Friday, February 24, 2023

Slate miner

Model slate miner

According to the card beside this in a book/antique shop I visited recently, this is "Quarryman with tipping truck - very accurate (used as illustration in book on slate) - £3 - made of compressed slate."

I looked at it and was inpressed with the quality of the moulding, and the modelling. These things are usuaully rubbish - see the somewhat soft castings of Airfix Pugs produced in coal for example. This one though,it's sharp, and presumably taken from a specially carved master. 

My first thought is that it would make an interesting painting project one day. That, and at three quid, I can afford to buy it for just that reason.

The figure is 100mm tall, so 6' 3" in 16mm scale. A little tall perhaps, but not out of the question. the 18mm track gauge equates to 1' 2", but I think we can call it 1', so again, suprisingly accurate. 
 
On the base is a label "Eden Valley Arts. Quarryman & Tub. Made with slate from Cumbrian Quarry. Tel/Fax. (01768) 899720" - I can find a couple of organisations with similar names, but nothing that suggests they are the source of this miniature, so it's origins are a mystery, as is the name of the book that used this as an illustration.
 
 

3 comments:

Simon Hargraves said...

I would also find this little chap with his wagon difficult to resist.
I've got some kits for a similar pattern of wagon in 009 although they scale out larger and were more for loco haulage. They haven't got the rivets either...
I like the tied up trouser legs, presumably to keep rats from going you know where!
The infill between the tipper body and frame is well done too, though I don't know what you'd do about it if painting the piece.
It'll be interesting to see what you do with it!
Simon.

Steve said...

You find some super things Phil. Really nice 'model'. I particularly like the curly spokes on the wheels.

Phil Parker said...

Simon - the infill is interesting and shows that the master was made of clay. When painting, the simplest thing would be to paint it black, but I have wondered about grinding it away a bit with a Dremell too. Not sure, and it's a long way down the project pile as I like it a lot as it is.