Chota Sahib and Former Studio Sarum Figurine ranges

[Mnr Maxime Chevallier Esq]

Good evening everybody and please permit me to introduce myself to you all.

My name is Mnr Maxime Chevallier Esq, and I have been the legal owner and purchaser of the former Sarum Studio Figurine range and the former Chota Sahib ranges, as prviously were once sold by Patrick J D Willis of Sarum Soldiers.


I purchased the ranges, Moulds Masters and all copyrights from the retired previous owner before 2010, and took full delivery from his home then in Tooting park London.

We have retired in France and own the entire business for our retirement income.

We are re issuing the ranges in Europe and items shall be initialy from Limited Edition availability.


We wish to state at this time that anyone who claims to be "Chota Sahib" and "back in production" from ANY other "source" who tries to sell our products on this or any other web site IS IN DIRECT BREACH of applicable International Laws of copyright registration and Piracy Theft.

The figurine ranges and the Chota Sahib figures and Kits all remain our exclusive property at all times, and at NO TIME were any of the items ever "Sold on" or "Re Licensed" or authorized to be used by certain "others".
it has come to our attention that "STUDIO MODEL DESIGN" or similar to "Studio Design World models" or "Studio World models Design" has been blatantly selling OUR products and our figures without payment or legaly authorized permission from us the owners.

We catagoricaly assert our absolute Legal rights and ownership and control over all the ranges and hereby issue a public warning, that those caught engageing in re casting piracy will risk severe and punitive legal action against them for full and complete financial recovery.
For the avoidance of all "doubt" the sale and transfer of the figures to us was legaly completed through a bone fide legal representative firm, signed and duly legaly witnesessed and upon this we absolutely rely.

I have to say to you today, that we have discovered a web site (subsequently taken down when I complained) from "STUDIO MODEL DESIGN";
We have photographic proof and direct evidence of our figurines being sold by this person. Studio Model Design DO NOT HAVE OUR APPROVAL OR NOR OUR AUTHORIZATION have made NO ROYALTY or similar legal payment , they DO NOT have any "Licencse" from us either. In simple to understand terms, they have "acquired items" and or copied them, infringed and violated copyright and design rights belonging exclusively to us on a number of figurine product lines.
This is Copyright Piracy, illegal "recasting" and downright theft.

I offer a reward for any information resulting in the aprehension and punishment of the individual or persons responsable for this utterly deceptive, cynical and lying debacle.

Maxime Jouhan Chevallier France 02 03 2023

 

[Nap]

Hi Maxime

Thank you for the introduction and the clarification regarding the range

Good to hear that the pieces will be available, we all look forward to seeing more news

Will you have a website ?

Happy releasing

Nap

Moderator/Admin

 

[Warren SMITH]

Very interesting introduction...

I had hoped to see catalogues of the range, prices and when and where to purchase... Its been a long time since this range was available and quality of other figures have improved over the years...
Fingers crossed, these will be reasonably priced..

 

[Mnr Maxime Chevallier Esq]

Regarding the question mentioning price and catalogue, the items will all be officialy listed on our own web site which we shall "host".

A catalogue is in preparation.

This will be a short (catalogue) print run intialy, we will have to see how everything works out.

Whilest quality of other rival figures has improved over time, our figures retain their edge in terms of realism and high surface detail and the original animation by Sid Horton and Stadden remain their distinctive hallmark in the Industry.

I am also issuing NEVER BEFORE SEEN OR SOLD FIGURES , left over from the Brighton days of Chota Sahib, that came originaly from Sid Horton but which for historical reasons back then did not get packeted or sold .

In case anyone out there thinks about the Special issues that they are not Sids, I assurre you that the former owner Patrick J D Willis guranteeed to us that they were BEFORE we purchased them.

Prices will reflect the rare availability and will for the rest of our re issued range, be of necessity higher than in previous years due to the very much higher "energy" costs involved in certain aspects of shipping and or production, and also the departure of the UK from the European Union or BREXIT which enormously aggravates shipping and some paperwork where relevant.

it is not for these reasons envisaged that our products shall be directly retailed or shipped in large amounts if at all, in the UK.

I am afraid the days of certain dealers expecting to buy our products for "fifty pence" and sell it for "fifteen quid" pounds sterling are long gone. (if ever they realisticaly were there ahemmm).

We seek to sell a steady if slower rate, and wish to attract those who are Figurine enthusiasts and not those who seek something "exciting to sell" (buy for fifty pence sell for fifteen pound).

Our production site and workshop location remain FIRMLY UNDER WRAPS following a earlier violent robbery back some years ago, which became a Police enquirey involving Four Countries. One of those was the UK and had a trail which leed back to certain ones within the then UK Toy Soldier Industry.

We are based firmly in Metropolitan France and deal with the EURO Curency only.

I am making our figures in Europe and not in China or Singapore or Hong Kong .

I will be seeking for a European business Zone retailer, likely in Ireland or possibly Scotland.
Due to previous commercial experience and events surrounding the BREXIT we shall not be directly retailing our products in England or Wales.

 

[valiant]

I may be speaking out of turn here, or I may be misinterpreting the language, but this post comes across as pretty aggressive and seems to be putting barriers up against prospective buyers, rather than encouraging sales? The general tone certainly wouldnt make me want to make a purchase....

 

[mike bush]

[quote="

I will be seeking for a European business Zone retailer, likely in Ireland or possibly Scotland.
Due to previous commercial experience and events surrounding the BREXIT we shall not be directly retailing our products in England or Wales.[/quote]


Are you the full shilling

 

[arj]

...... Due to previous commercial experience and events surrounding the BREXIT we shall not be directly retailing our products in England or Wales.

