Plastic figure Showcase Seven August 2017 we look this time at some interesting items. First is an interesting PZG Żołnierzyki PRL Indian group on the move. Next one of Gary Dutko’s Conte Collectibles conversions. Plus we will have some other interesting figures for you to enjoy.
Plastic figure Showcase Seven August 2017 PZG Żołnierzyki PRL
Going through the collection I found this very interesting Indian group. Update: the set is from PZG Żołnierzyki PRL. It is is an Indian family traveling.
The group includes two adults, child, horse and dog.
Both the horse and dog are with travois. This is the first time I saw a dog pulling a travois and was why I purchased the set.
Here we have a photo of the figures. I like the Indian boy sitting on the back of travois. It is a nice set different from the usual violent scenes you see.
When I pull the Indian figures from the bag I found these two Indians. Do you recognize who made them?
Plastic figure Showcase Seven August 2017 Gary Dutko
One of the frustration of Collectors of the Conte Collectibles Sets was limited number of poses you had. Some people were able to use the TSSD. Other people looked for conversions. One of the best convertors was Gary Dutko. Gary did many amazing conversions. One of them was Bors retriving the anchor from Warlord. This was done for Floyd Wilson Gary did this German officer with the schmeiser. I picked it up as I was tired of the typical officer pose with pistol. I have a few more figures floating around to show at sometime. Gary has retired as far as I know doing figures.
Plastic figure Showcase Seven August 2017 Odds and Ends
An Italian copy of the Marx three inch cowboy.
One of my compliants on Marx is you have only a certain number of poses. That is why I looked to foreign figures for diversity. The figure on the left is Aunt Sally from Worzel Gummidge She was made by Britains to go with Worzel who is a scarerow. I pick her up as she would be prefect for a western setting. I can also use Worzel as a tramp.
Interesting on the Britains Worzel Gummidge set I got mine in a mall in Scranton PA. I found that funny as the children’s show never got over here that I know of. The carded set is still in my collection. It is signed on the back of the card by Jon Pertwee, who played Worzel also Dr Who. I got it signed when he appeared at a Doctor Who Convention. He was suprised to see it.
The other figure is a hard plastic worker. He could be used as a French civilian for World War Two setting.
Finally a mystery figure for you help identify. It was in my Crescent box, but I am not sure. He is less than 45mm. Do you know who made it?
Indian family not DDR, but from Poland
Mounted cowboy looking as Crescent and I sure what it’s Crescent.
The indians are attributed generic to PZG Żołnierzyki PRL.There is various set included camp ,hunting with very tall nice bear and many more poses and rare dancing 5 poses set .
However many poses are extracted-based on DDR indian poses and others while other as these and dancing set are very original .
There over 70 different poses made in various different sets by Polish brand.They also cloned few others from KOHO,Herald,TIM MEE,Airfix in painted format among others.
The set above is not easy to find at all.The production were very limited and hard to see today around .Great set and collection!!.
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The resin figure in right i have with few others of same series,I got it at Michael years ago.
Sold in bags of two poses per small pack
The seating indian ,seen but not clue where is from …I think the worker is a farmer figure but i could wrong and is very suitable as french ,italian as adi say …
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I don’t know who made the mounted cow boy, but He looks like the Lone Ranger to me.
NIce Indians, mounted cowboy maybe Hong Kong Copy of what ?
The 45 mm mounted cowboy from British firm definitely. Possible Rocco or Crescent ,there more poses and indians too .
I also have a HK copy that says HK in ride side of odd two rails horse base.
I believe they were cheap basket figures!?
The figure appear to be non HK copy by colors in plastic and paint over.
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Dog pulling travois is interesting and historically correct:
http://www.native-languages.org/travois.htm
My Indians are all boxed up, but if I ever pull them out for display,
I’ll be making a dog pulling a travois to go with them.
Never saw another like that before.
Interesting Andy ,looks like the POLISH got idea first.
So far many brands had done with horse.Timpo,BMC.NARDI,PH ,I think POPLAR or TUDOR too,there is a DDR brand too and French as well…
But none w dogs.
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I like the horse. With head down it really looks like it is pulling something heavy.
More realistic because it’s pose is correct for what it is doing – very nice.
The 45mm cowboy on rearing horse is Crescent, it is original and so is what’s left of the paint, it’s from a set of 6: 2 cowboys, 2 Indians, a knight and a British Guardsman.
Thanks Brian I wanted to be sure.
