Peter Rathgeb
PlanetFigure Supporter
- Joined
- May 20, 2023
- Messages
- 82
Hi all
No WIP yet from me, I am too new in the "business", but a WHIP. (sorry for the pun...)
I would like to contribute a little detail which might be useful for all of you making figures of "Russian" cavalrymen until the late 1600s.
One of my main areas of interest is the "Russian", or better, in my case, Muscovite Army of the 16th- 17th Century.
Since a large part of the fun for me is to dive a little deeper into the historical background, I have tumbled over a detail which is forgotten by manufacturers in most rider figures of this period: until very late in the 17th century, Muscovite/Russian cavalrymen of the period did not use spurs, this has been depicted correctly in most figures.
On the other hand, in order to ride their horses, they all carried a short whip, the Nagayka, which they took over from the Golden Horde/Tatars/Cossacks. The Nagayka had a loop which they attached on their right wrist, so that, when not using the whip, they had their right hand free for other "activities" (like holding a sword or a lance, or using their bow).
The Nagayka would look like this:
(image from an ebay auction, for discussion use only)
Now, the only figure I own or have seen which includes a Nagayka, is the "Russian Boyar" by Pegaso Models. The Boyar holds it in his right hand.
I am presently building the great 54mm figure of the "Russian Cavalryman 16th-17th Century" by Medieval Forge Miniatures, and I plan to add this Nagayka hanging from the rider's wrist. This would look like that, approximately:
(image from the internet, for discussion use only)
Of course, I will have to make the Nagayka from scratch, which should not be too difficult.
Now, I hope this post could be of interest for a couple of the other members of this great forum!
Cheers,
Peter
No WIP yet from me, I am too new in the "business", but a WHIP. (sorry for the pun...)
I would like to contribute a little detail which might be useful for all of you making figures of "Russian" cavalrymen until the late 1600s.
One of my main areas of interest is the "Russian", or better, in my case, Muscovite Army of the 16th- 17th Century.
Since a large part of the fun for me is to dive a little deeper into the historical background, I have tumbled over a detail which is forgotten by manufacturers in most rider figures of this period: until very late in the 17th century, Muscovite/Russian cavalrymen of the period did not use spurs, this has been depicted correctly in most figures.
On the other hand, in order to ride their horses, they all carried a short whip, the Nagayka, which they took over from the Golden Horde/Tatars/Cossacks. The Nagayka had a loop which they attached on their right wrist, so that, when not using the whip, they had their right hand free for other "activities" (like holding a sword or a lance, or using their bow).
The Nagayka would look like this:
(image from an ebay auction, for discussion use only)
Now, the only figure I own or have seen which includes a Nagayka, is the "Russian Boyar" by Pegaso Models. The Boyar holds it in his right hand.
I am presently building the great 54mm figure of the "Russian Cavalryman 16th-17th Century" by Medieval Forge Miniatures, and I plan to add this Nagayka hanging from the rider's wrist. This would look like that, approximately:
(image from the internet, for discussion use only)
Of course, I will have to make the Nagayka from scratch, which should not be too difficult.
Now, I hope this post could be of interest for a couple of the other members of this great forum!
Cheers,
Peter