Shame about that, since that's where they originated.

 

[Banjer]

Another aggressive figure supplier ( think early posts by TFB). I wouldn't buy his stuff no matter what price. It's all of a time and things have moved on.

 

[Steve headley]

Banjer, excuse me but what have TFB got to do with this post? Our company was put under fire at first because of who we used as a caster. The language was not very pleasant and I responded to it as I saw fit. Over the past year we have answered our critics by producing good quality product. Our customer service has been good considering the cyber attack on the uk postal service. We have managed by other means to get the good to our customers all over the world it may have taken a little longer than usual but every company in this field have suffered the same.

in no way did we come on the scene and make such a statement as this company has. With TFB I had to defended my decisions to react to some of the statements, and as a new company it could have caused us damage.If I felt people were just taking cheep shorts and it was getting to the point of being offensive of course I would defend our company. But we let our figures do the talking these days.

We have settled into a steady growth patten we have no trouble exporting all over the world we do not restrict, but we are aware some countries we need to be carful of. With regards Pirating copies.

As to the new companies statement I think they would be silly not trying to sell in the uk as well as other parts of the world. It makes no sense. But it’s their company and their money they have invested.

The only similarity between us is we sell and produce figures end off.

You sir are free to buy your figures from who ever you wish that’s your decision, as would be a companies decision wether to sell to an individual or country.

I hope the new company takes a look at their business plan and see that they could be missing out on the nostalgia market not just in the uk but the rest of the world too. I have a few Chota sahib figures from meany years ago, and I still look at them and think they were good for the time.

Steve

TFB Miniatures Team

 

[Banjer]

Steve, I was merely pointing out that this man's posts were aggressive and threatening as were your early ones. If they haven't been doctored by the mods, look them up. I come on here to keep abreast of the hobby not to read rants from manufacturers who use it for free advertising.

 

[F Troop]

I for one would love to see Sid Horton's Chota Sahib range back in production and when all the smoke clears, maybe they will be made available to us USA types this side of the pond.

 

[Steve headley]

Hi Banjer I did not have to look it up I know exactly what I put, and it was in response to what I perceived as people trying to tell me and my partners who we should and should not employ. A number of people jumped on the band wagon. We posted as a new company and was in my opinion the subject of various objections as to who did our casting. That was our decision and we used the person we knew could do the job until we got going. Then we handed the majority of the casting to another company.

At no time did we announce our company the way this person has. I reacted as I felt things were getting out of hand and the subject was not about our product but an associate/friend of ours.

We appreciate the free advertising as you but it. We have our own face book page where we welcome other companies to post their new releases that’s free advertising too.

My response this time was that our company was likened to the one who posted and I asked the question why mention us? No need to do so and you got my polite no aggressive response.

Steve

TFB Miniatures Team

 

[Helm]

I think I'll be voting with my wallet on this, another company loses custom.
Steve

 

[Graham P]

I've just put up loads of 90mm Chota Sahib figures on ebay as clearing out my "must do one day" drawer. They've prompted great interest but as much as I love them they are not up to modern standards

 

[Steve headley]

I just had a look on eBay and saw loads of 54mm 90mm stuff on their. So the new company is going to have some competition from secondhand sales. That along side the limited market they propose to sell to. They are going to struggle quite a bit.

Steve

TFB Miniatures Team

 

[Nap]

Hi folks

The figures from the new company certainly have a charm and very much of their time but still look great painted

A shame there's no plans to retail in U.K. but that's their decision

It's good to have a new member here and I wish them well in the market

It would be nice to see today's painters versions of the figures as styles have definately changed

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Richie]

I have to say what a great introduction from your company, not only have you already alienated buyers from the UK (and Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom) you have also put off potential retailers you are looking for, not wanting to supply to England or Wales has the same pitfalls for Scotland we are Great Britain after all.

I think you vastly overate what you have and if those painted pieces are examples of the "realism and high surface detail" then you must be adorning rose tinted spectacles. From what I can see from the photo's the weapons are out of scale as are many other aspects on these figures.

Nostalgic yes, "exciting to sell" - no.... they have had their day!

The name of Chota Sahib used to stand for something and in one post you have damaged that brand name in my opinion.

 

[Blind Pew]

Yet he'll sell in Scotland, who voted to remain in the EU. Funny that. To use voting patterns in the 2016 referendum as gauge to target one's sale's audience is just weird. Does anyone feel like they've just been told off for possibly voting a certain way?
These bizarre posts are reminiscent of another French firm. Figurines Magazine refused to publish in English. Yes, I realise I might be comparing apples with oranges, but to cut off such a vast potential market seems a nonsense business decision. Oh well, down to him.
That range of figures looks very outdated now anyway. Only about 5% have stood the test of time.

This is one of the strangest sales pitches I've ever seen. I'm reminded of Gerald Ratner.

 

[Blind Pew]

Just thinking, it may be as well to lock this one. It has the clear potential to descend into a political morass and get nasty. This is something our lovely, much valued forum can well do without.

A shame, as I do wish the bloke well. I've always had a soft spot for Chota Sahib. And always will.

 

[Nap]

Just thinking, it may be as well to lock this one. It has the clear potential to descend into a political morass and get nasty. This is something our lovely, much valued forum can well do without.

A shame, as I do wish the bloke well. I've always had a soft spot for Chota Sahib. And always will.

Hi to everyone

I've been watching this closely , and I am of the same opinion with BP so this is LOCKED

The owner can easily share the figures in our Figure News when they become avail and people can buy IF they wish

Nap