Here we are, Journal No. 2!

Since our first Journal we have had a great response nationally and internationally. From the expected 30-addmembers we have shot up to over 80 so far and there are still applications outstanding. Inquiries have comein from Australia, Canada and the U.S.A. We are pleased to welcome our first West German member,Mr.Hintze from Bremen.

Of course we are very happy with this result since the more members we have the more muscle and funds willbe available to supply our members with the information and services they need.

Since one of our goals is to spread the popularity of flats, please start entering competitions with your ownflats at your various local events; never mind winning a prize, the more flats an the judging table the morepeople will get interested. Lately we have seen some very good work from young collectors which promiseswell for the future.

The influx of new members has enabled us to divide the country into specific areas and appoint area reps. Thesewill have member address lists and organise regular local meetings. More on this further on. The swap/sellcolumn has grown too large to print each time; area reps will have all the details and can help you to contacteach other.

Due to the large demand for full makers and footmark lists, we have decided to print these separately; theyoccupy quite a few pages and would take the space of several magazines or take two or three years to issueif published in parts. These lists will be available at cost and, at the moment, we are negotiating with thepublishers for the rights to print.

A start has been made with setting up a library an all things flat, including info on painting, uniforms, costumes,flags, etc. Would all members who feel they have specific knowledge or info please send it to us to includein the library. A contents list will eventually be available through your area rep.

Our initial contacts with continental societies have been very positive and friendly - more anon.

We have started attending local shows/competitions and will try to visit as many as we can. A large show

Editor’s Comments

The general reaction to Issue One of the Journal was good. But we did also highlight some areas forimprovement and these have been dealt with in Issue Two - such as giving you an address to write to! Weapologise for this omission in Issue One and wonder if the poor response to the Buy and Swap column wasdue to the fact that you didn’t know where to send to.

I must extend a personal apology to Mike Taylor, author of the article Before Kadesh in Issue One, for leavingout a couple of lines in his article. No doubt this perplexed some of you too, when you turned over from page4 to page 5 and found that the text just didn’t run on properly. To put the record straight here are the missinglines, which should have appeared at the top of page 5:

It now appeared that the chariot was ready for battle and last minute instructions were being given tothe infantry. With the tree on the .........

Every issue we are likely to repeat our plea for members to send in material for publication. Anything relatedto ‘flats’ is what we want; no matter how short; in fact short articles are always welcome - they help us fillthose annoying gaps and give variety to the magazine. But send us anything that you think may be of interestto flats collectors and painters. There are now around 80 of you out there in our Society; I’m sure that a goodfew of you have something to say. I’ll thank you in anticipation of your help.

G.D.

Contents Issue Two – July 1986

Article. PageThe Gottstein Dioramas: England’s Flat Heritage, Part Two 2A “Work Station” for Flats 3Honour of the Faith - (A Point of Focus) 5EX STANNO AD VITAM 7Members’ Helpline 7The Techniques of Soldering 8The Colours taken at Austerlitz - Part One 9Beginners Please 12Continental Flats Collectors’ Societies 14Areas and Area Representatives 15

for mid-1987 for ‘flats only’ is being organised. More details at a later date.

An arrangement has been made with manufacturers and dealers in flats to include pages with info. in the Journalat a small fee. This will keep you up to date with new issues and events.

Jacques Vullinghs, 8 Chalgrove Close, bray, Maidenhead, Berks. Tel: 0629 75769

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The Gottstein Dioramas:England’s Flat Heritage

Part Two by Jan Redley

The diorama of Queen Elizabeth Reviewing Her Troops at Tilbury is on permanent display at Thurrock LocalHistory Museum, Orsett Road, Grays. The Battle of Marston Moor, depicting the charge of Prince Rupert’sCavalry, is still in good condition and is on permanent display in the Civil War Room at the Castle Museum,York. Also in good condition is The Battle of Plassey, which is now housed in the Devonshire and DorsetRegimental Museum, The Keep, Dorchester. This diorama shows Clive’s English troops attacking the nativelines and overwhelming the French artillery positions. The Battle of Quebec diorama has recently been movedto the Sussex Combined Services Museum, Redoubt Fortress, Royal Parade, Eastbourne. It is also featuredon the cover of a booklet dealing with the history of the Royal Sussex Regiment and shows the moment whenthe French infantry began to waver after receiving the full force of a volley of musketry from the British infantry.

