Collecting_Toy_Soldiers_in_the_21st_Century.pdf

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Collecting Toy

Soldiers in the

21st Century

Picture 2: Haffner semi-flats, Franco-Prussian War

These beautiful but well used semi-flat figures must have been made closely following

the events of the war. The wonderful set of flat tin backdrops depict a burning city

with war damaged buildings and a citadel on top of a hill firing its guns. This might be

the fortress of Sedan.

De Dic at ion

This book is, as always, dedicated to my darling wife Mary.

Picture 1: Jacket picture: The drums and fifes of the Royal Welch Fusiliers

This special paint band I bought from the Pottier-Smith collection. H.L. Pottier-Smith

was a leading member of the British Model Soldier Society from when it started in

1935, and was one of the few collectors with the desire and resources to take full

advantage of Britains offer to make up models of customer’s choice on request. It

is all very well for people to grumble that Britains did not make this or that. What

most of these people meant was that Britains did not include what they particularly

wanted in their regular range, at their regular prices, because for most of the 1930s,

1940s and 1950s Britains were perfectly happy to quote the cost of anything anyone

desired within reason. The beautiful little set, painted to an enhanced standard with

black flashes behind the neck, is both a tribute to Britains best craftsmanship and an

endorsement of the urge in collector communities to elevate quality and excellence

onto the pinnacle of value and desirability.

Picture 3, opposite: Haffner vignette, semi-flat, Franco-Prussian War

Beautiful vignettes of this type, combining a number of figures in a single setting,

became a traditional centrepiece for Best Quality flats, semi-flats and solid figures in

Germany. No one can deny they have WOW! factor. This one comes from the same

series depicted in the frontispiece.