M4 is for Sherman Calliope

Also from Poland (see previous few posts) and also soft polyethylene, comes forth this interesting beast from Centrum in Warsaw;

Mounted on a full [packaging] sized card, it's not so much a header as a backer! Also, while the main body of the tank, running-gear and turret are a straight copy from Atlantic's own clip-together 'readymade', the rocket-tube bundles and bed-frame seem to have been copied from the 1:72nd scale Esci-Revel-Polistil (and other brands) kit.

To the point where it is on a separate small runner, while the rest is on a runner which is also a copy of Atlantic's own with each component in the same place! To produce the M4 Sherman [with] Calliope therefore meant some changes to the Atlantic turret

Close-ups for those who can compare with the Atlantic set (I won't de-'sprue' this until I have a duplicate one!), while the reasons for assuming the Calliope is from Esci, are twofold, A) this predates the Airfix one and is clearly pirating other makers and B) see the T34/85 in a minute!

The card art shows an Allied star as one of the markings, bu what you actually get along with the bridging disc and formation sign is the Polish 'Winged Hussar' symbol, so presumably representing the Polish 1st Armoured Division in the Normandy/Western campaign?

The upper shots are another Sherman, slightly better card shot and slightly different plastic colour by the looks of it, below it is a T34, and a late war T34/85 at that, probably also copied from Atlantic? Both shots supplied by Tomasz Karpowicz about 12-years ago! Everything will appear here at Small Scale World . . . eventually!

Tomek also sent me this, which is quite delightful, as 'readymade' toys go, it's the same T34/85, but with the AMRCR (anti-mine reconnaissance castor roller) mine-clearing frame taken from the Esci Churchill IV kit (albeit greatly simplified) - hence the Esci assumption for the Calliope's origins. Again this would have required a change or two to the Atlantic clone, to take the Esci-cloned parts.

Markings for both T34's are - of course - the other Polish Army of WWII, that recruited by the soviets, but mostly trained at the Western Allies expense in Syria!

C is for Cold War Clones

As well as those sets we've been looking at, a sub-set were produced taken from and using the artwork of the 'Export Series' from Atlantic, the whole box design was retained, but with the red background pinkified (yes, I seem to have made that one up! Spellcheck offered 'zincified' so I think it's vaguely legit'!).

The Atlantic construction schematics were copied as well and copying is to a level where you'd be hard-pressed to tell between them however I suspect side by side there will be a slight size difference, but that check will be another day.

Contents are also the same as the export series; four of everything. I'm pretty sure this is the same set Eko copied in Spain?

All previous comments are true for this set too, with four of each of the smaller version of Atlantic's two similar sets, same artwork, pinkened (spellcheck say "No" to that as well!), same instruction graphic, similar colour plastic to some of those used by Atlantic . . . &etc!

Even the Titles are similar translating as 'Italian Contemporary Wards (modern units) - ...Machine Guns & Mortars or ...Anti-Tank Artillery, so they aren't trying to pass themselves off as Soviet, Polish or other 'Bloc' forces.

K is for Kioskowce III

Wondering whether or not we'd had that title I found that not only had we had it, but we'd had it twice, identically! A quick bit of judicious editing and this now 3-of-3! When you do a series of similar posts/similar subject, the old pink-monkey intelligence can fail you sometimes.

So these are the standard Spójnia sets I have and we're starting with the British, this one is titled British Infantry or 'soldiers' yet is clearly a set consisting of three poses of bereted infantry with the River Launch and crew, all taken from Matchbox, the vessel being cleverest as it's a two-part copy of a die-cast toy from the 1-75 range of original 'match boxes', the six commandoes being from the figure sets.

For accuracies sake, the RAOC (Royal Army Ordnance Corp) or RCT (Royal Corps [of] Transport) used to have a harbour unit with sailor-soldiers! Now both are part of the All Services [Except Fighting] Departmental Corps of Trades or something!

The boat in comparison with the Matchbox original, there are versions with red (fire launches), and black figures out there, and like some of the promotional vans and buses, I was amazed how many versions of it there have been!

My British Commandos seem to have British infantry in . . . humm . . . but this is how they came in so who am I to argue, again taken from Matchbox's 1:76th scale set with a straight two of everything they copied, being the other 14 poses and the mortar from which the beret wearing trio in the previous set were also copied.

