James Knight Collection
This page is dedicated to the collection of James Knight. I met Jim through eBay and he was nice enough to send me pictures of his collection.He has agreed to let me display it on my site. Jim is ex-US Navy and a heck of a nice guy. To see a larger version of the image with sharper details Click on any image on this page and the larger image will open in a new window. Some descriptions also have links to display images.
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| Case 1: 48 pieces of the work of Ramoń Labayen, being personalities of the Napoleonic Wars, e.g., General Van Damme, General Legrande, HRH Joseph Bonaparte of Spain, Marshal Murat [several different stages of Murat are depicted]. On the top shelf, right side is a single figure from Niena Studios, Moscow, Russia of a Clan MacGregor soldier. | Case 2: In this antique counter top display are some of the various armored vehicles and heavy artillery in the collection. King & Country set WS-36 “Tank Killers,” Britains set 8946 WW1 Male tank, WW2 King & Country SDKFZ 232 armored car, Britains set 1266 18” howitzer, plus several other figures. | Case 3: This commences the foundation displays for this, my third collection. I found a sale where the store was going out of business and was selling as one lot five cases. I bought them and then found my collection at that time did not contain enough figures to fill all five. What a challenge! Since that time, I have striven to fill the cases. I have almost completed the job. [I do leave one shelf almost empty just to be sure I have some space left to fill.] In addition to the Authenticast, Britains, Monarch, CBG, Niena, there is one Imrie-Richardson WW2 infantryman painted by John Connolly. There is a real 1939 Iron Cross First Class to add something different. |
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| Case 4: Mixed in with Authenticast Scots sets 535 and 543, Authenticast U.S. Infantry set 301, Britains set 137 Bren Gun Carrier, are several medals; U.S.A. Mexican Service 1911 - 1917, British WW2 Star 1939-1945. There is a medic standing alongside a National Mint WW2 ambulance. Britains set 241 Chinese Boxers [from Forbes collection] stand next to unknown maker Japanese Samurai of the mid 17th century. |
Case 5: The first shelf holds Nostalgia’s
Chinese Wei-Hai-Wei band. Just below resides Britains set
293 containing Queen Victoria with her piper, Mr. Brown. The
display is completed with Niena’s Napoleonic Russian
Grenadier Guard and a Russian artillery unit of 9 figures. |
Case 6: Among the first of my Britains
re-paints purchases are the five figures Belgian WW1 cavalry
by Ken Kearsey on the top shelf, left side. The rest are
British mounted c. 1880, Britains 8802 Worcestershire
Regiment, an English command set c. 1880, and Steadfast set 85 Gatling gun. |
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| Case 7: Forces of Valor M1A3 WW2 Sherman tank stands next to a portrait photo of General George S. Patton, USA, USMA Class of 1909. Sovereign Gordon Highlanders fill out several shelves, followed by Britains Arabs of the desert from Forbes collection and Bussler U.S. Infantry. An unknown maker’s U.S. infantry and artillery c.1812 and a British medical team precede the bottom shelves of Authenticast set 553 33rd Punjab Indian Army c.1900, Britains Damlier MKII scout car and Bren Gun Carrier. | Case 8: Highland games by Reeves/White top this case. Then a Boer War naval gun crew with 4.7” field mounted naval gun. The Maxim machine gun is manned by Black Watch crew made by Steadfast. There is a Welch Guard band. The Steadfast WW1 U.S. Artillery crew service a 75mm cannon. |
Case 9: More Highlanders dominate this
case. Do you get the impression the collector is biased toward Scotland? Of course. Later in the collection [Case 31], you will see my Clan MacLennan Pipe band. One of my ancestors fought with the Highlanders at Waterloo. Steadfast provided the medical corps figures from sets SF20 and SF21. |
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Case 10: Again, more Highlanders. British
Bulldog, Tradition, Steadfast, Authenticast, Johillco, Minikins, lead the King & Country Highland band, all surrounding the British George Medal. |
Case 11: Top = Mignot Halberds. A Niena
Medieval cannon with gunner. Britains set 1725 4.5” howitzer with crew. Johillco knights. Medieval cannon with two gunners. Finishing with Britains Silver Gun of the Delhi Dubar set 0141. |
