An Early Advert for Airfix Figures.

 

I came across this U.S. advert for Airfix HO/OO figures on the interweb (click on photo to enlarge) . It's interesting as I don't remember back in the 60's there being any advertisements for Airfix figures in the UK - there may have been adverts in the Airfix Magazine I suppose but being a child under 10 I was unaware of them . They just appeared on the shelves of our local Woolworths and bought eagerly with my pocket money . Even then I realised some of the figure poses to be unsuitable and downright odd , all those running ACW figures waving one hand in the air !? , the odd one or two could be turned into standard bearers I suppose ? - and don't get me started about all the lying down poses in the Union box ! . I do remember my first real attempt at wargame armies by buying about 4 boxes of the Union and Confederate boxes plus Artillery and Cavalry purchased with one of my first pay packets , Ah ! happier and simpler days perhaps ? or just rose tinted nostalgia ? 

A few from my box of possibilities.

 

 

Whilst I was tidying the shed I came across my box of odd figures which might be worth renovating (my father had a draw which he put things which might be of possible use - and by and large never were) , so this is my box of possibilites. I dumped a few into Dettol to remove the paint from them and having cleaned them I'm suprised at the detail on these two , they are an odd scale the standing one being 65mm tall think they are home cast in lead from a Schiercke mould and look like French Chasseures.

This is an odd one , World War One (?) and perhaps large 40mm scale , he's going to need cleaning up with a file to remove the flash .

I do like this figure - so full of energy ! . Probably a WW1  cavalryman and he's 40mm scale, again homecast in pure lead and very bendy , he needs cleaning up to get rid of the flash but will make a great ADC/dispatch rider for my Balkans Imagination collection . I'm pleased to get these done and ready for painting and will post further updates .

World Toy Soldier Day (who knew it ?)

 

World Toy Soldier Day ! - well I'll be d****d ! I didn't know it was a thing till I read it on The Duchy of Tradgardland: What l did for World Toy Soldier Day… as it happened I was in shed doing some casting as the weather has turned pleasantly mild and I'd tidied up the work bench of all the clutter that had accumulated over winter .

Some of the Prince August moulds can be a nightmare to cast from , but this little one for head in 54mm is a gem and works every time ! 

Some of the fruits of the casting pot . I need enough for six figures to round up my 54mm 'Red Army' Rifle Brigade unit to twelve models . The Goddess of Homecasting smiled on me and they are ready for cleaning up and glueing together.

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Toy Soldiers in the sunshine.

 

Got the Schiercke casting varnished and taking advantage of the early morning sun took them into the garden for a photoshoot.(.: Finding an oddity .)

I've always thought that the larger scale figures look at their best outdoors in an natural enviroment .

I'm very pleased how they have turned out and although to larger scale (70mm tall) to grace the wargaming table they will take pride of place on my bookshelves .

A before photo - a great improvement to their martial pride  .

Come listen to the Band !

 

As I mentioned in a previous post I bought some figures from our local Bric-a-Brac shop . I also bought these Bandsmen , they were obviously painted and based by the same person as they both have the rather chunky bases . As you can tell from the missing paint from the ankles they are VERY  bendy being made from pure lead . 

In some ways it was a bit of a shame to take them off the base which someone had spent a lot of effort on , but here they are on their new bases , I will be undercoating them and then repainting as Prussians , more when I get around to painting them.

The Henry C. Schiercke casting catalogue from the 1930s (?)

 

Found this complete catalogue online 

I do like the 'Pressure Cannon' !

Getting paint on lead .

 

I've finally got around to painting the odd lead figures I mentioned in the last post . I've painted them as French Chasseures a Pied of the late 19th century.

I will get them varnished when I've got the other four done .

I did a bit of searching on the internet to try and find more about the figures and this so far is the only photo I have found of them and the mould they came from . It is from over fifteen years ago , they are quite distinctive as their rifles are being carried slung and not shouldered as normally in toy soldiers of this era, are the moulds made by Schnieder ? I will try and investigate further .

PS 

Found this on the internet - figures circled -

From this catalouge , more info later.