Throwback to Grenadier Models Inc.
From 1975-1996, Grenadier Models Inc. (USA) was one of the largest producers of fantasy figures in the world. Their figure lines are still in production through Mirliton SG and various other companies.
The original company was founded in 1975 in the USA (some blister packs claim "1976") as an arm of Canterbury Pewter Ltd. In 1984, Grenadier Models UK Limited was founded as a partnership between Games of Liverpool and Grenadier Models Inc. The two companies lasted until mid-1996 before going out of business. They were directly succeeded by Mirliton SG.
Company Timeline
1972: Andrew Chernak and Ray Rubin set up Canterbury Pewter Ltd..
1975: Grenadier Models (USA) founded by Andrew Chernak and Ray Rubin.
1981: Employees: 40, 6,500,000 Miniatures sold.
1982: Attempted buyout by TSR
1983: License with TSR expires and Grenadier drops the AD&D / D&D branding and joins GAMA.
1984: Grenadier Models (UK) founded initial employees Doug Cowie (of Imagine Magazine notoriety) and wife, Anne.
1985: Late 1985 Grenadier Models (UK) move from Birkenhead to Deeside (Welsh Development Agency grant assisted move).
1986: Nick Lund joins as head of design.
1996: Grenadier goes out of business.
Back in the day (early 80’s in South Mississippi) we didn’t have a lot of selection on ‘D&D Miniatures’. Grenadier was one of the more common ones and had quite a few ‘Box Sets’ put out. The price point on those was reasonable (well, at least to me in my teens) so I ended up with lots of them.
My Box of Figs
Last September my bride decided that we were "going to do something about the garage". Not a really big thing but unpacking the last of the moving boxes. (Yeah we moved 6 years ago.....) And I found a treasure!
Some of my Grenadier and Ral Partha figures from 77-85.
You will notice the weird looking one in the bottom row that seems to be a wizard with smoke. I decided to try and re do that particular miniature recently.
The original miniature had a hand coming out of the cloud of smoke. I lost that hand many years and many moves ago. This allowed me to modify the mini with some green putty and a 3D printed skull I had lying about.
Here is a video of the finished figure:
Hope you enjoyed this stroll down memory lane.
-Russ
