Introduction

This is one more Review of a Romeo Kit figure, Knowing that Romeo is almost a “sister” company of Pegaso and also being attracted by the interesting thematology and nice figures of them , I have stocked some pieces before. Seeing also the names of Artists that sculpt and paint for Romeo, in great percentage , are the top names of Pegaso. So from when I saw the quality figures of the company that Pegaso guarantees , I felt fully confident to buy them with closed eyes. So I will do some reviews of different themes from Romeo, and let Armorama members to get to know better with this nice Italian company based in Sicely.

Gianni La Rocca is one of the best well known sculptors in business. I have painted and stocked many of his figures and I like his artistic sculpting style. So I think it was normal to be enchanted from the idea of reviewing his Saint John’s order knight for Romeo. So here it is :


So after much talking RM 54-49Saint John Order Knight XIII Century in 54mm

The kit

A blue colored box with 2 white thick foam sheets , holds pretty safely all 11 white metal pieces of the figure. The quality of the metal parts is really very high, with smoorh surface, and almost no cleaning need , than a pet with the fine steel wool to polish the figure.

A single sheet of paper holds bilingual (English and Italian) historical text by Marco Giuliani (that I transferred here for your information) and also a very detailed and accurate paint guide, piece by piece

Pieces:

The Torso with feet and right arm in one solid piece

Left hand holding helmet

2 spurs

right hand holding sword

Scabard

Tunic with shield in one piece

Head

Square Base with Stone floor texture

Dagger

Cloth stripe

Quality and Detail

The pose of the figure is somewhat “classic” for a knight in miniature. Looking at the sky and having the right arm raised and holding the sword raised.

The Sculpture detail is very nice , and that was expected since we talk of a pretty good and experienced sculptor and a very good casting quality. Very clean lines, nice pieces definitions and separations , face with the appropriate era style and character, and all detail is rendered amazingly realistically. Nothing more , nothing less than you need to say that “This figure is really good !”

The static pose of the figure though classic is really nice and shows all the dressing elements you would expect , and I think that this figure will be surely a good painters delight.

Material - metal – is very good , the surface is pretty smooth and clean and the total look is this of a modern figures company.

A pretty thin mold line that runs on the sides will be moved easily with the first touch of the steel wool. So to improve what you get, you will just to need a soft touch with fine wire wool, to polish the metal. Then some washing in bath with a mild detergent – water mix to make it as clean as it gets before priming.

Painting

This is a surely a medium to easy difficulty level figure to paint. Single color dressing with the crosses, but also different textures to recreate, like chain mail, leathers, metals , so it will be a pretty good exercise.. So needs a bit of experience to make it good. The High sculpting level will of course help a lot, and if u bring nicely out the leather belts and other items of detail this will be a nice finished piece at least to my eyes.

Color combinations and choices are not fixed and standard for only one scheme and you have the possibility of different colorings according to the informational text and paintng guide

Give this figure the time it needs to paint the detail, and the textures the crosses especially the supposed “difficult” black color and you will be surely rewarded. You will have a showpiece and a nice addition to your personal showcase .

Making the base doesn’t restrict you to the stone floor but you could also make a country scene.

Conclusion – Final Verdict

Romeo models, is for sure in the group of top leading brands of figure making. Very high quality of metal , casting, and top names to sculpt and paint boxarts. You also have the Pegaso Quality guarantee in the so named release line of the company. What more you need? Get this figure and start painting !


Highly Recommended

Special Thanks to Lorenzo Romeo for the review sample
Stay tuned for more Romeo Models figures figures to be reviewed soon

Historical Notes – Sources

The Order of the Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, in latine Ordo equitum Hospitaliorum Sancti Ionnis Hierosalymitani, obtained the acknowledgement from pope Pasquale II in 1113.

Saint John Baptist was the saint patron of the ospite and hospital founded in Jerusalem since 1070 for the assistance and care of pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre. The brother-knight’s habit was the cappa causa, a monk’s hooded mantle entirely black with a little white cross on the heart.

This cross, at the first quarter of XIII century, took its typical geometric 8 pointed shape. In 1248 Papal Bull granted to the Hospitallers brethren to leave the long and cumbersome cappa clausa for a wide habit even black but without mantle, habit that was indoubtly more useful for the war-dute.

The mid XIII century was really a transitino period for the brethren of St, John; from 1259 they changed the black surcoat in red, keeply the white cross of the order and was with this sort of habit thatall Knights of St John fought their last battles Outremer.

(Text from Romeo Models Web Site )


More information can be looked here :


http://www2.prestel.co.uk/church/oosj/history.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_St._John

http://www.webpages.free-online.co.uk/ksj/modkts.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/knights-hospitalers

http://www.chivalricorders.org/orders/smom/crusades.htm