The final diorama of flats from the R.U.S.I. of The Battle of Ulundi is in the Staffordshire Regimental Museum,Whittington Barracks near Lichfield. This diorama shows British troops repulsing a Zulu attack upon thehollow infantry square. I have been led to believe that this diorama was re-designed during the early 1970s,with a number of figures being repainted. Right from its original conception, there was a doubt about thearrangement of the figures, and the re-designing was carried out to correct this inaccuracy. A small numberof the figures seem to have been missed out in the re-painting, also the standard of work has a greater varietywithin the diorama, certainly more than in any other.

To complete the present location of the dioramas from the R. U. S. I., the Greenwood and Ball - based scenesare to be found at the Imperial War Museum. This Museum also has in its possession (at present in store) adiorama of the Gallipoli campaign made specially for it in 1938 by Denny Stokes. The diorama is based onthe Allied landings at Cape Helles in 1915, and shows an incident in the Gallipoli campaign, when the oldsteamer, River Clyde was run aground to try to land British troops at Helles. Despite the use of plaster as thegroundwork, all three dioramas are in a reasonable state of repair.

I hope that you agree, therefore, that we can rightly claim to have a British heritage in flats, as we have helpedin their development. From a personal point of view, I can remember as a child standing in front of thosedioramas and being awe inspired. We owe this heritage to the energy and enthusiasm of Otto Gottstein, whomade one more tribute to his new found homeland when he commissioned Ludwig Frank to engrave a set of42 Kings and Queens of England. When Gottstein died in New York in 1952, some of his moulds passed toEugene Blum and, in turn, they were purchased by Curt Kollbrunner. Kollbrunner arranged with Neckel for

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their re-issue together with a number of sets which Gottstein edited during his days in Germany, orcommissioned for the R.U.S.I. dioramas. Denny Stokes continued his diorama making long after the death ofGottstein and, although he formed new partnerships, with Greenwood and Ball, and Courtenay, he stillmaintained his interest in flat figures and produced a number of small dioramas utilising flat figures.

Finally, 1 must express my gratitude to Doctor Lovel-Barnes for his reminiscences, which have greatly helpedin the formation of, and the inspiration for, this article.

A Workstation for Flats

by G.E.Bradford

Well, why not? “Work Station” being the in-word for all these computer buffs, and I have no doubt that theword processor that produces this Journal has its own work station! (Dead right – Ed!)

I realised some time ago that the two great enemies of the ‘flat’ painter are dust and that Still Small Voice thatrequires immediate access to the kitchen/dining table, under threat of starvation or worse!

Hence the need for a dust-free, portable “Work Station”. I found the answer in one of those seed propagators,comprising a rectangular plastic seed tray and a transparent ventilated plastic cover, readily obtainable at any

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DIY stare or Garden Centre for a few pounds.

The first requirement is to make the cover dustproof, by fixing the ‘hit and miss’ ventilators. This is easilydone by epoxy resin or by carefully drilling the moving part and fixing with a small nail or self-tapping screw.The next part is well within the capabilities of the average handyman or ‘diorama builder’.

The bottom of the propagator tray will have drainage holes and channels, and these need to be covered with apiece of 4mm plywood, cut to size and which acts as a base for the remainder of the internal fittings (a). Withthis in position a depth of some 2" is available to lay out to suit your own needs, using scraps of ply or similarwood.

The sketch shows how I laid out mine, the central feature being a 6" x 6” white glazed tile for mixing oil paints(b). This, with the attached metal artist’s medium pans (c), can be removed whilst painting, but also forms acover to the storage space beneath.

I find the best way of supporting most flats during painting is to mount them on 4” lengths of 3/8” dowel usingBlu-Tack or similar (d), enabling them to be easily rotated and handled. These can be stood in holes, drilled ina block of 2” x 2” timber (e), placed at the rear of the aforesaid tile, to dry off or await further painting. Mostfoot or mounted figures can be accommodated in this way with the dust cover in position (but watch for thoselong lances or ECW pikes!).

