Odds Ends Part Three August 2018 LODRev War Review Others we have a review from Ed Borris. Ed looks at the new LOD Rev War figures. Next we will look some other figures from my collection.
Odds Ends Part Three August 2018 LOD Rev War Review Others Review 
Ed Borris gives a review of the new LOD Revolutionary War figures. Here it is
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Got my sets of Yorktown figures today.
There are basically two figure sets of 8 poses each. There are different sets though Brit’s regulars and light infantry and American regulars and light infantry. They each have their own color although with the Americans the color difference is subtle. The regulars for both armies come in tricorn hats and the light infantry have light infantry hats. The Brit light infantry come in a brilliant red the regulars match the color of the Lexington sets. The American regulars match the blue from Lexington while the light infantry is a slightly lighter blue. You get 16 figures per bag set. The poses are pretty dramatic and depict a lot of the close combat that I like. I was very happy wit the figures and think they make a nice edition to anyone’s AWI armies. The poses for both armies are different but the poses within nations are the same with just the heads being different between regulars and light infantry
Ed has done photos to show the different between the regualrs and light infantry. It is more subtle with the Colonials.
Odds Ends Part Three August 2018 LOD Rev War Review Others Photos
One other figure I found in the garage is this 60mm British sailor marching. I believe he is from Gem Models. I wonder what other surprises are in there.
Here is a figure I need to do more research. He may be conversion or made in Italy.
Doing research on another topic on Kent’s Sprecher’s Toy Soldier Headquarters I found out who made this figure. It was Diener. they did four different figures that he knows of at this time.
Markus Lecksheid send me a photo of various cowboys playing various musical instruments. Besides guitars we have accordion and banjo. The Indian is playing a flute.
Odds Ends Part Three August 2018 LOD Rev War Review Others Laugh Time
As I was driving to pick up Laurie from work I saw a sign. It was for a yard sale and it said WWII models. After picking up Laurie I mention the sign with the World Two models. She replied what are they going to have people dressed up in World War Two clothes. LOL
The marching sailor is by Solido ,a Belgium company
Ref. the Barzso/LOD Battle of Yorktown Playset: I pre-ordered the playset from Mr. Barzso at the Lafayette, Indiana show, but told him not to mail it — I would pick it up in Schaumburg at the Chicago show. I also pre-ordered LOD’s “get five of the figure sets for the price of four”, and also asked Ken to hold them for Chicago — likewise to save on postage, which, with two separate orders, could very easily total $40.00.
So I haven’t actually seen the figures yet in person. But I understand they were done by the same sculptor who did the Barzso Battle of Lexington playset, so I have 100% confidence these new Yorktown figures will be great — besides, I know neither Ron Barzso or Ken Ciak ever produce second-rate stuff!
Even though the limited edition playsets will undoubtedly sell out fast, probably by Friday, there will still be plenty of the bagged sets of figures available, for anyone who wasn’t able to acquire one of the boxed playsets.
Ed Borris — on another note: I saw on the Chicago Toy Soldier Show website that you and Mike Kutnick are confirmed dealers. But I still haven’t been able to verify whether or not John Stengel Jr. will be present. Even my New York “contact” (Bill Nevins — ha ha) hasn’t been able to reach John Jr. to inquire directly. So at this point I really am unsure if the younger half of The MarxMan will be there this year.
Many collectors will undoubtedly miss him if his other business commitments keep him from coming. But with 130+ confirmed dealers, including those from France and Germany, it should still be quite a show, as it always is. I also want to see Bill & Matt Murphy, whose attendance is confirmed.
My own Hyatt-Regency reservations with Bill Skinner were made months ago, and I expect to attend. But I’ve unfortunately got an element of uncertainty, as my wife awaits a date from the hospital on a minor foot surgery she’s being scheduled for. If she’s too hobbled up to walk, I can’t very well leave her alone with the dog and cats while I myself go galavanting off to Chicago for toy soldiers. Sometimes, even in this hobby, we have to exercise a little perspective on our priorities!
