Part 5

The marketing of the moulds did not originally contain any brochure material, informing on what was planned and what could be expected in the future. The first total perspective of the moulds came in the middle of 2000 and contained only what had been marketed until date. Table 2 offers an overview of the 20 mould sets broken down by period and nationality, while Table 3 offers a complete perspective of the contents in all 20 mould sets. In 1996 the moulds were priced at DKK 235 per set in Denmark corresponding to almost DKK 80 per mould. The prices have increased over time and the latest marketed set of moulds costs DKK 298 corresponding to DKK 100 for a mould of excellent quality, which may be termed as quite reasonable.

Swedish Artillery crew in fortress tower with yellow hussars for the close defense of the tower.

Prince August has informed that the company is somewhere between 10-20 figures ahead in the planning, but it only seldom reveals anything about future plans. From a survey of Table 2, the 20 already marketed mould sets reveals a strong orientation towards the French market. Prince August confirms that France is the main market and this to such a degree that at one point the planned ranking of future mould sets was changed in order to introduce some French figures at a sales exhibition in a number of French towns (80-16 came before 80-15). Later the company informed that 80-18 would be the French "tête de colonne", part 4. This was, however, changed to Napoleon. And after 80-20 we are still awaiting the "tête de colonne", part 4. It is of course a strength for a small company to be flexible and quickly able to adapt to changes on the market.

It has apparently never struck the mind of the world's biggest manufacturer of moulds, Prince August, that customers having purchased all 20 marketed sets of moulds at some stage would need some sort of system and perspective of all the around 208 different parts of a total of 267 parts, which can be cast from the moulds. If you don't already have an archive and stock system, I recommend that you create one with a number of main breakdowns to keep track of all the various parts. In my archive every part has its own file card with a picture and a description of the part. This does not only apply for the Napoleonic range, but for all ranges in my possession. The cards also contain information on what figure it belongs to and a picture of the main figure as well as how many parts I have in stock of the part in question. I refuse to believe that I am the only one who has found this necessary. Most collectors and manufacturers with a huge number of moulds and figures find themselves in need of an overview of the stock and what belongs together with regard to manufacture and converting possibilities.

Ideally, the manufacturer recognises this demand and ensures that every figure is accompanied by a so-called exploded picture or drawing with all parts drawn separately and where location is identified by an arrow. Such a drawing is ideal for cutting out the pictures and gluing them on the file cards. For small parts I photocopy them in magnified versions to fit the size of the cards. The German Preiser Miniaturfiguren, for instance, features elegant drawings inexpensively on the inside of the packing of the figures. Prince August accompanied the moulds up to mould set No. 80-06 with some printed overviews with very simple drawings. From mould set 80-07 a very attractive and colourful brochure was introduced, certainly signifying a step in the right direction. The printing costs may have been too high because from 80-13 the company returned to the colourless prints again, but with increasingly professional drawings. In mould set 80-17 the material resembles the idea of the exploded drawing, perhaps thanks to my suggestion.