PlaymoFriends

Getting Started => Welcome! => Topic started by: NeilMartin on July 17, 2022, 05:50:43

Title: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: NeilMartin on July 17, 2022, 05:50:43
Hello Everyone

I hope that all of you are safe and well.

I’d like to introduce myself, I’m rather late to the Playmobil party but trying to make up for all the lost time.

In mid-December 2019 (in my 55th year) I stumbled across (on eBay) Playmobil Spanish/Conquistador Klicky soldiers sporting Morion helmets and their perennial enemies, French Musketeers. I'm a life-long fan of the French TV series, 'The Flashing Blade', which was a mainstay of British school holiday TV in the 1970's). I have always admired the iconic shape of the Morion helmet and this in turn led to an interest in UK and European history in the first half of the 17th Century. I started collecting Klickys with the idea of creating a small Tercio military formation. I’m also now collecting Playmobil Castle sets and Desert Bedouin sets as well. And sometimes I buy other beautifully designed/interesting Playmobil sets that don’t fit into those three themes.

I live in the United Kingdom (and I’m deeply sorry that we’re no longer part of the EU) in Birmingham, West Midlands. My wife and I live in a small apartment so I have very little storage space and no display space at all. What do other people do when they have no display space?

Finally, I wanted to thank you all for the many interesting and inspirational forum posts that I’ve read – it’s nice to be a part of the Playmobil community.

Kind regards,
Neil
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmovictorian on July 17, 2022, 07:04:46
Good morning Neil  :wave:

A very warm welcome to you from Marlow on Thames !

I love the Midlands  :love:

Thank you for sharing your story and welcome to Playmofriends  :welcome:

Karim :gent:
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: Eplay on July 17, 2022, 08:41:02
Welcome from the Netherlands!!
With small children I don’t display large sets or diorama’s. But I have a glass dome on a low cabinet in the living room in which I display small (seasonal) sets
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmofire on July 17, 2022, 08:59:53
A warm welcome from the North Yorkshire coast, Neil.    :wave:

Even though you are short of space and so have difficulty displaying and photographing what you have,
if you can maybe provide links to show us part of your collection it would be interesting to see.

Here's the "electronic bible" for Playmobil:

https://playmodb.org/
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: GrahamB on July 17, 2022, 09:05:54
Hi Neil and welcome from Stroud in Gloucestershire.

Storage and display space are perennial problems for us collectors. Unless you are very restrained, it's easy to accumulate a great deal of Playmobil, once you get hooked. As my children grow up and flee the nest, I commandeer their bedrooms and fill them up with my toys (this is actually an exaggeration!). I worry that I focus too much on the collecting and not enough on enjoying what I have, so I am trying to set up small displays which I change regularly. I use a windowsill and a shelf above some stairs. When I get round to it, I may post some pictures. Eplay's glass dome dioramas are an excellent example of displays which take up very little space.

Good to see you here!
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: Ismene on July 17, 2022, 10:11:15
Welcome Neil!

Many of us struggle with a space issue. I *just* cleared off enough space to set up my old Victorian house, and that took years. I'm not sure how long it will last with life and all. If you can clear off or put up a small shelf, you can have rotating displays of klickies (probably not the buildings). I have, in the past, done horrible things like putting Playmobil on top of books on the bookshelf (not recommended because they can easily fall behind the bookcase :lol:) or having klickies on my already crowded desk. I'm trying to be judicious in my purchases, so that I don't have more than I can appreciate, but it is hard when lovely sets come out. Some sets and themes I have to enjoy vicariously through Playmofriends.

I hope you can find a creative way to enjoy your collection, despite the space limitations of your apartment.
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: Pynedor on July 17, 2022, 15:15:50
Welcome! :)

It can certainly be difficult to have enough storage and display space. And often when space becomes available, it is quickly filled. The others have shared some great ideas for managing a collection when space is limited, but perhaps you could look for a larger home (if possible)! ;)
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: NeilMartin on July 17, 2022, 15:15:53
Thank you very much Karim, Eplay, playmofire, GrahamB and Ismere both for the warm welcome and great ideas/thoughts. I'm not actually in the UK at the moment but when I do get home I will get myself a 20cm x 30cm dome, I already have a couple of dioramas in mind.