I believe you are right about Gary Dutko. I would usually see him once or twice a year and e-mail a few times a year. Unfortunately, my botched knee surgery has prevented me from taking a trip to Gettysburg to see how Gary is doing for about two years now. Last we spoke, he was getting out of the toy soldier business and was going to stop doing conversions. I tried to get him to do two WW II conversions for me (I have plans to someday do a diorama/vignette from an old Haunted Tank cover — remember the one with the German tank barrel pushed through the radiator of the jeep with the tank commander firing a Luger at Jeb Stuart who is returning fire from the jeep with a Thompson?). Unfortunately, I couldn’t convince Gary to do the conversions, so the project is on hold. Anyone else out there think they could do the conversions for me?
The Indian paddling is from a Spanish company named Pech Hermanos
AAANNNND.. I believe I have one, if anyone is interested in purchasing, or a trade. Mine has black pants, red loin cloth, different color feathers. Appears to be original paint- I received it from a friend in Spain.
Im interested in purchase. Could you ro send pictures?
I have sent your email to Mike so you can work it out.
Thank you! I’ll contact Clayton.
Gary was a talented guy at converting. He and I started with Marx Heritage Mexicans, which we had by the hundreds. We would cut them up and see who could make the better pose. We did a lot of mailing back and forth. It was fun.
Later when Conte came along, he got more heavily into it and made some outstanding conversions. I have a couple of hundred Alamo, Cavalry and ACW conversions of his. In fact, I had 50 or 60 of the Alamo defenders painted by a professional figure painter.
Good stuff!
Gary was one of the guys that got me started on converting figures, I used to buy them from him , then I started examining what he did closely and I thought, I can do that, so I started up doing my own. Before I started making my own , he used to ask me for conversions ideas and I did send him a few ideas. Now as you are probably aware I make my own conversions and have sold quite a few of my ideas. I strive to make each one unique, not always possible, but I try.
I have bought quite a few conversions from Gary Dutko over the last couple of years. Lots of Conte Germans and a Paragon Apache made from a kneeling torso on standing legs that you literally cannot tell from a factory made figure, the conversion is so neatly done.
Gary is still actively selling off his large collection of conversions on ebay. There are still many examples of his fine work to be had at very good prices. He’s a really great guy to deal with. I don’t know if he will do custom orders any more, but you can still obtain some very nice figures from him
I do custom conversions, but only Alamo, yes I am limited. I have done era’s but I don’t keep a supply of other eeras to chop up.
Ed, why is it that you have not branched out into other periods?
It would seem that Cowboys, Civil War and a couple of others would be naturals for you.
Is it because you only work with that odd Conte plastic?
Or you’re just not interested in anything else?
Anyway, I’m just curious as to why.
Your good at it, so why not try a different era?
Mark T, I never bought a single conversion from him. We did a lot of trading back and forth back then.
Well, it’s my main period of interest and I have the most figures for that period of time. I have done a few Civil War, a few 7th Cavalry and a handful of Arabs and FFL. I don’t work with the Conte plastic except the odd conversion here and there. I keep telling myself to branch out, but I don’t really have the inventory of figures from different eras that I am willing to cut up. I need to lay ina supply of other era’s, the change would be good for me.
I belive Ed hands are equal and or better than most I had seen.I been impressed by his jobs.
The best part is tha Ed understand very clear the human concept of body anatomy reaction during real fight that in some cases goes wrong by sculpters and other converters.
I agree some times u need to waste much parts and x that u need invest in a lot extra figure s that may or not in Short time give u full recovery of time and hard work spended.
My personal observation in way of constructive critique please from best to less best…
Ed hand to hand and advancing poses are the best made.
Firing poses may need some time minor understanding of way weapon by era were used.Not all but few base in my personal observation only please.
My thoughts.
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Thank You Erwin. I think on my average conversion I have parts from 4 or 5 different guys. So, they do use up a lot of parts. I need a big supply of parts on hand. It often tames some time ot find the right part for the pose I’m trying to do, whether it be an arm, leg or hand.
Wonder if the Alamo was beaten up by Hurricane Harvey??
I look at map and Google eye view it seem untoched so far.
Neither reports from local news mention any damages miles near it. So looks like not.
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Probably not too much, it’s pretty far and much higher than the river.
That’s good. That would be impossible to replace. As far as conversions, I agree that you need a massive amount of parts & pieces to get what you want out of a new figure, right down to weapons. Just converted an Austin Miniature cowboy with a new head and extra gun and it took a while to search through my box for the right holster for the second gun. I have a huge box of expendable donor figures and a big bag of extra loose pieces. Just used the sword from an old Britains ACW arm on an Russian made ACW model figure. Find my best conversions kind of fall together by “inspiration”. “You can’t push the river….”
Yeah that’s how it goes, I know I have started with a figure in mind only to switch to another pose midstream. Sometimes I’ll go through all my parts just looking for the correct arm or hand with the weapon I want , the correct lenght and the right position.