Lady carrying wood (Lemax)

As mentioned before, Red Coats & Ruffles is constantly on the lookout for female figures in 18th Century garb. (see http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/search/label/Female%20Figures)  This woman was released by Lemax for their 2022 Christmas collection, under the name of "Carrying wood for the fire".  

Despite her 19th Century styling, she clearly had potential to be transformed into the 18th Century.  The major change needed was to change her bonnet into a cap.  Lemax figures are also very tall, so some of her dress was trimmed to give her a height closer to the rest of Redcoats and Ruffles.  Notwithstanding this, she is still a tall lady.

Her outfit's colors are based on a background character from Sofia the First who is also a woodcutter's wife.  Their outfits were unusually similar.  The pose is a useful background character, whether gathering sticks from the forest or preparing to replenish her stove.

Figure by Lemax; painted with acrylic paints.

Violet Vendor (Lemax)

This figure was originally inspired by the work of "White Knight" at http://swashbucklingsessions.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-three-musketeers-flowergirl.html.  She began as a background Christmas-village type figurine by Lemax.  Aside from removing some mold lines and a very chunky base, little conversion was required on her.  However, even with her base removed, she is still a tall 54mm figure (see picture below for comparison to a Marx figure).

The paint scheme is inspired by an extra from the independent movie Beyond the Mask.  This particular woman was paired with my sister (see http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2016/04/female-civilian.html) to walk up and down the streets of Philadelphia.

Figure by Lemax, painted with acrylic paints.

Arabella Smith (Mars)

Avast me hearties!  Another Mars pirate is joining Redcoats & Ruffles...but there are two major differences.  First, she is a female pirate, and secondly she is a female pirate.

Meet Arabella Smith!  In a quest for interesting color schemes for characters, this female pirate stood out.  Sporting a bright yellow jacket, green sash, and purple breeches, she is a colorful character.  Un-historical? Yes.  Fun? Definitely!

The original figure was wielding a pistol in either hand.  But another (forthcoming) figure carried two pistols.  Since Arabella appears to run a restaurant, it was a natural progression to convert her right hand to hold a tankard.  

Eagle-eyed readers of this blog (if there are any!) may notice that her tankard has changed from the 2021 showcase (see original at http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2022/01/2021-painting-report.html).  Originally it was a piece of plastic sprue that was glued to her hand.  This would have made a good mug, but it was too small and the bottom was ragged, not flat.  After it broke off, she requested a new tankard, one that was larger and more correctly shaped.  Her patience was rewarded and now she carries a large tankard filled with a suitably piratical beverage.

Elizabeth Swann (Zizzle/Zizzlinger/Disney)

8 petticoats of Redcoats & Ruffles

Finding female 54mm figures for the 18th Century is one of our interests on Redcoats and Ruffles (for more, see http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/search/label/Female%20Figures).  While these can be difficult to find, every new addition is welcomed.  Now another figure has been added to the roster.

Meet Elizabeth Swann.  Her sculpt began in a product line called Zizzlingers, created in 2006 by a company called Zizzle, Inc.  Two or three factory painted Pirates of the Caribbean figures were sealed in a blind bag with a water-soluble powder.  Soak the bag and reveal the figures!  24 distinct figures were included and this variant of Elizabeth (there was another in coat and tricorne hat) was #7.  But that is not the source of this figure.

Eight Zizzlinger sculpts were repackaged into "Miniature Collectible Figurines" packs.  Each included two figures in a clamshell pack.  It is from one of these "Miniature Collectible Figurines" packages that this sculpt of Elizabeth Swann hails, along with Jack Sparrow holding his compass.

That is perhaps more detail about a manufacturer that is usual on Redcoats and Ruffles, but this figure (and her 23 other companions) is now quite difficult to track down, though certainly worth the search.  Zizzle also produced two sizes of action figures, as well as "Captains and Crew" 60mm figures, further muddying the waters for searchers.  (Information from multiple eBay listings as well as a review of Zizzlingers/Captains and Crew at https://plasticbattalion.blogspot.com/2007/05/zizzle-me-timbers.html)

Father & daughter review Norrington & marines

On to Elizabeth!  The dress began as a reproduction of her "Gold Gown" (see www.costumersguide.com/pirates_gold.shtml), but ended up being a conglomeration of several different dresses. In almost every dress, Elizabeth has a strong preference for gold fabrics with floral print, and this preference was honored.  The floral pattern is hand-painted and may be the proudest painting achievement of Redcoats and Ruffles.

Royalty

These two figures are the first glimpse of royalty here on Redcoats and Ruffles!  Meet King Roland and Queen Miranda.

Always on the lookout for more figures from the distaff side in 1/32, this figure of Queen Miranda caught my eye.  She is a perfect match for other 54mm figures.  However, the lot I purchased her with also included her consort King Roland.  After some thought, I drafted him into my collection as well. My sister helped choose which outfit he should don for his royal duties: the red coat with the light buff breeches, accented by several medals.

