As Ian stated several times the owner of this company is his daughter. So maybe it is worth to get in touch with her....

Yes this has been stated many times but the paypal payments do not go to her.... If you were to contact her and got a reply I am pretty sure that it is Ian replying and not her as the format of the syntax, grammar and spelling mistakes are the same as he makes. All a bit of a screwed up mess behind a web of lies and very poor deceit.

I am sure there are lots of teenage girls out there with a new baby that have an interest in model soldier manufacturing!!!

Tommi

I recently purchased this on ebay, the one listed at £80. The certificated number is 42 if that is of any use to anyone. Unfortunately one part in the kit is duplicated and one part, the French Cuirassier's left arm is missing. Am I going to return the kit or try to obtain the part from the manufacturer? I think not. It'll be down to a spare arm & hand suitably modified.

Geoff

No. 42? The certificate number was deliberately cover in the listing picture.


Just returned the kit and get return shipping refund from PayPal.

I might still have a box of bits here so will take a look tomorrow if you need an arm

Tommi

Personally, Not having an investment in this ongoing situation; I have been intrigued as to why "Ellies" has not defended himself/herself in any way or form. I know a lot of members must know him personally and no one has said a word in his defense. That to me makes this particular situation most interesting and unsettling that a person does not defend himself. What am I missing? Did someone just outright join a group of for the most part hobbyists and kiss up for monetary gain?........Again...if I missed something.....I appologize.....

Wayne

Ian disappeared into nowhere for his business partners not for the first time but I don`t think that he was planning a fraud (as many fraudulent perpetrators don`t do at the beginning btw.) - otherwise he would not have started the development and production of this kit.
I guess that if you deny yourself to realize your own mistakes and that pursuing legitimate rights out of a business is no conspiracy but something you earned by letting your customers down you might end up with a situation that you look at yourself as the victim..... and silence is the best defense for it leaves all benefit of doubt on your behalf - besides this Ian just avoided a public statement but preferred to tell everyone another story hoping he could get away with it.

The E bay-seller covering his name and certificate no. of the kit is another story. Most probably he is aware of the situation and it would be interesting to know why he was doing it this way. If the kit is not complete it might be a reason for selling it off but the owner should have mentioned it. Good to have Tommi around taking care of this problem.

especially when I received a mail that his granddaughter was born some weeks before the date given in Facebook... evolution can be a wonderful thing.

Cheers

Huw

I didn't want to suggest that this was a deliberate act on the part of the ebay seller I dealt with. They sell a large number of items on ebay very few of which have any connection to figure or indeed any form of modelling. I guess they saw the item as having some potential value. I decided not to contact the seller to return the item and obtain a refund as with a little effort I can deal with the missing part and it is a model I particularly wanted.
Thank you Tommi for your offer.
I did notice that the other kits of this piece recently sold on ebay carried duplicate certificate numbers, number 11, and both claimed that no base was supplied with the original kits. The one I bought did include a resin cast base as depicted in the boxart photographs.

Geoff

I think it quite conceivable that the original certificate numbers were used several times by the manufacturer especially as an e-mail list of 35 backers wasn't managed and the backers had to share information between themselves as some were getting emails and information and others were simply in the dark.

Cheers

I ordered my kit towards the end of 2017. I received it around March of 2018 and discovered the kit was missing the base and the sword scabbards for both figures arrived broken. I wrote to Ian and he said he would send the necessary parts. After a month and a half nothing arrived so I wrote him once more and he responded and said he would send them though via registered mail. Again, nothing arrived after a couple of months. Since that time I have written him twice and there have been NO responses. I have decided to take the loss and replace the parts with 3D printed facsimiles. Lesson learned? Don't buy from Ellies.

I had several run ins with this individual over 20 years ago and found him rude and arrogant then. When tackled about it on an American forum he blamed Dyslexia. That may explain some of this communication flaws but this is downright fraud. He hasn't changed a bit.
Bill

The unfortunate thing about this individual is that he is coated in Teflon.....nothing sticks. All the problems are someone else's fault. He has no concept of right or wrong and runs and hides as soon as everything falls apart. I am ashamed to say he is still like me a current member of the White Rose Club in Leeds although he has not put in any appearances since this all went pear shaped and I know when I see him next it will be as though nothing has happened...that is the way he runs his life.

In general it is good practice to not part with any money until the object is in your hand-check the contents are complete and if you shake hands count your fingers afterwards.

Keith

Typical of the mismanagement of this whole project, backers from April 2017 had to wait longer for their kits. Of course the customer service is non-existent. I will never deal with Ellie's again should the company by some miracle survive.

Cheers

Huw

Good advice Keith. At Euro last year this individual joined several of us at a table in a hotel bar, without invite and chatted as if nothing was going on. Three of us at the table had had, or were having problems with this individual's inability to deliver anything and he carried on although we pointedly ignored him.

Cheers

Huw

Did he buy a round?...……….

No - we ignored him. I saw an acquaintance and escaped.

I've reached out to a retired barrister to see if he can help me either get the vignette or my money back. We shall see.