The unknown medieval truly looks like an Elastolin conversion — if he is in a hard plastic.
The knight I think is french and from where reamsa made other pose from..but can not see it well now…
Best…
I just learned from Ken Ciak my figures should be here Monday. I still haven’t heard anything about the playset. I hope my name is on the list. Has anyone else who has pre-ordered heard anything?
I haven’t heard anything, Wayne — possibly because I told both parties (Ken & Ron) to hold for me to pick up, rather than to mail.
But if Ron confirmed your pre-ordered playset I wouldn’t worry. I got the impression somewhere that the playsets wouldn’t be ready until early to mid-September.
But if you want confirmation (just for piece of mind) I know that Ron’s wife handles all the Barzso emails, and is very good about responding promptly to inquiries.
I think it was given that Nick and Deanna would pass when they aunnounce their business for sale very sad.
“peace of mind”, not “piece of mind”.
Don,
That’s kind of my concern. When I ordered back in April Ron was out of town. Ken said he’d pass it on as Ron was handling the playset. I never received a confirmation as I was told they didn’t even have a price yet. I’ve been trying to be patient – not wanting to pester them when I know they’re busy. But we are getting down to crunch time and I’ve seen no confirmation.
I tried e-mailing Ron but got my message kicked back saying their box was full. I just want to make sure my order didn’t slip through the cracks somehow in time to fix it.
I’m not really panicking, if no one else has received confirmation, no problem – but if others have gotten a confirmation and I haven’t (as kind of happened with the figure sets) I would hate to wait until September when all the sets are sold are spoken for to find out that somehow my order didn’t get placed.
Wayne, I can understand your concern. For your peace of mind, since Ron’s mailbox is full, why don’t you call Ken Ciak instead. His phone # is listed on his LOD Toy Soldier website, and he is very good about returning phone calls. Just let him know you’re calling for confirmation of your playset order. You’ll find him very pleasant and helpful both over the phone, as well as very responsive to an email inquiry, if that is what you prefer.
Although I think everything will be OK, when you get to be my age, you come to realize that things CAN go wrong sometimes, and it doesn’t hurt to check.
Right now Ed and I should be in TSSD’s regular room, 5201, and have their regular tables at the show.If anyone is coming for room sales be show to be on the fifth floor loony on Saturday at 5 for the world premiere of a brand new character figure! Ed will have a few of these available for sale. As it stands right now, looking at our inventory we will have playsets and figures [ including Ed’s conversions] that no one else will have. Please stop by and say hello!
Mike, I’m sure everybody on this site who is going will stop by your room.
I assume, sadly, that since you & Ed are moving into TSSD’s regular room that means Nick & Deanna have definitively decided they can’t make it.
That is my understanding, yes. A this moment in time they are not going to be there.
Just in case anyone was wondering , the loony is the area outside of the elevators, some people may call it a lobby or common area.
Also, you don’t have to say hello, you can just buy something or ask for a beer. Hello is optional.
Don,
Thanks for your input; I was intending to try and call Ron tomorrow and if unable to get up with him call Ken. My understanding from my communication with Ken is that he’s handling the figure set side and Ron is taking care of putting the sets together. I figured I’d wait until Monday as I didn’t want to bother them on the weekend. Ken was great when I inquired about the figures – I’ve never had a problem in dealing with either him or Ron – but as you’ve already said things CAN go wrong; and I’ve learned even with the best of us (and my opinion of both Ken and Ron are tops); better safe than sorry.
As the topic of the set and figures had come up I was hoping to avoid pestering Ron or Ken (more than I have already) by seeing if others had received some sort of notification of being on the list before it was too late to correct the problem if there was one. But, as you say, the best is to go straight to the source and find out.
Just got off the phone with Ron Barzso – if I wasn’t squared away before I am now. Thanks for your input. I didn’t want to throw a panic switch or pester Ron or Ken without cause. Now, the question is – do I open the box as soon as it gets here or be an adult and wait until Christmas so I can find a Barzso playset under the tree one last time?