A couple of smaller holes can be used to support brushes if more than one is in use (f)

The remaining areas can be subdivided as necessary to hold paint tubes or tins (g), bottles of medium orthinners (h); (I use a selection of childproof medicine battles), brushes, scalpels, files, etc (j).

The plywood baseboard can be finally fixed to the tray through the drainage holes, using small screws andsmall rubber feet.

I certainly find that this set-up has the advantage of keeping most equipment in a portable but readily availablestate, and overcomes those problems of Dust and Disruption.

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Honour of the Faith - (A Point of Focus)

by Michael C.Taylor

Once in a while one comes across a figure that is a sure winner. Even in its unpainted state it betrays amagnificence only to be further enhanced by the painter. The mounted figure of Saladin by Menz is just sucha figure. Taken from an engraving after Gustave Doré this piece has all the qualities of a good flat. Its poseis spectacular, it is beautifully engraved with clear-cut detail and the moulding is clean. As a single figureit stands in its own right, but use it as the centrepiece of a group and its full potential is realised.

When I first saw this figure on the Historex stand at the MEE,it gave me inspiration for a diorama showing the greatSaracen leader surrounded by devoted and triumphant knightsperhaps depicting their capture of Jerusalem in 1197. Ivisited Lynn Sangster in Dover to find out what other Saracenshe had. Although the whole range of Menz’s Saracens/Crusaders was at my disposal (and very fine figures they aretoo), few suited my purpose. My first idea of victoriousknights engulfing their leader was not possible due to the lackof desired poses. I did, however, manage to find a few figurescompatible with each other, and through Lynn’s kindness inallowing me to sort and arrange these at leisure, a selectionwas made.

As with all dioramas there should be a point of focus and mine, needless to say, was to be Saladin himself.Two other figures were chosen to enhance the focus-point. (1) a foot figure with hands clasped and lookingup as if in awe, (2) a mounted figure with sword drown and rearing to go. To my mind these three figures madea perfect group. Not only did they create a triangular shape, which is always good compositionally (seeillustration over), but they also related to each other well enough to tell an immediate story.

These three figures alone (or perhaps with an additional tree) could have made a very striking model, but Iwanted something a little more interesting. Six additional figures were chosen for my diorama.

Sub-groups are always interesting in dioramas. Providing of course they relate to the main subject and do notdistract from it, they can prove beneficial as well as make a model more exciting.

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In the Menz Saracen range there is a splendid figure of Khalids Arslan (Fig.A). With his arm raised and pointinginto the diorama towards Saladin, he was just the job for the left side of the model. On the right two foot figureswould be placed (Fig.B), one also pointing towards Saladin. This would ensure that, whichever sub-groupthe viewer pondered, his eye would return to the subject.

When working on the model’s construction, the groundwork on the right hand side was slightly raised. Twopalm trees were placed here in order to give the model height. Beneath these a mounted standard-bearer, withhead turned towards Saladin, was placed. Again, no matter which figure you locked at, it led you back to themain group.

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Ex Stanno ad Vitam

Nobody’s actually written in to ask what our motto means. Does this imply that you’re all Latin scholars outthere? We always thought flats people must be a cut above the rest - now we know.

However, just in case, there’s anyone in doubt and too shy to ask, I’ll let you into the secret. it means, quiteliterally.

“Out of Tin, into Life” OK?

One thing I’m not too happy about is the logo. Does any artistic and imaginative type out there have a betterdesign? Not to frilly, and it must incorporate the motto and perhaps lend itself to being made as a lapel badge.I wait with bated breath! G.D.

Members Helpline

S.Armstrong would like to buy flats on the following themes:Crucifixion or Passion; Ancient Romans or Greeks; Trojan War; Carthaginians; King Arthur; St.Georgeand the Dragon.

(Continued on p.16)

Personally, I find this part of working with flats as exciting the painting itself. Composing a diorama is justlike composing a picture and just as satisfying. So, with my picture composed, all that was needed was to paintit and give it a title, and talking of titles, Saladin’s real name was Yusuf ibn Ayyub. Salah-ed-din (or Saladin)was the title given him, meaning “Honour of the Faith”. What more could one want?

Saladin defended Islam, became Sultan of Egypt and Syria, defeated the Crusader states at Hattin and was asure winner.

