tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post8723271150520368321..comments2024-03-22T02:46:36.248-07:00Comments on Playing at the World: Artistic Arcana: Scruby Fantasy Miniatures and TSRJon Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09824427209908111302noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-65637224463415781652019-02-02T12:25:14.617-08:002019-02-02T12:25:14.617-08:00Nice article, Jon. Between his early fantasy stuf...Nice article, Jon. Between his early fantasy stuff, and his promotion of wargaming in the US in general, Jack Scruby is one of the most important influences on Dungeons & Dragons that most people have never heard of.<br />Michael (Gronan) Mornardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09581843850302136770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-49808767923070684862018-12-06T18:31:16.437-08:002018-12-06T18:31:16.437-08:00Excellent article Jon! I've acquired most of t...Excellent article Jon! I've acquired most of the Scruby fantasy miniatures and some of the historical ancients listed in conjunction with them from www.historifigs.com, run by Mike and Allison Taber. These old school miniatures are wonderful and I highly recommend them for anyone interested in an early part of D&D history. My miniatures are destined for some Chainmail battles.Joe Pielahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15082615704575503824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-83955485106290596672018-12-05T23:41:36.557-08:002018-12-05T23:41:36.557-08:00Another set of data points on the close race betwe...Another set of data points on the close race between Scruby and Minifigs to release the first fantasy figures.<br /><br />Looking at the NEWA Courier, the September 1973 issue contains a blurb from Scruby saying "we have some new products we've been working on" which includes "new Fantasy figures from Tolkien's Middle Earth... listings available for an 8c stamp." The ambiguity of that phrase is frustrating, as it's unclear if "we have" means that they are actually finished at the time.<br /><br />Then, the October 1973 issue has a notice from Minifigs saying that "Also available are 25mm Napoleonics and Lord of the Rings figures from Middle Earth," though it doesn't list what they are. The Scruby ad in that issue simply says it has "military miniatures in all ranges... all periods of history."<br /><br />The following (December) issue has a more prominent notice from Minifigs that "Middle Earth as listed in our last advertisement are available, and in addition there will soon be another dozen or so releases in this range." The Scruby ad in this issue does break down the availability of certain figures, including "New Tolkien fantasy war game models."<br /><br />The final Courier of 1973 (which purports, mysteriously, also to be a December issue) contains a notice from Scruby of a "new fantasy figure: T-11 30mm Centaur, running at gallop firing bow." The Minifigs ad mentions that "fantasy figures" are "available for quick dispatch."<br /><br />From this, I think we'd probably assign a 1973 date to the fantasy figures from both Scruby and Minifigs. Both were already expanding their lines by the end of 1973, even. Exactly which came first, though, I'd still hesitate to say. Probably safest to say they came out at roughly the same time.Jon Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09824427209908111302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-91342769351458977042018-11-27T22:16:46.148-08:002018-11-27T22:16:46.148-08:00Well, the Minifigs ad on the inside cover of Warga...Well, the Minifigs ad on the inside cover of Wargamer's Newsletter #137 (August 1973) says "Coming Soon: Ancient & English Civil War 15mm Figures for Middle Earth Fanatics." The July ad does not contain that notice. The September ad is identical to August. The December ad (#141) is the first to actually list the figures and their prices. <br /><br />Featherstone has a blurb about the fantasy figs in the August issue, but again, that's probably based on samples rather than production figures. Given these data points, it would be pretty surprising if the figures were out in 1972.Jon Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09824427209908111302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-88228992715018216712018-11-27T15:02:30.398-08:002018-11-27T15:02:30.398-08:00I think I've found 1972 Minifigs ME ads in Mil...I think I've found 1972 Minifigs ME ads in Military Modelling but would need to double check. My memory isn't what it used to be....David Woodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447850584097621767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-7811834951826981032018-11-26T09:17:09.424-08:002018-11-26T09:17:09.424-08:00Yes, that's one of the firms that is producing...Yes, that's one of the firms that is producing new castings of those Scruby fantasy figures today. In terms of whether the Minifigs Middle-earth or Scruby sets came out first commercially, it looks very, very close to me. <br /><br />The earliest ads for the Minifigs fantasy I see are at the very end of 1973, and the notice for Scruby fantasy in D&D is from the very beginning of 1974. There were samples of the Minifigs available beforehand, but then again, Gygax had seen samples of the Scruby figs in the spring of 1973. From the data points I've seen so far, it's too close to call. Jon Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09824427209908111302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2688079707543352822.post-38514053723788068892018-11-26T03:52:17.778-08:002018-11-26T03:52:17.778-08:00Great article thanks Jon. Still trying to find out...Great article thanks Jon. Still trying to find out which was first.....the Minifigs range or the Scruby one. More pics of the 1scruby line on a blog post I did a few years back;<br /><br />http://www.deartonyblair.co.uk/2012/09/jack-scruby-fantasy-war-game-miniatures.htmlDavid Woodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447850584097621767noreply@blogger.com