Monday, July 18, 2016

Looking for Aly Morrison's models

Now that my collection of Empire Marauder Miniatures is almost complete (almost!), I am considering complementing it with the Citadel fighters sculpted by the same guy, Aly Morrison.

I have indeed realised that most of the models I liked in the Citadel human fighters released in the eighties were probably from this sculptor. Probably, because if I'm more or less able to guess what are the miniatures sculpted by Jes Goodwin, I have more difficulties to differentiate Aly's work from his wife's or from the Perry twins'.

Fighters


Take these two pictures for instance: easy job, all these F2 fighters are said designed by Aly Morrison. And indeed, I want them all ^_^ (well, almost all - not fond of the woodsman, the militia man and the border guard).

White Dwarf 92 (1987) - The Stuff of Legend
Now take this one: models designed by Aly and Trish Morrison.

White Dwarf 90 (1987) - Stuff of Legends

So what are the models actually designed by Aly Morrison? The obvious thing to do first is to identify the "clones" using the same base slightly converted (heads and/or weapons most of the time). Here we go:


Anthony of Averland and Dieter Muler

Captain of the Watch and Tarn Sigmarson

Sir Harold Hammerfist and Imperial Guard

Templar and Volrik the Brave

Imperial Woodsman and Reik Guard
Jan Oakheart and Forester

Royal Guard and Nuln Spearman
Now refering to the Red Catalogue (1991), we can see in the footnotes that the models on the page below were designed by the Perry twins with Aly Morrison...

... which means that we can also attribute to Mr. Morrison the second fanatic and Bertrand the Red (plus the archer of course):

Flagellant or Fledger with club
Sir Geoffry the Archer and Bertrand the Red

Paladins

Now, using this picture identifying Aly Morrison as a designer of paladins, I can also attribute to him some additional pairs of models... 

Citadel Miniatures Catalogue 1988 - The Stuff of Legends

Sir Pression de la Masse and Basil the Good
Lady Zoneliegh and Agnes
Sir Kit Breaker and Lackland

... which is not necessarily good news, as I don't like these models.

Note that Sir Kit Breaker and Lackland come both from the knightly hero opposed to the Great Fire Dragon, designed by... Bob Naismith. Are the credits just for the dragon, or do they include its opponent? Mystery unsolved... 


An older reference (see below) includes Trish Morrison in the paladins designers and my first move was to attribute to her the models I'm not fond of...
The Citadel Journal Spring 1987 - The Stuff of Legends
... until I realise that that Trish Morrison could simply be credited for at least one of the Paladin models not shown in the 1988 Catalogue, namely Simon the Templar (no better picutre) and Sir Kull of death (see below).


Among the remaining models, I have little doubts about Sir Errol de Swash (his face seems to me rather typical of Aly's style) and I think that Sir Monne de la Monte is a valid candidate too (close to the MM60 Fighter F6). If Sir Pression de la Masse is Aly's work, I'm afraid that I have to consider that Le Marquis de Sword is his too.

For the other paladins, Sir Osram, Maurice the Chevalier (I love these stupid names ^_^) and Lord Aven, I have definitely no clue...

F2 Fighters (again)

Back to this second picture and the last unknowns:


To be honest, I'm not fond of models 1 (Sir Geoffrey), 3 (Lord Robert), 6 (Leopold Rogue) and 17 (George Eaglehelm), and I'd like to think that they were designed by Trish.

If anyone has information on these last 6 miniatures, let me know!


(couldn't find a decent picture of the captain guard)

Edit. Now I know why it's so difficult:
http://eldritchepistles.blogspot.fr/2014/02/the-nuln-spearman-and-guard-captain.html


7 comments:

  1. The Border Guard is much nicer in real life. Both him and the Captain of the Guard are in my Frostgrave minis, and now I'll have to add the Fanatic. The Fanatic will make a great thug.

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  2. Those oldschool minis are impresive. I hope you will find what you are looking for. Looking forward to see them painted on your blog. Cheers!

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    1. Well, thanks. I'm realising that collecting Aly Morrison's models is going to take a lot of time and efforts (and money of course ^_^)

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  3. fascinating and thorough research here...very interesting.

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  4. Simon the Templar is a Jes Goodwin figure. It was part of the TSR ADD41 "LAWFUL FIGHTERS" range.
    I guess (because of their short legs) n. 10 Rowlocks and n. 14 Werner with Axe should be Perry Twins figures, but they are not credited on the flyer, so I am not sure.
    I think Sir Kit Breaker and Lackland have a body totally different from the knightly hero opposed to the Great Fire Dragon (by Bob Naismith).

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    1. You're right! Bob Naismith's model has nothing in common with Sir Kit breaker and Lackland. Thanks for noticing this page, by the way :)

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