Honour of the Faith won me my first Gold Medal at Wembley and has remained a favourite in my collectionever since.

Honour of the Faith will be on show at Euro Militaire in Folkestone on September 27th/28th. Details fromthis model can be seen in Military Modelling Magazine Vol.14 No.4 (April 1934).

Before signing off I would like to mention that in the first two issues of our Journal I have written only aboutthe arrangement of figures within dioramas. Several people have asked about the painting of figures. In thenext issue I will talk about the painting of my vignette Imperial Mamelukes.

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The Techniques of Soldering

by Alastair Bantock

In every collection there is at least one figure with a plume, sword or spear broken. Many collectors yearnto produce a figure or group representing a unit which is unaccountably missing from the mass of figuresavailable.

Repair is easy, given a bit of practice. Conversion is more of a challenge but can be great fun and once startedcan open up a whole new world of collecting.

The first art to master is the use of the soldering iron - this 1 have found to be far easier with the flat than withthe solid. With a little practice it can be used like a 'pyrogravure' and plumes drawn out - but more of this later.

The soldering iron should be a small electrical type and the tip should be filed clean, dipped in flux and thentinned. The flux used does not matter too much; it could be one of the greasy types or Baker’s Soldering Fluid.This procedure does, however, emphasise that the main essential of all soldering is that the parts to be joinedshould be absolutely clean and shining (filed or cut) metal. It sometimes happens that an attempted join isunsuccessful, and the fault is usually found to be a failure of absolute cleanliness at the join or on the iron.

When the two parts to be joined are held together and the edges have been smeared with flux, then touch gentlywith the iron. It is usually best to touch the joint gently and repetitively as this raises the temperature of themetal more gradually than a firm continuous pressure. The latter can often result in everything melting suddenly- disaster! With the slow rise in the temperature of the metal with the first method - the metal becomes a bitlike plasticene before melting - at this stage it can be modelled - plumes can be pulled out, shakos altered inshape, swords lengthened.

Once the technique has been mastered and one or tworepairs performed, it is but a short step to changing a heador an arm. I normally solder the new head on at the neck;however some collectors think it better to cut a V out of thechest, as this gives a stronger join and does not obscuredetail of the collar (Fig.A). Some figures may be cut at thewaist and transposed. I have made a Scots piper for 1945in steel helmet and battledress by using a British headwearing a tin-hat, the torso of a Waterloo piper and the legsof an American. Horsemen may be cut out of a horse

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(Fig.B) and replaced and, in some cases, more variety in horse positions achieved by the transposing of theback or front of the horse, or changing the position of the horse’s head or tail. Once started the variations aremany and often I will pick up a soldering iron intending to do one or two jobs and find myself fitting the oddleftover bits together to see if anything can be made up. One final tip - DON’T start by practising on Mignotfigures - the metal is very different from other makers with, I think, a low melting point, and is given to suddenlymelting!

Do have a go!

The Colours Taken at Austerlitz

Part One

by Jan Redley

The following article (to be published in two parts), by Jan Redley, is the result of the request in lastissue’s Members Helpline for details of the Russian standards captured at Austerlitz, as representedby the Sixtus Maier engraved set. I am grateful to Jan for sending us such a splendid and authoritativearticle, which is also well supported by excellent artwork. Read on. G.D.

Before giving details about the standards illustrated in the set, there are some notable points concerning thefigures themselves. The scene depicted is of General Rapp presenting to Napoleon some of the ‘captured`Russian Colours and is loosely based on a painting of the event by the Baron Francois Gérard. When the setwas first issued there were eight mounted figures, each carrying a captured infantry or cavalry standard, fourinfantry figures with captured standards, with General Rapp and Napoleon making up the fourteen originalfigures, all of which were engraved by Sixtus Maier. Later, two additional mounted figures were added,representing a Chasseur a Cheval and a Mameluke of the Guard; again these figures carried captured colours.These two figures were very prominent in Gérards painting and it was felt that the addition of them wouldcomplete the group. Almost certainly they are the work of Sixtus Maier’s son. Thus, the complete set shouldconsist of sixteen figures, but it can vary between that number, the original fourteen or be as little as twelvewith General Rapp and Napoleon being deleted.

