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Wednesday, 15 January 2020

Battles of Yesteryear

Over the years I have seen pictures of painted box sets supplied by Alberken in I guess the mid to late 60s. These box sets cost £2 2s 0d or 2 Guineas in 1965.

I have a fondness for the Alberken range and I was pleased to pick up a box of these figures on ebay for a modest outlay (I was the only bidder)


The box contains 20 Russians and look to be Grenadiers possibly codes RN3 and RN4s.  The painting is basic and the paintwork, particularly the white , shows, the effect of age with yellowing varnish.

I will do a bit of paint refurbishment and generally tidy these figures up rather than a strip and repaint. I have 2 Russian DK standard bearers and couple of SHQ Grenadiers I can use to bring the unit up to full strength as the Arakcheyev Grenadiers.
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17 comments:

  1. Graham C15 January 2020 at 22:18

    Nice find Mark, looking forward to seeing the refurbished unit

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    1. Mark Dudley15 January 2020 at 23:07

      Interestingly I also posted on FB and received a few comments saying I should leave them as they are. I guess that is the difference between collectors, who put things in glass cases, and wargames who play games with their toys.

      Delete
  2. The Good Soldier Svjek15 January 2020 at 22:28

    Great find that price in 1965 was expensive ! , think my first take home pay was £5 in 1970 .

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    1. Mark Dudley15 January 2020 at 23:09

      A figure unpainted cost a shilling so 20 unpainted figures would have cost a pound.

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  3. Wellington Man15 January 2020 at 23:06

    Well spotted, Mark! I'm very keen to see what you make of these as I also picked up some factory-painted Alberkens not so long ago.
    All the best
    WM

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    1. Mark Dudley15 January 2020 at 23:12

      I am going to try and keep any refurbishment limited to restoring the paint, particularly the white and paint the base in humbrol green. The objective to leave as much of the original as is.

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  4. Aly Morrison16 January 2020 at 00:12

    That’s a great little find Mark...
    I wish our toys were presented like that today... much more attractive than a blister pack.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Mark Dudley18 January 2020 at 05:43

      It would be nice however I am sure the price would be a few pounds more than in the swinging 60s.

      Delete
  5. marinergrim16 January 2020 at 02:05

    Nice find. Personally I'd have left the varnish since there's something about old figures in good condition where the varnish is old that gives the figure some character. For me at least.

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    1. Mark Dudley18 January 2020 at 05:46

      The figures are basically painted. For now I am going to use them as they are. I am adding s DK standard bearer and I am trying to replicate the yellowing effect of varnish on a freshly painted figure.

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  6. Keith Flint16 January 2020 at 02:56

    Well, according the Inflation Calculator website, that box sold for £30 in today's money. So £1.50 a figure. Pretty good value I'd say, even for basic painting. I wish we could buy nice boxes of figures like these today - but I guess that's progress for you.

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    1. Mark Dudley18 January 2020 at 05:50

      The box has 20 figures so the cost of even the basic painting per figure cost little more twice the price of an unpainted figure.

      Delete
  7. Phil Dutré16 January 2020 at 10:09

    Excellent find!

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    1. Mark Dudley18 January 2020 at 05:51

      I am pleased to have got some truelly vintage figures.

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  8. Rob17 January 2020 at 08:31

    A great find - would it betray too many trade secrets if you were reveal where you bid for it (eBay?) and what your search terms were. I keep searching but find little.

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  9. Mark Dudley18 January 2020 at 05:59

    It was on Ebay listed as 'Britain's Type Figures: Napoleonic Period Hand Painted Military Miniatures'.

    I tend to surf ebay listings sometimes it's a case of a finding a seller selling something interesting and then aee what else they have listed.

    I spend too much time on ebay.



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  10. Rob18 January 2020 at 06:50

    Thanks, I would never of tried 'Britains' - but then so much is wrongly listed it's a lottery knowing what to search for. I also spend too much time, and money, on eBay.

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