54mm Toy Soldiers by Imperial Productions of New Zealand

A toy soldier is a miniature figurine that represents a soldier. The term applies to depictions of uniformed military personnel from all eras, and includes knights, cowboys, pirates, and other subjects that involve combat-related themes. Toy soldiers vary from simple playthings to highly realistic and detailed models. The latter are of more recent development and are sometimes called model figures to distinguish them from traditional toy soldiers. Larger scale toys such as dolls and action figures may come in military uniforms, but they are not generally considered toy soldiers. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 862 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 862 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... A rare Dresden porcelain figurine Figurine is a diminutive form of the word figure, and generally refers to a small human-made statue that represents a human (or deity or animal). ... This article is about a military rank. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ... Look up pirate and piracy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... “Fights” redirects here. ... A teddy bear A toy is an object used in play. ... A scale model of the Tower of London. ... A model figure is a scale model that represents a person, either a generic figure of a type (such as World War II Luftwaffe pilot), a historical personage (such as King Henry VIII), or a fictional character (such as Conan). Model figures are sold both as kits for the enthusiast... Look up doll in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Zarbon action figure of from Dragon Ball Z made by Bandai An action figure is a posable plastic figurine of a character, often from a movie, video game, or television program. ...

Toy soldiers are made from all types of material, but the most common mass produced varieties are metal and plastic. There are many different kinds of toy soldiers, including tin soldiers or flats, hollow cast metal figures, composition figures, and plastic army men. Toy soldiers are traditionally sold in sets, but modern, collectible figures are often sold individually. Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardised products on production lines. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A rare, complete set of Nazi S.A. tin soldiers, from the 1940s. ... Hollow casting is a casting process in which molten liquid metal is poured into a two part mold, and then poured out again to leave a hollow shell. ... A cloth of woven carbon fiber filaments, a common element in composite materials Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineered materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties and which remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. ... Plastic army men Army men are simple toy soldiers that are about 2 inches tall, and most commonly molded from green plastic. ...

Scale

Scale for toy soldiers is expressed as the soldier's approximate height from head to foot in millimeters. Because many figures do not stand up straight, height is usually an approximation. Standard toy soldier scale, originally adopted by W. Britain, is 54 mm (2.25 inches) or 1:32 scale. Among different manufacturers, standard scale may range from 50 mm or 1:35 scale, to 60 mm or 1:28 scale. For gamers and miniatures enthusiasts, 25 mm and even smaller scales are available. On the larger end of the scale are American Dimestore figures, and many of the toy soldiers produced in Germany, which are approximately 75 mm (3 inches) or 1:24 scale. A scale model of the Tower of London. ... William Britain was a British toy manufacturer who in 1893 invented the process of hollow casting in lead, and revolutionized the production of toy soldiers. ... Miniatures of Legolas and an orc of Isengard, manufactured by Mithril Miniatures A miniature figure (also known as a miniature or just a mini) is a small figurine commonly used in miniature wargames such as Heroclix, Mage Knight, and Warhammer. ...

Rare German Elastolin Figures of the WWII Era

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1713 KB)A set of Elastolin figures depicting German WWII figures. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1713 KB)A set of Elastolin figures depicting German WWII figures. ...

History

Military figures have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and have appeared in many cultures and eras. Tin soldiers were produced in Germany as early as the 1730s, by molding the metal between two pieces of slate. Toy soldiers became widespread during the 18th century, inspired by the military exploits of Frederick the Great. In 1893, William Britain revolutionized the production of toy soldiers by devising the method of hollow casting, making soldiers that were cheaper and lighter than their German counterparts.[1] Frederick the Great Frederick II of Prussia (Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was the Hohenzollern king of Prussia 1740–86. ... William Britain was a British toy manufacturer who in 1893 invented the process of hollow casting in lead, and revolutionized the production of toy soldiers. ... Hollow casting is a casting process in which molten liquid metal is poured into a two part mold, and then poured out again to leave a hollow shell. ...

