E is for Elders

Not Eldars, they are pointy-headed alien space-marine things and a different scale, it would only confuse! But sticking with tribal elders, it's another in the early British Wild West series (which will continue in September), the standing 'chief' with full war bonnet.

We've looked at these before but they are new images, although they won't actually add anything! Britains; old to the left, young to the right, fourth figure across is interesting as he's PVC vinyl but with the Herald base mark.

But then it gets complicated, with two definitely Speedwell ('polo' bases and full-colour blankets/cloaks), and two, err...not! Both the 'nots' (with red or blue fringe on white) are in the flesh-colour associated with the UNA smallies; a very dark almost maroon-chocolate brown - so I think it's fair to . . . yes . . . assume (!) they are UNA until firmer evidence comes to light.

The alternative, given they both have the Speedwell base green, is that a second set of moulds were made by Speedwell at some point, copied not from the Britains originals, but - as the figures are smaller - from the already pirated first set? This seems less plausible than the UNA route and still doesn't let Tuesday's unknown Cowboy 'clubbing with rifle' off the hook!

From the rear, there's a marked difference in the painting treatment of the two copies.

Heap-Bigum Pow-wow! As Little Plum might have said . . . I will re-shoot this in a few years when hopefully not only will the red-fringed chap have rejoined the group, but I should have picked-up a few more; these early British copies aren't that rare, they just come in in dribs and drabs, and I think I have Michael Melnyk to thank for the two Speedwell's coming together in a drib, or was it a drab?