On the border line between Military Modeling (Scale Models) and Toy Soldiers (of the best quality), IMHO over the line and much more models than “toys” sure enough.
He did those works (artworks) in the fifties… with very limited materials at hand, to say nothing about paints and brushes.
A pioneer and a master of so many that he has become “the reference”.
Today he would have been a hundred years old and his heir Tony (see other posts about his work) posted those pics in Facebook.
They do not need comment or words from me… I just framed and polished a bit the pics.
Published in the web of the ITSC (The International Toy Soldier Club) this is an awesome set done by Andrew Stevenson for a customer (a lucky customer I will add full of positive envy!).
It reproduces one mythical set of Old Britains with figures ad hoc (many of them Britains never did I must clarify!).
Never have seen something so awesome in years of collecting.
Enjoy!
Naval Gun on wheels… for landing party.Royal Marines Light Infantry… and Bluejackets pulling limber…Second level of the box!Command and Signals.Great landing party!Medical station.Firing line.The massive box and the superior tray… Awesome!
Not complaining at all because the order from 2023 arrived on 2025!… quality compensates in spades.
The “cottage” industry of Toy Soldiers has that… limited production… long queueing… but SATISFACTION!
The Toy Soldiers Britains never did… not in its heyday (classic times)… not in his centenary sets either… bespoke orders… simply fantastic output.
You can also buy from him… see replica metal model soldiers in google or email “HQ@replicametalsoldiers.co.uk” HQ@Replicametalsoldiers.co.uk and just wait to be satisfied… it helps if you are not in your seventies like me!
Enjoy.
Line Infantry Charging!Rifles firing.Royal Fuziliers…“THE” General… of REPLICA’s fame!And something completely different… an armoured car (Rolls&Royce) if you please… a model a bit late for my period… but I guess the fact that is a secret prototype can adapt well to my needs!
Box 1Box 2Box 3The two sets of Victorian (SIMKIN TIMES) CavalryThee Highland BrigadeForefront 6th Dragoon Guards (Carbineers) and 16th lancers in the rear rank. Pic “in process” by Andrew Stevenson.
Finally here! (meaning ANDORRA)
They are part of a larger order… but Cavalry always have an extra appeal to me.
In 2023 (by the last months) I placed an order with Andrew Stevenson (REPLICA METAL MODEL SOLDIERS)… this is part of it.
Intended to be a part of a little British Army to play AGW (Yes you’ve guessed right I will of course mess with the original rules!)
Never thought the vast amounts of patience needed nowadays to collect “la creme de la creme” (si j’ose dire)… days, weeks, months, more than a year sometimes… but well worth the wait.
The problem (main) is not the wait itself… it is my age LOL)… time is now an issue…
You can not “hurry up” Andrew… he is IMHO an “artist”… multiple interests…. multiple ranges…. multiple novelties…. multiple objectives… he also collects!…. whatever… Probably the best if you are affected by BRITAIN’s nostalgia… I have never indulged in collecting “antiques” if you think pre-WWII (or WWI for that matter) Toy Soldiers…. do not have the time… neither the money (or budget)… neither the interest (pure or purist). On the contrary I do collect NOW the Centennial sets by Britain! (You need all sorts you know…).
The use of REPLICA models in wargames is a bit of an heressy as I considere them “collector’s items” on their own right!. But boy do they bring “class” to your tabletop…
I have been collecting sets from Tradition of London from decades… I was actually a bit distracted by others periods and scales… but they are always on my mind.
I recently put an order to give a bit of colour at one of my cabinets and Erik supplied (quite fast!) the following set: 1 Officer (British), an NCO (Indian) and two lancers for 4 Regiments with different uniforms… so far so good.
Once the parcel arrived one of the lance shafts was broken above repair and so I contacted them. A replacement is on its way… EXCELLENT service and Communications…
As I loath to gave anything away I did a bit of repairing on the “broken” lancer and he has been raised in rank (twice…LOL) and decorated… and sent the pics to Erik if that can help other customers…
Here are the pics of the little tale…
Enjoy
See broken lance above left.