In addition to Britains, there have been many other manufacturers of toy soldiers over the years. For example, John Hill and Company produced hollow cast lead figures in the same style and scale. Companies such as Elastolin and Lineol were well known for their composite figures made of glue and sawdust that included both military and civilian subjects. After 1950, rising production costs and concerns about lead poisoning led to the development of plastic toy soldiers.[2] Elastolin Figures from WWII. Elastolin is a trademark used by the German company O&M Hausser (O&M Haußer) for the toy soldiers it manufactured from composite material. ... A cloth of woven carbon fiber filaments, a common element in composite materials Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineered materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties and which remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. ... Lead poisoning is a medical condition, also known as saturnism, plumbism or painters colic, caused by increased blood lead levels. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

One large historical producer in plastic was Louis Marx and Company, which produced both realistic soldiers of great detail and also historical collections of plastic men and women, including the "Presidents of the United States" collection, "Warriors of the World", "Generals of World War II", "Jesus and the Apostles", and figures from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Britains produced plastic figures under the brand names of Herald and Deetail. Also in England, the scale model company, Airfix produced a variety of high quality plastic sets, which were frequently painted by hobbyists. Many Airfix figures were imitated by other companies and reproduced as inexpensive, bagged plastic army men. Louis Marx and Company was an American toy manufacturer from 1919 to 1978. ... Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. ... Plastic army men Army men are simple toy soldiers that are about 2 inches tall, and most commonly molded from green plastic. ...

Vintage plastic Trojan War figure by Herald

During the 1990s, the production of metal toy-grade painted figures and connoisseur-grade painted toy soldiers increased to serve the demands of the collectors' market. The style of many of these figures shifted from the traditional gloss-coat enamel paint to the matte-finished acrylic paint, which allows for greater detail and historical accuracy. The change was largely inspired by the introduction of very high quality painted figures from St. Petersburg, Russia. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 1. ... This sign at Leytonstone tube station is a typical enamel-painted metal sign An enamel paint is a paint that dries to an especially hard, usually glossy, finish. ... A Bigger Splash, 1967. ... Saint Petersburg  listen (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991...

Collecting

There is a substantial hobby devoted to collecting both old and new toy soldiers, with an abundance of small manufacturers, dealers, and toy soldier shows. There are even specialty magazines devoted to the hobby, such as Toy Soldier and Model Figure. Collectors often specialize in a particular type of soldier or historical period, though some people enjoy collecting many different kinds of figures. The most popular historical periods for collecting are Napoleonic, Victorian, American Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Many collectors modify and paint plastic figures, and some even cast and paint their own metal figures. A hobby is a spare-time recreational pursuit. ... // The hobby of collecting consists of acquiring specific items based on a particular interest of the collector. ... Combatants Austria[1] Portugal Prussia[1] Russia[2] Sicily  Spain[3]  Sweden United Kingdom[4] French Empire Holland Italy Naples [5] Duchy of Warsaw Bavaria[6] Saxony[7] Denmark-Norway [8] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack von Leiberich João Francisco de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun Gebhard von... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr had a collection of 3000 toy soldiers when he sold it in 1977. Fantasy novelist George R. R. Martin has a substantial collection of toy knights and castles.[3] The most extensive collection of toy soldiers was probably that of Malcolm Forbes, who began collecting toy soldiers in the late 1960s and amassed a collection of over 90,000 figures by the time of his death in 1990. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. ... George Raymond Richard Martin, sometimes called GRRM, born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey is an American author and screenwriter of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. ... Malcolm Stevenson Forbes (August 19, 1919 – February 24, 1990) was publisher of Forbes magazine, founded by his father B.C. Forbes and today run by his son Steve Forbes. ...

Painted and unpainted plastic figures by Accurate

Some of the more noteworthy, annual toy soldier and historical figure shows include the London Toy Soldier Show in the United Kingdom, the Chicago Toy Soldier Show (OTSN) in Illinois, the East Coast Toy Soldier Show in New Jersey, the West Coaster Toy Soldier Show in California, the Sammlerbörse (Figure Show) Friedberg in Germany and the Zinnfigurenbörse Kulmbach (Tin Figure Show) in Germany. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Chicago Toy Soldier Show is a toy soldier and model figure trade show. ...