I've attached a couple of photos, the first shows part of my Tercio from when I did have a display cabinet, the second photo is my first attempt at a small castle (still a work in progress). I hope that you like these, all feedback and building advice/tips are welcome.

Best wishes,
Neil
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: tahra on July 17, 2022, 15:53:40
Welcome from Portugal!

I suppose a klicky theme only leads to others... making space a a constant problem... :(

Your army looks great :love:  - looking forward to more!
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: Tiermann on July 17, 2022, 17:39:42
Welcome from Oregon USA!

Display spots are always tricky. I've been making do with the top of the piano and a sideboard in the dining room the last couple of years. I had a zPlaymo room in my old house and while I have storage space now I am still trying to figure out where to put my diorama table in the different spaces where I am now.
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmofire on July 17, 2022, 21:25:19
I like the pikemen, ideal for an English Civil war diorama.
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: NeilMartin on July 18, 2022, 04:16:36
Thank you very much tahra and Tim, when I get home I'm going to re-assess display spaces in my apartment.

Best wishes,
Neil
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: GrahamB on July 18, 2022, 08:16:08
Nice pictures, Neil. The shot of your army gives a real sense of movement, which is better than just having loads of identical soldiers standing in rows (which you sometimes see).
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmofire on July 18, 2022, 10:36:41
Nice pictures, Neil. The shot of your army gives a real sense of movement, which is better than just having loads of identical soldiers standing in rows (which you sometimes see).

A good point, Graham.

Neil, are the pikes customs?
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: NeilMartin on July 20, 2022, 01:07:24
Yes, the pikes are customs from an eBay vendor called Steinerner from Spain,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383487896702

When I get back to the UK I'll get some better photos taken and posted. I have been working to make the soldiers with muskets individuals as I obtain different heads and hair pieces. And one or two custom Klicky soldiers as well. Again I'll take some photos when I'm back home (mid-August).

Best wishes,
Neil

Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmofire on July 20, 2022, 09:12:14
Yes, the pikes are customs from an eBay vendor called Steinerner from Spain,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383487896702

When I get back to the UK I'll get some better photos taken and posted. I have been working to make the soldiers with muskets individuals as I obtain different heads and hair pieces. And one or two custom Klicky soldiers as well. Again I'll take some photos when I'm back home (mid-August).

Best wishes,
Neil

Thank you, Neil; I look forward to that.
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmofire on July 20, 2022, 09:41:00
Yes, the pikes are customs from an eBay vendor called Steinerner from Spain,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383487896702

When I get back to the UK I'll get some better photos taken and posted. I have been working to make the soldiers with muskets individuals as I obtain different heads and hair pieces. And one or two custom Klicky soldiers as well. Again I'll take some photos when I'm back home (mid-August).

Best wishes,
Neil

Wow! jut looking at the Flanders wars he's got some great stuff which would be usable with the 2nd English Civil War.
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: Macruran on September 25, 2022, 05:21:56
With pikes like that you could do a dio recreating Velazquez's Surrender At Breda! Which reminds me, I have been meaning to make a thread for playmo versions of famous artworks  O0
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: playmovictorian on January 04, 2023, 07:14:45
A very warm welcome to you dear Neil from Marlow on Thames  :wave: :welcome:

Compliments of the season to you and your wife !

I love Birmingham and have very dear memories of visiting the wonderful Christmas Market with a friend as well as travelling on the Severn Valley Railway steam train in nearby Kidderminster  :love:

Karim
Title: Re: Hello from Birmingham, United Kingdom
Post by: StJohn on April 14, 2023, 23:43:32
Hello Neil

Welcome to PF! I enjoy your posts and am happy that you have joined this friendly little forum.

I'm from the Low Countries, and one of my long-term plans is getting serious about the Eighty Years' War in PM. I have been collecting with this goal in mind for years, but customising / displaying linger still in the future. I hope you'll still be around when I'll finally get to create something!

Best wishes
StJohn