What is the the Pride of Your Collection? That was a question Bill Nevins asked me in the comments. Reviewing that question I reflected there are many items I am proud of having. Some were pieces I had been looking for. Other pieces because where I found them and stories from them. Some of the items I acquired that people have shook their head and said how the hell did you find that piece.
What is the the Pride of Your Collection? Grail Piece
We all get a figure or accessory that becomes hard to get. You may be able to get it from a dealer but you will pay the price. You decide instead to seek out. This hunt can take a long time for my number one want it took me nearly forty years. This obession is what I call a grail piece. I was looking for the Speedwell armor car on fire.
Speedwell was a small English company that did some importing into the states. I had the misfortunate to see it in Gimbel’s Department Store in Philadelphia Pennsylvannia. My father and I went along with mother to Philadelphia. She was innvolved with the Salvation Army and they were having a meeting. There was space so dad and I went along. We roamed Philadelphia seeing things that are now long. My father had just bought me two Elastolin compsition cowboy and Indian when I saw this box with armor car on fire with other figures and accessories. I tried to get my dad to buy but he would not budge. This began for me the hunt.
I will not go over the hunt as I talked about it before on the old version of this site. My hunt ended when I finally got the item in Valley Forge from a collection that came from Canada. I now own two as Brian Carrick found two and gave me one at the Last Plastic Warrior Show we attended.
What is the the Pride of Your Collection? Great Story
The photo above is of the Cherilea Baronial Knight. This figure was originally done hollowcast then plastic. Laurie and I acquired it at Hackensack off of Dick Jackson. We liked the pose and bought it. About six months later were in England visited with a friend. He was showing pieces from his collection when he shows us the mounted figure only. He stated this is the rarest Cherilea figure. I reply with out missing a beat I have the figure, lance, shield and the horse. Our friend had an expression how did you get that. Since then our friend has gotten the figure. It is a little less rare as a number have shown up in France. The feelingis it might have been sold as Joan of Arc as it missing its helmet. None of the knights found have the helmet.
What is the the Pride of Your Collection? How Did You Get That Figure
There are number of figures that I have gotten just because I was at the right place at the right time. One of these figures is figure above. It was made in Italy. I got it at the MFCA show in Valley Forge. John Reichel and I had set up as dealers. Ar the end of the second day as we were getting to leave I spotted this figure with some others. I liked the pose and purchase them.
Another figure gotten at the show was this large Napoleon. John had purchase two and I bought one off of him. It is by Mokarex and was done for the 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s birthday. The figure is 90mm tall.
What is the the Pride of Your Collection? Final Thoughts
Like I said I am proud of many of the figures I have added over the years. Of what I am most proud are the figures I still have from my childhood. With them I had many enjoyable hours of fun.
Interesting administration .
Part of mine are the composition from my grandfather.
Other the Spaniard and samurai collection.
Hard to choose.
Admin I had red that the figure was indeed sold as Joan. But funny part is it was copied by Spaniard minor firm promotional figure as that in red, yellow and green .
French mention it , but not red if was sold as such in France .
Matthias may say more !!??
I will ask Alain too…
Sorry I forgot ,the warrior with out shirt is either TIBIDABO or Robello Porro later production, both copied and mix copied body parts from French and German brands most time making new poses.Others were direct copied .
It’s a tough call as there are so many figures and pieces I’ve collected over the years that I cherish. Right off the top of my head I have to say my most cherished part of my collection has to be my American Civil War collection – with my old Marx Giant Blue and Gray guys at the center (after all, they were the ones that started it all). After that my Barzso playsets.
I might add the Barzso are prized not only for their beauty, but because most of them were Christmas gifts from my wife.
While there are a number of items in my collection that I never thought I would own, I think I would have to give pride of place to the 60mm Marx Richard Greene Robin Hood character set. The figure were only on issue for one year, 1956, and only in 2 sets. I was 2 years old when the set came out. A cousin of mine had the set and I always dragged it out to play with when we visited, until he traded it for a BB gun.
The only time I ever saw the figures on offer in recent years, they were way out of my price range. In the end, my set turned up in a large odd lot large jumble of Marx, Lido, Ideal and TimMee medieval figures and accessories.
http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BillyHillRN/media/Medieval/Marx%20Richard%20Greene%20characters_zpsei8sevtj.jpg.html?sort=9&o=166
I don’t think I could pick out one figure of the many I own that I take pride in as my favorite or the one I’m most proud to own. It could be my working Horrible Hamilton, or my red brown Marx 60mm cavalry kneeling firing rifle pose. I also love my Ausley’s , Eldon GI’s and Ideal original pirates. I have quite a few figures that have some decent value attached to them, like the Barzso LOTM character figure set and other Barzso character figures, but I don’t think there is anything I won that I wouldn’t sell if the price was right.