Next comes the confused question as to which colours were taken at Austerlitz. Here we meet even moreconfusion. Three styles of standards were carried by the Russian infantry at Austerlitz, these being the 1797,1800 and 1803 models (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3). In each case, a regiment would carry one ‘white’ (equivalentto a. British Colour) and a number of ‘coloured’ (regimental or company) colours. The designs of each werethe same but the differences between the white and coloured standards lay in the colour of the flag.

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The 1797 Model had a large central orange disc with an Imperial double-headed eagle in black, bearing onits breast the shield of Moscow (red, with St.George and the dragon in proper colours) hung about with thecollar of the order of St.Andrew. Around the eagle was painted a double green wreath. The flag was dividedinto a main field and broad inner rays. Coloured flags had the field in the designated colour with the rays ina wide variety of colours and shades. The white flag had a white field and inner rays derived from the colouredflags.

The 1800 Model had a central orange disc with a wreath of gold or silver round the edge. An Imperial crownfilled the top of the circle, enclosing a black double-headed eagle with small crowns; clasped in its clawswere red thunderbolts. Over the eagle’s head ran a sky-blue banner with the Russian for “God be with us”,on the reverse “Thanks be to God”. The rest of the flag was divided into rays and field. The rays were nowmuch narrower than the 1797 model. In each corner was another crowned wreath encircling the Imperialcipher, the cyrillic letter P with an I beneath. The colour was now dependent upon the area of inspection. Thewhite colour had a white field with rays related to the colours of the other standard.

The 1803 Model showed only minor differences between this and the 1800 model. The Imperial cipher hadchanged to AI for Alexander I. The banner over the eagle’s head was omitted and the very narrow corners ofPaul I have been broadened. The white colour was now white overall except for the orange centre and goldornaments. It is, in fact, this 1803 model that is engraved on all the infantry standards in the set.

Up until 1803 regiments received one white and nine coloured standards but, from 1803-12, this was reducedto one white and five coloured, and it was this ratio which existed at the time of Austerlitz.

After the battle Koutousow ordered a closed enquiry into the ‘lost’ standards, the results of which were nevermade public. From later documentation, some by Koutousow, it was established that there were some thirtylost emblems. The French claimed to have captured 29 Russian flags. Later evidence given by escaped orreturning Russian prisoners reduces the actual number of ‘lost’ Russian standards. Many of the standardsbelieved lost were later discovered to have been hidden on the persons of various Russian soldiers. On theevening of the battle many regiments had appeared to have lost their colours. The commander of one Russiancolumn stated, “we have lost 36 flags”; another commander claimed that 38 flags were lost. But as time passedthese numbers were greatly reduced.

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Beginners Please……

Graham Dixey

The preparation of any model for painting may not be particularly exciting but it is really as import as thepainting itself, if the best possible result is to be achieved. This preparatory work can be divided up into threephases:

(a) Cleaning up the bare metal.(b) Priming the metal(c) Underpainting

Taking each in turn, cleaning up the castings is sometimes tedious but needs care because sloppiness here hasa nasty habit of showing up when you’re enjoying the painting. The tools needed are a sharp craft knife andtwo needle files, one round and one half-round. These give you three different surface forms, which will copewith almost anything. The knife must be used with caution and not just because you might cut yourself - I’mmore concerned with the damage you might do to the precious castings! The knife is actually used in two modes- in the first as a scraper, in which its cutting edge is at right angles to the metal being removed, and in thesecond as the cutting tool which it is designed to be, with the blade slicing through the thin metal flash. Whichmode you use depends upon the nature of the cleaning up to be done. If the flash is very light, scrape it off gently;if it is extensive cut it down almost to the casting and then scrape the remainder off. The use of a knife willnearly always leave distinctive marks along the cleaned up edge. These can be gently smoothed down bystrokes with the half round file. Always check the casting from both sides as there is sometimes a small ‘offset’,which means the flash is not the same on each side. This is particularly important it you intend to paint bothsides (don’t we all?)! To get into very small gaps the tip of either the knife or the round file can be used. Apartfrom the above procedure, I don’t use any other techniques in cleaning up flats - no buffing up or polishing,or anything like that.

