September 16, 2007
Dear Fellow Collector,
I have just approved production run samples of nine (9) painted pewter sets
from our extensive new Viking Raid series. The first production run of these
sets sets has shipped & is expected in the office this week. (Our first new
plastic 'playset' depicting a Viking Raid is also now available in limited
numbers.)
These pewter sets are the “first wave” of our new “Valhalla Awaits” tm range
which will extensively be added to in coming months & years. These sets depict
Norseman, Saxons, Monks, Normans & various farm animals engaged in all manner of
combat & frivolity.
The series is a major addition to our best selling Viking Ship –VIK200:“The Sea
Raider”- and past Viking/Norman and War Lord fine pewter sets. This extensive
series will include a full scale Saxon Church, Irish Watchtower, Medieval Cog
(Saxon or French Boat for the Vikings to “enlighten”), Village buildings,
haystacks, wagons, etc.........and a massive siege tower (not a whimpy thang
like others purvey), battering ram, scaling ladders. catapults, javelin throwers
and defensive screens.
Over 26 new Viking sets are at the factory and will be released in several
waves over the next 9-12 months. If you see something you like, my suggestion
is buy it sooner rather than 'later' as we are likely to waver in & out of back
order status on these and other sets for the next 6 months or so. In addition
to the Viking sets we also have major additions to our Spartan range in
production and are also trying to catch up on back-ordered sets from all of our
other ranges. Managing an ever changing inventory is always difficult with over
400 different products but might be especially so with over 50 new sets in
production including some very large pieces. I hate to tell you something 'is
out of stock' but due to our tremendous growth in new sets I fear this issue
will continue for the next several months at least.
This first production run will undoubtedly sell out quickly. Please contact us
to place your order if you haven't done so already. We and most of our dealers
will be offering introductory prices & a special as you'll see below.
These sets are packaged in a new style of packaging which is quite dramatic and
eye catching and at the same time quite simple. Black boxes with a red engraving
of a Valykrie on horseback carrying a slain Viking warrior to the legendary &
sacred Hall of Valhalla.......as many of you know, a Viking who dies with sword
in hand during battle on earth is guaranteed a place at the side of Odin in the
dining hall of Valhalla in Asgard ......from which they will sally forth to do
battle with the evil doers of the world...
Most of these sets include large terrain bases and/or beautiful accessories as
well as painting nuances generally not seen in our previous Viking releases of
several years back. As usual, figures are removable from the bases...so are
items like the catapult..... We also feel we should remind you that our factory
continues to assure us that our sets are made of 'fine pewter' and are therefore
deemed to be 'lead free'. While this costs us more & we , in turn, must pass
this on to you, I feel strongly that safety comes first , and durability and
longevity of the product should go hand in hand. Unfortunately, many others in
the toy soldier world are selling 'white metal' figures which are not "fine
pewter" or as lead free as is possible. Please be careful when making
purchases......
Pictures of all 25 or so sets forthcoming our on our site at www.conteco.com
including some very recent diorama scenes by the fabulous Joe Baker. Some of his
new scenes include the beautiful fortified Saxon Church (VA 026) which will
become a main piece in any display you might set up. It probably is the best
painted and made building we have made to date and will be available in time for
Christmas.
As many of you know--and as our logo would suggest-- I am very partial to
Vikings, Normans and the like. I think you may find this range to be the
greatest Medieval range yet released in the toy soldier world. I know that
Einar & Ragnar are proud of our efforts.....
For they & You, Valhalla Awaits!!!!
Pictures of Each Appear Below:
VA001 "When The Raven Flies!" (2 Figure Viking Command Set Including the 'Raven's Banner'); I've always wanted a Norse Flagbearer and we did alot of research trying to find descriptions. The "Raven's Banner' is described in several medieval sources so we did our best at recreating one. The "Chief" is a tall triumphant fellow; I debated doing him coming ashore in splashing water but decided terrain was the way.0 Introductory Price $59.95
Regular Price $67.00
to
go.
VA003 "Thunderbolt"
(Catapult, Highly Detailed Terrain Base & 4 Figures); This is a set I've wanted
to do since I started the company. While many think of Vikings as only raiding
in small scale with a couple of ships and in a smash & grab kind of attack (and
this certainly may have been the norm) I've always been fascinated by the larger
Viking attacks where they actually arrived in hundreds of ships and had large
scale battles as well as sieges. The several 'raids' on Paris in particular
stand out as full-scale warfare with a reported 700 dragon ships and as many as
35,000 warriors!!!! I've tried to make a catapult 'in action' and under attack
itself as shown by the incoming arrows and casualty.(2 of the figures shown are
from the add-on set which is free as part of our 'special).One of our nicest
'scenes' ever.
