Smart Max's Jeremiah Crow

A brutal day at work and record-breaking oppressive heat (101°F as I write) were all made right by the arrival of Jeremiah Crow (more images may be seen here). Thanks as always to Chuck Robinson and The Red Lancers for superb service.

This is a small figure: 50mm to the top of the head. Which makes the detail, engineering, and the quality of casting, as you shall see, all the more remarkable. The kit is comprised of 10 pieces plus one groundwork accessory (a VERY pleasant surprise!) plus the base. Most miniaturists appear to prefer the textured cobblestone base, hence why the groundwork accessory was such a surprise: I have never seen it in images of any build-up!

As I mentioned in my introductory posting, these kits are not cheap. Hence the question: is it worth the asking price? And I would have to respond with an unqualified "YES"! My only caveat would be that if you tend to be fumble-fingered and/or ham-fisted, then you might be particularly selective about your choice/s, as most will require a light touch while handling and assembling.

My only reservations are as follows: 1) Packaging. The beautifully-printed sepia tone box is sturdy, but just so. And the contents are bagged in a smallish zip-lock bag which lies loose in the box. Given the thinness of many of the pieces, this is a disappointment looking for a place to happen. Mine arrived with no damage whatsoever, but I have read of instances where the recipient was not quite so lucky.

And, 2) Refsheet. This is definitely a 21st c. product. By that I mean that it is web-based/driven. There is no color guide, no background notes, no assembly guide included with the kit. And there isn't even an image of a built-up kit, painted OR un-, to refer to. The main drawback to this is that a potential patron who is not familiar with the kit will either pass it over; or be compelled to open it and handle it, and this could have unfortunate consequences given the fragility of the pieces.

Aside from that, this is yet another superb kit from Smart Max, and I can't recommend it--or its companions--enough!

Now. . . as promised. . .




The "groundwork accessory" referred to above is the crow on the cruciform headstone.

Notice the textured granite finish on the base. You might notice a tiny pinhole near the rim of the top hat. I have found two other such "flaws" in the kit. Given the type of resin used, and the outstanding overall quality, I can live with these. . . (PS--Filled and finished in less than 15 mins.!)