Mystery Napoleonic Prussian Fusilier with Lamming heritage...

This figure was included in a recently arrived bunch of figures from eBay which amongst other things had around 30 Lamming first series Napoleonics, infantry, gunners, and cavalry. While not quite the same style as those first series Lammings, and also being slightly smaller, it shares some unmistakable Lamming DNA.

As I knew the Hinton Spieler was interested in this figure (and has posted a photograph from Charles Grant's Napoleonic Wargaming of part of Peter Gilder's collection including a unit of these), I sent him a copy of the picture above and have had an email discussion with him about it. He will be posting his views there, but I can't yet agree that they demonstrate a third, "intermediate", Lamming Napoleonic range, either before or after the first series.

It is well documented that Bill Lamming remodelled the figures in 1974/5 into a chunkier, heroic 25mm format, dropping eight French infantry codes at the same time. However there is no suggestion anywhere else of a third range - this would only have worked if they were forerunners of the original range. and this is entirely possible but is only based on this particular figure (although the Spieler has also been tipped off of pictures of another in similar style on eBay).

I would want to see at least five or six different figures before accepting there was such a range. Given the longstanding interest there was in Bill Lamming's short lived Sven Years War range and the energy which went into looking for information on it (see here) I don't think a whole range could have disappeared without anyone noticing or mentioning it.

So I think perhaps these were one or two early figures which might have been resculpted as the first range built up. The figures themselves look like Alberken or Minifigs 20mm figures which have had Lamming faces or heads transplanted onto them. They also have an attempt at the scratched grass effect on the tops of their bases. I think they may have been home cast although the Spieler doubts this. Peter Gilder certainly had a record of using others' figures in designing his, and it is interesting that they have emerged in the context of his collection - so he may have made them himself for his own use.

Interestingly I have another photograph (the one above) which is certainly made up of the same figure and I think actually are the same figures and unit as the one in the photograph from  Grant's Napoleonic Wargaming in the link above.

It came from the late Mike Ingham, who took the Wargames Holiday Centre over from Peter Gilder, and who asked me to help to identify the manufacturers of the figures from PG's original 20mm collection at the WHC which he wanted to sell - this was later replaced by the collection of Connoisseur and other figures which will be more familiar to some of a particular vintage.

The basing is the same, the flag looks the same, also the Hinton Hunt officer and converted ensign (below).

We may never know anything more for sure, but it will be interesting to see if anyone else has any of these figures, or any light to shed on the matter. I know Matthew at the Hinton Spieler has some more, relevant photos so I am looking forward to how this discussion might develop.

Lamming Napoleonic Figures

A recent eBay arrival contained, among other things, around 20 Lamming Napoleonic foot and eight mounted figures. There were one of each of the foot figures and some duplicates among the mounted, which included four different types of horse.

This is a significant addition for me as I have never had sight of most of these figures - I have a couple of units (yet to be repainted) and a few odds and ends, mostly command figures.

The foot figures contain more of these (command figures), two four man artillery crews (RHA and French Foot), and a number of standard infantrymen.

The artillery crews do not quite include all the gunner figures which were produced. There is also one slightly intriguing figure, of which more anon. With this exception they are all from the first series Napoleonic Range (before Bill Lamming replaced them all with "heroic 25 mm" versions. While all the figures are very welcome additions, I am particularly struck by the mounted figures as I am not sure (without an all-day expedition into the loft) whether I actually have any of the first series cavalry already.

I will also need to do some further investigation into the horses, in case I can identify and/or find a list for those with visible codes - this may provide a further post.


BRITISH FIGURES

British Line Infantry BI 1,2 and 5 - advancing, officer and drummer

British Light Infantry BI 8 - advancing

Royal Fusilier Officer BI 10

Royal Horse Artillery BA 1, 3, 5, 6

Royal Scots Grey Officer BC 6

FRENCH FIGURES

French Line Elite Company FI 1

Imperial Guard Grenadiers FI 4, 6, 3 - officer, drummer and advancing

French Line Fusilier FI 8

French Line Foot Artillery FA 1, 3, 5 and 6

French Cuirassier Officer FC 8

Dutch or Polish Lancer FC 19

PRUSSIAN FIGURES

Prussian Line Infantry PI 3 - officer

Prussian Guard Grenadiers PI 5, 2 - officer and advancing

FIGURES - IDENTIFICATION NOT CONFIRMED

I have not been able to provide confirmed identification of these figures and any help with this would be gratefully received. In some cases I have a strong idea but don't yet have 100% certainty.

Mystery Prussian Line Infantry - PI 1?

French Hussar Elite in Busby FC 13; or FC 1 Chasseur a Cheval of the Guard? Or other? Horse is not necessarily a clue - haven't done any work on the horses so mounted at random

Possibly British Hussar BC 1

I have two further British Cavalry figures to photograph - British Lifeguards BC 3 and 8 - trooper and officer.

When I have done whatever I can on the identification of the horses (which may not, of course, have been the right ones to start with) I will add new photographs. I also hope to add individual posts for each of the figures in this post.

