King & Country · Battle of the Bulge · BBG128
BBG128 The Combat Photographer depicts one man kneeling with a camera held to his eye. The product photograph presents him from six angles; it is a single-figure release, not a group of six. His camouflage clothing, covered helmet and camera give him a different silhouette from the armed infantry around him.
In the set: One kneeling photographer; the reference image shows the same figure from six angles.
The photographer’s role
The release description identifies him with Das Schwarze Korps, the SS weekly. That places the subject in Nazi propaganda rather than independent reporting. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum documents the newspaper’s promotion of Nazi racial ideology, an important context for understanding what such images were intended to do.
The camera makes the figure’s direction particularly important. A vehicle, group of men or scene placed in front of him becomes the implied subject of his photograph. That also offers a useful reminder about wartime images: a photograph shows a chosen view, and its publisher helps determine how that view is presented.
Reading the reference photographs
The kneeling pose is compact, and the camera at eye level gives it a clear purpose. From the reference views, the face is largely occupied by the act of taking a picture, so the posture and equipment carry the characterization. It adds an unusual role to a German winter display, provided its propaganda affiliation is understood. The multi-angle image is helpful for seeing the sculpt, but should never be mistaken for the contents of a larger set.
Read the six-view image as an identification sheet
Compare the same camera-at-eye pose across the views rather than counting each view as a supplied figure. A seller using the manufacturer’s composite image has shown what BBG128 is intended to look like; they have not necessarily shown the specimen for sale. Ask for a photograph of the actual figure beside its box label, if the box survives.
The kneeling stance separates this subject from a standing photographer or a walking correspondent. The camera and the position of both hands are stronger identifiers than a generic description such as “German soldier with equipment.” When buying a mixed lot, establish that the photographer is included rather than merely visible in a background display.
Photographs to request before buying
Ask for the front and side of the camera, the hands around it, the helmet and the base. In this pose, equipment partly conceals the face, so one frontal view cannot show every join or painted surface. A rear view is useful for comparing the clothing and any equipment not visible from the camera side.
Look for paint loss, a bent projecting detail or a repaired join, and ask the seller to identify any restoration. These are condition checks based on the pose, not evidence of a recurring defect in BBG128. The clean reference image cannot establish the condition of a used figure. If the original box is included, ask whether it retains its insert and whether its label matches BBG128.
Keep the propaganda context with the figure
The release reference’s association with Das Schwarze Korps changes how the camera should be interpreted. An SS publication served an ideological purpose; a camera did not make its material independent journalism. A historical display label should name that affiliation rather than presenting this as an interchangeable representation of any war correspondent.
Equally, the figure does not document the taking of a particular wartime photograph. A miniature arranged in front of a tank is a collector’s scene, not proof of a real assignment or an identified photographer’s biography. The newspaper reference establishes the intended association of the model; it does not establish a specific incident, date or personal identity.
Comparing an offer for BBG128
Use one figure as the starting quantity. A six-figure lot would require six actual miniatures, not six printed views. Keep accessories, scenery and other figures outside the comparison unless the seller explicitly includes them. Compare the item price plus shipping and record any repairs or missing packaging separately.
No completed-sale valuation is established by this study. A high asking price or the word “rare” in a listing is not evidence of what another buyer paid. Where there are few comparable offers, retain that uncertainty instead of turning one seller’s price into a general value for the release.
References: archived BBG128 release description and photographs; historical background. This figure study is based on the product reference photographs, not a hands-on inspection.
Find this set
Currently available on eBay
Matching BBG128 listings, lowest displayed price first. Includes shipping when quoted.
Checking available listings…