Regular Price $165.00 Introductory Price $149.95
VA004 "Thunderbolt
Add-On" (2 Additional Figures
For Set VA003 Including Kneeling Archer & Casualty); The kneeling archer is from
the 'far side' of the catapult and isn't really visible in the pictures above. I
love this shot mainly as it shows all sorts of incoming arrows. The dead guy
wasn't so lucky....at least we know he's in Valhalla.
Introductory Price
$54.00
Regular Price $ 60.00
VA005 "You Can Run...." (Monk
Pursued By Viking On Highly Detailed Terrain Base Including Celtic Cross &
Tombstone); I've always imagined that alot of scenes like this were repeated
during the Viking Era. The Norse knew that the churches usually had valuable
gold and silver artifacts and other treasures stored there. Gruesomely, they
also learned to expect that some tombs might contain jewelry and such buried
with the deceased. Whilst the Viking and Monk are great sculpts, I really love
this terrain base and especially the Celtic Cross & tombstone. This one set
really sums up a familiar occurrence.......and gives meaning to the prayer "Oh
Lord, Protect Us From the Fury Of the Northmen!"
Regular Price $75.00
Introductory Price
$68.00
VA008 "A Shopping We
Will Go" (Single Figure Of The 'Shopping Viking' Complete With A Few Things
He Picked Up 'On The Way Home'); This happy fellow is intentionally slightly
paunchy as he seems to be a Viking with priorities other than burning &
fighting. He is a marvelous sculpt as are the sheep & treasure chest.
Regular Price $39.95
Introductory Price $
34.00 with free sheep
VA009 "A Woman's Point of View" (
Single Figure Of A Saxon Wench Defending With Pitchfork); Collectors have made
clear to us that they want more woman & children figures in our ranges and we
are trying to deliver. She is clearly protecting hearth & home and I found it
interesting to portray her with a pitchfork(typically belonging in the hands of
a man) rather than a broom or household utensil. This lady is clearly angry and
means business & is more than a match for a Viking.
Regular Price $ 38.00
Introductory Price
$34.00
VA013 "The Hooded Avenger" (Single Figure of Hooded, Mysterious Saxon
Archer); Robin Hood-esque??? You bet!
Like most of you I love Robin Of Locksley...Is this him? No, that was not my
intention but he certainly can & should be a member of RH's band of outlaws when
the rest of our Merry Men make an appearance at some future date. I
intentionally wanted this guy to look deadly, ominous & well versed in the use
of a long bow--he'll certainly fill a few seats in Valhalla with dead Vikings.
The actual sets have the arrow "on the inside of the bow" and not the outside as
is shown in this picture
Regular Price $ 36.00
Introductory Price $31.00
VA015 "Wontcha Let
Me Take Ya On A Sea Cruise?" (Viking On Terrain Base Leading Away A
Beautiful Saxon Prisoner); I wanted this lady to remain proud & defiant as she
is being led off to an uncertain future and probably her first ocean voyage. I
think Robert did a wonderful job conveying the emotion of this scene. This
Viking was made dark bearded as I felt it added to the seriousness of the
moment......Questions I couldn't answer in this piece which crossed my mind
involved whether she left a slain Saxon husband behind?? Is he in one of our
other sets? and might she still be rescued by her spouse or by the Hooded
Avenger?? Does she have children...also captured..with whom she might reunite
back at the lair of the Vikings????
Regular Price $75.00
Introductory Price $ 69.00
VA020 "Bring It
On....." (Viking w/Conte Logo Shield Fighting Charging Saxon); the first of
several hand to hand sets with opponents facing off. While it can't be seen in
this photo (please see the website for some great angles) the Viking's shield
has our logo as decoration and is quite striking. To me this Viking is a
'classic" in terms of animation and implied action. I even made his spear longer
than most of our Vikings from years ago as (a) this is probably more accurate,
and (b) I envisioned this dude as being such a warrior that he could properly
handle this weapon. I originally intended this Vik to be charging off the end
of our siege tower onto a castle wall (and while he can still do that) I wanted
to use him here as he is really fearsome...and in the process makes the bravery
of the Saxon seem even more desperate. I can't imagine the horror of these
Viking raids upon simple villagers who had it bad enough trying to squeeze out a
living ......
Regular Price $ 69.00
Introductory
Price $62.00
Special: Buy all eight sets 001/003/005/008/009/013/015 and 020 at introductory prices and receive set 004 for free & receive free shipping.
Thank you as always for
your kind patronage. These sets are very special in terms of sculpting &
painting and I truly hope you like what I've come up with. This range is long
overdue.........please check out some of the pictures on our website on Joe's
"Webmaster's Blog" Page.
We hope to see you in Northumbria or on the coast of Brittany or in Lindisfarne.....
RC
