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Reviews of Mirliton Miniatures

David Kuijt on Mirliton's 15mm Medievals

I've just returned from Italy, and I managed to visit the Mirliton factory/shop in Tavernuzze just outside Firenze (Florence). This act caused a great wound to my wallet, as I spent 392,000 (lire, not $$ ) buying a bag of nearly every code in their 15mm Communal Italian range and their 15mm Italian Condotta range. My review follows.

The carving on these figures is frankly stunning. They are as good as Tony Barton's or Josef Ochmann's work, maybe better depending upon your personal taste. They look like they will mix well, size-wise, with Essex/Irregular/Gladiator. Their proportions are a bit thinner (more realistic and less cartoonish) than most Essex, but not so much as to make them mix poorly.

Each bag has a varied mix of poses, helmets, hats, crests, and stuff like that. In many cases spears/lances/shields were separate, allowing further pose variation. Infantry spears are hard metal (they look like dullish pins with the head removed), which is a bonus for those whose white metal pikes and spears look more like spaghetti than weapons.

What's the downside? There isn't any, as far as I could see, except that only two ranges are available in 15mm. Their "Communal Italian" range is appropriate for a variety of armies around the middle of the 13th century, including Teutonic Order, Medieval German, and of course Communal Italian. The figures will mix excellently with one of my other favorite ranges, the Gladiator FE range carved by Josef Ochmann. Their "Italian Condotta" range is centered in the middle 15th century (armets, barbutes and sallets). Some of the Knights in armets and sallets would work very well for northern European armies in this period (French Ordonnance, Medieval German, Burgundian Ordonnance, various others).

Their flag range covering the 13th century (Teutonic Order and Communal Italian) is absolutely astonishing, putting everything else I've ever seen (including my best personal efforts) to shame, both in quantity and quality.

To sum up: if you are interested in this period, buy these guys. You will not be disappointed.

See David's Mirliton gallery.

Vincent Tsao on Mirliton

Here are scans [ Crossbow (C2) ] [ Halberdiers (C6) ] [ Crested Knights (CC2) ] [ Tolentino (CC7) ] of some of my new 15mm Mirliton Condotta figures. Obviously, I'm quite excited by them. They are scanned right out of the bag, with no work, to show what little flash they have. Note the fine proportion, the detail, the variations, and the extra lances that the knights come with. The figures of Niccolada Tolentino and his entourage have come straight out of Uccello's Battle of San Romano. Look at a print, and you will recognize them. Gattamalatta, who I have not scanned, seems to be based on Donatello's sculpture. I looked at a photo of the statue, and the face is recognizable! These figures are incredible.

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Last Updated: March 25, 2002

Comments, suggested additions, and/or critiques welcome. Direct them to Chris Brantley at brant@erols.com.