Case 12: Britains Band of the Line set 27, Mignot Napoleonic artillery, Mignot Larrey’s Ambulance [referenced 826, page 179, Soldats de Plomb & Figurines Civiles, Blondieau 1993], Mignot Napoleonic ammunition wagon. King & Country’s original 39 piece Chinese Wedding Party. |
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Case 13: USMC with colors [2], Authenticast
WW2 identification model Stuart light tank [M3], Britains USMA cadets, Steadfast Royal Marines artillery, Charles Biggs Australian litter bearers WW1, WW2 U.S. Occupation medal and ribbon, Britains Royal Marines Color Party, Miscellanious shooting medals from my virile youth when I could see straight. |
Case 14: On top is a smaller case known to
me as 14a containing WW2 Brit infantry; collector painted
Zouave c.1860, Black Watch Nile Nile War,, Brit Infantry 1878 - 1880. I am especially proud
of the Zouave. The figures I painted are by Hinton Hunt. In the main case 14 are: 1st Mignot Napoleonic sets and figures 2nd More Napoleonic figures including a Hummel drummer 3rd Russian Niena Studio wheel cannon of the medieval period, Steadfast USN c.1812 gun crew & gun, miscellaneous figures 4th Roman forum with Niena Romans, one derelict Conte viking, USMA & USNA figures made by Jones c.1922. |
Case 15:Starting at top, Manes Marzono
American Civil War Louisiana Tigers. And, here reside the
figures by Richard Courteney; Lord Halifax, QE 1, David King of Scots, among those on the second shelf. Below follow Imrie-Richardson figures painted by Tom Connolly and Jon Peterson. Mr. Peterson’s works were done about the time he received honors at the Philadelphia Toy Soldier Show in 1978. The collector and friends had opened a shop in Yorktown, Virginia, in time for the USA Bicentennial events to be held there where Peterson's figures were sold. Some of the boxed figures, e.g., British 64th Regiment of Foot, were cast and painted especially for The Garrison in Yorktown [the name of the shop] by Donald Clines, one of the owners. Also therein resides the Lancer Polonaise kettle drummer by Joan DesFountaine, a gift to the collector in 1950 [and the sole remaining piece from First Collection]. At the bottom, on desk, current figures waiting for their uniforms. |
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| Case 16: The smaller case separate and on top of the main case 16 contains figures I cast and painted. The Rourke’s Drift defenders were painted by me. The main case contains figures by Trophy [Royal Marines 1805], Tournement [Grenadier Guards band and Colour Party], a Guards band I cast and painted, Mims Scotish Clan Chief Douglas, 78th, 79th and 92nd Highlanders, some Russian made Cossacks and individual figures. The bottom shelf, Mignot U.S. Navy band c.1898, several boxes from Garrison in Yorktown [Donald Clines], Steadfast SF110 King’s Troop RHA, and a USA National Defense medal. |
Case 17:
World War Two gave rise to many identification
models. This is
one containing various models of warships of the Imperial
Japanese Navy. |
Case 18:
Not all figures in the collection are the 54mm full
rounds. A few
are old German flat figures gifts from friends of the
collector. For a closeup of Case 18 Click here.
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Case 19:
Worthy of museum location, the collector obtained at
one auction this detailed model of a Wickes Class USN World
War One destroyer - a four stack.
It is one of several ship models in the collection.
Overall length of the model is about 38 inches. |
Case 20:
This is a magnificent
model of H.M.S. Racehorse.
It was constructed by a master model maker at the
time located in Stuart, Florida.
The name of the maker is forgotten, but resides in an
issue of the Stuart News which gave the model a full page coverage during its
making sometime around 1978.
It was made for Captain’s Cache, a small shop then
located in Sewall’s Point, Florida.
The model measures 22 inches long by 22 inches tall. |
Case 21 Top: Britains set 79 British Naval Gun Party, and U.S. Field artillery lead off. Next to them is a replica Victoria Cross. Moving down the shelves, Britains boxed set 1247 Yeomen of the Guard, Britains 5292 Kings Own Royal Borderers Regimental Band, Tradition Egyptian Camel Artillery, a Britains 203 Royal Engineer Pontoon Section. |
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| Case 21 Bottom Boxed Britains set 1307, 16th Century Knights next to Lionel #41 US Army switch engine pulling Lionel #6257 caboose. Nearby, a Little Legion British navy colour guard greets the train. Dallas ship model with 30mm der Kriegspeliers [a/k/a Custom Cast] figures on deck next to a first edition of Little Wars by H G Wells. |
Case 22:
The Admiral Nelson case.
