Yes that is Bob Carroll. I think he was a very good friend of hers and that is why he got everything. The figure Kenny is selling came from Bob and then Kenny redid the figure. While Tommy was using the figures they all remained original. I like how Kenny redid the figure but from a collectors point of view I never would have changed that figure.
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

I agree with you about changing it, and rereading the listing, they changed more than I recall noticing before - Kenny either changed the listing some, or I just forgot from the first time I read it back whenn he first listed it. The spitter I especially wouldn't have added that at all.
Bob didn't get everything, apparently her cowboy partner at Gaslight Village had a lot of stuff, they listed some of it in the article - oh!, I so wish I had known.
Oh well. I'd still like to have the figure.

I'm a little late coming to this thread. Interesting to read all the comments. Dave, thanks for your compliments regarding my standing Insull, "Jackson." Several years ago I visited the home of David Erskine and he had a standing Insull on display . . . so no, I can't take full credit for the idea. The suitcase you see in the photo here is Jackson's original traveling trunk. I purchased the figure about 6 months ago via a live on-line United Kingdom auction. (What an amazing job Al Semok did with the restoration.) Jackson was owned by Fred Barlow, aka The Great Barlow who was based in the London, England area. Mr. Barlow used Jackson in his magic/vent act and at times entertained the Royal Family's children circa the 1950's. Since the photo was taken at the top of this thread, I've changed the costume a bit (added a flat cap and suspenders) to give a more British look, in keeping with his heritage.
Greg Claassen

Click here to view attached image.

Hi Greg, thank you for the additional info on the figure, I always love reading any info on figures. The suspenders are a great add-on, although I'm partial to the wide brimmed hat, not thinking about his heritage, looking at it as a period thing when in his day, men wore hats like that.
I like the second picture, but I still like the first one best. It's probably just the fact that it's closer, and the angle, with his eyes looking off to the right and that smile....he just has a look going on there, it just really catches my eye.

Beautiful look Greg! Alan did a GREAT job on him.

Gary

Dave I would have to agree with you regarding which pose is the best. I like the "shiftiness" look of the first one better as well. And yes Gary, Al's work is top notch. Jackson arrived at my house in pretty rough shape. Even after I provided detailed instructions on how to pack,the shipper did a very poor job of wrapping the head and body. I'll think long and hard before buying another figure via an overseas live auction just because I had to find my own shipper and make all the arrangements for pick up at the auction house and then trust them to follow through. Thankfully I had "before" pictures from the auction house to verify his condition before he left the UK. In the end, I did get a settlement for damages from the shipper. Jackson's leather mouth and upper lip were already in poor shape so I was going to have Al make the repairs on that even before the damage occurred.

Jackson has weighted side to side eyes so I had to tilt the head just a bit to get the eyes looking off to the left. Also, a figure posed in a standing position makes for a nice "greeter" as your guests walk in to your vent room.
Greg

You're right, it does have a shiftiness to the look in the first picture, not only shiftiness, but mischievous, maybe even more so that second one.
And he does make a great looking "greeter"!

I came very close to buying that figure. Dan was helpful in providing me with good feedback for my consideration. I actually want a girl character; I once had a custom-made Vera little girl that I used with much success. What held me back was the fact that I didn't have a use for a spitter, and more importantly I wanted a new figure. So, that figure is what inspired me to order the custom-made little girl that Alan Semok is currently building for me.

Greg the standing Insull you saw at Dave Erskine's home was actually built by Dave. He used 2x4's for the legs and he used tubing for the arms so that the arms could be posed. The only thing original on his figure was the head. I have pictures of Daves collection on Ventriloquist Central under articles. The standing figures are very cool and I have 3 walking Marshall figures, and a walking Ken Spencer figure and they are all displayed in standing position.
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

To make it a little easier here is the link to Dave Erskine's collection. I must tell you all that his collection has now been sold off for the most part. It is now in many others collections today. By the way if you look at the hands on his Insull figures you will see they are in fact McElroy hands.
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com/articles/erskine.htm
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

How do you guys do the lighting for photos? Or is it better to take outdoor pics on an overcast day?

I'm going to do you a favor and NOT answer your question. I am the worst. I have to take a dozen pictures to get a couple almost decent ones.

Well I love to pose my guys for pictures. When I had a site on line I had a whole gallery. Here are some of them:













Kingman

Those are great!
That's what I was hoping to see when I started this thread.

I would love posing my figures more if I could take decent pictures.

One thing we have discovered about pictures these days. While everything else may have gone up, the price for film in these newfangled digital cameras is pretty reasonable.

Steve

http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

I just had a few taken and I had a great time!

Click here to view attached image.

I tried to add a few pictures but I couldn't. So I will try again.

Click here to view attached image.

Okay I will just add them one at a time.

Click here to view attached image.

Those are neat Lisa, but where is our little girl? We miss her.

Steve

http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

I love them, keep them coming everyone!


Unless you don't use rechargeable batteries. The way they eat up the juice, the batteries would definitely outweigh the cost of film.