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Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: John Marshall on March 06, 2016, 11:22:16 PM

Title: Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 06, 2016, 11:22:16 PM
Hi, this is my first post and not terribly exciting...........yet............if ever.  I started collecting 25mm Middle Earth figurines back in about 1973 or 4 and over the next 3 to 4 years i had collected over 300 figures, ranging from Hobbits (of course), riders of Rohan, citadel Guards, Gondor Knights, Ithilien bowmen, elves, Mordor Orcs, Uruk-hai, a nazgul, Gandalf, Rangers, Southrons, Haradrim, Easterlings, Ents, Oliphants, Dwarves and I think thats about it.  what I am trying to ascertain is , Are they Citadel,pretty sure they are, the thing is in all my searching on the net and in forums, I cannot find anywhere anything that looks even remotely similar??
Can any one help me out?  If they are worth something may think about selling them. :D
cheers
John
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: emosbur on March 07, 2016, 07:48:35 AM
May be if you post some pics we can help you...
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Comsquare on March 07, 2016, 08:02:14 AM
May be if you post some pics we can help you...

Yepp, pics would be helpfull  ;)
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: axiom on March 07, 2016, 08:19:44 AM
1973 is too early for Citadel - they held a licence between 1985-1987, and the range was pretty small (certainly no Oliphant). Mithril has a licence they've held from 1987, while Harlequin/Black Tree Design had a licence in the early 1990s.

Pictures would help, as would more details. Are the solid base or slotta? Any markings?

Lost Minis Wiki shows a range from Archive Miniatures:
http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Middle_Earth

Look familiar?
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Wachaza on March 07, 2016, 08:28:15 AM
1973 would be right for the minifigs Mythical Earth non licenced range especially if you're in the UK.

http://www.dndlead.com/minifigs/Minifigs-Mythical-Earth.htm
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 07, 2016, 09:57:52 AM
Thanks everyone, i will post a bunch of pics.  following the links you guys posted, Wachaza wins the prize, this is exactly what they are! Awesome. ! :-)  Pretty sure the Oliphants weren't part of the middle earth theme and i just used some other elephants, possibly Carthaginian.  I will admit that the figures are a bit rough but not nearly as bad as the ones shown in this link
http://www.dndlead.com/minifigs/Minifigs-Mythical-Earth.htm, and i have hand painted them all when i was about 13 or so, long before they got all sophisticated with their moulding.
cheers for all the help I will set them all up and post some piccies for you all to enjoy, i hope :-)\
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: fastolfrus on March 08, 2016, 08:18:23 AM
Minifigs made quite a few elephants in their ancient ranges so it may be identifiable from the howdah and crew.

Minifigs have a fairly distinctive style of base. Usually square or rectangular with quite a deeply cut code number.
The Mythical Earth range were all numbered "ME..".
Ancients tended to be numbered with things like "PB..", "EA..", "GP.." etc
Large stuff that didn't have bases may not have a number.
Cavalry riders are a tricky one, they were usually moulded with a sort of label between their feet, this was just there to have the code number, and once removed (to put the rider on the horse) the number was gone.
Horses were numbered on a different system, because some horses could be used not only for different riders but for different ranges.
Earlier Minifigs horses were made in two sizes - for light and heavy cavalry.
 
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Quendil on March 08, 2016, 09:27:10 AM
Love to see the pics as there are quiet a few I am missing from my collection including oliphants if you have the Archive one
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 08, 2016, 10:57:43 AM
Like I said, the Oliphants are just elephants, thinking carthaginian, no number, but i used them as Oliphants. My collection was more of a 'Battle of Pelennor fields" collection rather than a 'fellowship" one.   I even turned my elvish archers into Ithilien archers.  As for the horses, they were all LOTR but I mixed and matched a bit for variety.
Can't seem to work out how to upload pics????
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 08, 2016, 11:10:58 AM
sorry people but my photos are about 2.5mb in size and wont post, ?! any ideas???
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Quendil on March 08, 2016, 11:12:24 AM
sorry people but my photos are about 2.5mb in size and wont post, ?! any ideas???


I use a hosting site, photo bucket.  There are some forum instructions here
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=81429.0 (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=81429.0)
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 08, 2016, 11:23:04 AM
https://www.dropbox.com/s/364jfztijmuer5m/20160308_160124.jpg?dl=0

this might work.....I read the link you sent me Quendil, didn't make much sense to me. sorry. :'(
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Sir_Theo on March 08, 2016, 11:31:14 AM
http://www.solegends.com/citlotr/index.htm