A Tradition T-93 set of a gun crew of H.M.S.
Victory stand next
to the Britains scene of the Death of Nelson on board
Victory. Admiral Nelson
stands behind the gun. |
Case 23:
And yet, more Scots.
The upper shelf is a mixed lot watching for Queen
Victoria to drive by lead by a Guards band [unknown maker]
and guards.
Below we have Waterloo types of French Line Fusiliers
[Trophy] and Old Guard [Prince August] attacking 92nd and
93rd Highlanders [Frontline Figures], and The Thin Red Line
[Trophy]. |
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| Case 24 Top: Britains State Landau with Escort [2094], Ducal’s USN Color Guard. A slew of ship identification models float near a U.S. Naval Academy sword belt buckle. What would a war be without its office clerks? Steadfast provided some answers with SF84 and SF84A office wagons and staff personnel. Another remnant from the second collection is the American War for Independence canon and crew. |
Case 24 Bottom:
More Scots with Britains General Grant, a color
party, boxed Britains and a Napoleonic field artillery team. |
Case 25:
A mix of artillery pieces, Britains and others.
Britains Scots Guard Pipers, Kingcast’s Sierra Leone
Frontier Force, der Kriegspielersm 30mm ACW Union artillery
team. My USN
Expert Rifle medal [my expert pistol medal resides elsewhere
in the collection].
National Mint provides the mobility for the Steadfast
WW1 US Artillery group.
US WW2 Victory medal.
Gordon Highlander pipers.
Britains Arabs from sets 106, 164. |
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Case 26:
Now we really get into the collection!
I constructed the case having found store bought ones
usually have some solid form blocking the view of the
figures on the shelves.
The covering plexiglas front is one piece, allowing a
full view of all inside.
LED lighting was positioned over each shelf to
provide sufficient illumination.
Also, most were not wide enough to provide for
parades like that on the top shelf - FDR’s Inaugural Parade.
On the far right, Mignot's West Point Cadets lead
off, followed by USNA Midshipmen band.
Britains USMC company, then Britains US sailors lead
FDR's National Mint 1937 Buick.
The USNA color guard [Steadfast] leads the midshipmen
[officered by a woman].
The last are midshipmen from US Merchant Marine
Academy [Steadfast].
On the second shelf is QE2 coronation parade.
Just below QE2 is a batallion of Britains Guards
defending against attack by Britains Zulus [from set 147]
and Togoland warriors.
To the right are Britains bands:
Black Watch Pipes, Coldstream Guards, Band of the
Line, and mounted band set 101.
The bottom shelf contains Britains sailors landing
somewhere along the Nile.
To the right is a survey party by Steadfast.
Then there is a dispute among the crusaders in the
Holy Land [Britains with Timpo's Ivanhoe and Johillco
knights. |
Case 27:
1st shelf, Britains RHA set 39.
2nd shelf, Royal Scots Greys, Black Watch.
3rd shelf, Household cavalry, 5th
Lancers, several Britains plastic figures.
4th shelf, Britains German WW1 trench,
Cresent's Brits attacking, supported by Britains machinegun
section. 5th
shelf, Mignot Zouave band and Polish lancers.
Bottom, Mignot Japanese defending against landing of
Strombecker USMC. |
Case 28:
Identification models of WW2 ships.
This set was given to me in 1946 by the officer who
used it training sailors.
Some of the pieces were lost by me during playtime. |
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Case 29:
What remains of the “O” Gauge collection, is one of
two Williams Southern Pacific Cab Forward engine and tender.
