At the PW show, John Begg had a whole bunch of ex-shop, or out-painters stock (there were loose figures) from Charbens, and Colesmith Plastics (the moulds have a convoluted history which can be read in Plastic Warrior's Charbens Specialist Publication), to which I availed myself of what you might call a cross-sample, certainly not everything they produced, either figure or packaging wise, but a nice example for box-ticking their latter production, which I remember being in the shelves, when I was a kid.
Charbens own-branded packaging.
Unpainted Wild West.
A generic branding as 'Pic-a-Pack'.
Guards Band and Beefeaters.
American civil war, an odd mix of plastic colours with the Union outnumbering the Confederates more than two-to-one, in both sets, with an apparently measured content count of one sky-blue figure, four dark blue, and two grey
More mixed ceremonials, here branded to Colesmith.
A Highland piper, and Lifeguards join the mix.
Mixed paratroopers (green bases) and Tommies (sand).
Note, also; the Artist's palette painting sign, used - rightly - on the unpainted Wild West set, but rather spurious on the pre-painted sets? I'm sure I remember the Colesmith sets in WHSmith around 1978/79?
"Jenny? What colour are Native Americans, really?"
"Dunno' love, try one of each!"
The 'Blues & Royals'.
Mixed, painted and unpainted.
Highlanders, Nelson, Lifeguard trumpeter and mounted cowboy.
Guards band in various treatments.
How did I miss so much good stuff at PW.
ReplyDeleteI am in Spain ...Salou. A lot of rack toys here but none "toy soldier" related.
on a day trip tp Barcelona tomorrow so might be something to pick up there but I am not hopeful.
If you knpw of any model shops, please let me know.
John
Castle gift shops John! Or maybe a miniature of Santiago Calatrava! Or him and Gaudi sat at a table together, discussing the finer points of the Golden Section, in the style of Cafe Storm or Mokarex!!
ReplyDeleteH