And next I will post something about the mystery Prussian Fusilier pictured above. I have been talking to the Hinton Spieler about this figure and I think it is fair to say we haven't reached a consensus on it, so I think Matthew will be also be posting about it there,

Miniature Figurines 30mm Napoleonic Range

Over on his Glorious Little Soldiers blog, Andy Copestake has posted some pictures of his recently completed Miniature Figurines 30mm range Chasseurs a Cheval of the French Imperial Guard. From the various comments it is clear not too many people know Minifigs ever made these, and Andy himself says he has never seen any horses (his chasseurs are on Stadden or Willie mounts) or a listing anywhere for this range.

Always willing to help, here is the list, from the 1972/3 catalogue:

No horses here but there is a picture of one in an earlier post (from 2010) here, on which I see Andy had actually left two comments. This is the John Cross review of Miniature Figurines S Range and 30mm figure ranges from Military Modelling Magazine in August 1970. Some at least of the figures had separate arms.

Kirk British Hussars

I think these are a rarity - certainly I have never seen any Kirk cavalry before. As far as I can tell the figures are one piece castings, which then begs the question why they also made "empty horses". Presumably there were some also two piece castings. These appear to be British Hussars, and I think have a certain naive charm.

Kirk Napoleonic British RiflemenN

Not 100% persuaded these were originally intended to be riflemen rather than just painted as them - though their bayonets are long enough to be sword bayonets.

I'm beginning to think Kirk may have been a little too much maligned - by me, among others - as while they definitely had some pretty awful figures others are perfectly acceptable.

Lamming Miniatures - review by John Cross

"A series of figures not too well known in the south of the country, although quite popular in the northern areas" - how John Cross starts his review of Lamming Miniatures in Military Modelling February 1971.

Sorry about the quality of these scans - I have had to work from a poor photocopy rather than an original. I hope they are still legible.

The review and two of the photographs were also reproduced on Vintage20mil, which still seems inaccesssible. If you follow this link using the wayback machine, choose Lamming and the Reviews, you should be able to see them there.

GHQ Guardsmen - 20mm Napoleonic Range

I have recently located these pictures sent to me a while ago by George in the States. They show the front and back of the original GHQ packaging.

George was not sure whether the cavalty figure is GHQ or CinC - can anyone confirm?

Douglas Miniatures Crimeans, Napoleonics and Wodensfeld ACW ranges - availability

The arrival of the Brunswick figures featured in the previous post reminded me that I had a couple of samples of Douglas Napoleonics from John Cunningham, who holds the rights to these ranges. John is about to release the Crimean War range, and has limited stocks of part of the Napoleonic range (some of the moulds have been lost). John also has the ex-Wodensfeld ACW slowly starting production - Louisiana Tigers and Rebs marching as well as few mounted generals & officers are currently available in limited numbers.

The first two pictures are of NP 7, British Line Infantry Advancing




The next two are NP 23 French Line Voltigeur/Grenadier in shako firing




John tells me limited stock of the following figures are available:

NP10 British Line Infantry standard bearer
NP 9 British Line Infantry officer
NP 7 British Line Infantry at ready
NP 7a British Line Infantry at ready, variant with musket sling
NP 22 French Grenadier of Guard firing
NP 23 French Line Voltigeur/grenadier in shako firing

and further figures to come:

NP 6 Brunswick Infantry
NP 8 British Line Infantry firing
NP 19 French Guard officer
NP 21 & 21a British Hussar and horse

Douglas Miniatures Napoleonic Range NP 6 Brunswick Infantry

A recent arrival are these rather nice early Brunswickers from Douglas Miniatures, with a Hinton Hunt officer. In Polrock or Litewka, these pre date Waterloo and are therefore useful for Peninsular War service.

Les Higgins Napoleonics

Some stills of the Les Higgins units involved in the battle and slideshow from the previous post.

Lamming Napoleonics

From the B&B Miniatures catalogue, c 2000

From the B&B Miniatures catalogue, c 2000

Der Kriegspieler Dismounted French Dragoon

Here is another Der Kriegspieler figure. This is the dragoon on foot from the set 825-45 Dragoons "dismountable".

Clearly they have been mastered from a Hinton Hunt FN 147, dragoon horse holder, with the addition of a musket. This provides a serviceable figure, if a slightly odd pose.

Lamming 20mm Napoleonic Range: British Line Infantry

A recent swap brought, among other things, enough Lamming first series figures for two British battalions. This is the first, painted as 50th Foot, only awaiting their colours. the figures are BI/1 - line infantry advancing, and BI/2, line infantry officer with drawn sword.

I don't care for the later chunkier Lamming Napoleonics, but am quite fond of these first series figures.

A pair and a half of Wellingtons

I posted earlier about the very early Rose 20mm figure of the Duke of Wellington. As I have 30 plus of this figure I had wondered what to do with them. As they have very little raised or engraved detail, and their over long pointing arm can be easily animated, and are dressed in long riding coat and boots, they are very adaptable by paint conversion to a range of uses.

The photographs show three Spanish Generals (above), after Bueno - a field marshal, a lieutenant general and a brigadier; and (below) a Polish staff officer (after Knotel), a Spanish infantry colonel, and a mounted Royal Navy Captain to command my Hinton Hunt RN Landing Parties and Marines.

Thge Rose 20mm figures have always seemed pleaingly stylised to me and I think these figures will fill a variety of roles for me in the future.