That's a handy link. In fact that's a great site for finding this sort of stuff.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 08, 2016, 11:35:50 AM
Huh, that link seemed to work , a link to dropbox.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/w3jlp20ikty1vf0/20160308_160157.jpg?dl=0     - A wizard that i always preferred to be Gandalf on Shadowfax
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fwamm7td07xrcal/20160308_160211.jpg?dl=0   -   citadel guards
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uinj44exinvec0p/20160308_160223.jpg?dl=0     - Gondor Knights
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z4wcp9r9t03z4o1/20160308_160307.jpg?dl=0    - Gondor swordsmen and spearmen
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6kru4a0xjbhtspc/20160308_160511.jpg?dl=0    -Rangers in the foreground and Ithilien spearmen and archers behind
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cgem84sdzvb1ugk/20160308_160546.jpg?dl=0   - Rohirrim
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9i405prppifzeus/20160308_160552.jpg?dl=0     - Ents
https://www.dropbox.com/s/znvy8h9cqjlx70k/20160308_160627.jpg?dl=0      - MOrdor orcs, armoured and unarmoured, Minifigs called them 'true orcs'
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tw9tpmtuleiozf4/20160308_160638.jpg?dl=0    - Manorcs with axes and one with sword(broken off)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wvw4p03acuhyrh4/20160308_160653.jpg?dl=0   - dunland axemen and spearmen in front of Southron spearmen
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bcm9b6nqcyhjwr5/20160308_160659.jpg?dl=0   - Southron Knights
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jtw9ywrfn2v9lki/20160308_160710.jpg?dl=0   - Haradrim Spearmen
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wrbtqv2c0pmwftk/20160308_160717.jpg?dl=0   - Haradrim Knights with my converted elephants
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vhyedeb2hu4yli7/20160308_160804.jpg?dl=0   - nazgul on skeleton horse

There is also a troll in the background and three mounted goblins.  Also about 7 or so dwarves that dont look particularly fiercesome :-)
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: robh on March 08, 2016, 11:58:25 AM
 :-*

Absolutely lovely collection, shame to break it up.
I recall many hours spent at the after-school games club fighting battles with armies like that in the early-mid 1970s. I really regret parting with mine.
They still have a charm and style that I like even now.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Sunjester on March 08, 2016, 01:32:22 PM
Certainly brings back memories. I have just about all of those figures as a kid, but not in the same quantity.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: The Dozing Dragon on March 08, 2016, 05:53:16 PM
Great site for Minifigs is the Lost Minis WIKI, I spend far too much time updating pics etc on there....

http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Category:Minifigs (http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Category:Minifigs)

If you have any of the Sword & Sorcery range I would certainly be interested. That came after the ME range. Lovely collection you have there.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 08, 2016, 08:49:57 PM
:-*

Absolutely lovely collection, shame to break it up.
I recall many hours spent at the after-school games club fighting battles with armies like that in the early-mid 1970s. I really regret parting with mine.
They still have a charm and style that I like even now.


Thanks and you are right it would be a shame, in my origianl post it was only a "may' if they are worth anything reasonable.  These figures represent a time in my life when i didn't have parents and they sort of kept me sane, I used to ride my pushbike about 20 km to the guys house who sold them from his study then bring them home to paint. I then mad a set of rules and did a lot of wargaming with them  :D   Admittedly they aren't the best quality but it was the 70's and my paint jobs could have been better, i'm going to go with'but it was the 70's ' again lol. I reckon i would regret selling them too, i've carted them around with me for about 40 years now and i'm still a Tolkien fan after all.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 08, 2016, 08:59:53 PM
Great site for Minifigs is the Lost Minis WIKI, I spend far too much time updating pics etc on there....

http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Category:Minifigs (http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Category:Minifigs)

If you have any of the Sword & Sorcery range I would certainly be interested. That came after the ME range. Lovely collection you have there.

Great link thanks, i had forgotten about a lot of those figures. sorry I only collected the Tolkien stuff but did have the ho scale Airfix plastic ones which were great, collected Napolionic, Romans, Britons, British Eighth Army in partic.     
Now i'm getting all nostalgic and am thinking i should enlarge my collection not reduce it, so if anyone has any Minifigs, Mythical Earth, LOTR figures in this range that they would like to sell me let me know  :D :-*
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: The Dozing Dragon on March 09, 2016, 03:18:42 AM
Minifigs themselves have re-released 2 from the ME range along with a few SS in the Classic Fantasy here;

http://www.miniaturefigurines.co.uk/Catalogue.aspx?ScaleID=3&CategoryID=35 (http://www.miniaturefigurines.co.uk/Catalogue.aspx?ScaleID=3&CategoryID=35)

Dave keeps promising more and nothing happens for a while then a few more slip in unannounced!
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: fastolfrus on March 09, 2016, 09:16:28 PM
Have you seen the mountain of Minifigs moulds that Dave has?
Not surprised figures randomly appear, it could take someone a decade to sort through that lot.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: robh on March 09, 2016, 09:32:08 PM
Have you seen the mountain of Minifigs moulds that Dave has?
Not surprised figures randomly appear, it could take someone a decade to sort through that lot.

 lol
Must be like a kid at Christmas, not knowing which one to open next.
I do wish the re-releases were cheaper though. Several times I have looked at the "Matthews"esque goblins and got as far as the cart before baulking at the prices and cancelling. Just too much for impulse buys.
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: John Marshall on March 11, 2016, 01:42:50 AM
Thanks for all the info guys, against my better judgement and of course a trip down memory lane , I have now ordered 21more figures from Dave at Minifigs and also a few from DNDLand in the states!  I hate to think where this will lead me  ;D.   
Would be nice to find a few wargs somewhere, i have three mounted goblins on oversized horses!
Title: Re: (SALE) Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.
Post by: Meier_Elf_Fanatic on March 12, 2016, 12:35:23 PM
Minifigs.

And I'd like to buy the lot, quite frankly.