Britain’s Concorde Stagecoach complete MIB that I got for $53.63 on eBay last year, listed under “Britain’s metal..”, pair of complete MIB Marx Jailside & Hotel side Western Towns, BlackHawk Stable, wide variety of P&P figures Larry made for me, complete set of old Marx gray Miners & Trappers with separate sack, and a variety of my own conversions such as Medicine Show and Peddler’s Wagon.
I have a couple of things. One would be the box of test shots and metal figures that Ron Barzso sent me. This was back when the first Rogers Rangers set came out. I have a couple of unproduced figures of his. I posted a few here over the years.
But nothing will ever take the place of my Giant Blue and Gray set.
That’s the winner for me. Especially since I discovered my original set in my aunt’s basement in the late 70’s.
Finding my original set started me off on this quest for plastic. It lit the fuse!
Last year, I found Seth Adams and Flint McCullough in a flea market junk box.
That has to be one of my proudest finds. I refuse to pay ridiculous prices for “rare” figures. Finding then on my own is cheaper and much more satisfying. So, that was a really good one. Next up ………….Gunsmoke figures and Wagon Train wagons, I hope.
Paul, I remember you searching for that Speedwell car forever. I didn’t think that you would ever find it. I hunted every flea market, tag sale and antiques store, keeping it in mind. I do recall feeling pleased for you when you finally found it.
It’s what keeps us treasure hunters going. I know that feeling well!!
I got some of those metal Barzso masters, I think I got them from you.
I don’t think that I have anything of especial monetary value. For me pride of place reflects sentimental value. I have some of my childhood soldiers and my Wards Marx Battleground set. Over the years I have grabbled lots of toy soldiers for various reasons – for games or because I like them aesthetically. Sometimes its a bit of all of the above. I have a soft spot for Lido GIs – I had some as a child and can rarely resist grabbing more if I see them.
Need some Lido Germans to with them? I got a bunch.
Hi, Ed.
I would be interested in your Lido Germans.
Please let me know which poses you have and so forth.
Thanks,
Craig
I have sent your email to Ed to contact you
Wow, pride of my collection. That’s tough. Like some of the others have suggested, it is not always a rare or valuable figure or set. I would have to say that maybe some of my favorites are the ones that replace soldiers I played with as a child. At my age, my toy soldier era was the 100th anniversary of the Civil War, so we played with many Civil War soldiers. When I first started to replace the soldiers that my mother gave away or threw out, I made it a point to replace the Timpo solid Civil War guys (got most of them from you, Paul) and to get some castings of the Johilco Civil War figures that I painted up (I never had them as a kid, but the kid down the street did and I was always envious of him — don’t know what his mom did with his soldiers). After that it’s probably some of the bands that I’ve acquired, but they are mostly metal.
Its very hard to pick any favourite figures or sets, As I like all my figures, But if I had to choose I would probably go back to my early childhood and I know its sentimental but I remember when my parents brought me the 1st set of 6 Britains Deetail Knights when I was about 5 years old and I was blown away by how Great they looked, And to be honest I still think they are some of the Best figures ever made, Really Beautiful figures.
I treasure the figures that were given to me as gifts. If relatives, neighbors, friends, and even students know I collect they may bring a figure home from one of their trips. I have received Aohona modern figures from Greece, Atlantic and Esci from Italy, Airfix and metal Britains from England, and numerous WW II and Civil War metal figurines from US historic locations. I never part with these as they are gifts, and I remember each person who gave the figure. Occasionally I receive Timmee Vietnam clones, but I keep those too because of the thoughtfulness.
most of my cherished figures are gifts from my grandparents or parents, noteworthy for their sentimental value only. battleground gi’s and germans, heritage ACW blue and gray, some warriors of the world, and britains ACW and ww2 deetail figures.
of the figures i’ve collected later on my own, probably the marx waxy light OD marines are my favorite since they are rather hard to find and i’ve had to collect them figure by figure.
