The Foot Guards by Ken Osen

2 CONTENTS HISTORY IN MINIATURE 3 Contents The Iconic W.Britain Toy Soldier 3 Red Tunic, Black Bearskin Cap, these are the Foot Guards by Ken Osen For Trade and War 8 Joe Salamida and Ken Osen examine trade practice in North America Previewing the Troops 12 Ken Osen reveals future W.Britain troops on the Frontier The Concert of Europe Goes Flat 14 The origins of war in the Crimea, 1853 by Andrew Frantz lthough it has become almost synonymous with By Ken Osen Front & Center 17 been over 50 years, W.Britain. More recently I have Inaugural look at some of our favorite figures and the history behind them A I still have vivid memories of thought about the continued popularity of similar to the present style that the soldiers visiting my uncle’s house and peering into these classic miniature figures worldwide. of the Foot Guards wear in full dress was British Light Infantry in the Napoleonic Wars 18 his curio cabinet full of toy soldiers. I did Considering the original toys were released established. In fact, when this uniform Philip Haythornthwaite analyses the development of this important fighting force not know it at the time, but the soldiers in over 120 years ago, what they represent is was worn with other equipment in the last the cabinet were figures made by a British still instantly recognizable by even the most quarter of the 19th century, it was also the National Infantry Museum in the Open Air 24 company, W.Britain. Although my uncle’s casual viewer. The simple reason is that the service dress. Although for all practical Part 2 of Doug Dearth’s travelogue on the U.S. National Infantry Museum favorite was clearly the Queen’s Coronation dress uniforms worn by the British Guard purposes this would change within a Coach pulled by eight light grey horses, my Infantry of the Household Division has not decade. U.S. News 26 eyes were drawn to the red coated infantry drastically changed in overall appearance Similar changes in the details of the Reviews of latest shows and exhibitions in the States on the shelf below. There, lined up on for many years. One could make the case dress occurred with the little W.Britain the glass shelf was a full regimental band that the iconic dress uniform was already Guardsman, too. But unlike a Horse COVER leading infantry with officers and flags, all identified world-wide with Great Britain’s Guards Order implemented in a relatively A parade of Guardsmen in front of....... sporting red coats and tall black caps. Grenadier Guards for decades before short period of time in the real world, it A Black Watch Highlander, Crimean War, 1854, No.10001 and 104th British took the toy maker almost three decades Regiment of Foot, Light Infantry Co., New Brunswick Regiment, War of 1812 Because these toy soldiers seemed to W.Britain toys ever offered their miniatures by Don Troiani show up almost everywhere, for many years neatly packaged in their classic red boxes. to have uniformity in the ranks of their I had not given any real thought to these Certainly by the 1870s the red coat, little grenadiers. For years some of little marching British Grenadiers that have blue trousers and black bearskin caps W.Britain’s soldiers were modeled wearing Dear Collectors, LEFT reasons behind the Crimean War, a subject Three boxes of early Guardsmen, pre-World War II, the Here is our second issue of The Standard for box of Coldstream Guards at the bottom, before the 2018. We have been very busy planning that deserves a little more attention in our Great War Kenneth Osen and prototyping new sets, attending shows offerings. We are honored to have world Editor: Graphic Designer: Doug Dearth and even managing to squeeze in a trip to renown and respected military expert BELOW Contributors: Andrew Frantz, Philip Haythornthwaite, Joe Salamida, Katie The reintroduction of our classic Guards. This set Philip Haythornthwaite return with an Hines, Doug Dearth and Ken Osen China to visit our manufacturing partners. No.43117C, manufactured in 2006 . The cover art article on the British Light Infantry of the Published by: Making the long trek, by airplane, has The William Britain Collectors’ Club mimics the classic look of boxes from the past Napoleonic wars. Make me wondering how Annual Club Membership: sure to review the list of UK £35.00, Europe £40.00,ROW £45.00/$68.00 ABOVE our forefathers ever USA $65.00, Canada $72.00, ROW $75.00 Irish Guards tunic and cap right, and left, a W.Britain titles he has published at In the UK, Europe and ROW: The W.B.C.C. PO Box 7820, Barwell, made the lengthy ocean Leicestershire, guardsman is visited by an adoring family (of Imperial