First four Cantiniere couples

By Panos Charalampakis

These are the first four couples of my Cantiniere ladies of the 2nd empire from Segom. They are designed by Jean Barriere and engraved by Daniel Lepeltier at 30mm based on Rousselot plates. So from upper left going clockwise we have:

Upper Left: Cantiniere des Cent-Garde while being presented to the Emperor and his wife.

Upper right: Cantiniere des Chasseurs a pied de la Garde.

Lower right: Cantiniere des Zouaves.

Lower left: Cantiniere du 6eme Rgt. de Dragons.

In the next article, four more couples will be presented untill all 20 of them are ready to be displayed as a collection framed with their correspodnent name tags.

Cantinieries of the 2nd Empire

By Panos Charalampakis

Another new set arrived today as a surprise from my wife (who said wifes aren't a useful thing! ). And what a set indeed! Actually it is 2 sets from the French Segom (serie No 21 and serie No 25) depicting cantinieres of the 2nd empire of various regiments.

The following regiments are represented:

Serie No 21

1) Grenadiere de la Guard.

2) Artillerrie de la Guard.

3) Voltigeurs de la Guard.

4) Dragons de l'Imperatrice.

5) Zouaves de la Guard.

6) Chasseurs a pied de la Guard.

7) Lanciers de la Guard.

8) Guides de la Guard.

9) Cantiniere des Cent-garde.

Serie No 25

1) Chasseurs a cheval de la Guard.

2) Chasseurs d'Afrique.

3) Cuirassiere de la Guard.

4) 1st Hussars.

5) Train de la Guard.

6) Gendarmerie de la Guard.

7) Genie de la Guard.

8) Spathis de la ligne.

9) Infanterie.

10) 4rth Hussars.

11) Dragons de la ligne.

Detail is really good in designing and engraving with almost no flash. Detail is very good with faces full of character and hands representing what they suppose to represent: hands and not blobs of metal that need painting to show what they are.I am not 100% sure for the historic accuracy in detail since I haven't looked at them closely along with my references yet, but I'm sure it will be excellent. In my opinion, the fact that they come in pairs with a man from their regiment, will produce a really lovely result when they are all painted and displayed together. Some of them come along with a small child interacting pleasingly with the pair. Nice touch.Another strong point is the references that they come with. An A4 four page leaflet along with excellent plates for each of the figures in A4 format and in full color. Jean Barriere, owner of Segom have done a great job on this, setting the golden standards for all other flat manifacturers and sellers. This is what it should be when you're getting a historic figure in whatever form it is.

Here are the two sets as they came packed with that plastic bubble thingies inside their cardboard boxes.



Close detail of one pair.

All references and plates came into these A4 envelopes.

An example of a plate. In A4 format they are so nicely detailed that you virtually don't need any other reference besides the plate.

Price for both sets was 120 euros plus 10 euros for posting to Greece. Considering what these two sets offer, along with the maginificent plates, I believe its more than fair.All in all, if I had to grade it I would put a 10 out of 10 easily and without second thoughts.

More about Segom in their excellent site, full of figures and informatio, at http://www.figurines-soldats.com/

Carribean Pirates

By Panos Charalampakis

Here is my new set, small this time, that served as a relaxation between my usual big sets of figures. Its from our dear Golberg ladies, designed by Luicien Rousselot and engraved by Raphael Pepin in 30mm (Code BO 28). Its title is Carribean pirates 1680-1730. Quality of figures was very good, and preparation was only minimal cleaning up, washing and primering with thinned humbrol white. Detail was a bit simple for my taste but I guess this is what these people supposed to be, without glamorous garments or weaponry.

When I paint figures I use to think of them as part of history so I try to find infos about them, of what were they, where they lived and how, what they did and so on. It helps me understand the figures better and I like to think of them as a part of a historic event. So, allow me to tell you some few worlds about these fellows.

What we know as pirates started from some people called Bucaneers, European that moved to the Caribbean region and they started their life as hunters and farmers. They used whatever they could find as clothing and weaponry, mainly animal hides and leather, wool and linen. They were armed with simple knives, swords and hunting rifles. Later, as Spanish hunt them down, poverty was too much and Spanish galleons were in abundance carrying treasures from America to Europe, they started what we know today as piracy. Organized in smaller or bigger crews, with small vessels, harassed the Spanish treasure ships and later nearly everything that was of some profit. Besides ships, they also raided Spanish colonies in central America for gold, animals, slaves and various other goods.

Here is where I have put my small set of pirates. Crew members of a pirate gang of Blackbeard or Henry Morgan, both very famous pirates of their age, raiding. Jamaica, Portobello, Maracaibo or Panama city. Furious, rough and uncivilized people always willing to grab some treasure, rum or woman.

My pirates are painted in oil as usual, with simple colors for simple, cheap and worn clothes and worn leather belts and scabbards.

Funeral of Goustavous Adolphous Part II

By Panos Charalampakis

Funeral of Goustavous Adolphous Part II

These are figures from Mohr's set depiciting the funeral proccesion of the Swedish king Goustavous Adolphous, 30mm in size painted with oils. This article consists the rest of the figures. For the first half of the set see previous article (12 July).

The whole set took about 4 months of painting and studying about it. It was a really enjoyable experience even if the large amount of figures were a pain some times. Patterns of the banners and flags are actual patterns, not imaginary. All metal surfaces of armor and weapons are done with non metallic oils (i.e. white, black, paynes gray, various ochres and browns).

Above:

The whole set ready to depart for the frame specialist shop to get its wooden frame. Arrangement of the figures is random, final placement will take place in the framing shop.

From left to right:

1) Wrangel.

2) Rattsherr.

3) Axel Oxelstierna.

From left to right:

1) Foot cuirassier trooper.

2) Officer of the guards.

3) Trooper of the guards.

From left to right:

1) Trumpeter.

2) Timbalier.

From left to right:

1) Banner.

2) Groom.

3) Banner of Herzog Bernhard von Saschen.

Both left and right:

1 & 2) Royal banner.

Both left and right:
1 & 2) Mounted cuirassier carrying royal banner.

Both left and right:
1 & 2) Foot soldiers carrying banners.

From left to right:

1) Foot banner.

2) Wilhelm von Weimar.

3) Pikeman.