Elastolin collectors (1 Viewer)

[Asterix]

Any Elastolin collectors out there?

 

[nysoldiers]

Yes....started in the 50's with composition then plastics.
painted hundreds of my own unfinished plastics including Landsknechts and Romans.
Have almost all their siege equipment and early artillery which were excellent.
One day I will post photos.

 

[Andanna]

Lineol Composite animals. Does that count?

 

[katana]

I collect the Elastolin Siege Engines, Cannon and Castles. The Siege Engines; Ram, Tower, Trebuchet, Catapults and Ballista have never been excelled by any manufacturer in terms of historical accuracy and detail IMO. The Medieval Cannon are superb, especially those with Brass barrels. The Mortar and Large Renaissance cannon actually fire using caps that detonate to propel the cannon ball. The WWII Artillery pieces are also very nice; but are not as good as the Marklin or Lineol pieces. The castles are some of the most elaborate ever made. Only the Nottingham Castle by Barzo exceeds the Elastolin Castles in complexity and detail.

The figures are dated in comparison with todays Toy Soldiers; but the range offered was amazing for the time i.e. Romans, Huns, Vikings, Turks, Knights, Cowboys, Indians, WWI Germans etc. Plus every figure was produced in two sizes 40mm and 70mm or about 1/48 and 1/25 scale.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Any Elastolin collectors out there?

I have collected Elastolin Medieval figures for a long time, a few "Composition" knights and a number of their 'plastic' Medieval figures including some 'Siege' equipment (weapons and the tower). Although the size of the 70mm figures I collect put them in a range by themselves, they had excellent detail compared to anything else at the time. Some of my favourites.

When much younger, spent a lot of time admiring Elastolin castles, in Toy Soldier magazines.

The change in ownerships and partnerships(?) does not seem to have hurt them much over-the-years.
I have seen photos of some very nice looking "Lineol Elastolin" and "Duscha Elastolin" newer Medieval figures including some 'Robin Hood' series and a 'Mounted Medieval German Princess' that look excellent. However, they do not seem to make it to the U.S. very often, and when they do, the price seems high compared to prices I have seen from the European shows, even allowing for currency conversion.

 

[MajorDad]

Lineol figures here. Been collecting for about 25 years.

 

[Asterix]

Katana,

What would you consider to be a reasonable price for the (70mm) battering ram with box today?

I've seen some of the other siege weapons on Ebay and they can have a wide range of asking prices. I have both the catapult and siege tower in 70mm.

 

[Asterix]

For Elastolin collectors may I recommend Toy Forts and Castles by Allen Hickling? Even if your collection does not include castles it's a wonderfully illustrated and researched book. Its cover even features one of Elastolin's many castle versions. Who knows, you might start a collection of your own!

 

[Bombon]

I collect Elastolin, Lineol WW2

 

[Bombon]

 

[katana]

The Ram price varies widely on eBay; their is one posted now with the original box for $399.00. Rather expensive, but the Ram is rare. I purchased mine in 1975 at a toy store in NYC for $25.00; were I to sell it I would probably ask $250. I consider it the finest Ram ever made. The Trebuchet is also very well done and is exceeded only by the First Legion version IMO. The Elastolin Trebuchet is a working model, but the FL is not.

The Elastolin Ballista is currently posted on eBay for $150; mint condition in the original box.

For Elastolin collectors may I recommend Toy Forts and Castles by Allen Hickling? Even if your collection does not include castles it's a wonderfully illustrated and researched book. Its cover even features one of Elastolin's many castle versions. Who knows, you might start a collection of your own!

 

[Louis Badolato]

My son Alec has an entire Normans vs. Vikings Prince Valiant set up in Elastolin 30 mm plastic figures, with two castles, a blacksmith shop, peasant houses inside a wooden stockade, a Viking ship, siege towers, catapults, trebouche, and battle wagons.^&cool^&cool Its presently tucked away under one of my display tables, but he takes it out and plays with it periodically.:smile2:

 

[Currahee Chris]

Well, I finally broke down and got my first two Elastolin figures last month in Nuremburg so I guess I am in the club now!

 

[Currahee Chris]

My son Alec has an entire Normans vs. Vikings Prince Valiant set up in Elastolin 30 mm plastic figures, with two castles, a blacksmith shop, peasant houses inside a wooden stockade, a Viking ship, siege towers, catapults, trebouche, and battle wagons.^&cool^&cool Its presently tucked away under one of my display tables, but he takes it out and plays with it periodically.:smile2:

The EXACT location of that set in your crib is much appreciated. You may want to double check that it is still there after I leave!!! {sm4}{sm4}

 

[theBaron]

I have a small group of Elastolin figures, all post-war plastic...

Here is Old Fritz, naturally:



He's molded in hard white plastic, and is in 70mm. I started painting him with matte acrylics. I had to replace his scabbard, too. The original had been lost long before I ever got this figure, but a piece of stretched sprue worked nicely.

