In 2014 when the original White Ensign Models Ltd went into insolvency, the company and its assets were sold off in three parts:

- Lot 1 was White Ensign Models brand rights, website, stock inventory and rights to White Ensign Models branded detail sets and kits

- Lot 2 was Colourcoats paint sub-brand and rights, stock inventory and rights to Colourcoats

- Lot 2 was stock inventory of third party products


Lot 1 was sold to Richard Harden of Tom's Modelworks. Lot 2 was sold to me. Lot 3 was sold to Hannants.

I thus set up Sovereign Hobbies Ltd as a side venture to continue manufacturing and selling Colourcoats paints and developed both the colour range and chemical product throughout the 10 years I remained in business. I imported WEM detail sets from Richard and sold them in the capacity of his UK agent, and reciprocally Richard imported Colourcoats paints from me and sold them as one of three US agents I had at one point. Richard was always the biggest buyer of the three.

It was always a side venture for us and as my day job became ever more senior in role and demanding, and my wife became a PhD student, something had to go and it was making model paints.

I sold Colourcoats rights and inventory to Keith Richardson, an enthusiastic UK-based customer who had recently retired from Nissan's manufacturing plant in N.E. England. Keith set up his own business called Resolution Hobbies Ltd where he continues to make and sell Colourcoats in the UK. I understand Richard Harden still imports Colourcoats and acts as a US agent for them.