Osprey books

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by Owen, Mar 26, 2021.

  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I know people have thousands of them.
    I haven't got that many.
    Not many WW2 ones at all.
    Here's mine.
    Photo rotated so titles can be read.

    2021-03-26 09.22.05.jpg
     
  2. idler

    idler GeneralList

    It seems to be a successful marketing strategy between 'proper' books and true expensive-for-what-they-are partworks. They give you some meat but whet the collector's appetite for more. The bastards...

    I've probably got a similar quantity dotted about, most of which are charity shop buys.
     
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  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    I do not own any Osprey books
     
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  4. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    They do tend to contain a lot of photos. I say that as a positive, considering licensing photos can cost a lot.

    I only have a couple because I'm cheap. One on Soviet lend lease tanks (I am not a fan of the 3D graphics used instead of illustrations) and one of the Staghound I got used.
     
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  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    When I was younger I did hope to be an illustrator for them but it didn't work out.

    I'm surprised more members haven't said they 've got huge collections of them.
     
  6. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Not very impressive even though I like them
    65B87A10-B724-4712-B76E-D8A0736F3F3C.jpeg
     
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  7. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Even less impressive (and narrow minded!)
    Osprey.jpg
     
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  8. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    Well, I do not reckon my collection is enormous, but I do have 33 or 34 of various series!
    Chris
     
  9. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    What a bunch of lightweights!
    IMG_7881.jpg
     
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  10. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    OK, OK, by the way could you help me out, do any of them mention a William Smith who served in the army (I think).
     
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  11. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    In general, these series are not very specific when it comes to individual soldiers. Do you have any other information on William Smith such as regiment, theatre served, etc.
     
  12. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    Osprey 1.jpg Osprey 2.jpg Osprey 3.jpg Osprey 4.jpg Osprey 5.jpg


    Pikers ! ;)

    First Osprey book I bought was on the Italian Invasion of Abyssinia. Unfortunately when a collection completist obsessive starts purchasing a series the consequences can be .........unfortunate.

    Osprey is what it is....graphic heavy intros to military history. Some are excellent, some are poor and some are middling. Some well known historians have written for them (David Fletcher has produced a number of Osprey titles) and some amateurs who should have known better have too.

    Given the size of series and the amount produced, Osprey frequently produces some of the few English works available on subjects. That, to me, is their selling point. What other publisher is going to allow me to get English language books on Ar 196 units, Italian Destroyers, Air war over Holland in 1940 and USAAF Gunships from WW2 at a decent price. Not many.
    So good on ya Osprey. What you do....you do quite well as a starting point and an overview.
     
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  13. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    You need help
     
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  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    EXACTLY the type of photos I was hoping to see on this thread.
    Thank You.
     
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  15. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    You need to open a library, Orwell :)
     
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  16. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    See, now you've caused an issue, as there's deffo a few missing.
    They've a habit of creeping backwards in tight shelving.

    IMG_20210326_225608820.jpg

    The price is wrong (another mostly charity shop purchaser here), but dead right about the niche easy-access nature.
    I know a bookseller with customers that replace entire complete sets whenever the design changes...

    Nobody else quite does things in the same way. The new Haynes's are in a similar territory, and Ian Allan come quite close, but they are essentially good at what they do.

    Do these count?

    IMG_20210326_230916077.jpg

    They don't do they.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2021
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  17. Don Juan

    Don Juan Well-Known Member

    I have precisely four Osprey books. You can very easily guess which ones they are.

    Is it me, or do the covers yellow and delaminate unusually quickly?
     
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  18. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    My wife would agree wholeheartedly
     
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  19. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    I like the ones on the Roman armies and their dress and equipment in different periods - to me it's the illustrations which bring to life these far away times. You do not find that in most other publications...
    As to the WW2 volumes: introductory reading... but then again: sometimes you need an introduction to a subject. And Osprey's scope of subjects is unique and impressive!
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2021
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  20. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    No re-sale value and as all those who collect them finally expire about a million will hit the skip/charity shops
     
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