Greg Liska’s Cavalry Conversion are some of Greg Liska’s latest conversions. It was funny, but I was think about this conversion myself. I had thought why had no one done this? Well some one has.
Greg Liska’s Cavalry Conversion Greg Thoughts
Here is what Greg had to say.
I picked up a lot of damaged Marx 60mm Cavalry figures for a nice low price. This idea struck me. I’m sure somebody has done this before, but I like the look of them and wanted to spam you all with it. Thanks for indulging me. I also added the cap box or cartridge box (depending on the type of weapon they are carrying) to their belt. It’s just not there on most of these figures, except the kneeling firing man.
I like how Greg gave the one figure a kepi. I think this is a much better pose that with a sword. Also the figure might be able to converted into a western figure. What do you think?
While we are talking about the Marx 60mm Cavalry advancing with sword, I want to share these two photos. They are of the Marx original figure with Rado production. Marx shipped as you know a number of their molds to Hong Kong to be part of the Warriors of the World series. One of these was the Cavalry figures. Rado acquired the Marx molds. Michael Ellis was able to get Rado to run some those figures including the cavalry. I believe Michael only had them in blue. These figures sold quickly and it was one of the first he ran out of.
The Rado is different in two ways to the original figures. One the plastic is stiffer and second the figure is in a darker blue. After the Michael Ellis ran out of these figures I would look for them at the various shows in England as I had no problem selling. them I got the Rado figure above in the United States so it might have been one of the ones I sold . It is amazing how things come back to me that I sold.
Someone actually re-did most of the cavalry poses in a harder plastic and a deeper blue. ATS used to offer them, the Cowboys and Indians on E-Bay and on his site. He seems to have gone belly up though and his site is no longer around and I don’t see him on E-Bay anymore. I have all the foot poses, I have only seen one of the riding poses. Incidentally my first ever purchase at a toy soldier show was a set of the re-done 60mm cavalry figures in hard plastic similar if not the same as though offered by ATS from Bill Nace.
As mention before the original source for the Rado was Mike Ellis of Marksman. His wife was able to get to see Rado in Hong Kong and do an order. Besides wholesaling he worked with ATS and Stengel. ATS is still around.
Seems to be working:
http://ats-toy-soldiers.myshopify.com/
Good job, looks like you drilled out the sword and replaced it with the revolver. I have never had much luck with that method, I usually just replace the entire hand. He does have a beefy wrist, but there’s enough figures with considerable bulk that would make a suitable replacement.
Great job.I like the ammo and hat addition more.For a curiosity the set done by marx depict what appear to be a very close uniform used during spainish American war more that early indian wars of 1860/1880.
I think these figures are one of the best x conversion.
Keep the good job Greg!! 🙂 🙂
I got the figures from Stengle, packaged in the same white boxes that Stone Castle used.
I did get the riding poses. I also got both blue and gray sets of the WOW ACW figures.
Reverse colors too and the riders were included.
I was at John’s house when these were delivered and they came from MarksMen from England.
The flags on the riders didn’t even make it home, they were so brittle.
I did some conversions on them myself.
By replacing the sword with a pistol, you now have a perfect figure for Custer’s Last Stand. It also even makes it better for Fort Apache, since presumably somebody manning the fort walls would be shooting, rather than just waving his sword.
I also remember and acquired the dark blue figures offered by the Stengels, and asked them once, if they ran them again, to consider also running them in the three original Marx colors — metallic blue, powder blue, and tan, especially the powder blue and tan, which were so much rarer.
Unfortunately, I think the market rage for Marx reissues has basically been satisfied at this point, so I’m not expecting anyone to start running them again in any color. Of course, the Marx Arabs never got reissued, so the new Recast/Copies will probably be good sellers at the next few toy soldier shows, to whoever gets them there first.
Sadly for some reason Mike Ellis was not able to go back to Rado and do more figures.
I got a set of the recasts from ATS. He always had good stuff and cast things in great colors, using quality plastic. He didn’t have the riders, but I have seen the pistol guy recast in blue. I would have loved to have seen them in grey. A can of paint took care of that for me. I got some of my ACW guys from him, too. I think the reverse color castings, too. Again though, not the mounted poses. I do have recasts of them, to include reverse colors except the mounted color bearer. I have loads in blue and some got a pistol, a rifle, or a sword. One even got a bugle.
