MDM is for Many Delightful Miniatures

This is both a contribution and a shout-out for help . . . and an offer! Melvin contacted me a while ago asking about MDM (who we looked at briefly back at the start of the blog) and specifically for more information on a set he had, titled Infanterie Legere 1809-1813 17e Regt - Chasseurs.

Which in English is: Light Infantry - 1809-1813; 17th Regiment of Chasseurs. Some sources state that the MDM stands for Manufacture de Miniatures, while MDM themselves stated it was in honour of Marc and Michel, the founder Mssr. Rene Daniel's sons, as in - Michel Daniel [et] Marc.

The catalogue information is on the underside of the display plinth (set 201) and I couldn't add much more at the time other than point Melvin to that old post with the addendum that I though the website (which was shaky then) had now died completely, but that I'd heard they were making again but in 70mm metal.

Now, the offer; Melvin was after the value of the set, and would be willing to let the set go for the right offer once the value has been established, so if anyone knows what a set like this in good-nick goes for he'd appreciate a heads-up, and if anyone would like to divest Melvin of the set (I would - but I know it's beyond my budget!), drop me a line and I'll pass you on to Melvin.

You get three musicians and a three-man colour-party/command group in the van' and six marching infantry with what looks like an artillery-corporal on a horse, sandwiched between the two sets of foot figures; or is it a self-appointed Emperor?

Melvin hasn't stated the size, but from the bases I'm pretty sure these are the same 40mm figures we looked at last time. Also I think the heavier-based 54mm sets only came singly or in fours.

M is for MDM

I have to confess I have a very small sample of these, and most of those I do have are damaged, but these are very sought after, and tend toward Christie's rather than SAS, or BMSS auctions rather than dealers tables, so don't come up often, and fetch serious money when they do!

The two main packaging types, foot figures were sold singly or in fours, while the mounted examples were sold on the same base as the quadruple-packed foot figures. Produced by Rene Daniel, they were popular with Hotels and Airports, where they would be found in display cases in the lobbies etc...Garratt reports a fine display at Orly, I wonder if it's still there?

The base mark from a mounted figure, the foot figures were unmarked. There is a website devoted to MDM here; 1er.Empire but I can't tell if it's an old one, someones lost interest in, or a brand new one that's still being built as it's one of those annoying one's that tells you it was last updated when you clicked on it, rather than when the owner last did something to it!

A few more figures, the one on the left has - I think - been re-based to match someones wider collection. Like a lot of French companies, MDM only produced figures of the 1st Empire; 'Napoleonic' French Units and their allies, I've never understood this, everyone else manages to produce allies, enemies and even neutrals (except Crescent - who had a problem with the Germans), but the French tend to stick with their own, how can a kid have a battle when every one's on the same side...Oh...La Revolution; take 2!