The 8th Army and we move to Esci for a bit of plagiarism! Again all the poses have been copied, and one of each is supplied, these have leeched some horrid sticky additive, more usually associated with early, unstable PVC's, and which has rather affected the card which was in the bag with them, leaving brown stains all over it. The leechate remains now as a kind of varnish, almost like dried linseed-oil!

The British Paratroops are also taken from Esci, but using the US Para's with their quite distinctive uniforms, as Esci did a reasonable set of British airborne soldiers I don't know why Spójnia ran with these? Same additive problem with the same damage to the card . . . same colour plastic too, so a dodgy batch?!!

Soviet Russian infantry, only half a set ofEsci's sculpts this time, but two of each and as they are 'dressed up' with the next set as a two part 'Battle of Stalingard' pair, it may be that the other Esci poses are findable in a Spójnia Russian Infantry WWII set?

And that other half consists of the German invaders, taken from Airfix's Paratrooper set, which makes sense as we saw the standard infantry in a half Airfix-half Matchbox set from Spójnia. The poses paired, one runner of 'true' polymer, the other also leeching the sticky slime which becomes hard like varnish giving some of them a greenish or, rather aptly; field-grey hue.

Indeed as that set was called Monte Casino, and this set shares a Stalingrad card with the Russians, it may be that my pointing out of the incongruity last time (of Germans in a set depiction Allied forces) was actually a referance to another, shared, card? As in; with the allies available in another set bearing the same card?

News, Views Etc . . . Vectis, Thursday (Tomorrow)

Looking out of the window (4-p.m. Wednesday) and I see something which looks vaguely apocalyptic, or a scene from The Birds; a mini-tornado type gust has just passed through the neighbourhood, ripping all the remaining leaves off the trees over the road and they are now whirling around in huge clouds, in the failing light, like demented starlings and falling on everything like a damp, brown snow of contaminated alien poop!

There's a definite malaise setting in; while it's nice we have two vaccines and they both seem effective, Trump's lost and Cummings' gone, the problems, locally, nationally and globally are greater than Biden can sort in an instant or even in four years, while the Orange Loon is determined to do as much damage (particularly to America's standing abroad) in the next two months as he has in the last four years and is clearly trying to create the atmosphere for revolution, without being blamed for it, if it happens, while there are plenty of idiots to be fed his idiollogy, not wear masks, buy gas-guzzlers/patio heaters/trailer-mounted BBQ's and the like as if there's a Planet B to go to and generally carry on like there's no problems at all - even though they know damn-well there are or they wouldn't be voting for these gobshite snake-oil salesmen!.

But seasonal depression, Covid and other things are bearing down on everyone as well, now, I think, tempers are short, motivation is lacking and even when you've got the stuff and shot it, it seems to sit on the desktop while you opine on Faceplant from bedtime-to-bedtime!

Amusing that having got a bit of mojo back the other day I seem to have woken TJF as well! And he's going to give us what I posted on a mutual Faceplant group weeks ago, having bought them in . . . just to follow me [again!!]? How sweet! I'll put mine on the back burner and carry-on with new-to-hobby/Blog/internet, Polish small-scale!

Anyway, roundabout way of saying I forgot Tuesday's Vectis sale despite having the info' for a couple of weeks, soz! Better quickly tell you about tomorrow's sale while there's still time to follow it up!

Lot 3610
(loving that A/Car!)

Specialist & Tinplate Toy Sale

Thursday 19th November 2020 - Starts 10:00hrs

"The Specialist and Tinplate toy sale to be held on the 19th of November starts with Part 2 of The Argentinian Collection, featuring over 200 lots of Matchbox Regular wheels, plus King Size, Yesteryear and catalogues, the collection includes cars and commercials, buses, military, construction and emergency vehicles. Tinplate & Plastic lots include clockwork, friction drive, battery and steam operated models from Mettoy, Bing, Schuco, Tipp & Co, and many others and includes vintage Scalextric cars, Britains, Meccano and a very scarce large scale Remote Control Military Jeep. The sale continues with Part 2 of The Mike Linham Fire Engine Collection and a further Private Owner Collection, features construction vehicles, Corgi Aviation archive and Airfix amongst others."

