Hello everybody,

Im just looking for a bit of feedback on this figure. Im thinking of producing this one for the market. Any comments would be apreciated.

Cheers Phil Walden

Welcome to the planet Phil. I would like to see more views of your Indian as I am an avid Indian fan and look forward to seeing more and more figures become available.

Phil, Nice figure. It looks to be from a figure study by Robert Griffing. There are a few things I'd like to suggest. For a musket I feel a French commercial hunting gun (Fusil De Chasse) or an Engliish hunting/trade gun, depending on which side this native is allied. The musket your figure has looks like a M1728 French musket which would have seen service with the Compagnies Franches De la Marine in Canada around 1730. I would not rule out use of this musket by natives, but find IMHO that the first two examples would seem a more suitable choice. As for equipment for your figure, at a bare minimum, I would give him a powder horn with either a slit pouch slung over the horn or a waist sash or over the shoulder type bag with some quillwork/beadwork and a neck knife in a sheath likewise decorated. Additional weapons could consist of possibly another knife, tomahawk or wooden ball-headed warclub. He's got the right amount of clothing on, with some natives being without leggings and even a breechclout at times (yes naked).

As for the figure's anatomy, the legs from the hips to the knees look way too long. Possibly removing a portion from the thigh would help, although this would then most likely cause a problem from the position of the figure's weapon. If you have any questions or would like some information send me a PM or E-mail via Planet figure. Good luck.~Gary

Gary hello ,....thanks for the imfo. Our mate Stev Lennon gave me the weapon a good man... has a powder horn, not showing, afew other bits to add as yet. Im happy anatomy wise but I agree the legs do appear long the perspective off weapon against legs tends to distort thinks. Yes mate straight out of Robert Griffing,s book, a wonderful book. Fought naked A..... They must have been related to to the New Zealand Maori who also fought naked showing their body tattooing (Moko).... on looking at the weapon,,, I may just change it, good food for thought...... cheers Gary, Ill be in touch..

A very nice looking figure Phil, the legs look about right to me, considering where the groin would be.

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well, it looks like a great figure but I dare to say could use soem improvement in so called cultural objects.
To start - almost all these woodland indian figures seem to miss a couple of very important things that completed a woddland warrior's appereance - the ear adornments and nose disc (stone or metal). Tribal warriors of the mid18th century all the way until the removal sliced their earlobes and elongated them by attaching there silver rings, silver crosses, otter fur, decorative arrows etc until the earlobes could be reaching their shoulders (often these earlobes became torn (fighting, runing through bushes etc and were hanging and floping around - not a pleasant view when combined with a terrifying face painting). The nose disc was a traditional pre-contact adornment and survived in various forms (stone, metal etc) until the next century e.g. see portraits of Tenskwatawa who was a brother of Tecumseh.
Additionally, if your figure is a pre-1768 French ally and comes from the Old Northwest, then he would be armed with a French style hatchet or tomahawk, or could have a wooden ball (often spiked) warclub (the most beautiful ones are the Iroquoian designs and the Iroquois of Canada were French allies). The regular infantry musket (French, English or Spanish) would be a no-no, since those were not accurate enough according to the Woodland people standard and also too heavy to run around, but (in addition those mentioned above by Garry) perhaps a pennsylvania rifle (predecessor of the Kentucky long rifle). Leggins' garters could be very decorated, also his beaded belt could be very decorated -sash might belong to more peaceful attire. They did always carry a blanket or a robe, unless had a shirt, native or trade one (trade shirts were becaming very popular with those close to the European traders), that could be rolled and tied around his waist. The breachclout must be very short, often decorated. The shoulder bag or a pouch is a must, designs varied greatly and you should find plenty in any book on the woodland native cultures. Clothing is not an option but a necessity. The native warriors travelled light yet dressed after all they did live in a forest and most fighting took place after the Great Corn Festival when nights were colder, so they needed clothes or robes to sleep and walk around, but when they fought the choice of 'uniform' was up to the individual warrior, i.e. clothed, semi-dressed, or totally nude.
Finally trade good - the quantity of trade goods (silver, glass beads, metal objects etc) depends on what tribe you want to portray and of which specific time period...
A Shawnee would be great, there is considerable amount of evidence on their appereance and they were the most formidable warriors of that time period.

Thanks fellas,.... all this imput is realy great especialy the clothing etc. Im going to Stev,s home later next week,to talk alittle treason Ill tell him hello from you... Im thinking about the knees,....I may lift them what I was chasing is that baggy look below the knee,like with jeans.....At present Im pleased how its going as I said many etc..etc..etc,s to be done yet....but I must say I do love ROBERT GRIFFING,S paintings.......yet again thanks fellas,..Phil

I would think a long rifle would be very rare. There were large numbers of colonists/settlers that in all liklihood were lucky to own a smoothbore musket. As for military arms being heavier than a rifle, maybe. A special individual would own one if he had it. A lot of British military muskets were in the 10lb range while those of the French were lighter around 8lbs. A lot of the French commercial trade guns were around 6.9lbs in weight. French muskets are a more slender and sleek looking compared to British weapons that had a lot more heft to them.~Gary

I agree: a long rifle would be a rarity, but .... not an impossibility.
During the pre-1768 period there were at least four riding seasons when the more eastern tribes (Shawnee, Delawares, Wyandots, Mingoes) rided deep into Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. The Sawnees and Delawares rided for at least two seasons during the French and Indian war, and then for two seasons during the Pontiac War. Other tribes rided more but they already came armed by the French - with French weapons as precisely described by you .
The Pennsylvania border and Virginia border were populated by the German settlers who had already created the long rifle so who knows... Spanish arms would appear after 1768... Open season and perhaps a grwat figure.... On the other hand King and Country produced some outstanding woodland warriors figures in their American Revolution collection. http://www.sierratoysoldier.com/King_&_Cou...and_indians.htm

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Hi Alan,..thanks for your thoughts, working on his ears with all their beads etc and head plumage great fun.... question, was the plumage etc worn every day around the yard looking at some of Griffings paintings its made me wonder.... Ive been looking at the knee and tie ups pulled out my old Rugby union socks I use to ties with them sadly the old muscular tone is not as it was and things all went Pear shaped.. my wife just looked at me....Ill post some more photos soon
ps not me rugby sock.... cheers Phil