Dear Tony Blair: John Braithwaite

Thursday, 31 July 2025

Minifigs JonBee Ancient Greeks - possibly!

Edit - updated 1st April 2026

Back in the dawn of time (mid 60's), in the early days of Miniature Figurines John Braithwaite, who later formed the machine behind Garrison Miniatures wargame figures, sculpted a number of historical pieces for Neville Dickinson in that currently popular 20mm scale that would allow their use alongside Airfix figures. It has to be said that a lot of the JonBe minis were possibly derived from converting said Airfix minis... The JonBee listing is taken from the wonderful Parumpugna blog, a veritable goldmine of old school joy.

https://parumpugna.blogspot.com/2013/01/jonbee-20mm-listing.html

As and when we can get confimation of the minis origins they wll be added to the Lost Minis WIKI;

https://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=JohnBee

Greeks AGr 1 Officer throwing spear

AGr 2 Hoplite advancing with spear

AGr 3 Hoplite charging with spear

AGr 4 Phalanx hoplite with long spear

AGr 5 Light archer firing bow

AGr 6 Macedonian phalangite

AGr 7 Peltast

AGr 8 Spartan hoplite throwing spear

AGr 9 Slinger with shield

AGrC 1 Mounted spearman with shield

Very few of the below minis have codes, this seemingly was a later thing however I've added what codes there are (some of which were added in en by their previous owner. If you know what everything is please comment below or email me! These came together in a lovely job lot so some may be other manufacturers?

AGr 1 Officer throwing spear

AGr 1s Greek officer

AGr 2 Hoplite advancing with spear

AGr 3 Hoplite charging with spear

AGr 4 Phalanx hoplite with long spear

AGr 5 Light archer firing bow

AGr 6 Macedonian phalangite

AGr 7 Peltast

AGr 8s Spartan hoplite throwing spear

(a different version...)

AGr 9 Greek slinger with shield

AGrC 1s Greek cavalryman

ACH5s

Below are unknown / other manufacturers

G10 and G11 (possibly early Warrior Miniatures)

No markings

AG2 (a Lamming figure, not minifigs)

Any thoughts etc please leave a comment or giveme a shout on enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Saturday, 25 July 2015

Greenwood & Ball Catalogue - 1975

Well, I have finally found a piece of software to edit photos on the new laptop......one that I can almost understand. Window Photo Viewer has changed so there are no editing tools like the old simple crop I used all the time......God Bless Irfanview. It's given me an easy way to crop and rotate scanned catalogues....no longer will I have to post wonky pics! On to the goodies......picked up off eBay recently I thought it would be good to share. The errata sheet at the end shows the first pictures of a new range; 'Sword And Sorcery'. I was 14 at the time and didn't discover them till the next year or so. John Braithwaite was the 25mm designer for Garrison, the wargame figure area of Greenwood & Ball. He was, apparently, a lifelong smoker, as was the habit in those days ......my own parents were never without a Player's No.6 either in their mouth or being lit up......great for us children as the vouchers that came with them would allow us to choose gifts from a catalogue...much joy had over Timpo plastics turning up in the post.......halcyon days indeed. Cancer took John in the late 70s however his sculpts live on. Rob Young currently has most of the old molds over at Garrison Miniatures although that site is now closed for business. Rob has left a potted history of the company here and is carrying on as usual in the hobby himself with his own worthwhile blog The Eastern Garrison. As Rob has taken down the catalogue, check out the Lost Minis WIKI listings here.