the Baron
Ich bin ja, Herr, in Deiner Macht
- Joined
- May 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,967
Good afternoon, all! I'd like to share with you a new figure kit, just recently released by Michael von Kolpinsky of Germany, in his "Bunter Rock" catalog.
The kit is "Crown Prince Frederick", and it depicts Frederick the Great as a young man, enjoying one of his favorite pursuits, reading:
Frederick was an avid reader, from a young age, a habit that brought him into conflict with his father, the strict "Solder King" Frederick William I. It's said of Frederick William that he "disdained all learning beyond that which was necessary to compose a useful report". Though that is a mischaracterization--the King promoted universities and seminaries, and a system of general elementary education--Frederick William certain disdained the kind of books that his son enjoyed, French authors of the early Enlightenment. That and other tensions between father and son eventually drove Frederick to attempt to flee the country. He was arrested and nearly in danger of execution, but his father relented, pardoned his son, and eventually, the young prince married and set up his own household.
This kit depicts young Frederick during that time, sitting in a quiet corner of his palace, reading a book:
It's very nicely sculpted and cast, of the quality I've seen with Michael's other pieces (like his kit of Baron von Steuben). There are some fine seam lines, which shouldn't be a problem to clean up, and the parts breakdown is very reasonable, in my opinion. It should be easy to pin and assemble the figure, even to the point of painting the right leg separately and attaching it, after painting the rest of the body.
What also impressed me was the one-piece casting of the base, which represents a section of floor and a wood-backed bank. When I first saw the pictures online, resin didn't occur to me--I just figured on cast white metal. But of course, resin makes much more sense, for its lightness, and for the ease of casting a single piece, saving the modeler from having to assemble the piece. The cushions on the bench are sculpted to receive Frederick's bum and leg as well.
At about $30, the kit is definitely worth the price, and fans of Old Fritz are sure to snap it up. I expect to see finished examples at the shows over the next year.
As always, thanks for looking!
The kit is "Crown Prince Frederick", and it depicts Frederick the Great as a young man, enjoying one of his favorite pursuits, reading:
Frederick was an avid reader, from a young age, a habit that brought him into conflict with his father, the strict "Solder King" Frederick William I. It's said of Frederick William that he "disdained all learning beyond that which was necessary to compose a useful report". Though that is a mischaracterization--the King promoted universities and seminaries, and a system of general elementary education--Frederick William certain disdained the kind of books that his son enjoyed, French authors of the early Enlightenment. That and other tensions between father and son eventually drove Frederick to attempt to flee the country. He was arrested and nearly in danger of execution, but his father relented, pardoned his son, and eventually, the young prince married and set up his own household.
This kit depicts young Frederick during that time, sitting in a quiet corner of his palace, reading a book:
It's very nicely sculpted and cast, of the quality I've seen with Michael's other pieces (like his kit of Baron von Steuben). There are some fine seam lines, which shouldn't be a problem to clean up, and the parts breakdown is very reasonable, in my opinion. It should be easy to pin and assemble the figure, even to the point of painting the right leg separately and attaching it, after painting the rest of the body.
What also impressed me was the one-piece casting of the base, which represents a section of floor and a wood-backed bank. When I first saw the pictures online, resin didn't occur to me--I just figured on cast white metal. But of course, resin makes much more sense, for its lightness, and for the ease of casting a single piece, saving the modeler from having to assemble the piece. The cushions on the bench are sculpted to receive Frederick's bum and leg as well.
At about $30, the kit is definitely worth the price, and fans of Old Fritz are sure to snap it up. I expect to see finished examples at the shows over the next year.
As always, thanks for looking!
