Re-creating discontinued Len Jordan models
Posted by Roger Dawson on May 16, 2022, 12:06:24
Len's model making skills improved over the years and by the time that her had a back catalogue of over 100 models in the 1990s, he decided that he would withdraw some of the earliest models from his range. By 2000 his catalogue listed 33 models from the L and M ranges that were no longer being made. In some cases, new versions of the same ships were re-mastered and re-issued but in other cases a sister-ship or the same ship with more modern fittings appeared. Some ships were never re-issued because other makers had filled the gap and some were simply abandoned. During Lockdown, some members of Antics staff wished to buy some railway and wargaming models at an online auction and I was asked to value some mini-ships lots for them so that they could collect a van load of models from the auction economically that would not need to be inexpertly re-packed for delivery by mail or carrier because Antics would use their own transit trays. The online photographs were not very detailed and the lots were a mixed bunch but I was able to identify models by the artistic style of the maker and Antics won about 50% of the lots. When the models were collected, the paint finish on many of them were not as good as had been implied in the auction description and some of the resin kits had been cross-kitted to make representative models of other ships. Having repaired and re-boxed those that I could, I agreed terms with Antics on the remainder and over a couple of months five of these (three Len Jordan's and Two Hein Muecke's) were re-habilitated. At last year's Lincoln Show I saw some models that appeared to be hand made masters and unusual metal castings of parts of ship models for ships that I had taken along as cheap restoration projects for other model makers and over the next six moths I was able to identify models that could be combined to fill the Len Jordan missing back catalogue with the addition of hand-built components: funnels, masts and derricks, ventilators, king posts, lifeboats and winches. So bits and pieces has been purchased, built and assembled and some ship models have been created to fill gaps and I will have some of these at Theale. They will only be available as completed models and Antics have samples on sale with photographs for those who are not going to Theale or cannot wait to reserve them! The models are: Garthorpe, Anatoli Serov, Robert L Holt (the last named is armed and in grey) Baron Ailsa and Baron Jedburgh (both in late WW2 grey) and HMT Euripides in 1918 dazzle camouflage.
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