Announcement from Blogger Dashboard

The following has appeared at the top of my Blogger Dashboard over the last few days. As I'm not really techno-savvy it means nothing to me, but I publish it to let you all know it is there.

"Coming in late April! All visitors will be able to view your Blogspot domain blogs over an encrypted connection by visiting https://<your-blog>.blogspot.com. Existing links and bookmarks to your blogs will continue to work. As part of this change, the HTTPS Availability setting will disappear, and your blogs will always have an HTTPS version.

I hope you all know what it is talking about, as I haven't a clue.

We have just been enjoying the first good Sunday in a while, and I've been out in the shed track laying on the new model railway. Soon have a full circuit all powered ready to run the inaugural train. The aim is full track by the end of summer, then I can build the structures indoors over the winter. The population is already coming along. These are Charles Stadden 7mm figures. Older readers may remember his fathers range of military figures.

Toy Soldier Auction coming up

Because I sent a few items to auction some years I get occasional memos from the auctioneers about forthcoming sales. Today I have had notification of a Toy Soldier sale coming up next week, and thought I'd pass the information on for anyone who likes to keep track of this sort of thing.
The firm's website can be found at www.vectis.co.uk and the sale is listed as - Military, Civilian Figures, Equipment and Accessories - with the illustrated catalogue (mainly modern Britains) on line showing 796 lots. The prices don't seem too bad either, considering the amount of boxes listed in each lot. I was interested in the book values, and just wish that they had shown the titles more visibly, as a box of "... and other titles..." doesn't help. Again prices seem low. Mind you, it does make me consider how little my petty collection is really worth, certainly nowhere near what was paid for it. Ah well.

What other goodies could be lurking in these two boxes? If only they'd photographed them with the spines showing!

I've decided, I really must throw off this cold and stop wasting time sniveling in front of the computer. MrsJ has told me we ARE taking the caravan up to Nottingham for Easter, so I'd better enjoy it!

Shakespeare with a dash of humour

I came across a site done by a Shakespeare loving librarian yesterday, and spent a long time (too long) browsing her entries. One is reproduced below as an introductory piece.

I also enjoyed her serialisation of Hamlet, putting words of tunes from The Sound Of Music,  and am currently reading her version of Richard 11.

You will find her on www.goodticklebrain.com. please visit and have a chuckle (or two), she really cheered me up while I've had a stinker of a cold this week.

Celebrations

Today is MrsJ's birthday. I won't embarrass her by saying which one, but it is also our 40th wedding anniversary. We shall be spending the day with our family, son cooking dinner for us all. I hope she enjoys her gifts, as she is very difficult to buy for. When asked what she wanted she said she needed a new pair of slippers!. I think I've done a bit better that that, though.

Painting Tartan

Following my last post showing my new highlanders I was delighted to see a note from the great A.W.Kinch asking for advice on painting tartans. The following is the system I followed since finding it in the Toy Soldier and Model Figure magazine, issue 7 (Aug/Sept '96), and was the first of a series of articles by Martin Tabony, who produced many 54mm figures for a lot of ranges at that time. Note that these illustrations are for the 'Government Sett' and while others varied in colour scheme the basics are the same.

It is possible to get away with just showing one black line through each stripe, unless you have a VERY steady hand and extra fine brush.

The following picture is from an old catalogue of  the 'All The Queen's Men' range by Derek Cross (recently retired, though the range now taken over and continuing). I've only shown the one page, as the catalogue has details of most tartans used by British regiments. Anyone wanting specifics has only to drop me a line and I can e.mail the appropriate page.

Finally, a picture of three figures I painted as trials some 20 years ago, when I had a steadier hand. These show three different tartans, with the Black Watch being on the left. I hope the clarity is sufficient, but I took the photo in a hurry about half an hour ago as a lst minute addition.

I must admit that when painting smaller figures I was far more stylistic and didn't follow the detail so avidly. If it looked right I was happy.

FLW Part 5

As I have been designated 'family carpenter' for a while, with a number of projects requested by various members of the clan, this is the last batch of troops for a couple of weeks or so. They are supposed to be the 10th (Scottish) Battalion of The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, though there are one or two minor (?) discrepancies.

The unit was formed in 1900, and though dressed as Highlanders they wore the glengarry, not the bonnet; but I only had these figures about. The kilt and plaid were not one of the normal government issue type, but were the Forbes tartan. Unfortunately it has ended up paler than I would have liked. The other thing is that the sporran should be grey, not white. Truth is, by this time I was glad to see the back of them, so didn't change it for the second time!

Thank goodness there are not too many volunteer regiments that wear tartan, though I still have a few to look forward to in the future.

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You may notice that I've added a page (see the link on the right) that contains some VERY simple rules, which I used to use with my son many years ago when he would 'want to play soldiers'. Sadly he soon grew out of that. These rules were designed to give a fast, easy game, and as we used the dining table were usually over in an hour or so. No finesse, just advance, kill the enemy, win.

Perhaps I should try them out again, for nostalgia's sake, as a solo effort. 

FLW Part 4

I've not done too well on the painting side this week, so no picture. I'm doing a unit of Highlanders and I hate painting tartans! I've left out some of the finer lines, and just discovered I've painted the sporrans the wrong colour. I assumed that they were black with white tassels, but looking at the illustration I'm using I find they are white with black tassels. So they need re-doing.

Also I lost two days, as I had to take an unscheduled trip up to Northamptonshire. Hence lack of progress.

In the meantime I've been tracking down suppliers of castings for my own personal favourite figure, readily adaptable for this era, the Victorian Fort Henry Guard (see previous posts). My original stock of Replica Models recasts are now all gone, and I need to find a replacement. Fortunately I have found a few makers that can supply. The new style Britains figure, unfortunately, is not a patch on their original. The modern version has no strapping detail moulded on, just painted in a very thin line, so is relatively useless for my purposes.

The Canadian firm of Scott J Dummitt have a number of painted sets, but they also have a pair of marching figures. When I contacted the owners they only had a couple of privates in stock, but very kindly sent their caster out into his cold shed to provide me with enough figures for another unit. These will go on the bottom of the painting list. They give a different pose to add variety.

Another supplier, who I still await a reply from, is The British Toy Soldier Company, though they only seem to provide a private. This figure, I believe, was originally offered as a subscription 'gift' for the Toy Soldier and Model Figure magazine.

In the meantime I am in consultation with Giles Brown of Dorset Soldiers about producing a mould from some of my figures, at least then I can have a steady source of castings to play with.

Finally, and here I would like some assistance from any Canadian followers, there was a firm called'Queen Victoria's Enterprises' that had the figure in various guises. Produced were marching, firing, corps of drums, colour party, pioneer and mascot. Unfortunately one of the partners, Colin Cunningham of Toronto, passed away in April 2015, and I can't find trace of his co-partner, Jim Shakley, oe whether the company is still operating. Can anybody help track them down?