Wellington may be a small town in the great scheme of things, but it's got fantastic second-hand book shops. Just a few months ago I was absolutely delighted to find a copy of David Nash, The Prussian Army 1808-1815 (London: Almark Publications, 1972), which is still reckoned by some to be the best single English language source for Prussian uniforms.
However, I'm a little confused about his description of general officers' uniforms. On page 77 he writes that on campaign Prussian generals wore "a soft, grey, peaked Schirmutze piped in scarlet". As the accompanying illustration on the next page isn't coloured, there are a number of ways this could be interpreted. Whereas Blucher is almost always depicted with a red band around his old blue Landwehr cap, Nash makes no mention of such a thing for the 'official' cap.
Below is my interpretation of what Nash may have been getting at. The figure in PN 64: Prussian general looking through a spy-glass. Has anyone seen or heard of a cap of this type? It has a rather WW1 appearance!
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| PN 64: Prussian general looking through a spy-glass. |
He's not been varnished yet, so there's still time to change him. Alternatively, I could always paint on a black oilskin cover!
Another question is: has anybody discovered a way to put Humbrol gloss varnish over Humbrol metallics without the metal colour running about all over the place? I'm very fearful about his buttons!
I'll have a look at some prints fir the cap. Re the Humbrolbgold question: The gold and silver are made of metallic flakes suspended in a varnish. When you
ReplyDeletevarnish over the gold the new varnish dissolves the old and to obe's horror it runs!
Solutions
1) varnish the figure with an acrylic,nwater based varnish, it will not dissolve the spirit based medium that carries the gold.
2) paint the gold on after you have varnished with your figure...it will not run as much
3) use an acrylic gold and then your normal varnish.
4) use a gold pen from a stationers or art shop. These appear to have a medium that is not spirit based and so do not dissolve.bBut try it oit on a tin lid first! because you do not want the tragedy of finding it runs on a figure.
Roy
http://www.military-prints.com/military_print.php?ProdID=5913
ReplyDeleteHas a good picture of Prussian prince von Mecklenburg and his staff . A pity that Marcus Hinton did not make the figure with the long grey coat, but your combination of hat, trousers in grey and blue unifom jacket looks right,
aroy
Hi Matthew, I've never had a problem with acylic metallic paints running when varnished with Humbrol Satin Cote - I haven't used full gloss but I'm sure Roy is right that it would be fine. Otherwise just put the metallic paint on top of the varnish which is what I did back in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteA superb rendition of this lovely figure!
I was going to say exactly the same as Lewisgunner. I haven't had a problem with acrylic varnish (or Klear/Pledge) over metals.
ReplyDeleteMatt - I have nothing to say about the uniforms, but Roy's advice on varnish is sound and invaluable. I might add (probably less usefully) that the only problems I have had with model paints over a period of 40 years or so are with the discoloration of old Humbrol varnish - I'm sure the new stuff is better, but the old stuff had a tendency to turn into barley sugar as the years passed. I would recommend always using acrylic varnishes to be on the safe side - my acrylic finishes are all still as good as new - it is a dreadful thing to have the varnish deteriorate on top of your lovely paint job, so out of ancient superstition I avoid the stuff now.
ReplyDeleteLovely general, by the way! - Tony
image1.jpeg
ReplyDeleteWill this copy across? If so it will show Prussian geberals in the blue hat with red band. That either means that there was a change in style or that both are acceptable.
This picture is from the Bourdier plates.
Roy
Cheers Roy. The image didn't come through, I'm sorry to say. Is there an online link I can look at?
DeleteThanks chaps. I'll keep the cap as is and ditch my Humbrol gloss immediately!
ReplyDeleteWellingtonian, Have you an Email address? I can send you the pic I took of a print I have.
ReplyDeleteI looked at a coupke of my books and have a suggestion.. I have seen the grey cap described as that of a general of infantry. That might mean that the blue cap is for cavalry generals, or for general staff . However, I rather imagine that Von Meclenburg is general staff.
Roy
Hi Roy. I do indeed. It should be accessible through my profile. However, in case it isn't, try buck.matthew0 at the gmail.com! Cheers, Matt
DeleteI've used Humbrol Gloss Cote (the stuff in the glass bottles, so not the bog standard tin varnish) over Humbrol metallics for years with no running - so i'd got for that. Otherwise try a coat of acrylic varnish over the metallics first (which is what i had to do with Matt Cote strangely). Cheers.
ReplyDelete