"Help please ID British Colonial soldier" Topic

Hello,
Can anyone help me discover the maker of this soldier? There are no identifying marks on it and I have been told Britains only made Highlander Colonials in this pose. Paint is new, I bought him on ebay in black bottoms, red top and white helmet.

I cannot find 54mm prone, firing, in foreign service helmet for the life of me and want 10 more to complete my partial British square. Needn't be identical but metal, same pose, scale and helmet, so if anyone knows of a make, I would appreciate the information. I thought if I knew this guy's maker it would help me search for more though.
Many thanks in advance.

W. Brtiain's It could be something else but the figure is evocative of their style. Came with several friends in a red box. Oh, happy childhood. H

Have a look through link – there is at least one Britains item, "Regiments of All Nations, Queens Royal Regiment (West Surrey), cat. No. 2086" with prone figures in trousers and helmet – might be Home Service helmets, though.

I wonder if he's meant to be Camel Corps?

The paint job doesn't look original. And the figure might be a Johilco rather than a Britains (note the feet together, rather than splayed).

Have you tried Dorset Soldiers. They have a good range of 54mm British infantry figures and sell them as unpainted castings.

Has the look of an old Hollowcasts figure.

Here is a similar set. Note the similarities of the upper torso, arm bend and weapon (and paint job)

link

Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful replies.

GurKhan, thank you for the link. I believe you are right, they are Home Service helmets.

42flanker, He is now, I don't know what he was originally.

4DJones, thanks, that's a good point. Yes, I repainted him.

Eleve de Vauban, thank you. Having looked at their catalog I think I can make their Rorke's Drift 24th foot infantry, prone, firing work very nicely for my purposes. They start taking orders again in about a week.

Virtualscratchbuilder, thank you for the link. Yes, you're right about the similarities. Paint job is mine. I know many are keen on high quality paint jobs but I am going for mass-produced toy soldiers of my childhood feel and also a mishmash of brands, as was the case with me and all my friends as kids! For me, it's about nostalgia.

I am building a 4ft long, 3 tier Sudan display, a la Mignot dioramas.

Top shelf is forced perspective Camel Corps flying column, 15mm up to 60mm, all different makes.

Middle shelf is all 54mm, some camel corps and partial British square consisting of Camel corps, Highlanders and Sudanese troops, facing off against Fuzzy Wuzzies. Again, all different makes but British Bulldog is my favorite.

Bottom shelf is River Nile bank – palms, papyrus, crocodiles and hippos, all different makes, quite a lot of Britains.

I hope there's not too much disapproval over my repainting antiques, I know it is likely anathema to some collectors but I treat them as toys and personal property! I'm most of the way there but have some Fuzzy Wuzzies to repaint and the backgrounds to figure out. I have emailed Mignot to see if they'll sell me some of their desert palm tree wallpaper.

Thank you all again for your kind interest and help, I very much appreciate it.

Repainting is fine for personal use. However you have lost the resale value, down from $10 USD to maybe $1. USD If not a problem for you, consider you estate.

I have always wanted one of those Mignot diorama boxes but just too pricy.

Take a look at London Bridge Britains replacements. Seems to be your figure. Legs are spread but otherwise the same. I have gotten many figures from these guys and done lots of conversions, without messing up originals :)

link

You pick the head you want to use.

Bobgnar, Yes, I'm sure you're right but it's what I wanted to do. Those Mignot dioramas are Very expensive!
Thank you very much for this very helpful link, that prone figure looks great. I had never heard of London Bridge.
All the best.

Example of Mignot display box, $3,000. USD My concern for repainting figures stems from my teens. A friend and I played war-games with Little Wars, about all there was then (1960). He convinced me to have him paint my Britains with my "own uniform" colors. I had a few 100 then. He did about 50. I dropped out of Britains for a long time, but then in 2000, decided to reconstruct my collection. I discovered that repainted figures were pretty worthless, especially in odd ball uniforms.
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