityaz Toy Soldier Collector ISSN 1745-5804 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden but may be granted Please direct all purchasing, editorial and subscription enquiries to Jennifer Henry at our upon application to Guideline Publications. All submissions to Toy Soldier Collector and head offi ce: welcomed and we will do our best to return these to you free of charge, however to Guideline Publications guarantee return please include a stamped addresses envelope. All submissions should Unit 3 Enigma Building, Bilton Road, Denbigh East, Blethcley, Buckinghamshire, MK1 1HW be mailed to the main Guideline offi ce address as listed above. Copyright of published articles will belong to Toy Soldier Collector unless a prior agreement is reached. Toy Tel: 01908 274433 Fax: 01908 270614 Soldier Collector can accept no responsibility for lost or damaged submissions. Email: [email protected] www.guidelinepublications.co.uk TOY SOLDIER COLLECTOR 3 Welcome... For sale: Alma Figures to the latest issue of your Mike Easton has decided to sell Alma Figures - the well- favourite magazine, and a known and highly-rated Crimean War range via Vectis special welcome to our thou- Auctioneers. “This is a sad moment for us after so much sands of new readers who are work but life moves on,” said Mike. The sale will include discovering the magazine for the first time in newsagents all stock, moulds, masters, spares and painted figures. all over the UK, as well as via “It was a difficult decision but as we no longer attend numerous outlets across Eu- shows due to health reasons it seemed logical,” Mike rope and the USA! explained. “But we are still ‘out there’ because now we can As I mentioned in my in- concentrate on our specialist shop in Porthmadog, Gwyn- EDITORIAL & NEWS troduction last issue I was ‘filling in’ as editor of TSC edd selling professionally painted plastic 54mm figures temporarily and I’m now very as well as kits and models. The shop will have a name pleased to be able to say that change soon from Alma Figures to Porthmadog Models. the magazine will have a The new email address for the shop is new permanent editor from [email protected].” issue 20 onwards. My good friend Andy Whittaker, who Mike invites readers who holiday in this spectacular part has worked with me on this of Britain, (Snowdonia is on the doorstep as is Portmeirion magazine and many others village where cult 1960s TV series The Prisoner was made) in the last 10 or more years, to call at the shop which is easy to find on the main street will officially take over as per- in Porthmadog. manent editor from next is- sue. Due to my commitments with other projects, including my new baby, I had only ever Norman Joplin’s new role planned to help out TSC on Toy soldier expert Norman Joplin has recently joined a short-term basis, and now specialist online auction house The Toy Auctioneer as a with Andy willing to take on the mantle of editor I feel the consultant. Norman is best known for his books on toy magazine has the best person soldiers, the latest of which ‘Britains New Toy Soldiers to take it forwards. Andy, like and Traditional Metal Models 1972-2007’ is due for publi- myself, has been involved in cation in 2008. Norman has also been involved with many the toy soldier hobby for over auctions and auction houses over the years including the a decade and is looking for- famous ‘Malcolm Forbes’ collection auctioned by Chris- ward to taking on the chal- lenge of TSC. I will continue ties a few years ago. to be involved in the maga- In addition to Norman’s book and consultancy work zine, although only as a sub- for the various auctioneers he is also the editor-in-chief editor and infrequent contrib- of US based magazine Old Toy Soldier. Norman will join utor, and so I hope you will all forces with Director of The Toy Auctioneer Daniel Agnew join me in wishing Andy well in his new role. In fact Andy cementing an 18 year working relationship the two have starts this issue by joining had since working together at Christies. Norman will Rob Hendrie to cover New Re- assist Daniel and the rest of the team in organising the leases parts one and two. hobby soldier toy global the from news latest The Toy Auctioneer’s first toy soldier and figure sale which NOTICEBOARD In addition to Andy joining will run alongside Norman’s annual ‘Old Toy Soldier and the team the regular faces of Mike Blake and Paul Stocker Figure Show’ on September 13, 2008. are here with their plastics For further information on this event, or other auctions and castings section, plus The Toy Auctioneer are holding visit www.thetoyauction- Rob Hendrie not only covers eer.com or contact Daniel Agnew on 0207 8708124. some New Releases but also gives an insight into the new WWI range by Heritage Mini- atures. On top of this there Soldier Pac recasts cease are lots of special articles News comes in this issue from resident castings expert from some familiar, and some Paul Stocker that Soldier Pac have ceased selling its range new, faces as well as regular of recast parts for antique figures. An announcement has features such as our competi- been placed on the Soldier Pac website tion and news sections. Enjoy the issue, thanks for (www.soldierpac.com) although currently nobody from your support, and join Andy the company has been available for comment as to the in two months for issue 20 of reasons behind the decision. TSC! Birmingham show success Sunday October 28, 2007, was the day to be in Birming- ham (or Edgbaston to be more precise) as it was the day of Mark Avery the annual Birmingham Toy and Figure Show run by Dave Editor McKenna. As I’ve mentioned in the past in this magazine Dave is one of the nicest chaps you can run into in our little 4 TOY SOLDIER COLLECTOR hobby and he always organises a great show at the regular Morgan Miniatures website venue of the Clarendon Suites just outside Birmingham’s Last issue the magazine covered some new Aztecs by city centre. Welsh-based Morgan Miniatures. Gareth Morgan, owner NEWS This year’s event was no different to previous years, it of the company, has since been in touch to say the figures was well organised by Dave and the team, and every col- are now all available by from the company’s new website lector and dealer there had a smile on their face.