John Niblett 20mm historicals plus a Bryan Ansell titbit.

 

I was recently lucky enough to pick up a small selection of miniatures by the late John Niblett. He was the designer of the first of the Airfix HO/OO scale plastic back in the 1960's, possibly earlier. I first noticed them in a Battle Magazine back in the mid 1970's or therebouts and fell in love with them.. I don't think I envisaged how tiny they would actually turn out to be. They are exquisite.

Below is an advertisment taken for Wargamer's Newsletter for June 1978.

Also a lovely review of them in the same issue. Donald Featherstone (not Sutherland, God alone knows why I was thinking of the wonderful actor, I shall be chased by little people in red coats any time now...) of course.

'A couple of months ago I mentioned the small but excellent range of 20mm figures beings put out by the military sculptor JOHN NIBLETT (50 The Broadway, Herne Bay, Kent.) I am delighted to see that he is supporting this magazine by taking a full page advert in this month's issue and I also have in front of me as I write samples of his latest I7th Century English Civil War 20mm figures. Lacking the solid "chunkiness" of the usual wargames figures, these are highly distinctive and beautifully designed miniature manikins which I imagine could stand being blown-up in a photograph to many times their size and still be mistaken for a flesh-and-blood person. They are too small to blend in with any other make of figures so far as I can recall but are well worth acquiring and painting up as a smallish "second" army - the foot figures are very competitive in price although the cavalry seem a little more expensive than most available ranges. The figures I have before me come in pairs and this is a sensible method because one pair consists of two pikemen, one in an action pose and one at rest; then there are two musketeers, one in an action pose with his musket on a rest and the other with  shouldered musket and the rest on the ground and in the other hand; then there is a pair consisting of a drummer and I imagine it is an officer or sergeant with a halberd. This means that a unit can be made up half of men in action and half (the rear ranks) at rest although on orders of £5.00 and over any selection of figures can be made and I imagine that regiments of figures in the same position can thus be obtained. The cavalry figures consist of a Royalist trooper with raised sword, an Ironsides trooper In lobster-tail helmet and a cuirassier In three-quarter armour. Coming in kits of parts, the figures can be individually animated although, as I have said before I am not very happy about fixing small muskets and pikes, etc., on to such well defined figures - but then I am not particularly handy with either soldering Iron or glue. The price of this range Is - 3 mounted figures £1.60p; 6 foot figures 72p, each plus 12p postage and packing (overseas postage and packing 50p).

 John Niblett also has a pleasing if small range of 11th-12th century figures and 14th century horse and foot. Turn to his advert elsewhere in this magazine and see them for yourself.'

There are some more pics and lots more info on his history on this wonderful blog post;

https://independentwargamesgroup.blogspot.com/2024/01/john-niblett-original-designer-of.html

I also found an interesting titbit from Bryan Ansell, with DF reviewing some of his new Asgard historicals;

As always; enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Minifigs Ancients, Hinchliffe and other stuff... bit of a mixed bunch today folks.

 

Well, I'm in the full flows of man-flu which has scuppered the little of my weekend that I had to myself and certainly the last two days. Drugs have kicked in though, dog walked, lunch had and an attempt shortly to get back to painting Hinchliffe fantasy for the upcoming Kickstarter (any volunteers out there????). A good hobby friend lent me the spondoolies to purchase the Hinchliffe Models Fantasy range rom its previous owner, Mike Broadsword. I already own the old Martian range but do need funds to get them launched properly. Lots of new moulds to make, old moulds to remake and masters to get cast up. It's a very interesting journey but battling the usual penury (go and buy something from The Little Soldier Company please! Header at the top of the page) and now man flu is throwing me off kilter... anyway, bunch of pics below including a recently picked up ancient Minifigs PBP 15 Vercinget (orix) now mounted on a suitable old S range horse...

A Minifigs crossbowman I picked up some years back... I did know what he was but have forgotten... help!

Some similarly old, although at least 10 years later, couple of Citadel Medievals. Lovely sculpts by one or more of the Perry twins.

My (so far) painted Hinchliffe Fantasy (although there's a Centaur at the back painted by the wonderful Ralph Plowman). Kickstarter at some point but the current troubles worry me!

The Little People... basically Peter Gilder hobbits by another name. All based and being painted now.

I've since painted the winged demon... 

Part of the painting table... I will never get organised so don't bother trying :)

This is a later 'Skeleton Trunk' released by Ellerburn Armies after they purchased the molds. I've never seen it before so it's nice to have it on the molds. Getting there slowly with the painting. There are a few pieces still missing from the range unfortunately.

There is a lovely set of Reptilian artillery crew sculpted by a Stu L.Rollisson... don't know the name so if you do please help! They're rather large and heavy so may not be economical to release.

The Death Gate... bit of a bugger to assemble and, again, probably too heavy to economically sell.

From The Little Soldier Company (that's me) the Arent Van Bolten Grotesque musician, sculpted as usual by the talented Martin Buck, has finally been released...

https://thelittlesoldiercompany.co.uk/product/the-grotesque-musician/

The joys of old Hinchliffe meeting a Citadel Orc artilleryman... done back in the late seventies or ealry 80's. Never finished of course but that's my charm. The cart shafts have snapped at some point, hopefully through something landing on it rather than rot.

Minifigs again. This time the old Valley of the Four Winds Set 5, Monk Spirits. I bought these from the Dalling Road Games Workshop back in the day so late 70's probably. The standard snapped at some point whilst painted so a terrible epoxy resin glue repair was done... I rebased them in the 0's expecting to finish painting them but the standard broke again and they were left to gather dust. Coming across them alst week I threw caution to the wind and drlled and pinned the bugger. Popped some thick super glue of the pole to give it some old school vibe and I will file it down a little then carry on with the 40+ year old paint job.

On to Black Baron, a favourite old school company of mine. Been after this one for a while now. I've just found out that Neville Dickinson took them to court for breach of design or similar... I did chat to him on the phone in the 0's and mentioned the similaritu but didn't think any more of it.

I did manage to pick up a lovely bunch of minis including Bryan Ansell's mounted elves for the Conquest range. RIP Bryan. 

I can't make Salute this year for the first time since 2007 (finances just won't allow it) but here's a pic of a younger me entertaining the Perry Twins and A.N.Other Bloke back in 2008. Premier Inn I think. 

Random pic I just found... Foundry had these for sale some years back. Perry sculpts and very lovely they are. Give them a shoult and let them know I sent you... you never know they might find the molds!

Weirdly just found these in the same folder... Kev Adams' head sculpts done for charity at an old BOYL.

This was an absolute grail quest of mine... Starcast Miniatures F17 Skeleton. Possibly the fugliest miniature I now own. The only picture I had seen was one from an early White Dwarf and it looked like... well... this! It's actually wearing a cloak and has 'open' hands or weapons. 

Came across an old Citadel Fighting Fantasy plastic skeleton... these were not appreciated enough at the time. I worked in the Manchester shop and they were sold off mid 80's at bargain prices. Dave Andrews did a cracking paint job on one in White Dwarf which is what got my juices flowing... another stalled 20 year old project on a 40 year old mini :)

Well, that's it for now. I've had some wonderful old American minis off some US friends that I'll post soon. I've been rather lax in posting but that's the way of me.

Actually, I saw this on eBay... anyone know anything behind the company? A Sandra Garrity sculpt for a 'Remnant of Hoomanity' range?

Until then, adios!

enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk