Greenwood and Ball Connoisseur Figures - An Appendix

 As an appendix to a past blog article written in 2006, which has received recent revived interest; https://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2019/06/greenwood-ball-connoisseur-military.html I’m undertaking this project in an attempt to recover and reconstruct a more complete history of the Firm of Greenwood and Ball, and a complete list of their products.

 The following is an image of their complete staff.

Original workers at Spring Village, Horsehay, about 1949-50. Left to right:- Mr. Greenwood (seated), Eleanor Clay (standing behind), Brenda Yarnald, Mrs. Ball (Kathleen's mother), Kathleen Ball, Cynthia Booth (standing) and seated, an American gentleman called Herbert Jackson with Mr. Greenwood's Red Setter dog called Flare.

 

Among other listings/catalogues, in 1973 a GREENWOOD AND BALL Catalogue was issued which listed the following series and individual figures. What is not known, for each unit, corps, regiment, etc. how many different uniforms and poses were offered, and were the figures individually numbered? At that time prices started at $40.00 USD. Currently a single cursory page listing (#11) is being offered on e-Bay for GBP 19.99 ($26.40 USD). Apologies, this is the best available image.

Another later listing is provided in the following image.

The following is an initial, and will be a continuing attempt to research and identify a comprehensive list of figures produced. Although John Greenwood worked in other scales, this list is of 32nd scale (i.e. 54mm or 2 1/4 in.). From 1938 to1966 He, Ms. Kathleen Ball, and their staff,  produced 500 different figures in that scale. The total quantity of figures produced is unknown to the author. Additional figures which have been added below are from those found from other sources, or which the author has physically seen. Reader additions and corrections are both solicited and sincerely appreciated.

 

ALL BRITISH ARMY – 1914

Cavalry Regiments

The Life Guards

The Horse Guards

1^st Royal Dragoons

2nd Dragoons  (Royal Scots Greys), Officer, Review order

2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys), Officer, Patrol Blues

6th Inniskilling Dragoons

7th Dragoon Guards Officer, Review Order

Yorkshire Dragoons

Royal Horse Artillery, Officer, Review Order

Royal Engineers, Officer, Review Order

Hussar Regiments

11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), Officer, Review Order

13th Hussars, Officer, Review Order

14th (King's) Hussars

Active Service 1914 British Cavalry Officer 

Lancer Regiments

9^th Queen’s Own Royal Lancers

16^th/5^th Lancers

17^th Lancers, (Duke of Cambridge’s Own), Officer, Review Order

17^th/21^st Lancers

            21st Lancers (Empress of India's), Officer, Review Order

            Royal Tank Regiment, Officer, Review Order

            

Infantry Regiments

Grenadier Guards

Welsh Guards (1915)

Coldstream Guards

Irish Guards

Scots Guards

Royal Scots

1st Regiment of Foot (The Royal Scots) Officer, circa 1956

King's Own Scottish Borderers

Royal Scots Fusiliers

Cameronians

Highland Light Infantry

Blackwatch (2 known different figures)

Cameron Highlanders (5 known different figures) 

Seaforth Highlanders

Gordon Highlanders (3 known different figures)

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (3 known different figures)

24th South Wales Borderers, Officer, Review Order

Northhamptonshire, Officer

City of London (Rough Rider)

Royal East Kent Regiment (The Buffs), Officer, Review Order

King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Officer, Review Order

The Parachute Regiment, Officer, Service Dress

Royal Irish Rifles, Officer, Review Order

Line Infantry Officer, Review Order

Active Service 1914 British Infantry Officer

 

 Yeomanry Regiments

            The Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own Officer, Review Order)

 

 British Indian Army

            H.H. Sir Partap Singh Bahadur, Review Order

3rd Indian Cavalry

5th Indian Cavalry

11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's

Horse)

5^th Cavalry

16th Cavalry

17th Cavalry

1st Hyderabad Lancers, Officer, Review Order

18th King George's Own Lancers

27th Madras Light Cavalry, Officer, Review Order

29th Lancers (Deccan Horse), Risaldar, Review Order

30th Lancers (Gordon’s Horse), Officer, Review Order

37th Lancers (Baluch Horse), Risaldar 

1^st Duke of York’s Own Cavalry (Skinners Horse)

6th Punjabs, Riseldar

21st Punjabs, Riseldar

27^th Punjabi Infantry, Risaldar

51st Sikhs, Risaldar, Review Order

130th Baluch Regiment, Risaldar, Review Order

59th Scinde Rifles, Officer

33rd Punjab Rifles, Officer, Review Order

43rd Erinpurra Irregular Force Indian Army, Risaldar

 

