tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399255049115922694.post9028272108888922865..comments2023-09-07T08:55:48.015+01:00Comments on Vintage Wargaming: More News from the Antiques RoadshowUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399255049115922694.post-66131041144399240302013-10-01T00:00:59.272+01:002013-10-01T00:00:59.272+01:00I think I would still stick to the view that the G...I think I would still stick to the view that the Groves and Benoy figures were the first purpose designed wargames figures (and I am very happy to have some of these which have come via Seamus Wade's collection)while ranges like the Rose 20mm one were among the first wargames figures aimed at a general market, rather than specially commissioned for one wargamer. <br /><br />There were some patrician overtones in activities of the Peter Young type "officer type" gamers, as the model soldier figures they used were prohibitively expensive for most people; which is why Don Featherstone's contribution in truly popularising wargaming and finding ways of bringing it within the reach of many was so significant.<br /><br />For me the wargaming interest in the Antiques Roadshow piece is in the book; the figures are toy soldiers used for the wargame but not specifically designed for it, while it looks like the book could be 100% wargaming. It would be very interesting to see the content.Vintage Wargaminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251018372867101509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399255049115922694.post-48705558888834664232013-09-30T23:49:59.192+01:002013-09-30T23:49:59.192+01:00Some stills from the video have been posted on the...Some stills from the video have been posted on the old_school_wargames Yahoo group and these are very helpful in giving a better view of the figures. I think it is clear from these that the Highlanders are as originally manufactured and not repainted/converted from French infantry. The slightly larger sized African natives, probably by another maker are also as originally made.<br /><br />The figures in bearskins are certainly conversions and on one you can still make out a havelock neck cover, so he could have originally been an English or French infantryman. <br /><br />It was common for manufacturers to use a basic figure with a different paint job to represent the armies of other countries for the export market, so a figure in a kepi with pompom might be sold as French, Belgian, Danish, Spanish, Greek etc. This practice went on in all toy soldier mediums until well into the mid C20th.<br /><br />Tempting as it is to view these from a modern perspective as wargaming miniatures we should always keep in mind that they were actually made for the mass juvenile toy trade and their use by adults for gaming seems to have been relatively uncommon by comparison at the time<br /><br />Best wishes, BrianBrian Carrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221659266588227029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399255049115922694.post-58253567348565452252013-09-30T17:49:09.203+01:002013-09-30T17:49:09.203+01:00Interesting and I do hope we hear more...Interesting and I do hope we hear more...tradgardmastarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13116967655904601740noreply@blogger.com