Tuesday 11 August 2020

Now That’s what I call Vikings

I recall seeing Vikings as a boy in Niels M Saxtorph’s “Warriors and Weapons of Early Times” -
I was fascinated when I saw that my Elastolin figures looked just like Vikings in the above picture. The same poses too! Yes , I know we all know what Vikings didn’t wear on their heads but sometimes you can’t resist an Old Vikings figure with horned or winged helmets! I couldn’t and snapped up these Cherilea figures which arrived today. I am posting pictures of them along with some inspiration for the forthcoming renovation and painting-






12 comments:

  1. Not to mention unibrows and boobplates, eh? ha ha

    Well, I suppose sometimes you just have to go with the old myths.

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  2. You're absolutely right - proper Vikings!

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  3. Very Wagnerian, you can tell they were made in the 1960's as they're sporting the latest fashion for mini skirts and crop tops.

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  4. Since the Elastolin's came first, Blandford could be seen as being faithful to their source material.... That was one of the handful of books I hauled to Military College to help me through my Prep year as a 17yr old officer cadet.

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    1. Great choice of book, what others did you take?

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  5. What evidence is there that Vikings didn't wear horned hats? The only true Viking helmet found has spectacles which are even more impractical. The old chestnut about top heavy just isn't true, and we all know historical military headgear is meant to be impressive above practical. Earlier period helmets depict warriors in horned hats , but whether these are just pictures of gods or priests we don't know. So we need more figures with horns that can be snipped off if you don't like 'em. And more Germanic cross gartering too!

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    1. Interesting comment . The Late Scandinavian Bronze Age helmets(?) are for ritual not battle useage. I wonder about the practicalities of fixing horns to a helmet?

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