Andrea Miniatures - Good bye

Letzte Woche hatte ich erst vom angekündigten Rückzug des renommierten Wargaming Pionier Gripping Beast berichtet.
Heute muss ich hier einen weiteren Pionier verabschieden, der zwar nicht das Tabletop Hobby beeinflusst hat, aber Generationen von Sammlern vollplastischer Zinnminiaturen.
Auch Andrea Miniatures hat mitgeteilt im Dezember für immer die Pforten zu schließen.
Hier die Ankündigung im Wortlaut.

 
„Andrea Miniatures
says goodbye The products still available in stock may continue to be purchased only until
December 31, 2026. There will be no sales or discounts of any kind on Andrea Miniatures kits or on Black Hawk Toy Soldiers at any time, as a sign of respect to our customers. They will be sold at their
regular prices until the end. We will continue our activity only in our commissioned works
division (Andrea Studio).
Thank you for your trust and support throughout all these years.
It has been an honor to be part of your passion.“
 
A LIFELONG PASSION Infancy is often regarded as the finest period of life. I wholeheartedly agree. In my brother's words, ours was a marvellous one. Among-and perhaps above-its many joys were the miniature figures that were so much in vogue in those distant days. They awakened in us a passion that has never faded and has remained undiminished through more than half a century of working together. There were difficulties, setbacks, and even disagreements, yet we never took a step back. It was as though we were guided by a higher force, one that ultimately came to fruition in 1983 under the name of Andrea Miniatures. Ignoring the advice of family and friends, we decided, against all odds, to leave our respective professions and embark upon the extraordinary adventure of creating figures conceived as genuine works of art. Forty-three years later, we remain unchanged and will, in all likelihood, spend the rest of our lives imagining new projects and new creations. Times, however, have changed-and dramatically so. The miniature figure market, which probably enjoyed its golden age in the 1990s, has become a steadily shrinking niche. The average age of collectors must now be around seventy, and there appears to be no meaningful generational renewal of the hobby in this digital age. In these circumstances, the long-term viability of Andrea Miniatures is, in keeping with the times, virtually nonexistent. Yet we have always understood that our true purpose was not merely to create figures, but to convey enthusiasm, inspiration, and a love for the art of miniature figures to all those who held one of our creations in their hands. It is the thousands of people around the world who have given meaning to our work and made the dream of Andrea Miniatures possible. To each and every one of them, we offer our deepest gratitude.
From the bottom of our hearts: thank you, thank you very much.
Fernando & Carlos Andrea“
 

Auch wenn mich selbst nie die Leidenschaft für diese 54, 70, 90 und 120 mm Figuren gefasst hat, so hat mich der Hersteller doch sehr beeinflusst.
Für mich war es in den End 1990er und frühen 2000er Jahren immer ein persönliches Highlight, wenn der Jahreskatalog der Berliner Zinnfiguren ins Haus flatterte. Nicht nur, weil hier ein hervorragender Überblick neuer Publikationen im historischen- und militärhistorischen Bereich zu finden war, sondern auch wegen großartig in Szene gesetzten, bemalten Zinnfiguren, die hier im Katalog abgebildet waren.
Andrea Miniatures gehörte da für mich immer zu den Top Herstellern, wenn es um die realitätsgenaue Wiedergabe vor allem historischer Figuren im Modell ging. Die noch dazu kommende perfekte Bemalung dieser Figuren taten ein Übriges, um eine wirkliche Faszination aufkommen zu lassen.
Einige dieser Bilder dienten mir dann auch als Bemalvorlage, Recherche, Inspiration für meine eigenen Miniaturen.
Einer meiner Wunschgedanken war immer, dass irgendjemand einen napoleonischen Uniformband herausbringen würde, wo die einzelnen Uniformen mit Hilfe von Miniaturen des Herstellers Andrea Miniatures in Szene gesetzt würden
Das wird jetzt sicherlich nicht mehr geschehen, und schade ist es natürlich, wenn auch die Gründe – auch hier ist der Grund das fortschreitende Alter und der verdiente Ruhestand – nachzuvollziehen sind.
Andreas Miniatures hat in diesem Segment des Hobbys einen prägenden Fußabdruck hinterlassen, und vielleicht gibt es ja auch einige Sammler unter meinen Lesern, die sich jetzt noch einmal eine solche Miniaturfigur bestellen wollen.