Priming the surface does several things. It gives ‘tooth’ to the surface so that the paint can adhere. If it isabsorbent to any extent, it removes some of the oil in the paint, so reducing the shine which most peopledon’t care for. Also, white primer gives more life to the brighter colours. The primer can be oil or cellu-lose based. For many years I used Humbrol matt white enamel, applied either with a soft brush or,thinned down, with a hobby spray. It is necessary to wait six hours between coats - I always thought thattwo coats was essential. In practice this meant putting a coat on one day, leaving it overnight andre-coating it the next day, thus consolidating the mantle of dust and minute hairs that it had acquired in themeantime. These days I am much cannier, I use cellulose from the local car accessory shop, in be form ofan aerosol full of matt white auto primer. With this I can give a coat, wait TWO MINUTES, give a sec-ond coat and after a few more minutes while I sort out my brushes and tubes of paint, I can start painting.

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I never use anything else for priming these days. I don’t do it indoors, however: it is highly inflammableand needs adequate ventilation.

Which brings us to the underpainting. This is something I rarely do but I mention it because I know people whouse it to very good effect. Walther Fischer is one of them. If you want to read in detail how he paints his flats,get hold of Campaigns volume 6 No. 33 (March/April 1981), in which he has a beautifully illustrated articleon his methods. Coming back to the question of underpainting, it means putting on coats of paint of varioushues over the primer but before the finishing coat. It won’t necessarily have to be done overall. Let’s see whyit’s considered necessary at all.

The curious thing about oil paints is that the light colours tend to be opaque and the dark colours transparent.White, for example, is a very dense pigment. When watercolour artists add it to their colours, as they sometimesdo, they refer to it as ‘body colour’. Blue, on the other hand, is quite transparent. Paint a coat of normal thicknessover a white ground and it has little depth. The white ‘glows through’. This was a problem that bothered mewhen I first took up painting Napoleonic figures many moons ago; I found it impossible to get any depth inthe blue of the uniform jackets. I almost put the paint on with a trowel in desperation. On some occasions Iused gouache to get the depth of colour. Underpainting solves all these problems as follows.

You have a selection of matt enamels and you use these enamels to ‘block in’ the main colour areas of yourfigure. The exact shade of the underpainting is relatively unimportant; you just use it to ‘kill’ the white primerwhere a dark colour is to be used. In fact you can do a quick, fairly crude paint job all over with anapproximation to the final colours, and then when it is dry paint it in oils. Traditionally, it is what paintersin oils on canvas have been doing for centuries. You may think it worth trying, anyway.

Finally in this discussion, before we get down to some actual painting, it is worth having a quick look at howto hold the flat while painting. I use a different approach depending upon whether I am painting one side onlyor both. In the latter case, I just secure it by its base to a small strip of wood with Blu-Tack. The wood stripI can hold comfortably in my left hand, this being supported on the work surface. If, however, I am paintingone side only, I use a piece of black mount-board, with a slot cut in it to take the base of the figure; I have severalof these boards of various sizes. Under the top edge is a strip of wood which cants the board up slightly towardsme. The flat lies on the mount-board, with a dab of Blu-Tack underneath to stop it sliding about, my left handis placed flat in front of the board and acts as a rest for my right hand which holds the brush. I used to put thepalette alongside but now, to avoid continual changes of head position, I secure a small piece of artists tear-offpalette to the top right-hand corner of the board by means of double-sided cellulose tape. I work very closeto the subject, often using an Optivisor with a focal length of about 6".

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Continental Flats Collectors SocietiesBy Jacques Vullinghs

East Germany (DDR)We received a very friendly reply and a most generous parcel of documentation including:

Their basic 1976 catalogue of all available figures in the DDR plus updates up to 1994, listing many thousandsof interesting figures.

Copies of their annual publications from 1978 to 1985.

Two publications on painting and diorama building; these and their annual publications contain a wealth ofinformation on figures, painting uniforms, flags, etc, of all periods.

We have written to them asking permission to publish some of this information.

Flats and mould-making is still a thriving pastime in the DDR; their society is organised nationally/regionallyunder the supervision of the State Cultural Department.

Members are encouraged not only to collect but arc actively aided with designing and mould-making classesand information. As a result, scores of new figures are released, some very good.

