Looking for "fancy" ancient furniture

[Rhoderic]

I tried asking this already at TMP but it didn't generate much response, so I'm asking here too:

I'm curious to know if anyone makes ornate 28mm(-ish) ancient furniture – the kind of stuff that'd look at home in a sword & sandal movie. Braziers, decorative stools, Grecian couches and the like. Any kind of culture will do. I know Crocodile Games has some pieces, but I was hoping for more.

I'll also take creative suggestions for making my own. For instance, some kind of 10/15mm Atlas type figure could, in groups of four, make interesting table legs. That kind of ideas.

[Malamute]

Eureka sell a harem set which may have some furniture in. They seem to turn up all sorts of useful stuff.
Maybe Black Cat bases, they also have a great range of scenic pieces.

[argsilverson]

To my knowledge there is not a dedicated range.
There is small items here and there in some ranges:
Steve Barber models: has amphoras, baskets, flowers etc
Irregular Miniatures: has an altar
Foundry miniatures: has plinths, columns, vases and statuette in their Greek collection.
Amazon Miniatures: has a nude lady lying on the couch
Mega Miniatures: has braziers etc, more medieval look, but can be pressed in service
There is also a possibillity that you can find similar items in other ranges like the Gods of Aegyptus etc. Most possibly in the other ranges you may find something here or there.
So, if you need stuff like that it is one solution: conversions and scratchbuilding.
All the above for 25-28mm.
In some smaller scales like 20mm you may find some in the Atlantic plastic range and the superb Nikolai resin ranges.

Sorry, if not of great help, but I think I've exhausted my knowledge in availability.

[Mancha]

As already mentioned, Eureka has a great chaise lounge:

http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=1911

Additionally, some of the tables and chairs in the following sets may be available seperately:

http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_126_138&products_id=1783

http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_126_138&products_id=1784

http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_126_138&products_id=1782

http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_126_138&products_id=1781

[Rhoderic]

Hmm... I seem to be hitting the same snag here as when I asked on TMP, namely that for all the "small detail" that's available (amphoras, braziers, statues etc), there's not much in the form of actual tables, chairs, sofas, beds and such things. I'm aware of the Eureka chair, chaise lounge and tables, but they look rather too Victorian, don't they? I also can't really use pieces with integral figures on them like in the harem set.

Those 1/72 Atlantic plastics seem fairly interesting (LINK and LINK) but I fear they might be too small.

So, if you need stuff like that it is one solution: conversions and scratchbuilding.

Seems so. Problem is, how does a person with no particular aptitude for sculpting make something like a classical Grecian sofa (LINK and LINK) and get it to look good?

[Hammers]

I am sure i've seen something like that, Alexis...

EDIT: Here it is


...from Andrea's Camelot series.

Perhaps this one could be of use to?:

[Rhoderic]

When did Andrea make a Camelot series?? That had totally passed me by!

I wish I could tell if the girls came separately from the furniture, but I think I won't be able to resist buying both of those kits regardless. Thanks for pointing those out!

BTW it's "Aleksis" with a "ks", everyone always gets that wrong

[argsilverson]

Hmm... I seem to be hitting the same snag here as when I asked on TMP, namely that for all the "small detail" that's available (amphoras, braziers, statues etc), there's not much in the form of actual tables, chairs, sofas, beds and such things. I'm aware of the Eureka chair, chaise lounge and tables, but they look rather too Victorian, don't they? I also can't really use pieces with integral figures on them like in the harem set.

Those 1/72 Atlantic plastics seem fairly interesting (LINK and LINK) but I fear they might be too small.

So, if you need stuff like that it is one solution: conversions and scratchbuilding.

Seems so. Problem is, how does a person with no particular aptitude for sculpting make something like a classical Grecian sofa (LINK and LINK) and get it to look good?

I don't think that Atlantic plastics are too small, if memore serves [I used to paint them 25 years ago and now I don't know where they are].

The second link about the sofa, is not a greek design, actually is the style called "Empire" i.e. Napoleonic. Foundry has one such a bed in their ranges of 18th century civilians
http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/SYW/14/index.asp

CIV 5,

the first link, I think it is easy to scratchbuild. I, myself lack any capapbility to do anything, but I have the idea:

copy it on some carton, reinforce with balsa underneath. then buy a pack of Steve Barber's "M4 materials set" [http://www.sbarber-models.clara.net/main.html] glue one roll on each side and voila you have something which passes very well as ancient bed/whatever. for small chairs use the foundry's chairs coming with the sitting explorers/ladies in darkest africa range. Just paint them wood and leather.
An expensive method, but you have a sofa, two chairs, add some amphoras and vases, shields on the walls, a rack with spears, 2 columns, a nice photo from Greek wall paintings frescos like this one:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/santorini-museum-of-prehistoric-thira.htm  or
http://flickr.com/photos/81576641@N00/215288789

here is how a typical room looked like:
http://www.greece-athens.com/page.php?page_id=12

or some others here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amenon/sets/72157602171818517/

For the purists in history: the above photos do depict the frescoes found in Akrotiri in Santorini/Thera island. The civilization dates back to 1300-1500 BC, a bronze age Mycenean/Minoan civilization which is 900-1100 years before the classical era of Greece.
Hope to help you a little!

[Rhoderic]

Sorry for being so vague. I guess I'm using a wider definition of the term "Grecian sofa" meaning anything with that general type of design. Naturally I'm aware that, as the painting is from 1800, it's not an actual ancient Greek piece.

I want this stuff for Swords & Sorcery so I don't actually need it to be historically accurate. So long as it looks like it "belongs", I'm happy.

[argsilverson]

So, if you need just one, try the foundry from CIV5 18th century civilians, see the link if you need in my previous post.

[Rhoderic]

Minor update: I've been experimenting this evening with scratchbuilding Grecian-style sofas like the one from Andrea's Camelot range. Among other things I tried heating and soaking strips of wood (to make them bendy) as well as sculpting a basic shape out of modelling clay. The best technique I've struck upon so far is to simply cut off strips (width-wise) from an empty paper towel roll. They already curve inward, so it's quite easy to bend them into the shape I want, and dunk them in PVA glue to stiffen them. Now I need to sculpt some padding and make some legs. I'll post pictures if I'm successful.

I'm also thinking of making some small stools with curving seats out of the same material.

[Rhoderic]

Well, I'd say my first attempt was a partial success, which is still a greater success than I was expecting.



This was just a test piece, I'll probably throw it away. The cushion turned out way too narrow, so I'll know to avoid that next time. I changed my mind about sculpting the cushion, and made it out of felt covered with silk instead. I think it turned out fairly decent, aside from being too narrow.

It's still hardly a perfect piece. Since the curvy bit was made out of card it got a sort of "gribbly" texture in the end, but that can't be helped. I think I'll go with this technique.

[Hammers]

Good job, Rhod! It looks splendid.

[argsilverson]

For first attempt it is very nice.
Try on and you get much better results.

For cushion: Why not to try paper (papier mache -or toilet  style paper soaked in water and PVA)

[Rhoderic]

For cushion: Why not to try paper (papier mache -or toilet  style paper soaked in water and PVA)

Well, I'm pretty happy with the felt and silk method, really. In this one I used two layers of felt but to make it look fluffier, I think I'll up that to something like five layers in future pieces.

As for better results, I think that aside from the cushion, this is about as good as it gets. I could add some further detailing but I think it'd be quite redundant. I'll probably try my hand at making some of those cylindrical pillows though.