While his outfit looks vaguely Regency, he still belongs in the Redcoats and Ruffles world of the 1770s-1780s.  While tighter cut coats were coming into fashion in the 1780s, this one is still ahead of its time.  Likely as a monarch, King Roland was always seeking up-and-coming styles.

Figures from Disney’s “Sofia the First” collection.  They were painted with a mix of acrylic and enamel paints and sealed with Mod Podge.

Liberty's Kids Lady Phillips (Disney Cinderella Keychain)

The first figure of 2019 is finished!

This elegant lady is an English gentlewoman known as Lady Phillips.  She appears in the animated television show Liberty's Kids.

Lady Phillips lives in England while her soldier husband serves in America.  But unlike some Britons, Lady Phillips is good friends with Benjamin Franklin and certainly does not favor coercive measures towards the colonies.




Lady Phillips' daughter is the sometimes feisty Sarah Phillips (who was featured on Redcoats and Ruffles at http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2018/01/sarah-phillips.html).  It is unknown whether Sarah was named for her mother.

(Sarah is a recast Marx "Cilia" figure, giving some idea of scale between her and Lady Phillips)

Lady Phillips was previously featured on this blog as a work-in-progress (see http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2019/01/lady-phillips-work-in-progress.html).  Her base is marked "(c) Disney, C.I.I., Made in China".  I have no idea what company CII is; however she is an excellent match to other 54mm figures and worth tracking down.

Painted with a mix of enamel and acrylic paints; varnished with Mod Podge.



Lady Phillips prepares for a visit to a wealthy friend or neighbor and bids you good day.

Lady Phillips Work-in-Progress (Cinderella Keychain by Disney)

Many of the figures showcased on this blog have had conversion work done to them.
Two examples are Liberty's Kids' James Hiller, shown at http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2018/05/libertys-kids-character-james-hiller.html and Sarah Phillips at http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2018/01/sarah-phillips.html.  But I have never shown a converted figure before painting.

Meet Lady Phillips, mother to Sarah Phillips mentioned above.  She began life as a Cinderella keychain (of all things), but had an 18th Century appearance.  The white parts (with the exception of her hands) are later additions by me.  I use Milliput, a self-hardening epoxy clay, for conversion work and have been pleased with it.

Next stop: painting and basing!

Beauty and the Beast (Hasbro)

I am always seeking to bolster my collection of civilians.  After all, no world is populated only by soldiers.  But finding suitable figures in 54mm (or 1/32 scale) is not dissimilar to finding hen's teeth.

However these two figures of Belle and Beast from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" fit the bill.  They both look vaguely like they belong in the 18th Century and have suitably plain clothing.

Both figures were produced by Hasbro in the early 2000s.  I gave them a complete repaint, but kept them in their original movie outfits.

Now these two figures join my other movie characters to populate this 18th Century world. (For more movie characters, see http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/2018/05/libertys-kids-character-james-hiller.html, and http://redcoatsandruffles.blogspot.com/search/label/Beyond%20the%20Mask).

I have been toying with some special wargame rules for these characters (Does Belle's book knowledge allow her to predict what the enemy might do?  What is her attack and defense score?).  These two promise to add color to any wargame, as well as interest to dioramas!

Figures by Hasbro; painted with Testors paints.  No conversion was required (besides carving the Hasbro logos off Beast's legs!)

"Liberty's Kids" Character Sarah Phillips (Marx)



Miss Sarah Phillips scouts for news in a colonial town.
(click picture to enlarge)

This figure is based on one of the main characters from the television show Liberty's Kids.  In the show, three youngsters serve as journalists for Benjamin Franklin and report on the major--and sometimes minor--events of the American Revolution.  This figure, Miss Sarah Phillips, is the daughter of a British Army officer serving in America.  In the first episode, Sarah comes to America to find him.  During the ongoing show, she provides a British/Loyalist perspective to much of the reporting done.

The figure herself began as a recast Marx "Cilia" figure.  Much change was required to transform her into Sarah Phillips.  From top to bottom: the cap was removed and hair sculpted, golden locket added, neckline squared off, shawl removed, quill pen sculpted, flair and length added to sleeves, pointed bodice, piping down front of dress, and paper to record news.  Whew!  This is some of the most work I have ever done to convert a figure.  However, I believe that the final product was well worth the effort.



Original figure on left; Sarah Phillips on right.
(click picture to enlarge)

Female Civilian

Click on the picture to enlarge it

This figure is a female civilian during the American Revolution.  But this figure is slightly different than any figure I have painted so far because she represents my sister in her time as a extra for the movie Beyond the Mask. 

She (my sister, not the figure) has recently written a charming two-part account of her time on set.

Part 1 can be found at https://castlesinclouds.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/as-an-extra-for-beyond-the-mask-part-1/

And Part 2 at https://castlesinclouds.wordpress.com/2016/04/20/as-an-extra-for-beyond-the-mask-part-2/

The figure is a Marx recast.  The figure was originally supposed to represent a character from Johnny Tremaine, but has been recast and is a useful colonial-era young girl.  No conversion was required.  Figure painted with Testors paints.