There is also a Lionel #49 switcher and 257, 530 (2),
259. A few
sections of track might be around. |
Case 30:
Another large case with: |
Case 31:
multi layer case |
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Case 32:
Another great BIG case: |
Case 33:
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Case 33 (Bottom) |
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Case 35  Case 36  |
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Case 34:
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Case 35: Another case
I made to open up display of figures: |
Case 37:
Britains German halftrack, King and Country Reich
Chancellery entrance |
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Case 38: |
Case 39:
Britains North Gate diorama Waterloo, Mignot copies
French Line Infantry. |
Case 40: a/k/a the Castle, believed to be made c.1950 for FAO Schwartz, New York. Gordon Highlanders [Prince August?], Johillco knights, miscellaneous pieces |
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Case 42: A WW1 German harbor patrol departs the King & Country wharf to investigate a noise. |
Case 44: Top shelves are mostly medieval figures from Mignot, Russia Niena Studios, Britains. Into this mix are Napoleonics, British c.1890’s, Scythian, Greek hoplite, Persian king, Norman, Japanese samurai, Mr Dennis Britain, Tsar Peter the Great, several others. The bottom is Brits [c.1889] being attacked by Fuzzy Wuzzies. Amazingly, the Brits are supported by WW1 US Army machine gun and artillery. The Fuzzy Wuzzies are lead by a couple of Manes Marzano mounted figures |
Case 45: From top to bottom, Chinese Boxers charging, "Mignot" [may be copies, sure looks like it to me] French Work Party, Manes Marzano French Retreat from Russia, Authenticast Continental infantryman c.1778, Mignot wagon, USN Civil War officer and gunner. |
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| Case 43: A Britains deposé Horse Guard from Paris office together with individual pieces of Britains and Johillco cavalry |
Case 41: 1. Hiriart Scots Guard, Britains 12th Lancer, Grenadier Guard, 7th Dragoons. 2. Rose Miniatures: Grenadier Guards infantry and Pioneer, Britains Canadian Mounted Police. 3. Russian figures: Knight mounted with an axe XIII - XIV century, England Count Oxxford 14th century. 4. Stadden English and Scottish Infantry c.1815. 5. Britains Royal Scots Greys, Argentine Lancers. 6. Imrie/Richardson Napoleonic Old Guard. 7. Makeshift artillery piece: Britains horses, Heirichson caisson, unknown maker cannon. |
Case 48 Mignot produced this set, #9025, of 36 pieces showing Napoleonic Regimental flags. |
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Case 46 |
Case 47 Lucotte #235 Comte de l'Etang, Marlbourgh, Britains Royal Household cavalry, #M15 British Sudan Officers/Palm Trees, Britains #136 Cossacks [with some rescue pieces I repaired], Britains #1330 Royal Engineers Wagon, Metal Miniatures Co of Chicago [1928] US Naval Academy midshipmen. |
Case SB (Shadow Box) Comprised of 30mm flats. 1. Russian Napoleonic Grenadiers. 2. Napoleonic Prussians. 3. WW1 British and German. |
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Case 49: 1st: Miscellaneous single figures of Britain’s, Ken Kersey, other makers. 2nd: Britains Scottish Black Watch pipers, unknown maker Vikings, Britains Scot Band copies, Britains misc. Scots pipers. 3rd: Indian Army cavalry; Skinner's Horse, 1st Bombay Lancers, Hodson's Horse. |
Case 50: Top – Mignot Prussians 1815 Bottom – Mignot English 1815 |
CASE 51 This is another display case I made to barrack reinforcement troops. It features S & R Silvano Figures Made in the Heyde Tradition on the top shelf. Richard Silvano is a childhood friend who also enjoyed collecting, reworking and painting toy soldiers. He, and his wife Susan, started casting, painting and selling Heyde recasts in the early 1970s in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where we grew up and schooled. 