Another product of today's visit was these two figures. Although at first sight I thought they were British Napoleonic light infantry, on closer inspection the shako looks like an Albert to me - it has a rear peak and a central ball.
The question is - what were these figures for? Are they figure dolls awaiting animation and basing to form new figures in the Crimean Range? Are they perhaps unused figures for foot artillery gunners? They are very crisp castings which look like the first batch out of the mould. Any information would be gladly received (by comments or otherwise).
10 comments:
I have some similar looking ACW figures without bases, I wonderend if the were 'Little Lead Soldiers'?
I have a catalogue of them in full colour which I will try to find...
Hugh
Hi Hugh
They are definitely Hinton Hunt castings. The Little Lead Soldiers always reminded me of later (FA) Minifigs - the boxed sets do (certainly used to) come up fairly frequently on e-bay, under toy soldiers rather than wargaming.
One of the things I picked up this afternoon is an A3 folded-once leaflet for Life-Like Battle-Ramas for Four Days at Gettysburg and Assault on the Rhine - is this of interest to you as a plastics man?
Regards
Clive
The figure is the master figure for the Crimean British infantry. Marcus made the masters like this and then animated them! He would create a position and then putty or solder in the musket. One mould had the square bases that were usesd and the figure would be based on one of these.
Roy
Thanks Roy, I thought you would know, and that did seem the most likely explanation.
Regards
Clive
Clive - Short answer...Yes!
Also apologies for previous spelling..."I wondered if they..."!!
I'll eMail, Thanks.
Hi Clive,
On the vintage20mil site they mention some ancients that are like your crimeans, wonder if they are also master figures from the Hinton Hunt range.
Paul
Hi Paul, it was Harry Pearson who passed these on to me to post on the blog, and he showed me the same Ancients figures you mentioned. Chariot crews seemed to be a possibility for them, but not for the Crimeans, so it is good to have the clarification from Roy above.
cheers
Clive
If the ancients have small, thin, rounded bases then they are chariot crew. There were two Persian, one with bow and one with whip and two celtic, one with trousers and whip and one nude chariot warrior!
Roy
wonder if they were to be cast with seperate muskets like a few of the Napoleonics
cheers old john
No, not for seperate muskets, they are the master figures that became the standard infantry. They were just put in a mould with production figures, Marcus took what he wanted and that was that. TRhey would continue to be cast when that mould was spun but they would be ignored and re melted.
They are lovely little figures, but because Hinton then animated them to different positions (like his 54a) you do get some oddly long arms or big hands on the final figures.
Roy
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