"Beware! At present TESTUDO Miniatures has no stockist in UK!" Topic

Dear miniatures buyers,

considering I've the evidence that someone entitles himself as TESTUDO's stockist in UK, I tell you that all the stockists, even if in the past authorized, have run out or "should have" (beyond any reasonable doubt) run out of our minis since longtime.

WE DO'NT SUPPLY ANY STOCKIST IN UK SINCE AT LEAST 2006.

Giuseppe Rava- Sole owner of TESTUDO figures' Copyright

Mamma Mia! That's to bad cause those are some nice figures.

I'm pretty sure there is someone in the UK who pirated the whole Testudo line. Our local shop tried to carry the line in the US and got them from a stockist in the UK, probably around 2005 or 2006. The metal was awful and the figures were partially formed in many cases. As you say – a shame. Beautiful figures when properly cast. Apparently the same stockist was also pirating the FAA WWII line.

so Stonewall don't carry your product?????

link

That I'm stating:

"WE'VE NO STOCKIST IN UK!"

We're also studying further ways to proceed against the possible counterfeiters.

Giuseppe Rava- Sole owner of TESTUDO figures' Copyright

Stonewall may have some figures but they don't/won't sell them,. at least they woundn't sell me any

If you know the town/county from which the counterfeiter is operating, contact the Trading Stadards Officer in the local authority for the relevant county. They should be able to help.

Stonewall may have some figures but they don't/won't sell them,. at least they woundn't sell me any

I think that if someone really don't/won't sell something, he should remove this merchandise from his website ASAP, time to do that was enough since 2006!

TESTUDO

Oooooops! It seems the link to TESTUDO products has disappeared from the homepage!

I just checked the web site, and I must be missing something as I didn't see TESTUDO listed. Now I was curious about this listings as he use to carry my ships, which I also could not find on his web site.

Now, I did note that his listings in the TMP directory has not been update since 2006, making most of that information nearly 5 years old.

Again, not defending the guy, just wondering if I was missing something when I went to the web site this morning.

The "Cache page" don' t lie, please read in alphabetical order, scroll down on the left:

link

Open your eyes.

Do you want the "cached page" in English, you're welcome:

link

It looks as if Stonewall Miniatures took down the link sometime within the last several hours.

I purchased a number of packs of their "Testudo" Romans and Gauls some years ago, during a period when the figures were not available from Mr. Rava. The metal was very brittle and the castings quite poor – they certainly looked like recasts to me.

I wish I had known at the time, I would have saved my money.

Good grief, I thought the name was familiar – I've just been reminded that we had a run-in with Stonewall some years ago and they do attract accusations of this sort of activity.

Stonewall were caught seling pirated AB Figures Napoleonics at Salute in 2004. They were also caught selling pirated FAA figures at around the same time.

This might be worth mentioning to Cornwall Trading Standards Office. I'd first have a word with Mike Hickling at AB Figures and with FAA.

It looks as if Stonewall Miniatures took down the link sometime within the last several hours.

Nooooo! What an "unbelievable" coincidence!

I think this thread should be named with another more outspoken headline than mine.

Good news, though… 17 posts and nobody's asked if you're the artist Giuseppe Rava yet!

I think that's a record!

Maybe because he signed the first post?

See… that's the point.

He's got the same name as the artist… but he's not the same guy… but somebody always sees his name and says "Hey, are you the artist Gius… meh.

…you know what? Forget it :)

Yes, I'm Giuseppe Rava, the sculptor and illustrator…if you wish to call me "artist" I've nothing to object.

G.Rava-TESTUDO

Artists and illustrators are always more precise about the difference between artists and illustrators than we laymen!

(Anyway… I just realised I talked myself round in a circle in my last post! I should stick to simple sentences using short words… written in crayon…)

In the theory there's no difference, but in fact between Angus McBride and Jackson Pollock a bit of difference there is.

Choose what you like as "art".

Angus McBride. Greatly missed.
Real art.

Giuseppe, if you need help contacting Cornwall Trading Standards, or Devon & Cornwall Police, please feel free to ask one of us British members.

Malcolm

Thanks for your offer, Malcom, but as you can see our products have been taken out in a while from that website.

This was my goal and also to warn all the costumers.

I think from Italy it could'nt be easy to do more, but if you or someone else want to act I'll support him.

So get a stockist in the UK and fight back!

Sorry NDL – I hold my hands up here. I did ask if Rava was the Italeri/HaT box artist on an earlier post. I had not realised that my innocent mistake would upset people.

Don't think anyone was upset… just kind of a running joke that he gets asked it every time. :)

Hmmm, Stonewall – Form there methinks… (allegedly, etc.)

This has been interesting maybe there is an opportunity here for TMP who can do some good here.

What about if Bill aka TMP creates a current list of actual manufacturers and third party suppliers / outlets of manufacturers figures and list them? This would allow potential customers the ability know which supplier is legit and which isn't….

I also think these warnings should be in a buyer beware board, maybe a child board off the consumer one?

I have had all of my figures direct from Italy to the UK within a week and the one occasion there was a delay I was informed in good time so no probs,

I would recomend both the figures and service directly to the UK, and I did Ralph!!!!

Tally Ho!

I wished to order some Testudo with a friend. He has emailed me today , having foolishly placed an order with Stonewall ( though I warned him not to), saying that Stonewall say that they will supply out Testudo order next week. Couple or three years back I had some ancients from him -bad metal, miscasts, etc, but packaged as Testudo! On another subject in this run, I am lucky enough to have a ltd edition McBride Thirty Years War print hanging on my wall – print number 10 of 400, The Carrion Crows ,Germany Circa 1630, signed by the man himself!

Giuseppe UK trading standards are pretty hot on prosecuting where there is clear evidence. Even if you are not based in this country. As long as the offense has been conducted here.

Local details are;
Cornwall County Council
Trading Standards Department
Unit 6 Threemilestone Industrial Estate
Threemilestone
Truro
Cornwall
TR4 9LD

t: 08454 040506 (Consumer Direct for consumer advice); business advice: 0845 1227000
f: 01872 324394
e: consumer@cornwall.gov.uk
w: Cornwall County Council Trading Standards website

Thanks very much Goose6666 – that's really helpful.

As noted elsewhere Giuseppe has kindly agreed to let me stock and distribute his figures in the UK. I have just placed my first bulk order for the 30YW / ECW range.

Please contact me at peterdalby@talktalk.net for more details.

I have emailed Stonewall to establish their current position with regard to old Testudo stocks – I have yet to receive a reply but I will now own this issue for Giuseppe.

Stonewall say that they will supply out Testudo order next week

Thanks Kadeshuk for the info, could you forward to me that email? Please send it to info@g-rava.it