Questions re: Middle earth 25mm lead figurines.

[John Marshall]

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.
cheers
John

[emosbur]

May be if you post some pics we can help you...

[Comsquare]

May be if you post some pics we can help you...

Yepp, pics would be helpfull 

[axiom]

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?

[Wachaza]

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

[John Marshall]

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 :-)\

[fastolfrus]

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.
 

[Quendil]

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

[John Marshall]

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?

[John Marshall]

sorry people but my photos are about 2.5mb in size and wont post, ?! any ideas???

[Quendil]

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

[John Marshall]

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.

[Sir_Theo]

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.

[John Marshall]

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 :-)

[robh]

 

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.