Varieties

Different types and styles of toy soldiers have been produced over the years, depending on the cost and availability of materials, as well as manufacturing technologies. Here is a list of some of the most commonly collected varieties of toy soldiers.[4]

• Aluminum - slush cast aluminium, made chiefly in France during the early and middle 20th Century
• Army men - unpainted, soft plastic toy soldiers sold inexpensively in bags
• Composition - made from a mixture of sawdust and glue, manufactured in Austria and Germany
• Connoisseur - high quality, collectible figures featuring highly detailed paint jobs
• Dimestore - hollow or slush cast iron, sold through five and dime stores from the 1920s to 1940s in the United States
• Flat - thin, two dimensional tin soldiers cast from in slate molds
• Hollow cast - cast in metal, usually a lead alloy, which cools and sets as it touches the mold; the excess molten metal is poured out leaving a hollow figure
• Paper - printed on sheets of paper or cardboard, frequently mounted on blocks of wood
• Plastic - hard and soft plastic, generally painted figures
• Solid - cast in solid metal, usually lead, common in Germany during the 19th and early 20th Century

Prominent vintage toy soldier makers include Airfix, Barclay, Britains, Herald, Elastolin, Johillco, Lineol, Marx, Manoil, and Timpo. Plastic army men Army men are simple toy soldiers that are about 2 inches tall, and most commonly molded from green plastic. ... Five and dime was a common nickname in the United States for five-and-ten-cent stores (also called 5 and 10s), popular in the early to mid-20th century. ... A rare, complete set of Nazi S.A. tin soldiers, from the 1940s. ... Hollow casting is a casting process in which molten liquid metal is poured into a two part mold, and then poured out again to leave a hollow shell. ... Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. ... Elastolin Figures from WWII. Elastolin is a trademark used by the German company O&M Hausser (O&M Haußer) for the toy soldiers it manufactured from composite material. ... Louis Marx and Company was an American toy manufacturer from 1919 to 1978. ...

H. G. Wells playing a wargame with toy soldiers

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Gaming

The playing of games with toy figures was popularized by H.G. Wells in his 1913 book, Little Wars. Wells, a pacifist, was the first to publish detailed rules for playing war games with toy soldiers. He suggested that this could provide a cathartic experience, possibly preventing future real wars. Although this was not to be, Little Wars was a predecessor to the modern hobby of miniatures wargaming. A similar book titled Shambattle: How to Play with Toy Soldiers was published by Harry Dowdall and Joseph Gleason in 1929. Although people continue to play wargames with miniature figures, most contemporary wargamers use a smaller scale than that H. G. Wells at the door of his house at Sandgate Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 - August 13, 1946) was an English writer best known for his science fiction novels such as The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Little Wars; a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys games and books, written by the famous author H. G. Wells, was a set of rules for playing with toy soldiers. ... Catharsis is the Greek Katharsis word meaning purification or cleansing derived from the ancient Greek gerund καθαίρειν transliterated as kathairein to purify, purge, and adjective katharos pure or clean (ancient and modern Greek: καθαρός). // The term in drama refers to a sudden emotional breakdown or climax that constitutes overwhelming feelings of great... Bavarian Napoleonic Infantry, 1811, from the historical wargame Volley & Bayonet. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Doctor Steel's Army of Toy Soldiers

A Toy Soldier could also mean a devout fan and or follower of the musical genius of Doctor Steel. They distribute posters and leaflets advertising his music, and carry out missions to help educate the public about Dr. Steel and his views on taking over the world and making it a better place.

See also

• Army men
• Miniature wargaming
• Model figure
• Tin soldier
• W. Britain

Plastic army men Army men are simple toy soldiers that are about 2 inches tall, and most commonly molded from green plastic. ... Bavarian Napoleonic Infantry, 1811, from the historical wargame Volley & Bayonet. ... A model figure is a scale model that represents a person, either a generic figure of a type (such as World War II Luftwaffe pilot), a historical personage (such as King Henry VIII), or a fictional character (such as Conan). Model figures are sold both as kits for the enthusiast... A rare, complete set of Nazi S.A. tin soldiers, from the 1940s. ... William Britain was a British toy manufacturer who in 1893 invented the process of hollow casting in lead, and revolutionized the production of toy soldiers. ...

External links

• Antiques View - New York Times article
• Cigar Aficionado - article on collecting
• Chicago Toy Soldier Show - largest annual show in the United States
• Toy Soldier Forum - toy soldier and military miniatures collectors' forum
• Shambattle - simple wargaming rules for toy soldiers
• Toy Soldier Gallery - collector's website
• Canada Toy Soldiers Club - Club for toy soldier collectors
• Doctor Steel's army of Toy Soldiers - Official on line community for Toy Soldiers serving Doctor Steel
• Doctor Steel- Official website of Doctor Steel and his music
• Toy Soldiers- More than 600 figures toy soldiers