New 75mm knights from Tin-Berlin

[RadekKotecki]

The figurines presented here are the latest releases from Tin Berlin’s workshop in 75mm scale, both sculpted by Oleg Pogosyan:

European Knight from the Late 14th Century (Nr. 75-061)
Tournament Favorite, Late 14th–Early 15th Century (Nr. 75-059)

link: https://www.tin-berlin.de/?pid=16&gid=91

There’s not much to say about the sculpts themselves - Oleg’s work speaks for itself. His designs are in a league of their own, blending natural poses with outstanding detail and an impeccable understanding of period armor and attire. Both of these figurines are prime examples of that mastery. They share the same high level of craftsmanship, yet their character and atmosphere differ significantly. The first depicts a brooding, battle-worn knight, while the second portrays a young, confident contender vying for the favor of noble ladies at a tournament. Once painted, these miniatures will exude entirely distinct moods, a contrast I plan to further emphasize through my choice of colors.

As for the casting quality, it appears to be in line with Tin Berlin’s usual standards. That said, my prior experience with this manufacturer is limited - I’ve only worked on one of their figures before (the equally stunning German Knight 1400–1415, also sculpted by Oleg). Compared to that piece, these two seem to offer slightly better casting quality. Most notably, the troublesome ribbed texture that plagued my previous build is nearly absent here. The surfaces are smooth and require minimal sanding, which is certainly a welcome improvement.

Of course, no casting is without flaws. In both figures, some of the finer, thinner elements are slightly under-cast at the edges - for instance, parts of the gauntlets, the edge of the chainmail, or the toe of a boot. Occasionally, a small component may be missing, such as the socket for attaching the peacock feathers or a section of the sword’s suspension strap, or broken sword crossguard. I also found some notches, as on the right shin of the younger knight. However, these are rather minor issues that any experienced modeler can easily remedy.

The details are crisp, and I haven’t noticed any distortions. The parts fit together quite well, so assembly shouldn’t pose any major difficulties. The only slight mismatch I encountered was with the older knight - his sword doesn’t align perfectly with the folds of his draped cloak. A little heat treatment and some sanding should resolve this without much trouble.

Under some aspects, the figurines fall short compared to products from certain other manufacturers, such as Panzerart or Dolman. Nevertheless, we received two very nice miniatures that will be a fine addition to any collection of medieval figurines.

Final rating: 7.5/10.