- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Location
- East Texas
Another of the most prolific of the manufacturers of military miniatures during the period around and following the Centennial of the Civil War was that of Imrie-Risley. Talented sculptor William Imrie created the figures for the company; his partner artist Clyde Risley provided the accurate and detailed drawings and sometimes paintings that served as guides for assembly and painting of the model kits. Together they also produced a notable guidebook to making and painting military miniatures. Like many other American manufactures of the era such as Ralph Bussler and Jack Scruby Imrie-Risley concentrated on the uniforms and personalities of American History, particularly those of the Civil War and American Revolution.
Unfortunately, since they were more expensive and at the time I was only a poor student I chose Bussler as the source for most of my activities and only much later acquired these few from Mike Ferguson's The Militaria Shop. Like Busslers, the 54mm Imries were suitable for diorama building; the two figures above at center and left are members of his artillery crew - Number One or rammer and Number Five carrying the gunner's haversack containing a shell - that could be painted as either Federal or Confederate, though it's the latter that are shown depicted on Risley's painting guide postcard. The figure at right was one of their many one-offs, this being a Federal in greatcoat and Hardee hat, wearing field gear including knapsack. Sadly, these three are the only examples I have of their tremendous output of Civil War figures; hopefully readers here have more they can provide!
Although Imrie-Risley was best known for their 54mm subjects it was by no means the only scale in which they worked! These are from a series of 10 - 12 larger approximately 3" - 4" figures depicting various uniforms of American troops throughout our history. Despite his very British appearance the one at left wearing the miter cap is in fact a New Jersey militiaman at the time of the French and Indian War ca. 1760. The other two depict the most common attire of American soldiers during the Revolutionary War, the one in the center wearing the popular hunting shirt that George Washington unsuccessfully recommended for all U.S. troops, the one at right in regulation uniform of the Continental Line. Other subjects in this series included an Iroquois Warrior, Rogers' Ranger, Johnny Reb, Billy Yank, and others I have by now forgotten. At the time I acquired these I was personally no longer interested in painting them, opting instead to assemble and finish them in a pewter finish - in fact, I display them on the same shelf on which I have my antique pewter plates, measures, porringer, and smaller mugs and teapots.
Another of Imrie's more unusual products was this set of much larger figures produced ca. 1975 on the occasion of the Bicentennial of the American Revolution for The Franklin Mint. It was advertised in magazines like American History Illustrated and Colonial American Life to be sold by subscription, one or two figures arriving monthly or bimonthly. These were the first two in the series, originally to consist of thirteen, one for each of the new states. I've never seen any of the others, nor did I subscribe to the series myself - they were purchased on the secondary market from either The Militaria or an antique shop.
The first and my favorite is this figure representing a man from Pennsylvania's Thompson's Rifle Battalion and interestingly is a larger version of one of Imrie's earlier 54mm figures. These are exactly as originally received by the subscriber: cast in pewter apparently in a single piece with all its information and identification impressed into the bottom of the base which is also fitted out with little round green pads to protect the tabletop.
The second figure is quite a bit less interesting though also as highly detailed, representing a member of the New Jersey Line shivering over his fire, presumably at Valley Forge, Morristown, or some equally inhospitable location. Note how his Regimental coat is buttoned over his chest in attempt to keep out the wind and his legs and feet also wrapped for warmth!
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