Museums are encouraged to create large dioramas with flats with the help of the local collectors clubs, andthey have ties with Polish, Hungarian and Russian collectors clubs and museums.

The flat in the east is far from dead and their catalogues list some very famous series. DDR figures have,unfortunately, been very hard to get in the past, and the only way seems to be to swap with a local collector.However, we have asked if it would be possible if we, as a society, could buy or swap with their society makingthings a lot easier.

In future, we will exchange publications and information and we thank them for their friendly and generousresponse. It is good to see that collector friends can breach cultural and political barriers.

The Dutch Tinnen Tafelronde(Tin Round Table)

Founded in 1959, the Dutch society caters for their collectors, both round and flat. Membership stands at 150,of whom about half are flats collectors. As a society they have over the years, commissioned their own mouldsand have about 200 different figures available, covering various aspects of Dutch history.

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Although some are specifically Dutch, such as the Royal Golden Coach (7 figs.), Rembrandt discussing thepainting of the Nightwatch with assorted members of the Nightwatch (10 figs.), the landing of William ofOrange on the Dutch coast from England 1813 (10 figs.), St. Nicholas, cheese market in Alkmaar, Dutchmarines, grenadiers and band, etc, some others are of interest to period collectors. For example, a large setof the Dutch armies of 1600 with many excellent figures, and a set of Dutch artillery and cavalry during QuatreBras and Waterloo, an absolute must for collectors of those two battles, since 30-40% of the English-Dutcharmies at Waterloo were Dutch and Quatre Bras, until mid-afternoon, was very much a Dutch affair. Theartillery set, especially, is very lively. One can have batteries moving into position, aiming/loading, firingand under cavalry attack.

In future we will exchange quarterly publications and information The Dutch have a central buying servicefor their members to avoid small orders, long waiting times and bad quality. We hope to include a list of theirfigures and prices shortly and plan to put in monthly bulk-buying orders.

Areas and Area Representatives

Though 80-plus members is too much for one person in his spare time, it is not a lot when trying to divide theminto areas with sufficient members to make local meetings worthwhile. We have identified FOUR major andTHREE minor areas and have appointed reps in each. Nobody has to join a certain area; relative distance forsome on the border of two areas may be decisive.

Area reps. will co-ordinate activities, meetings and maintain contact with the steering committee. They willhave address lists of all members, swap and sell lists indicating each member’s periods and interests, listsof info available in the library, etc. It would be good if members in each area could meet regularly, discussproblems, etc, pool information available to others and represent the BFFS at shows and competitions byentering their figures and enrolling new members.

Those members in outlying areas or overseas and those preferring not to attend area meetings will remain incontact with me; I will act as their representative; but any member of the steering committee is available forcontact at any time, through me.

Area No. Region Area Rep. Address Tel.

1 London and M. Bower The Wye Cottage, 0582 841550Greater London Chapel Road,

Flamstead,St.Albans.Herts.

2 South-east D. Elliott 47 Springvale, 0795 76542Kent, E.Sussex, Iwade,

Nr. Sittingbourne,Kent

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Area No. Region Area Rep. Address Tel.3 Hants. G.E.Bradford Allenstyle House, 0962 68096

24, Bereweekc Way,Winchester,Hants. S022 6BJ

4 South-west, P.Hancock Denton, 0726 74540Cornwall, Devon 19 Highfield Ave.,

St.Austell,Cornwall PL25 4SN

5 Bristol. D.Jenkins 69 Filton Road,Horfield,Bristol.

6 Birmingham J.Redley 12 The Terrace, 0902 761507FinchfieldWolverhampton,West Midlands

7 Manchester, R.W.Jackson 7 Campbell Crescent,Leeds, Sheffield Warrington.

Cheshire WA5 3DA

Jaques Vullinghs

Members Helpline (cont’d)

Mike Taylor is in that irritating situation in which we sometimes find ourselves - with part of a set, and wouldlike to complete it.

The set in question is in the WIMOR series. The subject is Bonaparte at the Pyramids and it is Series VII.The following are the numbers that he needs and are all pre-fixed by VII/.

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21.

If anyone can help either of these gentlemen, could they please enclose their letter in a stamped envelope withthe appropriate name on it, send it to us, and we will add the address and pass it on.

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