Governors Body Guards

Governor General's Bodyguard Madras, Officer, Review Order

 

 Imperial Service Troops

Mysore Transport Corps, Officer, Review Order

 

 GERMAN ARMED FORCES – WORLD WAR II (1936 to 1945) 

Army (Wehrmacht)

    Officer, Parade Dress (2 known different figures)

    Officer, Lt General, Parade Dress

    Officer, Panzer Corps, Battledress

Air Force (Luftwaffe)

    German Fallschirmjäger (Paratrooper), Reading Map

Navy (Kriegsmarine)

Waffen-SS

The following image is an assortment of German Army figures 1910 - 1945

This second image, while severely lacking clarity shows a fuller inventory of WWII German figures.

WWII German Wehrmacht,
Officer, Lt General, Parade Dress  

WWI German Hussar Regiment
Parade Dress

WWII German Wehrmacht, Officer and General,
Stalhelms, Service and Parade Dress

SCOTTISH CLANSMEN – HISTORICAL

The following images are excellent examples of this series. Total number of figures in series is to be determined.

MEN AT ARMS 14^th -15^th CENTURY

            ENGLISH

English Royal Household

Black Prince's Household

Welsh troops serving with The Black Prince

Men of Sussex

De Bohum's Household

Sir Roger Mortimer

Glamorgan Welsh

Lisle of Rougemont's Household

Montacute Archers

Ufford's Archers

FRENCH

Paris a Amiens Militia

Count of Armagnac

Guillaume Martel (Sieur de Bacqueville)

Sieur de Creguy

Comte de Blarmont

Duke de Bar

The Dauphin

Comte de Soissons

 

SPECIAL FIGURES

H.M. Queen Elizabeth Il in Coronation Robes

H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in Naval uniform (Honorary Admiral)

Lord Horacio Nelson 

Light Infantry 1955

Staff Services

Queen Anne 1704

Prince George of Denmark 1704

Admiral Royal Navy

Officer of U.S. Marines

Officer, Royal Navy (3 known different figures)

Officer, Royal Marines

Royal Marine Commando Officer, Service Dress

Officer U.S. Army in khaki

Officer, Jungle uniform

Officer. Desert uniform

Officer, Queens Westminsters

Officer, 11th Hussars. khaki

Officer. 5th Inniskillings

Officer. R.A.F Full dress

French Garde du Corps

French Cuirassiers

French Bodyguard Hussars

Prussian Hussars

Brunswick Hussars

Hussar wearing pelisse

Saxon Hussars

Russian Don Cossack, Officer (Extremely rare and reputed to be an early piece from Ball's Private Collection)

 

Shown are additional images of Greenwood and Ball figures. 

Left to right are; Royal Engineers, Officer, Review Order,
 Line Infantry, Officer, Review Order,
 Royal Irish Rifles, Officer, Review Order.

Royal Tank Regiment, Officer, Review Order.

Gordon Highlander, Officer (Senior Colonel, front),
Mounted Duties.

 

Gordon Highlander, Officer (Senior Colonel, rear),
Mounted Duties.

Seaforth Highlander, Officer (Senior Colonel), Review Order,
 and Cameron Highlander, Officer (Senior Colonel), Review Order.

Royal Navy, Officer, Admiral, Full Dress

London Scottish, Officer, Review Order,
Seaforth Highlanders, Officers, Review Order.

Scots Guards, Drum Major, Officer, Review Order,
 and Officer, Patrol Dress

Royal Scots Fusiliers, Highland Light Infantry,
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Officers, Review Order 

Hon Maj. Gen. HH. Maharaja
 Sir Pratap Singh Bahadur

King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery,
Officer, Review Order

Royal Horse Guards,
Officer, Review Order

Scots Guards,
Officer, Review Order

Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders,
Officer, Review Order

Officer, Jungle Dress

14th (King's) Hussars, Officer, Review Order

1st Duke of York's Own (Skinner's Horse),
Officer, Review Order

3rd Indian Cavalry, Officer, Review Order

A once magnificent collection of 26 Greenwood & Ball figures which has been subjected to abuse (chips), Lead rot, and dust. Event in current condition at auction recently realized  $1280.00. Truly a shame.