Here are three Jäger, who are a bit of a puzzle to me:





I don't know exactly what they're supposed to depict. Their tunics and Kniebundhosen look German, and the cockade on their hats is white and blue, suggesting to me that they might depict Bavarian foresters. Notice, too, that two of them had a cockade which is blue-white (outer band to the center), while the other is white-blue. Their headgear, however, looks vaguely Italian to me, like the Alpini wear. Note the variation in the bases, too. They are 65mm. I haven't yet gotten around to researching them. And I have to fix the carbine on the one that was lost before I got him.

The last are some animals, shown here with their wax paper bag. The first group comprises a cheetah, a lion, a wild boar, an owl, and a tiger:



The second group is all owls:



I picked these up, because I think I can use them in various dioramas.

Elastolin also made some nice 18th century figures; I think my Frederick the Great is part of that catalog. I've thought from time to time of picking up some more of those figures and painting them, but I've already got enough on my plate for now.

Thanks for looking, prost!
Brad

 

[theBaron]

OK, posting those photos made me go out and runs some web searches. I found a site that describes the Jäger figures as "Elastolin Forester":

https://www.figurenschnapp.de/epages/64002193.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/64002193/Products/27196

The web page's author lists the catalog number as 5995, but I have an original box for one of them, a clear plastic box with a folded, printed cardboard base and a plastic clamp that held the figure's base. It is printed with the catalog number 5445. The box is also from Preiser, so that one figure was issued after Preiser bought Hausser's molds. The base is still marked underneath with "Elastolin-Germany", though.

I found another example, here:

https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Preiser/47715.aspx

That page lists it with a Preiser catalog number, 47715, and gives the size as 1:25. I have to say, twenty bucks seems a bit much to me. I got mine off eBay for much more reasonable, ie, cheaper, prices.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Louis Badolato]

The EXACT location of that set in your crib is much appreciated. You may want to double check that it is still there after I leave!!! {sm4}{sm4}

Its under the table with the early K&C Seaforths, etc. vs. K&C Afghans and Boxer Rebellion Chinese, right when you walk in off the stairs.:wink2:

 

[Ivanhoe]

For Elastolin collectors may I recommend Toy Forts and Castles by Allen Hickling? Even if your collection does not include castles it's a wonderfully illustrated and researched book. Its cover even features one of Elastolin's many castle versions. Who knows, you might start a collection of your own!

You are correct "Allen Hickling"...Allen, his wife and daughter, were at OTSN in 2016, I picked up a copy and he signed for me.

Very nice individual and great book.

 

[STG44]

The Ram price varies widely on eBay; their is one posted now with the original box for $399.00. Rather expensive, but the Ram is rare. I purchased mine in 1975 at a toy store in NYC for $25.00; were I to sell it I would probably ask $250. I consider it the finest Ram ever made. The Trebuchet is also very well done and is exceeded only by the First Legion version IMO. The Elastolin Trebuchet is a working model, but the FL is not.

Was this store Polks Hobby Shop, by any chance?

I had a few Elastolin as a child in the 1970s.

In the 1990s I discovered Ebay and looked through various categories of toy soldiers and found out exactly what I had. I still had most of my soldiers carefully boxed up and well-preserved. I unboxed them and figured out what I had. Most of them were Britains but I had some Elastolin. In looking at some of the other figures available I found myself attracted to the Elastolin and Preiser 70mm Normans and Vikings and bought a about two dozen of them, along with some Lansquenets. After a while I bought what I wanted and lost interest. I really liked the Normans and the detail present. Preiser bought out Elastolin in the 1980s and started producing copies of many of Elastolin's plastic figures.

I have pictures of some of my Elastolin and Preiser figures posted here: https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/showthread.php?64432-STG44-s-collection&p=805721&highlight=#post805721

 

[nysoldiers]

Was this store Polks Hobby Shop, by any chance?

I had a few Elastolin as a child in the 1970s.

In the 1990s I discovered Ebay and looked through various categories of toy soldiers and found out exactly what I had. I still had most of my soldiers carefully boxed up and well-preserved. I unboxed them and figured out what I had. Most of them were Britains but I had some Elastolin. In looking at some of the other figures available I found myself attracted to the Elastolin and Preiser 70mm Normans and Vikings and bought a about two dozen of them, along with some Lansquenets. After a while I bought what I wanted and lost interest. I really liked the Normans and the detail present. Preiser bought out Elastolin in the 1980s and started producing copies of many of Elastolin's plastic figures.

I have pictures of some of my Elastolin and Preiser figures posted here: https://forum.treefrogtreasures.com/showthread.php?64432-STG44-s-collection&p=805721&highlight=#post805721

Polk's....that's a flash from the past! They had a great selection of toy soldiers. I bought most of my plastic Elastolins from FAO Schwartz.