Who's that halfling? Answered by the sculptor

Juxt

Member
Hi guys, new user here looking for a bit of help regarding the identity of an old GW halfling.

I've been slowly collecting a few of the old Nippon themed miniatures, and have come across one that I can't find catalogued anywhere (infact, I can only really find one blog on the internet with a picture of him). A halfling oni almost falling over backwards through the effort of swinging his hammer. He seems to have been sculpted by the same person and at the same time as the 'standard' upright halfling Oni that is pretty well documented, before he got reworked into Theo the halfling ashigaru. He has an integral base much like the other halfling oni, with the word 'oni' scratched into the underside, and shares a few design elements- the 7 dot pattern on his hammer and Theo's saya scabbard, similar sculpting on armour panels etc.
Has anyone seen this mini catalogued or referenced anywhere apart from Greblord's blog? Did he come as a two-pack with the upright halfling oni? If he did, then surely there would be more floating around, I can find 7 or 8 examples of the upright oni online but only Greblord's examples of the hammer oni.








Anyway, any information that you guys have would be gratefully received.


Alex
 

A Badger

Member
Re: Who's that halfling?

Doesn't appear to be catalogued, but would guess it was a 1983/4 Aly Morrison sculpt done as part of the same range of Oriental mythology as the Fox Priest - possibly enemies for his Samurai boxed set.

It's referenced on CCM - http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Oriental_Heroes_-_C05_(solid_base) but I think they've misattributed it as non C05. There's a wizard and a soldier that are of that era and are noted in http://www.solegends.com/citc/c005orientals/index.htm 1984 flyer - I'm pretty sure it's from the same set.
 

Juxt

Member
Re: Who's that halfling?

Yeah my thoughts were Aly Morrison too. Although the fox priest I've got had a sculpted 'name plaque' on his solid base whereas both solid base halflings had plain puddle-of-lead-style bases. They go nicely together anyway whether they were intended to or not :)
 

Juxt

Member
Re: Who's that halfling? Answered by the sculptor himself

So after a quick message to Mr Morrison, I have my answer...

Hi Alex...
Yes ... I made that little chap...
The two Oni along with an Oriental wizard were sculpted by me just after I accepted a job as a Citadel Designer way back in 1983...
I made them in the month before I officially started to see how I liked working in Green Stuff epoxy putty... I had been using Milliput up till that point... they were later released as a blister pack.
They are the first figures that I ever made for Citadel...although my first official release was the Samurai/Oriental Warriors box set.

All the best. Aly

Exactly the news I wanted to hear, I love the stories behind miniatures almost as much as the miniatures themselves, and these diminutive orientals are some of my favourites so it's good to have the definitive answer. I do kinda wish that they had been expanded upon at the time to a slightly larger range but I suppose not many people had the need for a unit of Japanese themed hobbits sculpted by an as-then untested sculptor.
My next quest is sorted too, who or what is that early wizard model, and can I find one? Is it the rather portly 'Chinese' themed chap in a hat and apron, or is it someone else? :?:
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Really glad you found out more about the little chaps. Quite elusive pieces, and very interesting that they pre-date Aly's Oriental Heroes and Hobgoblins boxed sets.

Sorry. can't help you with any info on the Qing dynasty style wizard / emperor / general.
 
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