KING AND COUNTRY FW017 RUNNING WITH RIFLE & BUGLE
Overview
Introduction
History of the depicted subject
Collector Notes
This review examines King & Country’s World War I era miniature FW017 “Running w/ Rifle & Bugle.” It details its specifications, representations, and historical significance, while offering insights valuable to collectors. The figure captures a German 13th Bavarian Rifles soldier in dynamic motion, playing a bugle—a key communication tool on the battlefield. Notably, this miniature was released in October 2007, produced at 1:30 scale in a finely hand-painted pewter alloy, and was retired in April 2011. The miniature’s sense of urgency and symbolic bugle motif make it especially appealing to WWI collectors.
Historical Background
The miniature depicts a soldier of the German 13th Bavarian Rifles during World War I, circa 1914–1918. The 13th Bavarian Regiment was part of the Bavarian Army within the Imperial German forces; Bavarian units maintained distinctive royal blue tunics, light-colored pickelhaube with Bavarian shields, and regiment-specific insignia. Equipping a bugle indicates his function as a signaler—buglers transmitted orders, coordinated advances, retreats, and other battlefield communications when voice could not carry over artillery noise. During key WWI battles such as the Somme (1916) and Verdun (1916), battlefield communication was critical—bugle calls like “Vorwärts!” (Forward!) or “Rückzug!” (Retreat!) helped coordinate firing resets, troop maneuvers, and counterattacks. Consequently, the miniature’s running posture with raised bugle emphasizes urgency and command.
In particular, Bavarian units saw action on both Western and Eastern Fronts. Their communications role held life-or-death significance: a delayed or misheard order could halt an offensive or expose flanks. The bugler emblem persisted even amid radios, as ground-level signals adapted to evolving warfare. This figure thus embodies both traditional military signaling and the chaos of trench warfare.
Collector Notes
Identification: Look for product code “FW017” and King & Country logo, usually stamped or labeled on original packaging. Confirm 1:30 scale, painted pewter alloy, and the subject (running rifleman with bugle) to ensure authenticity. Variants: No known factory variants, though repainting by owners may vary. The fine hand-brush paint quality includes sharp details on tunic, pickelhaube and instrument—fading or overspray may suggest aftermarket work. Packaging: Typically shipped in small cardboard box with foam insert, featuring series label “WW I German.” Retired April 2011; loose figures often trade between US$20–40, boxed examples reach US$45–60 depending on condition and paint fidelity. Common defects include bent bugle tube or pickelhaube spike, paint chips on extremities, and occasional metal casting seam lines.
Collectors should carefully examine bugle alignment and paint continuity. Overall, those in excellent condition with original packaging command a premium among WWI Kings & Country collectors.
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