I returned from a few days away to find a parcel awaiting me. Now, I like parcels... and imagine my delight when inside was a box with a picture of a Nokkia mobile phone on the front. Nice one too. Had I ordered it? No. Was it therefore a prize in some competition or others? No. Or a scam? No.
So, why am I getting sundry gadgets sent to me in the post? Oh well... not complaining - must be a gift, and a nice one too. And then imagine my surprise when on opening the box, I found inside, not a phone/ gadget/ i-wotnot/ blue-blackberry thingy. Oh no! Better than that... deep joy! A pile of figures. Lots of them. And Jason explained in his note to the effect that they were merely the visible part of a lead iceberg, the summit of a mountain of metal, and as part of his clear-out he thought they would come in handy for my home-casting project. And, yes they definitely will!!! So thank you Jason! Much appreciated.
And now to an email received a while ago following CWJ issue 3 which you will remember included the first part of Daryl Haselton's series about building his Indian Mutiny project using the Irregular Miniatures Deutsche Homage 42mm range. This article actually has had quite a lot of feedback and seems to have stirred the butterflies amongst a number of readers (the prolific Ian Allen included), and this email from Stephen Cullen was typical of the enthusiasm uncovered... as well as a couple of nice photos:
"Dear Phil,
Many thanks for the latest CWJ, which continues to delight. It is a happy counterbalance to 'normal' daily, electronic, life. And this issue has solved a small puzzle for me. Daryl Haselton's 'The Trouble in Tanjapore', his highlighting of Irregular Miniatures' Deutsche Homage range, and the photographs illustrating the article, means that I am now pretty sure of the origin of some 42mm (foot to eye) figures I received from a friend in Denmark a few years ago. The figures came from a 90 year old Danish lady, and had belonged to her late husband who had played with them as a boy in the 1920s and early 1930s. Interestingly, although the figures are almost all British (with a few Frenchies) Imperial, the late owner had gone on to be a noted figure in the Danish Communist Party, and had been involved in the Danish resistance late in the war - perhaps the Imperial troops always came off worst in his boyhood battles. I had no idea of the source of the figures, and had wondered if they were of Danish manufacture, but it does look as if they were German - the Heyde and Haffner connection that Daryl highlights. I've attached a couple of photos of some of the figures that I have restored, and I'm now enthused enough to finish restoring the rest of the little hoard. In fact, I might even visit the Irregular Miniatiatures site...
All the best,
Stephen."
Thanks Stephen. And thank you for the photos.
All of which leads nicely into the announcement that CWJ is taking shape, and you can look forward to part 2 of Daryl's series, amongst other articles in the next couple of weeks.
9 comments:
Morning Phil et al...
It is indeed exciting when the postman comes with a parcel containing goodness knows what delights!
I too was very taken ( and I am not surprised at all to read Stephen's communication) with Daryl's article and the accompanying figures in the photos. Perhaps it was the sense of nostaligia pervading the text, perhaps encountering something so utterly different and exciting in equal measure..
I look forward to reading more of his project and the Journal wheen it comes forth.
best wishes
Alan
Hi Phil
As a home caster you can never have too much metal. You never know when you need to cast up an extra unit or a couple of command figures.
I think recylcing old figures is also doing my bit to save the planet
Thx for your comments Alan and Mark.
Yes, I am realising the value of metal these days!! And Jason's gift was most welcome. He did mention that he felt he was doing a little for the environment... and I would encourage all wargamers to do the same -and send me their "scrap metal"! I am a good recycler - honest.
Phil
Those charming little figures that Stephen has painted are by a Danish company called Brigadier Statuette and are one of the inspirations behind the Irregular Deutsche Homage series.
So they ARE Danish! Many thanks for this Anon. Do you happen to know when they were in production? Yours, the Dano-phile Steve Cullen.
Anon beat me to it - Brigadier Statuette were mentioned as being "Heyde-like" in an article in the "Toy Soldier and Model Figure" Magazine and being a Danish maker I thought that the figures in Stephen's pics were more likely to be that make. I don't recall any manufacturing dates being mentioned though.
all the best
Ian
Glad to be of help. Brigadier Statuette was the company started by Carl Martin Anderson of Copenhagen in 1946 and issued figures until as late as 1977. They are naive beauties aren't they.
Thgis is very interesting, but now there is a problem. The old lady who was the source of the figures (in her 90s now) is absolutely sure that her husband had them as a boy - in the 1920s and early 1930s. But how does that fir with the start date of 1946 for Brigadier Statuette? A puzzle for you, gentlemen.
You've got me there. They look,as far as I can tell,and by the ones that I own,to be Brigadier. All of the sources I've looked at give those dates as well. Maybe the old lady is mistaken,maybe he bought them for THEIR son. See where i'm going here?
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