voyages or traveled by the end of his article – LE9 8WZ. United Kingdom Production figures), all from the author’s collection many of these books are In the US, Canada and Central, South America & Australia: horse or coach across The W.B.C.C, 10420 Geiser Road, Holland, Ohio 43528, USA. entire continents just to indispensable for your Tel: UK Office: +44 (0) 01455 841826 conduct business. research library. US Office: +1 419 865 5077 As promised in the last We are introducing Email UK: [email protected] issue, we take a moment a new feature: Front US: [email protected] & Center were one of Website to look back at some UK: www.wbritain-collectorsclub.co.uk figures that are now the crew highlights the US: www.wbritain.com and www.wbritaincollectorsclub.com history behind one of our favorite figures, ROW – For Payment in USD ($) is defined as – Canada, Central and South almost synonymous with William Britain America, and Australia. For Payment in GBP (£) is defined as Asia, Africa, and and why their popularity has endured. This past and present. the Middle East. The content and views expressed in this journal are solely the responsibility was a fun article to write, and could have As always, if there is something you of The William Britain Collectors Club. Copyright ©The Good Soldier, LLC. All would be interested in seeing an article right reserved. No part of The Standard may be reproduced or transmitted in easily filled a entire issue if we had covered any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, on, or even better if you would like to recording on any information storage or retrieval system, without permission the many toys and models that were in writing from The William Britain Collectors Club. inspired by the infantry of a Great Britain’s contribute a piece, please contact us. Please Advertising within The Standard is open to all established W.Britain retailers Brigade of Guards. read on and enjoy! and collectors. Advertising sizes available are Full, 1/2 page, 1/3 page vertical and 1/3 page Contributors in this issue of The Standard: square. For further information please email the Editor at: USclub@wbritain. All the best, com or call +01455841756 in the UK or 419-865-5077 in the US. Joe Salamida and I look at the rich history W.Britain reserves the right to refuse any advertising without providing a reason. of the Trade Gun on America’s early Ken Osen frontier. Andrew Frantz takes a look at the General Manager & Creative Director W.Britain 4 HISTORY IN MINIATURE HISTORY IN MINIATURE 5 leather gaiters with their boots and the To understand the success of these ceremony takes place at St. James.) same set might include soldiers with full- “English made” toy soldiers we also need Wearing the Fleur-de-Lys (Between April 1 and Sept. 1, the length trousers. Some might have valise to consider the product in context of their At the funeral of Charles II, the arms of England ceremony takes place at Buckingham equipment or knapsacks and others might time. Great Britain may have been at the and France were incorporated on the mourning Palace whether the queen is in residence not. It took until the mid 1930s before a apogee of the empire building that had band. It is to commemorate this that the Fleur- or not.) de-Lys in worked in the trade on the drummers’ 10:30 The new guard, headed by a band, degree of uniformity could be expected in been in full swing since the eighteenth tunics in every regiment of the Foot Guards. arrives at the palace to find the old guard any one set of Guardsmen. I was always century. Every Briton could gaze at a world drawn up in the forecourt. curious where the description for “half map and see the far-reaching empire and About 50 guardsmen are assigned to sentry duty at Buckingham Palace and booted” originated for the miniature be proud. As the great powers of Europe St. James. soldiers wearing gaiters; it seems to be only approached the cataclysm of world war Eight are on duty when the queen is in a collector’s description. their citizens were self-confident and residence, and four or five when she is not. It is important to remember that nationalistic. The competitive national Following the return of the relieved the original models were a fairly good spirit was projected onto everything sentries, the old guard marches out of representation of the modern British produced. Periodicals of the time were forecourt by the main gate to the music Grenadier when they were designed often jingoistic in their editorials, and the of its regimental slow march, changing to a quick march in the road outside.

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