Toy Metal Soldiers

Toy metal soldiers are miniature figures of soldiers made from pewter, tin, lead and other metals. They are manufactured, either completely finished or unpainted, so that the new owners can hand-paint them.  It also comes in the form of elaborate scale models inspired by famous battle scenes and are called dioramas.

The first mass produced toy metal soldiers were made from tin and were two-dimensional. These tin soldiers were produced in Germany as early as the 1730s. It was done by molding the metal between two pieces of slate. It became popular during the 18th century, following the military adventures of Frederick the Great. Military strategists also used miniature soldiers in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries to plan battle tactics. They were useful in showing the locations of real soldiers.

In 1893, the production of toy soldiers was revolutionized in England by the use of the hollow casting method. This method proved to be cheaper and lighter than those produced in Germany. By the late 19^th century, the 3-dimensional miniatures surpassed the flat tin soldiers in popularity although the former was still being produced.

Indulging in war games outside of the military began in 1898.Elaborate set of rules for reconstructing famous battles were used. The high cost of amassing complete armies of lead or tin soldiers confined the interest in toy metal soldiers among collectors. Nevertheless, the onset of simplified hex board war games in the early 1960’s revived an interest in war games using toy metal soldiers. Avid followers of military tactics and war history now have a game that is interactive.

Collecting toy metal soldiers has also become popular today. Some antique collectors opt for those made by the three pioneers in the industry namely Mignot, Britains and Heyde. Mignot is a French company that dates back to 1825. Britains, which pioneered the metal casting production, started manufacturing toy metal soldiers in 1825. While Heyde, which was bombed in Dresden during World War II have long ceased production, making their products unique.

Other collectors do not look at the brand but choose specific military units or simply go for the aesthetic. Still others are into artfully converting, that is done by; welding, painting or substituting of weapons, the period of certain models. Many collectors start with one troop at the platoon level and eventually end up with battalions and regiments. One thing is certain though, these toys can bring you back to interesting periods in our colorful history.

 


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