51.1 Back row S&R Silvano ultra rare 3 boxed sets made special order [c.1974] for Bob Cowan's Militaria at the Quadrangle in Dallas TX [Soldiers of the German Empire c.1900 (set 4 of 13), 4th Bengal Lancers (set 6 of 7), Bavarian Chevau-Leggers (set 4 of 13)], Mignot French Cuirassiers, Britains clockwork set 2048, March Past WW1 German & British infantry [with messenger pigeon], Black Watch Colour Party with Pipes and Drums, Mignot German WW1 charging infantry, Steadfast Royal Horse Artillery, Nigerian band, Ducal Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry band, Marlbourgh Royal Scots Colour party, 1937 English penny, Marlbourgh Black Watch Colour Party. Right side Left side 51.2 Mignot Napoleonic infantry [5 sets], Britains set 1730 Artillery unit, Mignot French Musketeers, Mignot Mounted French Musketeers, Mignot Napoleonic French Foot Artillery [2 sets 0037], Mignot Napoleonic Russian Grenadiers Pavlowsky Regiment set 0045, Authenticast British infantry c.1700, Steadfast Stable Detail, Wollner Gun Team c.1879, DORSET English 5th Lancer Band, French Franco-Prussian War infantry, Britains set 173 Serbian infantry, Arabs/Bedouins, Black Watch Sudan 1889, Royal Navy Landing party, British Royal Marines. Right side Left side 51.3 Britains Royal Army Medical Corps, Authenticast British 8th Army Infantry, Britains Bren Gun carriers set 1876, Britains Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace set 1555, Deitz Napoleonic British Royal Rocket unit, 2 Prussian Napoleonic flag bearers, Britains Mountain Artillery set 28, Britains US Infantry set 2032, Britains Anti Aircraft set 2052, US Marine Band. Right Left |
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Case 52: Britains mix; Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Scot Guards at present. |
Case 53: 1st: Britains #119 Gloustershire Rgt 1939, miscellaneous 35mm flats, Britains #119 Gloustershire Rgt 1936. 2nd: Unknown makers WW1 British Camel Corps, WW1 British Artillery team & truck. 3rd: Authenticast WW1 cavalry, Mignot French Infantry 1878, Britains #196 Greek Evzones. 4th: Dorset British hospital group, WW2 USAAF bomber crew after raid. 5th: Britains ACW, Britains rare set #108 6th Dragoons, Mignot ancient Greek cavalry. 6th: Leatherneck Pipe Band. |
Case 54: WW2 armour: British A15 Crusader, USA Sherman tank, German Jagdtiger tank destroyer, German Wirbelwind anti-aircraft. Britains cannons #2107 18” howitzer, #2356 25 pounder field gun, #1263 19th century 4 pounder. |
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Library:
The reference library contains over 70 hardback volumes as
well as magazines and auction catalogs.
Authors such as James Opie, Norman Joplin, Andrew
Rose, Richard O'Brien, Dominique Pascal works here.
Von Clauswitz, J. F. C. Fuller, Baron Jomini, plus
others are also represented.
Magazines include
Campaigns, Old Toy
Soldier, The Standard, Toy Collector, and are kept in
readily accessible binders.
Vectis and Old Toy Soldier Auctions catalogs are kept
in binders.
Various old catalogs as early as 1975 from Tradition,
Customcast, G.B.G./Mignot, Imrie/Richardson, Dutkins have
been accumulated and stored. |
56.1 Marlborough Mahadis attacking British,
1880s, Mignot English Infantry 1815 Waterloo, Napoleonic
French band, Imrie/Richardson figures [3] by Jon Peterson
1976 [American 2nd Rhode Island Rgmt 1776 Drummer Boy,
British English 40th Rgmt of Foot 1776, George Washington
1775], miscellaneous figures [some John Tonstill],
Marlborough English staff meeting. 56.2 Marlborough Black Watch Colour Party with guards, English horse, Band, Royal Marines, Garrison in Yorktown 5 sets [Royal Deau-Pontes, Revolutionary War Virginia Infantry 1778, Revolutionary War American Infantry, Revolutionary War British Grenadiers, Revolutionary War British 64th Rgmt of Foot], Marlborough Black Watch Pipe Band, 1st Kohat Mountain Artillery. 56.3 Marlborough Royal Marines Gattling Gun/crew, Marlborough Royal Artillery gun crew cleaning, Quartermaster Corps Ammo Wagon Zulu Wars 1879, 24th Foot Welsh 1879 Rorkes Drift handler & 2 horses, 24th Foot Welsh 1879 Rorkes Drift Defenders, Zulus. 56.4 NOT FROM STEPHENS COLLECTION. Ducal Irish Guards Band & Colour Guard, Ducal 16th Queen's Lancers Marching Band. |
In case
you are wondering what Jim looks like...... Taken about 1948-1949 with first collection beginnings. From old [obviously] Polaroid picture. He still has the Cub Scout ring he is wearing in the picture. |
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| Art: Oval framed Johillco golden knights | Case 55: French Zouaves in uniforms of The Franco-Prussian War 1870. | AVIATION SECTION: From left, Messershmit Me-262 Schwalbe jet, Lockeed P-38H Lightning, Lockeed P-38G, German Blue Max medal replica, Fokker Dr-I Red Baron, British World War I Fairey III Navy seaplane, Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, Gruman F9F Panther jet, Junkers JU-87D Stuka, Donier Do-335 Arrow, Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Starfleet USS Enterprise 1701. The Aviation section also has three other aircraft currently residing in Cases 36 and 57. |