Catalogue and Download

*************************************

The ongoing global health scare means various special instructions are still in place . . .

COVID - 19 RESTRICTIONS
 
Please note there is still NO viewing, or attendance in person at these Auctions.
 
Absentee bids can be emailed to admin@vectis.co.uk, or placed via the Vectis or Invaluable website, up until 2 hrs prior to the auction commencing.
 
ON THE DAY OF THE SALE, LIVE BIDDING is available on www.vectis.co.uk or www.invaluable.com, or TELEPHONE BIDDING can be arranged.

For telephone bidding please contact Vectis prior to the day of the auction. We will arrange for you to be involved live via telephone on the day of the sale. We will call you two or three lots prior to the lot being offered for auction.

There is no charge for telephone bidding.  

SHIPPING

Please be aware there is still a slight delay with our current despatch times.

Our packing team have been working hard to catch up with the 5 weeks closure we experienced in March/April. When we re-opened in April we did so with a skeleton staff, we are now back to full capacity and they have been working tirelessly to ensure your parcels are packed as quickly and professionally as possible; the team are now currently packing and despatching September Sales. 

We thank you for your understanding and patience in these unprecedented times. 

COLLECTION   

If you wish to collect items, we would ask customers to first call and pay for their purchases. Ask for a collection appointment date and time. This will allow the packing team to prepare your items and have them ready for you, reducing waiting times.  

PLEASE ENSURE YOU WEAR A MASK WHEN COLLECTING LOTS (UNLESS EXEMPT)

And Vectis can - as always - be contacted here;

Vectis Auctions
Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 9JZ
Web. - www.vectis.co.uk
eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk
Tel - +44 (0) 1642 750616
Fax - +44 (0) 1642 769478
Sales [currently] commence at 10:30hrs 10:00hrs

Southern Office:
Unit 5A, West End Industrial Estate, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 1UB
Tel - +44 (0)1993 709 424

F is for Follow-up - Spojnia . . . or Hobby EME

When we looked at those Spojnia Kioskowce small-scale copies, from Maciej Jasinski's Poland, the other day, I mentioned that I still had to post some Napoleonics by the same maker - well that won't happen as you'll see in the next few posts, but I did find that I had a bunch of other Spójnia stuff, so we're going to work through it.

I also said I thought they ended-up being called Hobby EME, and here we see a set in that later (or just alternate?) branding, being copies of Esci-ERTL's WWII US Infantry, and all fifteen poses have been taken; to quite a high standard, albeit; not Ecsi's finest in the first place!

While here we see the Italian Mountain Troops taken from the same company, and again they've re-used all the poses, but this time there is a noticeable drop-off in quality/finish and if you didn't know better you might think them Spanish Sobres or even Hong Kong/China knock-off's . . . now you've seen them - you know better! And one of Esci's nicer sets, of a - then (mid/late 1980's) - unusual subject.

I also reacquainted myself with the fact I have the 'Hindu Brigade' set too, taken from Atalntic's Indian Brigade (as before - they are dressed as Sikhs, not Hindus!), which answered my question last time about the bladed weapons, they seem to have copied two (of the original Atlantic set's three), and while I have one each of the two users (the third figure to have a 'kukri' in the Atlantic set has his holed filled-in, in this clone-set); Maciej's set had pairs of each, in fact he had pairs of everything, I also only have one MG and gunner.

The other point to note (for packaging collectors) is that while mine (left) has the full Spojnia consumer-panel's info-text (in the yellow box, bottom right-hand corner), Mr. Jasinski's has a blank panel there (top right image) and may represent a crossover from Spójnia to Hobby EME, if the latter was actually later!

B is for Box-ticking Boring Board-game!

It's not really boring, it can be quite fun, with the ruthlessness of Monopoly, yet without the drawn-out, slow-deaths which makes the latter so painful if you aren't the 1-in-eight winner!

But it is a real box ticker; there's tons on the internet, about dozens of versions, both current and vintage so I'm  just getting the Parker and Board Game tags up.

Both a bit tatty I held on to one to wait for the other to come out of storage, they are over a month-since gone to recycling, but these are what I consider to be 2nd (upper) and 3rd (lower) standard versions of the box, the 1st version had a game set-up photograph (I think) with the 'snowflake' pieces of the original game.

