Jim Purky – also known as ‘Der Alte Fritz’ online, firmly nailing his 18th century colours to the mast – is a man who came relatively late to the formal hobby of wargaming, but who set about making up for lost time with aplomb. This has culminated with him owning not just one miniatures company, but two, though with the interesting twist that the figures for both are sculpted by the same man, the über-talented Richard Ansell!
The mugshot shows him doing what he loves best, at play in his magnificent gaming dungeon, with the troops of Frederick the Great no doubt serving a drubbing to their French or Austrian opponents, perhaps commanded by his good friend and fellow long-time blogger Bill Protz.
Jim first came to my attention in the heady days of the early 2000s, when the Old School Wargaming Yahoo group was flourishing and I first became truly aware not only of the strength of the wargaming scene in the USA, but also the extraordinary passion they have for the Seven Years War, as much at least as for their own ‘Revolutionary War’ (which we British politely correct to the American War of Independence).
Over the years, Jim has contributed many articles and a great deal of time to the Seven Years War Association and its journal, including hosting Professor Christopher Duffy when he visits their annual conference, but also to the pages of both Battlegames and Miniature Wargames with Battlegames when I was Editor.
It was in 2010 that Jim took the momentous decision to launch his own miniatures company producing figures and equipment for the AWI, and so Fife & Drum was born. I was delighted to be asked to produce the logo for that company, and extremely pleased again to be called upon to create the identity for Minden Miniatures, which Jim bought from Frank Hammond somewhat later, completing his empire producing everything you could possibly want in 1/56 for the avid fan of the Seven years War and AWI.
I’m delighted that Jim finally made it onto the show, overcoming some technical phobias to do so, and I hope that you enjoy the company of this modest and quietly-spoken man as much as I have.
Henry
Fife & Drum Miniatures website
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