Yesterday's Toy Soldiers

The Toy Soldier Shop of Washington, D.C.’s new advertisement touting the shop’s offerings the genre of toy soldier I first saw and played with more than seventy-five years ago. Fortunately, for the adult, The German Heyde made West Point cadets to accompany the F.A.O. West Point barracks Toy Soldier Shop allows you to recapture that burst of won- derment you experienced in your childhood when you opened your first box of metal Yesterday’s soldiers. These are figures, however, for a collector, not toys for today’s children to play with which come from toy soldiers the other side of the world. If discovery of the Heyde Retired Brigadier General Raymond E. Bell takes cadets on the shelf in parade a trip to a very special US toy soldier shop… formation was a great find, a look at several old sets in prime condition being t a recent large auc- prepared for viewing and tion, an F.A.O. Schwarz sale revealed an interesting A special wood model and vastly different array of of a barracks representing figures for sale. Neil specially one that might be found at the favors the pre-World War II United States Military Acad- Heyde figures along with the emy at West Point, New York compatible sized German went on the block. The model Krause and Haffner soldiers struck a special note with of which he offers a wide me as at the age of five years selection of such figures for old my mother purchased you to take home with you. So the barracks which was ac- it was no surprise to find the companied by a formation of German made Heyde gray Medieval knights by Krause in their original box uniformed West Point cadets. The attendant cadets have States devoted exclusively to figures produced many years long gone, but the barracks re- old, or yesterday’s toy soldiers, ago that were on the shelves mains in my grandchildren’s however, resulted in a great ready for recruitment to a col- collection. Now accompanied find -- the proper figures to go lector’s toy soldier army. by Britains West Point cadets with the barracks. At Neil Rho- From the moment you in summer and winter uni- des’ The Toy Soldier Shop of climb up the steps and enter forms and led by a converted Washington, D.C., a contingent Neil’s shop tucked into the Military Academy band they of the gray clad lead Heyde first floor of a classic Washing- parade in eternal formation. cadets paraded on a shelf in ton house behind the United Just recently, however, Hey- his store awaiting an assign- States capitol, you know you de cadets in the large set of ment to someone’s collection. are going to find yourself in a figures which came with the The West Point cadets were, special wonder land. In out Heyde boxed set of French Poilus barracks reappeared. A visit to be sure, but only one group sized glass cabinets filled with (infantry), band, and Cuirassiers to the only shop in the United of the plethora of different figures are rows and rows of (heavy cavalry) TOY SOLDIER COLLECTOR 47 Haffner Bavarian infantry marching at the “goose step” best known executed by World War II German infantry on parade British soldiers of the Napoleonic era by Haffner cadets on one of the shelves an assortment of Krause’s among the classic glass cases. medieval knights also in their For the WWI collector a original box. Haffner figures of the American Revolutionary War boxed set of Heyde French The antique figures for sale poilus (infantry) and cuiras- cited above, approximately figurines of King Henry VIII outlook for collections of siers heavy cavalry on my forty eight millimeters high, of Great Britain which were unique figures to buy and his visit was just ready to appear are not alone in being subject sold at Madame Tussard’s basement work area is often for recruitment. Going much to collector recruitment. Museum made by Britains in filled with figures from such further back in history was There is, in fact, no special London. They joined other collections in process of being an exquisite set of Krause’s emphasis on a particular eclectic historical figures to in- prepared for sale. Often there Triumph of Germanicus category or maker or even clude German Field Marshal are figures in need of clean- in its original box was to be age of yesterday’s toy soldiers (and Weimar President) Paul ing, repairing, and sorting into found ready for sale among and assorted complemen- von Hindenburg and some sets. Many of the figures in other figures of the same tary items, even non-military of his entourage in various need of repair end up being time in history. Accompany- figures. Tucked away on scaled sizes. A truly unusual converted into special sets ing the Germanicus set was one shelf, for example, were civilian figurine was the open- which a collector would like mouthed Chinese Buddha, a to have created to fit a special special metal vessel for offer- niche in his or her collection. ‘Tucked away on one shelf, for ing smoking opium to a par- Neil, as many serious collec- example, were figurines of King taker of the drug. A purchaser tors have found, is a master of such a figure for its original of such conversions as many Henry VIII of Great Britain which were purpose, however, appeared collectors can attest. sold at Madame Tussard’s Museum at best problematical. To be sure, it’s the tradition- Eschewing toys to play al toy soldiers of yesteryear made by Britains in London’ with, Neil is always on the which hold a special fascina- 48 TOY SOLDIER COLLECTOR Various figures of German Field Marshal Hindenburg Left: The special Britains made British King Henry VIII figures sold by Madame Tussauds in London, England The F.A.O. Schwarz wooden built-to- order West Point barracks The open mouthed Buddha, a repository for opium smokers tion for Neil. He is always on yesterday that they might the outlook for old foreign well be found on the shelves made figures, especially those of Neil’s shop. from Germany, so if you are a The Toy Soldiers Shop of collector looking for toy sol- Washington, D.C. is a true Mec- diers which appeared many ca for the toy soldier collector years ago, Neil is the go-to on a visit to the capital city guy. When it came to replac- of the United States. Located ing the cadets which went off Pennsylvania Avenue in with the F.A.O. Schwarz West southeast Washington not far Point barracks, it was a joy to from the capitol and legis- look no further than the Toy lature buildings, the shop is Soldier Shop of Washington, close to a rail line of the Metro D.C. I invite you to follow my underground system. The lead for there is a very good store is open on Saturdays but chance that if you are looking a telephone call might reveal The boxed set of The Triumph of Germanicus by Krause for those unique figures of an alternate time to visit. END TOY SOLDIER COLLECTOR 49.

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