Contents; I'd forgotten it's a game with a biggly number of dice! Biggly-biggly, that's a Donald-fact! Hey, I haven't properly mined the comedy aspect and he'll be gone on the 20th Jan! Kept the rules pamphlet for scanning into the archive.

Boards, I seem to have picked up the Star Wars board at some point but don't know what I did with the pieces, if I ever had them? I think the 2nd version (top) is the same as the 1st version, while the 3rd has a more 'parchment' look to it and the Star Wars one is rather bland, if you ask me!

Newer on the left, older on the right and anyone over 40 should remember the strange set of asterisks, snowflakes and cheese slices of the original game! Nominally 10mm in scale/size, due to the thickness of the bases I suspect with judicious use some of these could feed into 15mm war-games armies as well? With nappies provided by the 1990's set and AWI/Marlborough covered by the newer figures.

And if you want to do it without paint, there are dozens of 'nations' now, with different main colours and variations between print-runs!

That's them, done!

10 is for 2 to go!

From the sublime of rare or uncommon Polish and Russian plastic to the ridiculous of Poundland's finest, the ridicule though, being reserved for the fact that two such nicely produced models plus packaging can come-in at only a pound!

Having said (last time we looked at these) that I was unlikely to obtain the missing four animals/two pairs, I popped over to Farnborough just before the new 'Lockdown' (which hardly anyone seems to be observing with any seriousness?) and managed to get one of the absent pairs, which I think leaves me looking for a/the giraffe/male lion combo'?

Suicidal Hyena has actually got his snout in the Hippo's mouth, but otherwise two nice sculpts albeit not in the same scale! While I was there I looked to set if 'Series 2' had appeared of the dinosaur pairs from a year or so ago, and while it hasn't (they still carry the Series 01's), they do have larger dino' singles in similar packaging, but they are leery colours and I passed on the only one present; a rainbow-mauve Per'Terry-dactill!

P is for Polish Plastic People-Parcel Plus . . .

. . . a bit of Russian-should-be-Bulgarian stuck on the end of the post!

I received a lovely donation from Grzegorz Maciak the other day, of rare, unusual, new-to-Blog or much needed Polish polymer, which we are to look at right now!

As it arrived; The figure top left is a PZG, from the larger scale sets, probably later production (unpainted) and the officer from the Cold War set, next to him a lovely horse from the PZG set of 'Golden Horde'; those from the era of the Mongol invasions . . . indeed, with both rear feet of the ground, possibly the most dynamic and 'best' horse-pose in the set. Both are believed to be manufactured in Nylon-66.

Next to them is what I think is a home-made modelling-clay/craft clay figure of a medieval warrior with his shield slung on his back, the rest are hard polystyrene flats in two sizes/from two sets and from or based-on the German Schneider's home-casting moulds, some marked ZW.

The figure (which you may remember was in a donation from Chris Smith back at the start of lockdown) is the Hetman from the Golden Horde set, I suspect Hetman gives us, or gave us many centuries ago - the terms 'Headman' in English and Hauptman in German, or that they all share a common-root? His horse was much needed!

I have somewhere a pot of gold ink (from my days as a calligrapher! Pelican Plaka or something?) which is the same dull shade PZG used, so when I find it I'll try giving them both a heavy dry-brushing to get them back to something of their past glory and get them to match; the original set were all-gold, horses and riders.

The larger flats, originally designed as infantry of the Franco-Prussian war, pass just as well for the uniforms of Russian, East European and Balkan forces in the wars with the Ottomans (and each-other!) in the 1870's - link in a minute.

The smaller figures are more WWII/immediate post-war period (if assumed to be Polish Infantry) but are based on the original WWI/Inter-war period German/generics of Schneider's moulds, while the Cavalryman could be Polish, but is wearing a helmet while their 'last ever' cavalry charge was probably conducted with the soft Czapka headdress?

A footnote to the previous paragraph - for years Poland claimed the last ever cavalry charge in 1939, but the Australian Light Horse charged the Japanese later in the war, while Cossacks on both sides in the 'Great Patriotic War' will no doubt also have claims to that record - it's not a debate though as the Poles then charged German positions at Schoenfeld in 1945, cementing their claim!

