May 2023
Welcome to our May 2023 Newsletter
Set TA75: Fly Fisherman
| We have an exciting new addition to our Town and Around range; a Fly Fisherman in Victorian attire, depicted in the act of casting with a tiny lure at the end of the line. We overcame a few technical challenges to cast and produce this figure, the key difficulties being the thin rod positioned in the figure’s hand and connecting the fishing line to the rod. |
| We are proud of the end result and think that it is a very handsome addition to the range, and one that is sure to appeal to collectors and anglers alike. |
| (Photo taken at our local Te Awakairangi Hutt River). |
| TA75: Fly Fisherman |
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(Top) Set 158: AEF US 165th IR, 42nd "Rainbow" Division, 1918 |
| We are pleased to announce the next American figures in our World War 1 range, featuring men in greatcoats and the distinctive fatigue hats which became an iconic symbol of the American forces. Many images from the Western Front show soldiers in greatcoats, much needed in the 1917/18 winter which was especially cold and wet. Steel helmets are attached to their backpacks, so these figures are shown marching behind the front lines. Front line troops will be the subject of a future release. |
| The division we’ve chosen to depict with these figures is the 42nd, or Rainbow division, a famous division made up of National Guards units from across America, boasting Douglas MacArthur (who would go on to be General of the Army in his later career) as its Chief of Staff. Interestingly the division had the task of uniting infantry regiments that had previously fought one another in the American Civil War 50 years earlier. |
| The Infantry Regiment we have chosen to show is the 165th, which was renumbered from the famous 69th New York Infantry, or the "Fighting Irish" which traces its roots back to 1775. A number of famous soldiers served in the 165th IR, including Lt. Col. William “Wild Bill” Donovan who won the Medal of Honor (and is believed to be the only person awarded all four prestigious decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Cross and National Security Medal). Donovan would later head up the OSS in World War 2, the pre-cursor to the CIA. Other notable alumni of the Fighting Irish include Sgt. Joyce Kilmer who wrote the poem “Trees”, and Chaplain Francis P. Duffy. |
| We have released two sets; number 158 shows an officer and five men marching at slope arms, and set 159 shows six men marching with rifles in a more relaxed pose, slung over their shoulders. The set label includes some history of the 42nd and information on the structure of AEF Divisions. |
| 158 AEF US 165th IR, 42nd "Rainbow" Division, 1918 |
| 159 AEF US 165th IR, 42nd "Rainbow" Division, 1918 |
| One of the iconic sets available from our Zulu range: Set 100 Saving the Colours at Isandlawana |
| We are happy to announce that a number of pre-owned sets from retired ranges are now available, including from the American Civil War, Zulu and Sudan series. |
| Check out our Pre-owned Collection here |
| New Zealand (and Australia) were among the first countries to negotiate free trade agreements with the post-Brexit UK. We are pleased to announce that this agreement will come into force at the end of May. |
| What this means is that for all orders placed by our customers in the UK from 31 May 2023, Imperial products will be duty free, with VAT being the only additional cost. We are currently looking into registering Imperial Productions for VAT in the UK so that we can offer VAT inclusive pricing, therefore streamlining the import process for UK customers. |
| New Zealand also signed a Free Trade Agreement with the EU last year; we will keep our EU customers updated on when this agreement is expected to come into force. |
| Exciting news for all of our local friends: we will be opening our iconic Greytown shop on two days in July during the Greytown Winter Festival, which has become a popular annual festival for the town. As well as taking orders and displaying our current products, we will also have some of our product available for immediate purchase. |
| Our shop will be open from midday through to the evening on Saturday 1 July, which is the start of the festival. We will also open for the same hours on Saturday 22 July. We'd love you to come in and say hi! We look forward to talking all things Imperial with you. If you're very lucky there may even be a guest appearance by David. |
| 5 McMaster Street, Greytown |
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