I think I have some of those., at least the add on poses , not the regular Marines. Can’t say I have ever seen the regular Marines in waxy green.
hi Ed,
yes, hard to find. it is the full marine mold, but in the light waxy OD that matches most of the later 1970s battleground GIs. i believe they only came in one of the beachhead invasion playsets, but don’t quote me.
i wanted a complete set of all marx 54mm US troops in the same color: 1st and 2nd series GIs, marines, paratroopers, raft rowers, parade marchers, etc. to build a giant battleground set. since the 2nd series GIs are hard to find in anything but the light waxy OD, it became the default color. with the exception of the “rescue set” and gallant men character figures, i have everything else in that color.
I’ll keep my eye open for the Marines in waxy green, if for no other reason because I have never seen them. I have Marines from one of the earliest Battlefields and they were either in a forrest green or or a tan. The GI’s were either in the same tan as the Marines or a dark OD green. Thye are from a pre-Germans Battlefield.
I did have a full mold shot of them in waxy olive. They matched my GIs perfectly. I sold them off about 6 months ago when I was scaling back . They do exist! I think the guy I got them from said it came from the later sets in the small, upright containers and had the ‘peanutbutter’ colored Japs with them.
My “HOLY GRAIL”
is still out there and I would offer big bucks for anyone who would sell it to me!
21st CENTURY TOYS – 1:32 US MARINES – 6 poses.
If you have this CONTACT ME!
Christian Aldo
Did these ever come out? I remember seeing them on the back of some of the packaging. I think they may have had the figures on display at one of the New York Toy Fairs. Stad, you may have taken the pictures.
If they exist they would go on my dwindling want list.
Christian, did you ever get the 21st WW II British paratroopers? I bought several sets from the Chinese factory that was holding on to the molds.
I got the British paras,the pup on eBay in mint packs once an wile too.
I also got a rare sample demo WWSS/grenadier German pose for suppose set never release.,will do photo once I pull them out..
best…
Never see any marines at all .
WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE WAFFEN SS FIGURE!!!
You know that 21st Cent did release one Waffen SS figure?
He’s included in the Afrika Korps set, throwing a grenade holding ammo box.
Aldo.
I will do pic…..
The pose you referring with ammo box in left hand is indeed from set “Wrongly described” as (AK),The figures are more belong to Panzer Armee Afrika units because M42 not used till early 1943 in AFRIKA or very late Africa campaign and the soldiers pose in particular is a member of (KampfGruppe Shmith) part of FPD1 later HGD that was the only and first unit supplied with overall not bottom coats in field. It was partially supplied with paratroopers and regular helmets as special fully motorized unit .
The other AK set has more accordingly the 1941-1942 soldiers in correct uniform.
Yes, of course!
Nice figures too.
I would love to post a photo here,
how do I do it?
Aldo , you need send to admin by email.
Best…
Yes, I got them.
My Holy Grail plastics are figures from The Marx Man’s Re-Marx 60MM Training Center. I bought a lot of them from John, with the intentions of constructing a diorama.
http//216.71.117.37/images/IMG_0999.jpg”
Sorry, link to my pic is not correct.
bill send me the photo and I will post on the page
I have a few Holly Grail items in my collection & few more that I am seeking.
I think my 40mm Elastolin Roman chariot has one of these pieces. Another would be my Britain’s war of the Roses Swoppet knights.
A grail that I am seeking are the Britain’s Knights of Agincourt figures. Mounted & foot. (original, damaged & recast are fine with me depending on the asking price)
What I should have said is the pride of my collection is my Ed Borris 54mm figure. It’s certainly not my Mike Kutnick figure. Of course the Gary Dutko and Nick Versteeg figures are pretty cool too. However, none can top the Ed Borris figure, what a work of art.
Ed, a one of a kind of a one of a kind – truly a collector’s item.
Yeah I wonder if they broke the mold when they made me or it was destroyed upon request or demand.
LOL
Michael, I came across 16 or 17 Elastolin 40 mm knight and romans. Give me a shout if interested. One has a broken weapon but the rest are perfect. Excellent figures.
My ‘pride of the collection’ pieces are my absurd amount of Timmee Russians. I’ve got complete sets plus in all but lime green (missing 2 poses) and I only have one in khaki. I’d love to find the rest to complete the sets. I also made molds to reproduce them and have kept a few sets of them, as well.
http://54mmmen.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/viet-cong.html
These Viet Cong are masters from Gung Ho . The never got made.
Proud to have them.
They were sold in metal.
I had seen then some times…
Best….