"Undersized copies of Crusader Miniatures" Topic

I recently acquired an amount of Dark Age figures, especially Normans. While sorting through them and trying place the makes I noted figures that are in the exact same poses the Crusader Dismounted Norman Knights with swords (DAN010).

However, they are slightly smaller and not as finely detailed.

They appear to be pewter, as opposed to lead by the colouring of the metal and the weight of the figures.

Any ideas? (sorry I don't have pictures right now, I just noticed them)

Sounds like recasts.

Agreed, all signs of recasting.

I would let them know and let them know where you got them.

Letting them know where I got them will not be helpful as they are from a collection of a gentleman who passed away. I have no idea where he may have purchased or acquired them.

Mixed in is also a copy of an Old Glory Norman Heavy Infantry; the drawing a sword pose.

In case you are tasked with inventorying this collection for the purposes of selling the contents on, I would suggest that any re-casts are not to be sold any further.

I passed along to a manufacturer what I suspected was recasting. They thanked me but said there was not much they felt they could, in all reality, do about it.

It's inventory for myself. Many sets, makes, periods mixed roughly together but being a stickler, I try to keep my earlier period dark age figures separate from later period. It's also interesting to see the makers for them as they are mine, not for resale but for my collection and I will endeavour to take as good of care of them as the gentleman who previously had them.

I have recast some of the old Atlantic Egyptian temple pieces from my set I got as a child and they did not shrink or lose detail like this.

Could it be the type of metal used shrinking as it dries?

I can't tell if they were spin cast or poured (I'm not that experienced). The channels are different from the originals, though. Whereas you can see two channels in the base on an original, these have one larger channel.

Makes me wonder about the dozens upon dozens of mounted Crusader Normans now …

I once notified a VERY LARGE company whose models I suspected were being sold on eBay as recasts.
They told me to mind my own business. Saner heads have taken over that company since. I hope.

The signs that made me suspicious:'
Smaller than "genuine".
Two or three obvious mold lines.
Tinny clanking noise when dropped.
Much smaller bases than normal. In some cases, bases were entirely missing.
AND a bunch of know it alls on TMP told me to mind my own business. I always suspected that those guys were recasters themselves.

wmyers,
Greetings. If these are the ones you got from me, there are not any recasts. From memory, they were mostly older model Old Glory, Foundry, Black Tree Design and Gripping Beast figures. There may have been some Crusader or Artizan (similar style I think but can't remember as I got them at a con years ago) but it would have been a small number as I painted up most of the ones I had and then sold them painted. I think the sculptor from Crusader did a lot of work for Foundry so there might be similarities in style and look.
David

I bought some Perry Crusaders on Ebay a few years ago and when I got them they were clearly re-casts. When I notified the Perrys, not only did they thank me, they sent me brand new figures to replace the re-casts. Truly great people!

They appear to be pewter, as opposed to lead by the colouring of the metal and the weight of the figures.

They should look like pewter, most casting metal is a pewter alloy. Lead and lead based metal was phased out last century. Different alloys and different melting and mould temperatures can affect how shiny or dark the finished casting appears.

I bought recast Foundry figures on eBay nearly 10 years ago. The seller put a cheap black spray on them to attempt to disguise the lack of detail in his copies.

Hi David,

No, these are not the ones I got from you!

There were some Crusader and Artizan in the lot, but they are all originals!

I really should put up some pictures. Hmm, no time like the present.

Wesley

Okay, here is the Old Glory one (I believe the copy to be the one with the shield – I know the larger one is an authentic OG (did Russ think of the acronym when he founded his company?)):

Crusader ones, you can tell the smaller one:

and another:

Bandolier – not all companies phased out lead from their figures; just ask Old Glory.

I have the OG figures, that is definitely not the typical OG shield unless they have re-done the figure.

Does it have the large boss on the back to take that shield?

Whew! Glad it wasn't the ones I sold you.
David

Dervel, no, it (the figure) has the typical long narrow pin like most OG's.

David, they're not bad unto themselves. It's all good though. They are more like 25mm versions of the Crusader 28mm ones.

Winston, these also make a very tinny noise. The metal is quite hard and not flexible. (Ideas of an unique windchime!)

Looks like pirated figures. The thickness of the bases and legs are the real give aways.

There are many factors that affect the finished casting.Metal alloy and lead content,speed,temperature and pressure and even if they have multiple partition its the process of production moulds.