Detail.
Inspected and small “retouching”
Raised to Corporal (and out of bits of the lance to have a pacing stick)
Raised to RSM and decorated… I did not want to threw it away you know… I try to never do that… sometimes looks good enough!
Finally the replacement (FREE) arrived and the set is complete. Thanks to Erik from Tradition of London for an excellent service.
Curiously enough this cast (unpainted) was one of the first minis I ever painted myself (as it was mean to be… red tunic & all… and there it is still in my collection). One day I noticed I did not have thought of buying from DUCAL a RSM… so… I bought from Tradition of London the kit again and have painted in a new version with pace stick (a bit of steel paper clip).
There you have it hope you like it.
There… it only lacks the gloss finish… will add when dry!
I will replace (finally not) those pics with new one’s “out of the boxes” when coming back from holidays… summer is hot even in Andorra!… done partially!
So for the moment just enjoy like this… fresh from the parcel!
I even did not take pics of a drummer and some dogs!
In a hurry it was… mind!
2025 order has been placed already (French Chasseurs of the Line aka light Infantry; two units of French line Infantry, a mounted ADC… and a special “Mildred Natwick” as cast in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON)
Have added new pics…
And an interesting experiment… with chatgpt.com (that was before changing a bit the order)… LOL
I will replace those pictures with new ones “out of the boxes” when I return from my holidays. Summer is hot even in Andorra! I’ve done it partially, so for the moment, just enjoy it like this—fresh from the parcel! I didn’t even take pictures of a drummer and some dogs; I was in a hurry, you know! I’ve already placed my 2025 order for the French Chasseurs of the Line (light infantry), another unit of French line infantry, and a special “musique de la Legion.” I’ve added new pictures as well. (Same text using chatgpt.com). LOL
The “missing drummer” completes the unit! Thanks Antony!She wore a Yellow Ribbon (Joanne Dru).The whole outfit.Mules and new ADC…British Artillery (late XIXth)British Artillery deployed for action.French Artillery with Infantry support.French Line Infantry (187o amd later)Properly “unboxed”…French Marines (marsouins)Same with the Marsouins!French line artillery…French Line Artillery deployed.British Colonial Machine Gun Servers…Deployed.Guides NWF Vickers servers…Deployed too!… I searched for this fellows since I saw eons ago Lives of a Bengal Lancer and Gary Cooper blowing his whistle deploying the machine guns… fantastic job by Dorset Soldiers!French 75mm guns, British 13 pounders and machine gun with carriage.
It is a pleasure to collect in 54MM… because it remains the Toy Soldier scale par excellence.
Sometimes I do order them by Post, sometimes I buy in Ebay (less frequently).
In any case the results have been quite satisfactory so far.
REPLICA and DORSET/IMPERIAL SOLDIERS are just two of the best manufacturers around.
Enjoy!
Bought on Ebay (expensive way of collecting).General Wolseley painted by Andrew Stevenson (REPLICA) one of my first ever buys from REPLICA.French ADC post 1870 painted by Antony Spencer (DORSET SOLDIERS or IMPERIAL MINIATURES)
I have always been fascinated by horses (lead toy horses I am afraid), films with horses in them I am a fan… but my experiences with real horses are almost nil, once I rided a horse in a tourist promenade (about 1 hour) and only can recall the vast amount of flies they carried with them.
Lead toy horses are “cleaner”… and they behave… lol
As Oscar Wilde said they are dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle… probably an exaggeration to make a laugh…
Enjoy!
RCMP Inspector (my avatar) REPLICA painted by me…Captain Brittles (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)… REPLICA painted by me…HRH King Charles III (REPLICA painted by me)Winston Churchill as a subaltern in the 4th Hussars… (REPLICA painted by me)French Officer (DORSET SOLDIERS) painted by me… I already had the horse bought painted and asked for a suitable cast from Antony Spencer.Churchill at Omdurman… converted and painted by me…using DORSET SOLDIERS castings. (In fact I already had the painted horse)