Deshalb hier der Link zur Herstellerseite und der Link zu Berliner Zinnfiguren für meine deutschen Leser. Am 31.12. ist dann leider Schluss. Schlagen Sie also nochmals zu, bevor es zu spät ist.
ANDREA MINIATURES MARKETPLACE
Berliner Zinnfiguren | Andrea Miniaturen
 
 
Last week I reported on the announced retirement of the renowned wargaming pioneer Gripping Beast.
Today I must bid farewell to another pioneer, one that, while not influencing the tabletop hobby itself, has impacted generations of collectors of fully sculpted pewter miniatures.
Andrea Miniatures has also announced that it will be closing its doors for good in December.
Here is the announcement in full.
 
„Andrea Miniatures
says goodbye The products still available in stock may continue to be purchased only until
December 31, 2026. There will be no sales or discounts of any kind on Andrea Miniatures kits or on Black Hawk Toy Soldiers at any time, as a sign of respect to our customers. They will be sold at their
regular prices until the end. We will continue our activity only in our commissioned works
division (Andrea Studio).
Thank you for your trust and support throughout all these years.
It has been an honor to be part of your passion.“
 
A LIFELONG PASSION Infancy is often regarded as the finest period of life. I wholeheartedly agree. In my brother's words, ours was a marvellous one. Among-and perhaps above-its many joys were the miniature figures that were so much in vogue in those distant days. They awakened in us a passion that has never faded and has remained undiminished through more than half a century of working together. There were difficulties, setbacks, and even disagreements, yet we never took a step back. It was as though we were guided by a higher force, one that ultimately came to fruition in 1983 under the name of Andrea Miniatures. Ignoring the advice of family and friends, we decided, against all odds, to leave our respective professions and embark upon the extraordinary adventure of creating figures conceived as genuine works of art. Forty-three years later, we remain unchanged and will, in all likelihood, spend the rest of our lives imagining new projects and new creations. Times, however, have changed-and dramatically so. The miniature figure market, which probably enjoyed its golden age in the 1990s, has become a steadily shrinking niche. The average age of collectors must now be around seventy, and there appears to be no meaningful generational renewal of the hobby in this digital age. In these circumstances, the long-term viability of Andrea Miniatures is, in keeping with the times, virtually nonexistent. Yet we have always understood that our true purpose was not merely to create figures, but to convey enthusiasm, inspiration, and a love for the art of miniature figures to all those who held one of our creations in their hands. It is the thousands of people around the world who have given meaning to our work and made the dream of Andrea Miniatures possible. To each and every one of them, we offer our deepest gratitude.
From the bottom of our hearts: thank you, thank you very much.
Fernando & Carlos Andrea“
Even though I never personally developed a passion for these 54, 70, 90, and 120 mm figures, the manufacturer certainly influenced me.
For me, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was always a personal highlight when the annual catalog of Berliner Zinnfiguren (Berlin Tin Figures) arrived. Not only because it offered an excellent overview of new publications in the historical and military history fields, but also because of the superbly staged, painted tin figures featured in the catalog.
Andrea Miniatures was always one of the top manufacturers for me when it came to the realistic reproduction of historical figures in miniature. The perfect painting of these figures further contributed to their true fascination.
Some of these images then served as painting guides, research tools, and inspiration for my own miniatures.
One of my long-held dreams was that someone would publish a book on Napoleonic uniforms, showcasing the individual uniforms with miniatures from the manufacturer Andrea Miniatures.
That will certainly no longer happen, and it's a shame, of course, even if the reasons – again, advancing age and well-deserved retirement – ​​are understandable.
Andrea Miniatures has left a lasting mark on this segment of the hobby, and perhaps there are some collectors among my readers who would like to order one of these miniature figures one last time.
Therefore, here is the link to the manufacturer's website and the link to Berliner Zinnfiguren for my German readers. Unfortunately, it's all over on December 31st. So grab one before it's too late!
ANDREA MINIATURES MARKETPLACE
Berliner Zinnfiguren | Andrea Miniaturen