In an attempt to minimize any confusion and facilitate research, the author is cross-referencing this article with the original article on the same subject; https://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2019/06/greenwood-ball-connoisseur-military.html

Additionally have found new images which follow, some perhaps delicates, on other Greenwood & Ball figures;

WWII German Wehrmacht
Lt. General in Parade Dress

13th Lancers, Duke of Connaught's Own British Indian Army
Officer, Review Order

79th Regiment of Foot, 
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Colonel, Review Order

WWII German Wehrmacht
 Officer in Parade Dress 

The First Regiment of Foot, Royal Scots
Officer, Review Order

British 14th Army
Infantryman, Jungle Dress

11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own)
Officer, Review Order

16th/5th Lancers
 Officer, Review Order

42nd Royal Highland Regiment (Black Watch)
Colonel, Mounted (Trews) Order

An Original Unissued German WWII Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Smock

As a means of introduction, the firm International Military Antiques (IMA), and its founder in 1981, Christian Cranmer, gained significant fame with the protracted negotiation and final purchase of the entire contents of the state arsenal of the nation of Nepal, in the capitol, Katmandu. The single most important element being a very large quantity of .577/.450 cal. Mk II Martini-Henry Pattern 1877 rolling-block breach loading rifles, manufactured at the Birmingham Arsenal dated 1878. They had been stored in the same place, untouched for 100 years. These were from the exact production lot which had been in standard issue to the men of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (South Wales Borderers) wo fought the Battle of Rorke’s Drift against the Zulus on 22-23 January 1879. Needless to say I purchased one of the premium completely refurbished rifles when they first became available.

 In this author’s personal opinion, while the company has regularly offered some historically significant pieces, there have also consistently been some dubious items, clearly misidentified/misdated, and at highly inflated prices.When questioned they have tended to get rather defensive, and have not rectified the issue or withdrawn the item.

 However, on other occasions they have acquired some real gems. Fortunately I collect WWII British Airborne Forces militaria, and am fortunately not even tempted, but certainly have a full appreciation of the item which they are currently offering for sale. The only reason I’m presenting the item is in order that those collectors who might be tempted, or already have one within their collection, can use this example as collaboration, full authentication, and valuation. This author has no direct or indirect interest in the item.

 The item is a circa 1944 original German WWII Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Smock in Tan and Water camouflage, in excellent, unissued, condition. It is currently at offer for $8,995.00. Price recently reduced to $7,995.00. For those collectors who are in the specific field, this may not be an exorbitant price. However, that large a reduction in price, immediately raises my antennae, in that someone may have seen something that brings authenticity under question. Or it just may be the current market.  Personally have a rare unissued original British dummy parachutist device (Device, Camouflage, No.15), fortunately a very generous gift, but within the same comparable price range. One of the first questions that comes to mind is where was the smock found.

 The following is IMA’s Item Description:

“ Original Item: Only One Available. This is an incredibly rare circa 1944 WWII German Luftwaffe Paratrooper Smock in “Tan and Water” camouflage pattern. The Smock is in excellent, unissued, condition, and one of the fi nest specimens we have ever seen! All of the original blue glass buttons are present. The “Zipp” brand zippers, which were purpose built for this style of smock, and all in excellent working order. Each zipper has a crosshatch black leather pull tab. The snaps are all intact and marked "PRYM". The reverse has the pistol pocket with small black bakelite buttons. The snaps at the cuffs are identical to those at the hem for the leg closure. All snaps function as intended. The breast eagle is machine embroidered and is hand stitched onto the smock with purple/blue thread. It should be noted that this hand-application is most likely period, as there is no evidence that an eagle was previously machine-applied. The interior is unlined and uses a mix of green and blue Herringbone Twill cloth for pocket reinforcements, etc. The original size adjustment draw string is in place and secured underneath with a strip of purple/blue cloth. Note that on several sections of material inside the body panels of the Smock that “16” is written in grease pencil. These are cutter markings from when the Smock was made in the factory! Generally these are worn off with even the lightest of wear! No other markings are to be found in the Smock, which is not uncommon for a late war garment. Overall, an incredible late war Fallschirmjäger smock offered in truly excellent condition. 

Approximate Measurements: Collar to Shoulder: 10” Shoulder to Sleeve: 23.5” Shoulder to Shoulder: 20.5” Chest Width: 20” Waist Width: 20” Front Length: 40”.

The Fallschirmjäger were the paratrooper branch of the German Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first German paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations and came to be known as the "green devils" by the Allied forces they fought against. The Fallschirmjäger were very effective when used in commando style raids. The Fallschirmjäger were famous for their willingness to give every effort unwaveringly even in the grimmest of situations. The Fallschirmjäger were seldom used as parachutists. Instead, they were prized for their combat abilities and frequently acted in a "fire brigade" role as roving elite infantrymen. Throughout World War II the Fallschirmjäger commander was Kurt Student."

 It is with full acknowledgment and gratitude to IMA that the following comprehensive set of imagery is presented solely for reference/comparative purposes.