It's the mounted lancers who carry the only mark on all these, a small 'w' sitting on the tail of a larger 'Z'. It could be something as simple as 'Zakład Warsaw' (Warsaw Plant/Factory), but I have no evidence for that or anything else and there is nothing in Garratt's encyclopaedia?

The new polystyrene figures compared to the two older soft polyethylene figures Paul (from Moonbase) gave me years ago and which were recalled by Yori as being Polish and - what we now know as - 'Kioskowce', the older two are probably also from Schneider moulds.

There is a current Schneider in catering/silicon moulds, but it was only formed in 1977 and has no link to the 1913 Schneider Brothers of flat-mould fame,that I'm aware of. Although - calling all these Schneider is an 'old school' practice, they ceased production before the 2nd World War, and most of the moulds you encounter these days may be/are more likely to be St Louis Lead, Greiner or Agasee to mention the better-known of many inheritors/copyists.

While all the above was going on I managed to pick this up on feebleBay, it's a Russian tourist trinket I think, commemorating the battle of Shipka Pass (which was several battles over some time), where actually the Bulgarians played the greater part in manpower.

It's a large lump of polyethylene with a rubber plug in the breach, as the trunion-bar runs through the barrel and out both sides it's not missing a firing mechanism, so I guess the rubber-plug is original. That bar and three others between the trails are heat-welded closed/shut as are both axle ends so there is a robustness to the chunky thing!

I say Tourist Trinket because while I can't imagine many 'western' tourists asking to visit the sight, it is a curated site, now in Bulgaria, and must be a draw to many in the region or with connections to the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). Also its large scale points to an infant's carpet or beach toy, rather than its being part of a larger, or more serious set, or series?

(picture credit - Wikipedia)

Above are the guns upon which the toys seems to have been based.

Another minor connection with this addition and the preceding shots is that it was in the wars surrounding the Russo-Turkish fight, some earlier, some later, which lead to Poland's loss of independence and partition between Russia, Prussia and Austro-Hungary. Sad face.

And thanks again to Chris Smith, Grzegorz Maciak and Paul 'Woodsy' Woods for all the interesting figure donations!

News, Views Etc . . . Late!

All sorts this week (excuses that is!), and forgot Monday's Teddy Bear sale at Vectis, today's is a general toy sale and I'll post something better later but here's a piccy and a link . . . 

Lot 1022

Online catalogue and PDF here;

https://www.vectis.co.uk/auction/general-toy-sale-850-1

News, Views Etc . . . One of our Own!

 It's too perfect!

https://www.itv.com/news/london/2020-11-10/meet-ralph-biden-the-surrey-man-whos-just-realised-hes-related-to-americas-next-president

After a bloody shaky start; 2020 gets better and better!

O is for Oi, Oi, Oi! What's All This Then?

[All in squeaky voice as small firefighter enters stage left] "We'll not be having naked-flames round all that Gunpowder young Guido, take him away gents".

A lesser known moment of history which escaped O-level studies as Micky Mouse carries the day, also courtesy of Brian Berke (see yesterday's post) our roving reporter from New York who was on hand to capture the truly historic occasion.

I can't add a lot, so I won't! It's Micky Mouse, with a hose!

It seems you wait ages for a firefighting Micky Mouse, then two come at once!

Cheers Brian . . . I think!

R is for Remember, Remember . . .

. . . The Fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent

To blow up the King and the Parliament

Three score barrels of powder below

Poor old England to overthrow

By God's providence he was catched

With a dark lantern and burning match

Holloa boys, holloa boys

God save the King!

Hip hip hooray!

Hip hip hooray!

A penny loaf to feed ol' Pope

A farthing cheese to choke him

A pint of beer to rinse it down

A faggot of sticks to burn him

Burn him in a tub of tar

Burn him like a blazing star

Burn his body from his head

Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.

Hip hip hooray!

Hip hip hooray!

 

(Traditional English Rhyme - 17th Century)

Many thanks to Brian Berke for sending us a very seasonal post, figures by Peter Cole's Replicants available here from Steve Weston's website.

Public Service Announcement - On Lockdown