Historex Spare Parts Madness

[Steve Ettinger]

Found An Old Historex kit on E Bay, And I have never seen this sprue of riding legs before. Arms have cuffs already molded, trousers have waist belt and spear points already engraved. Anyone remember these? I've collected these for years and have never seen this sprue.

 

[jai]

Airfix?

 

[blaster]

These are definitely Historex. I have the hussar boots bought as spares.

 

[peedee]

Hi Steve is there a number on the sprue?
If not I think it would be from one of the boxed kits they produced including a mounted hussar in bicorne.
or as a sprue for a Nemrod kit.
It's annoying that I can't put my finger on it.
I am sure it's the pointed overlap of the Dolman of a hussar on top of the legs think, and they arms look like the fur cuffs of a pelisse to me

Paul

 

[Steve Ettinger]

Paul, no number on the sprue, the boots are different than the spare boots sprue that I have; the Hussar boots are pointed at the top and fit into the curved part at the knee. You are right that it has the bottom of the dolman molded onto the riding legs but the kit comes with a regular coat vest and tails like a line chassuer. It seems like exactly the same plastic as Historex uses.

 

[Huw63]

Paul, no number on the sprue, the boots are different than the spare boots sprue that I have; the Hussar boots are pointed at the top and fit into the curved part at the knee. You are right that it has the bottom of the dolman molded onto the riding legs but the kit comes with a regular coat vest and tails like a line chassuer. It seems like exactly the same plastic as Historex uses.

To my knowledge Historex never did this method of construction. I think it could be a Segom or Hunt figure.

Cheers

Huw

 

[Bob Orr]

Agree don't think it is Historex. From what I can remember the parts were all separate and the only bits on a sprue were small parts like insignia, cuffs etc.

Bob

 

[peedee]

Sorry Bob,

Not quite.

Bodies and heads always loose,
legs and arms, horse head, mane, ears and tail always on sprues mate.
BUT...I know they did some mounted figures in orange cartons.
These included Brit li. Dragoon, Scots greys and others.
They are just not listed in the same way now.
sigh....sorry but I can't remember.
the only other thought is that he is from one of the general officer sets or marshalls or Marshalls guides from the consular period.

Paul

 

[blaster]

You got me rethinking about this.

Helmet figures? But their website has a limited listing of spares.

http://www.helmetsoldiers.co.uk/cavalry.html

Rgds Victor

 

[Steve Ettinger]

Here is the instruction sheet. And this sprue is unlike what Paul said; it also seems odd to me.

 

[Huw63]

This gets more mysterious. The sprue contains several Historex parts such as Head No. 37; epaulettes, contre-epaulettes and shoulder straps No. 122, Torso with pointed lapels and plain waistcoat No 42 and Plain Coat tails with turnbacks number 38. Seeing the instructions I believe this was an American version as line and Guad chasseurs in service dress were never combined in Europe and weren't in the orange and white box sets. The legs and boots though aren't anything to do with Historex. I think an American shop built some specials as the diagrams also don't resemble Historex as they are numbered figures. Just my view and I wait to be shot to bits on this one...

Cheers

Huw

p.s. The Red Lancer crew in the US might know or you could try Historex Agents.

 

[Barry King]

Hi Steve,

I too am a long time Historex devotee, and never once have I seen legs with separate boots, let along the legs with the Hussar lace on the thigh. Even the instruction sheets you have are very vintage and not typical! I almost wonder if you have 1st generation Historex parts from the very early 1960's when they were first introduced. Over the years, Historex bettered their production with respect to trumpets (non-hollowed out bell end), shakos (which used to be molded in 2 pcs), etc. In fact, in my stash I have some of those very early spares before they reissued them with hollowed out trumpets, single piece shakos, etc. This is my guess, and beyond this, I'm stumped.

It would be neat if you could show a picture of the instruction sheets you have, even though they look like Leliepvre artwork, they have a very different look and feel to the normal line drawings that we are all accustomed to.

 

[peedee]

Hmmm this gets curioser and curioser.
Having seen the instruction sheets and the other sprues this does look like a 'hybrid' kit of some form.
Really perplexing.
I get the feeling as I read each post that we know the answer but can't quite put a collective finger on the solution
It's similar to that name that's 'there' but you can't quite remember isn't it?

Doh !

Paul.

 

[pgarri27]

I have this version of a Historex figure in my grey army, I have been collecting Historex since the 60's and I can't remember when or where I picked this up. Maybe from Bob Santos. I don't know for sure that it is Historex, but I have always believed it was. Maybe Historex Agents can answer the question.
Many years ago I put all my Historex parts into bin drawers, so I couldn't say what kit it was from originally. I most likely have the instruction sheet around, as there is a storage box stuffed full of those sheets. Someday I may go through them to see if I can find it. Steve, thanks for posting. All us old Historex fans love this stuff.
Pete

 

[mick3272]

Not ever having purchased a Historex figure, so you could rightly say I know F A about the sucbject.
As it was purchased on evil bay Could it be a re cast.
My thought of the day
Mick

 

[peedee]

No Mick, not in injected poly.
But I know someone who could 'pop in' to Historex on Monday and show 'em the photo.

I shall ask him

P

 

[mick3272]

No Mick, not in injected poly.
But I know someone who could 'pop in' to Historex on Monday and show 'em the photo.

I shall ask him

P

Who might that be??????????????????

Can't Monday but will pop in later in the week.

 

[peedee]

Who might that be?????????????????? Can't Monday but will pop in later in the week.

Oh Hi Mick, I forgot you were Local
....I won't ask the other feller then

Paul.

 

[Plastic Max]

Hi, I've only fairly recently joined this site and, as an Historex enthusiast for many years, came across this thread while searching/browsing Historex related topics.

The picture of the sprue with the unusual arms, legs and boots rang a bell... I have a kit which contains that sprue, and attached opposite the legs and boots, it includes a dolman torso and a head with cadenettes. It was packaged with the familiar white & orange card header and plastic bag (sealed with copper staples), the packet header stamped with "HUSSARD REVOLUTION" and "SERIE EXCLUSIVE". As the Hussars were amongst the first kits produced by Historex in 1963, I believe this particular issue is from around 2003 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the company, the composition and quality of the plastic is of the type from that time, not the same standard as vintage kits.

I agree with the comments regarding the 'generic' instruction sheets, they are very vintage, before reference sheets for specific releases were introduced. I have an infantry kit with the 'generic' pages, but had not seen the cavalry one previously.

The sprue containing the body with pointed lapels, plain head, assorted epaulettes, and plain long coat-tails is odd - as others have remarked, the vintage kits usually had the head and body supplied loose and other parts on their own separate sprues. More modern releases (such as those marketed in the dark green boxes from about 1993 onwards) would have parts still attached to a main sprue. However, by then plain coat-tails had been superseded already by those with pocket details added.

Finally, I recognize the name of the thread originator, Steve Ettinger, and another poster, Barry King, from some trades completed on a well-known online auction site some years ago when I was living in the USA, good to see them here too. I'm not quite sure why somebody referred to it as "evil bay", through it I've made some great contacts with fellow hobbyists.