Took a trip to England with friend and visited the Minifig Southampton factory in the glorious year of 1976 (summer).
Upon entrance we looked over the store cabinet shelves and started writing down the miniature codes and quality requested. It was just before lunch hour.
Presented the first of many sheets of codes and miniature numbers. The lady clerk looked and then looked again, then looked at us senior "teenager" faces. I was 18.
First sheet had request for their WotR range in 25mm. My order was for about 600 miniatures, Steve's order for 450 miniatures. At the time the player group had started a Kingmaker based campaign, but well beyond the actual game with three game masters and at its peek 47 players. Each player controlled a lord or two, with lords having forces based upon titles and secondary titles. Simple lord 25 miniatures, Earl 50, a duke 75-100, King 250, Marshal of England 150 and so on. Ships, plagues, disasters, summons across country…. the entire game plus a full marriage, family histories, and economic overlay…plus the International scene too.
Back to Southampton. The lady went in the back and Neville himself came out. We confirmed the orders…and showed the wallets of English pounds and Amex travel cheques.
Neville was totally surprised. We were going to make his month sales number that afternoon it seemed. While the miniatures were being packaged, found, in some cases casted that afternoon, and weighed, we had the factory tour, met the workers and designers. After lunch with Neville across the street, and the sun going down, the happy gamers were driven to the Royal Train station to return back to Bristol. It was a day trip for us. The train porter asked if we were traveling with lead….. yes and a grin.
That afternoon I also purchased my starting 25mm Napoleonic armies and ancient Phil Barker miniatures. All told the miniature count was near 3200 25mm miniatures between the two of us. It may have been higher…. as we lost track towards the end on the total counting.
I still have all my 25mm miniatures, now painted from that purchase day, and even some of Steve's.
Since this post is about the Minifig catalog prices back in 1975…our pricing we figured after exchange rates taken were 22 cents USA for foot and 45-48 cent USA for mounted miniatures. No shipping charges.
Flying home and going through US customs was another funny story… one look at all the small boxes and the custom agent just waved us both through. Two suitcases, two long coats with deep pockets filled, and two boxes. My entire family had miniature boxes stored in every pocket… including my mom's beauty case.
Those were the days of youth and strong arms.
Ps. I still have the store catalog from that trip too.