I say open it as soon as it arrives — but that’s just me.
Then you can be an “adult” at Christmas by accepting the fact that you will not have, nor do you need, to open a present on Christmas Day.
In any event, I’m glad to know your pre-order didn’t get screwed up.
Now all I have to worry about is MY pre-order.
LOL – I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
To the best of my knowledge all he parts for the Yorktown playset have been delivered and ready to be packaged into the playset boxes. Rumor is the set will be packed with Ron’s trademark accessories.
And will include a large, beautifully-detailed Redoubt #10 — a fitting conclusion to the outstanding line of lithographed boxed playsets Ron Barzso created for our hobby, which, like clockwork, he unveiled each year at the Chicago toy soldier show.
Just for fun, I counted up the full-size Barzso Playsets on my shelves:
Northwest Passage
Last of the Mohicans
Battle of New Orleans
Davy Crockett Frontier Fort
Daniel Boone
Robin Hood
To The Shores of Tripoli (Barbary War)
Battle of Cheribusco (Mexican War)
From the Halls of Montezuma (Conquistadors & Aztecs)
Zorro
Braddock’s Defeat (French & Indian War)
Battle of Bushy Run (French & Indian War)
Battle of Lexington
Battle of Yorktown
In addition to the above, Ron created a huge stone Ticonderoga Star Fort, a huge log-embrasure Fort William Harrison Star Fort, a huge Nottingham Castle, a huge Civil War Fort Fisher with seige guns, a large Fort Apache, a large Fort Boonsborough (to go along with the Daniel Boone Playset), a Southwestern-style fortified rancho with large village church, an add-on fortified Robin Hood abbey, several variations of add-on Medieval castle towers, and a Concord Bridge with extra Revolutionary War buildings to go along with the Battle of Lexington Playset.
Ron also released several half-size boxed playsets (Roger Rangers Encampment, Sioux Encampment, Civil War Encampment, and Revolutionary War Encampment).
Have I left anything out?
All of these were exceptional, high-quality productions. When you think about it, it’s hard to come up with anyone over the past 15 – 20 years (other than Richard Conte with his own line of outstanding playsets & figures) who has contributed so much to our hobby.
For the first several years, the subject-matter of Ron’s annual release at OTSN would be a well-kept secret, and I can well-remember the feeling of anticipation of arriving at the Hyatt-Regency, not knowing until you were literally in the doors what the subject matter of that show’s new Barzso Playset would be.
Bill Nevins, behind the scenes, has been encouraging Ron and Jim Clouse (who always played such a big part in designing all the forts & castles and the centerpiece creation for each playset) to create an illustrated documentary hardcover book for the entire list of Barzso playsets, forts, castles, and figures — something on the order of Rusty Kern’s Marx Fort Apache, Blue & Gray, and upcoming Marx Alamo volumes. It’s an excellent idea.
Recognizing that this upcoming Chicago Toy Soldier Show next month will be the last time Ron & his ever-present helpmate wife will attend as a dealer, I imagine quite a few attendees will be personally extending to Ron their profuse thanks for all he’s done.
I have a surprise for Ron, I’m going to sacrifice Mike Kutnick on his Aztec altar.
That’s the least Mike Kutnick could do — all in honor of Ron Barzso. We all have to make sacrifices at one time or another.
Stalingrad (with TSSD), large pirate ship, pirate schooner, Guns of the Alamo. Lewis and Clark Voyage of Discovery, and the Mike Fink Keelboat set. I am sure there are still more out there.
I’m sure I heard LOD was going to make amazon warriors would love to see them on h0rses not sure if they used them in history.
I don’t know if LOD intends to put them on horses or not. But Amazons are “historical”, in the sense that The Iliad reports them as one of the surrounding allies who came to the aid of Troy in the ninth year of the siege.
But since LOD has already shown itself capable of making realistic horses (in the Greek and Trojan chariot sets), and since a famous painting shows at least some of the Amazons fighting on horseback against the Greeks, I think there’s a reasonably good chance LOD will do so.