Erwin – I did notice the uniforms are more like about 1885 – 1905. I don’t let it ruin it for me, though.
Ed – Yes, I’m all about drilling holes to fit things in securely. Taking that ringhand idea to the limit. It’s a stronger fix that way, too. It doesn’t always work and it isn’t always possible, but I use it where I can, to make it more durable.
Thanks for looking, everybody.
Greg my noticed of uniform come much after I play so long with then in my Indian wars, a thought as could be converted for that war too (1898) ,I prefer then as what were sold for any how.
But thinking now that two poses resemble a bit Roosevelt ,may be the original idea come from that when artist work on them. It was a though!!
If one day I find plenty on soft I could made some conversion x that. The hard plastic is a bit hard x me to try. I had over 26 original from my dad and sold all but one each pose I kept. Now I regret.
Actually, I have used some hands from Ring Hand guys on occasion, some of the least offensive variety. The one western guy has his right hand in a good position to hold a pistol and he doesn’t have those extra large hands. Usually though it’s amputate and pin for me, since I focus in on the Alamo the Ideal pirate with two pistols is my favorite victim. I must have 20 re-issues of him where he has no hands left.
Seems to me they would be perfect companions for all the other pirates missing legs. He just needs a parrot.
Andy,
Hmmm, I must have an old link because I just tried on Friday and it didn’t work.
Thanks.
OK, Ed. Glad I saw your post. Those Reamsa Arabs look like good companions for the new Marx copies. Not into the Arabs & FFL myself, but figures look well done.
I like the way Reamsa looks, but the size of their figures seem to be all over the place and they seem to be mostly overly large. I had their trappers and I have the Custer figures and they are pretty big, now the Spanish Napoleonics are just about right and I’ve been able to chop up a few to make passable Alamo Mexicans.
Andy yes, many/most spanish fugures are tall,they match the European style.
Yet in the western series.Ideal,aurburn,tim mee,andy gurd and few other US
match perfect with reamsa.comansi,jecsan and pech among others.
Of course we are talking about the 60 to 75mm range scale figures.
Reamsa did 56mm in some series such napoleonic,pirates,aliens.But not a match and popular w most other European so they stop making it.
So other spaniards such pech hermanos,sotorres among otgers
did too but not reissued now of course.
Yet,most carriage,tanks ,cannon and accessories made by spaniard were true accordingly in scale w figures.
Is very hard to try match the smale 1:32 or 54mm aprox line w most European figures.
British did the most in the 54mm.
Yey they also cover bigger lines too as US brand did.
A playset/game call little big horn was done in pure 54mm scale with beautiful indians and cavalry in 1953.
Two year later was copied by english factory and even elastolin using 40 mm only
I have it and can provide pictures.
The set conteing beuatiful poses of indians with 3 main charaters and US cavalry w Custer
Was very popular in Europe and thus copied.
There is a museum in spain with it and others explaining the history.
The same company did the Maturus battle playset in 54mm
Of wich I only have the figures not box with roman and cartahinese plus elephants.
I have a Reamsa Town Folks set that has excellent female poses & fits well size wise with my Auburn Western figures that I wish were done in 54mm, although they go well with 60mm Marx Town Cowboys and Ranch Cowboys. I like the 60mm Marx figures better than the 54mm except for Miners & Trappers. To me, Marx 60mm & 54mm are almost like two different companies. I’m just stating my personal preferences & not looking for some long, drawn out, useless, BORING debate.
Me too I like the 60mm figures the best , the cavalry and pioneers are my favorites.
Does any body here had seen or have the seating bar set poses reissues of charben western saloon set!?
I have one I got years ago. Recast 9 pieces dark brown plastic – three 60mm seated card players, a card table with 4 separate legs & a bottle that plugs into a hole in table. Underside of table is stamped CHARBENS Made in England. Did not come with chairs. Haven’t seen any for sale for a long time. I think I got mine from Michigan Toy Soldiers.
Thanks Andy.
I’m trying get one and seen to be gone x ever, no body seem to have then now!
Erwin, I’m not that attached to my set if you are interested. It has little pin holes where I attached the legs to the table since no glue would work. Send me an e-mail through Stad & we can work out a deal to get the set to you.
I will ,thanks Andy, thanks admin
Yeah the parrot could feed him.