Hi Planeteers

I bought this 120mm figure from a mate at my model club, but I have no idea what it is, who the manufacturer is or what period of history he represents. All I know is that the pose is very aggressive and the face is very well sculpted. and I had to have him as he cost $10.

I think he might be a saxon warrior, but he may also be a Viking????

I hate painting tartan/ plaid patterns, so please tell me he's not a Scottish clansman!!!

If someone can identify the kit from the attached pics, please let me know what period of history I need to research.
Cheers

U/K figure

G'day Tony -
can't remember the manufacturer but am pretty certain the sculptor was/is Keith Durham, who did a few figures for Poste Militaire in the 80's(?) - it's very similar to his "Galloglas"/Irish mercenary by PM.
Cheers
Tony

Hi Tonydawe.

I think I would share Tony's opinion: it looks very much like a Galloglas to me.Good luck with it.

That is the Highland King by Fireline if not mistaken, my clubmate Ray Farrugia [planeter as well] have done a real wonderful one some moons ago ...
might still be in our site www.ipmsmalta.com

Ivan

Hi Tony,

He is a "Highland King 10th Century" so sorry to break the news that he's Scottish

Its a 120mm figure manufactured by David J. Parkins and the company was Rape & Pillage of some time ago heard that Actramac Diffusion were producing this kit, but never got to know for sure

It was a very popular figure, painted by Phil Kessling amongst others where he depicted him as right handed as did yours truly

If you'd like to view mine, send me an email on ray@lite-net.net and will send you a couple pf pics..........I was thinking of reviving this gem by submitting an article in the near future + pics over here.........might do it sooner then later for your benefit now

Ray

Ivan

Thanks for the tip, I followed your lead and I did find the figure on IPMS Malta website. Interestingly, my figure is left handed, whereas the figure on the IPMS website is right handed. Obviously someone did a little conversion work on my figure before I bought it.

Cheers

Ray

You're a legend mate. An email has been sent to you.
Cheers

IT seems to me that if you went into battle holding a shield like that you'd end up with a broken wrist perhaps he should be returned to right handed

Highland King

Hi all

I can confirm that Ray is correct . It is a highland king (Macbeth ?)

Sculpted by my good friend Pete Morton. This was a release by his then company Cadre Miniatures. i believe he sold the range to David Parkins.


Hope this clears it up for you


Ian

Tony

Scrutinizing again the image and as correctly pointed by Peter I think the arm and hand needs to be placed a little better ... if you manage to catch Phil Kessling conversion will also help ... you'll be inspired also by Ray's rendition his red tartan on a snow backdrop was majestically executed ...

The pose should be as he is perrying a blow ...

Ivan

There is hope Tony. He's wearing a coppergate style helm, a style popular in the 8th-9th century and is anglo saxon. Similar helmets were common to Romano-British, Angles, Jutes and Saxons. So you're not limited to Scottish.

It is called the Coppergate helmet because it was discovered while digging with mechanical excavator on the future site of the Coppergate Shopping Centre and the Jorvik Viking Centre in 1982.

Just to add to that the Coppergate shopping centre is in York, just in case anyone wondered.

Roger

Hi Roger

I've actually been to the Jorvik Viking Centre in 1995 ( I have in-laws who live near Scarborough), and recall seeing a number of original Viking artefacts from the period . Regardless of whether the figure is Scottish, Viking, Saxon or Angle, the cloak he is wearing would almost certainly be made of a plaid pattern of some description. I'm afraid there just no way of getting out of painting a complex "tartan" pattern on this figure.
Cheers

Actually no, this is not necessarily the case. Several archeological descriptions and artefacts show richly colored wools in twill or herringbone weaves that were plain, were decorated with elaborate embroidery or tablet woven trim or in many cases as you noted tartans. But not necessarily tartan only.

The most common colors which have been found in dye analyses of Víking Age fabrics are red, mostly from madder; blue, from woad; yellow, from weld and an unidentified yellow dye, possibly either broom or a tannin-based dye such as onion skins; purples and violets, from lichens or from overdyeing with some combination of lichens/madder/woad; and greens, from overdyeing with an unidentified yellow dye plus woad. Some evidence of brown from walnut shells has also been found, as well as one or two pieces that were intentionally dyed very dark brownish-black with walnut shells and iron.

The chemical evidence seems to point to a preponderance of particular colors appearing in particular areas: reds in the Danelaw, purples in Ireland, and blues and greens in Scandinavia proper.

Reagarding Saxon-Anglo Saxon cloaks, they would be woven in one piece on an upright loom, and often, to begin and end the weaving, tablet woven borders would be used. Similar borders could also be woven in at the sides, thus edging the garment right round. Particularly noteworthy are the large and luxurious cloaks found in the peat bogs of Thorsbjerg, Denmark and Vehenmoor, Germany. Both were of a complex weave and dyed with precious dyes in different colours. The edges of the Thorsbjerg garment were braided on more than one hundred tablets, the Vehenmoor on about one hundred and forty six, and both had elaborate fringes.

So not all your options are those related to tartan.

This is a really nice figure and is going to be a joy to paint. Good luck with it. I look forward to your project.

Mike

Mike

Thanks so much for your very detailed and informative reply to my question.

As much as I whinge about painting tartan patterns, I must admit to being inspired by Ray's pictures of his Scottish King figure and I have decided to have a go at painting this figure as a "Scottish King" as well, although I will change him from left handed to right handed.

I haven't decided on a tartan pattern yet, but I will certainly be using masking strips when it comes times to lay out the pattern. Thanks Ray, great tip mate.

One of the great pleasures of pF is that I can seek out advice and help from modellers who are real experts in their fields and have an enormous amount of knowledge on such obscure matters. Mike, its truely appreciated.

I look forward to painting this figure, and sharing the results with my mates on pF.
Cheers

I WAS going to chip in...

But everything renarts/Mike says about period dying and weaving techniques is just about spot on.
Most of the bog finds are a little early to be totally relevant, but there´s lots of contemporary illustrative evidence for plain cloaks.

Tartan per se comes on the scene much later, though check and stripe patterning was possible.

Looking forward to seeing this one finished.

Spike.

Oops, I seem to have chipped in anyway.

Cheers Spike

Chip in any time you like.

it's wonderful getting so much helpful information.
Cheers

Highland king

Hi tony

This is definately a cadre piece, It was indeed sculpted by my good friend Pete Morton. It was sold to David parkin who owned the company fireline amongst other companies.
I don't know who owns the piece now. But I am at Euro next week and I think Pete may be there so I will ask him maybe he knows.
Carl

Thanks Carl,

This figure is still in my Grey Army waiting on some new hands to switch him over the right handed.

There was a Viking also produced by Firing Line that could be paired up with this figure to form a vignette. I just picked up both of them recently in a trade and plan to do a vignette.