Someone out there picked up several pieces of gaming history tonight on eBay. Bill Owen, who was a founding partner of Judges Guild, auctioned off a lot of fantasy miniatures. Why is this cool and/or noteworthy? Because they were actually used in gaming sessions by Bill, the late Bob Bledsaw, and others associated with JG back in the day. Here is the text from the auction listing:
"Fantasy miniature collection with many painted, a few conversions plus a cigar box miscellaneous unpainted or partly painted 1974-1976.
Most were painted by Bill Owen from the days of their weekly Middle Earth-based D&D campaign at Bob Bledsaw's house.
Notably included is Beorn the bearman (Craig Fogle), LL's amazon queen, Marcham elf warrior, Tony the Patriarch, Gandalf (Mark Holmer), various critters like ents, giant spiders, Martian thoats and most impressive of all is very colorful Balrog with whip.
We used these miniatures for particularly complex situations and battles that we played regularly during pre-Judges Guild times (and some afterwards) a mere 37 years ago. Who knows where the time goes?"
Now how damn cool is that? Pretty damn cool, at least in my opinion. Someone acquired miniatures that were painted by Bob and used by Bill, Bob, etc. on their gaming tables way back when D&D was in its infancy and the JG crew were these upstarts who created some of the most memorable non-TSR adventures and settings.
I'm glad that a kinsman (by nationality, part-Scots but also bits of Welsh, English, French, Cherokee--typical American!) as I'm related to the guy on the $10 bill bought the figs because he's interested in making a sort of e-museum (I guess). The paint jobs were basic but we invested a lot of youthful exuberance in playing with them (although Bob being 11 years older was the wise man at 31). But one cannot hang on forever to lead but in letting go catch hold of the next adventure.
ReplyDeleteWhoa very cool! Thanks Bill for giving our little crew days, (if not weeks and weeks), of fun with JG products. I think we must have run through Tegal Manor, Thieves of Fortress Badabaskor and The Book of Treasure Maps about 100 times each over the years. I'm sure our esteemed blogger Tom would have given a non-essential organ to have some of those...
ReplyDeleteCheers!