Elastolin collectors (1 Viewer)

[Asterix]

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.

Ah and then there was Corr's in Washington, D.C. It had loads of Britains. As for my Elastolins I borught them locally in Saint Louis at a store called "As You Like It." They were composition and while I still have most of them there is an aging problem. My 70mm plastics are a favorite especially the trebuchet with two Norman crew.

For those still looking to buy I can provide a link.

 

[katana]

Asterix; I bought several Elastolin pieces from Polks Hobbies around 1973. Another toy store on Lexington Ave about 76 th St had the complete Elastolin line, including the Castles and I bough my Ram, Tower, Trebuchet and Artillery pieces there. Every Xmas KLM had a diorama of Medeival Amsterdam in their window on 5th Avenue and they used many Elastolin figures and Seige Engines. The KLM display was where I first saw Elastolin figures.

 

[STG44]

Asterix; I bought several Elastolin pieces from Polks Hobbies around 1973. Another toy store on Lexington Ave about 76 th St had the complete Elastolin line, including the Castles and I bough my Ram, Tower, Trebuchet and Artillery pieces there.

That store was Rapaport's. They had a wall sized case full of Elastolin & Britains that was to your left when you came in the door.

I bought an Elastolin/Hausser Castle from Polks, as well as some Britains and some dinky tanks and Corgi cars.

Ahhh, the memories. When I was a kid and life was so much simpler with relatives who I loved dearly who are no longer around.

 

[STG44]

Here are some Elastolin German figures that I did not post with my others. These were given to me by an older relative when he was 25-30 and I was 9. They were left over from his childhood. They are composite figures, while I prefer plastic. The plastic are more durable and are not as bulky (for lack of a better word).

 

[katana]

STG44; Thank you for reminding me of Rapaports, I had forgotten the name over the years. Another fond memory of those days was discovering Exin Castilios building blockk sets at F.A.O. Schwartz. I still have thise sets today and I have built many castles and fortifications over the years. The sets are currently assembled into a large Norman Keep and a Roman Fortification, both of which I have posted photos of along with the Elastolin Siege Engines. Check my posts for the pics.

 

[Asterix]

STG and katana,

Sounds as if you grew up in NYC or close to it. I envy your toy soldier memories. My folks would take my younger brother and me to New York around Thanksgiving when my older brother was in college/grad school. That's when I'd go to FAO Schwarz and Polks. The city also felt Christmas-y that time of year. Not as much now. (I was there mid November last year.) Alas there are no toy soldier stores that I am aware of with Burlington closing just a few years ago.

STG the German soldier on the left side of your picture with his right arm held vertically was originally part of a pair with the two of them carting a (telephone?) pole between them.

I'd send picts here of my Elastolins but the process is either too complicated or I'm out of my tech depth (probably the latter).

 

[katana]

Another fond memory of bygone toy shops was the Toy Soldier Shop on Madison Avenue in NYC.
Peter Blum was the owner and I still have several of their fine catalogs. I first discovered Osprey books and Pewter castings in Peters wonderful shop near the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I would haunt the Arms and Armor gallery on weekends. Good Times!

 

[katana]

Elastolin Ram, Tower and Ballista photos with Exin Blocks Roman Fortifications.

 

[STG44]

Asterix,

Yes, I grew up in NYC in the 1960s and 1970s.

You can take digital pictures and attach them to your posts. You may need a program like Microsoft paint to edit the pictures down to no more than 1500 pixels wide and high (I think that is the right term for it).

Katana,

That is amazing work with the Dioramas.

I have a small box of those Exin Castilios building blocks, but it is only small enough to build a small castle suitable for 40mm figures.

Now that you mention it I think I remember that Soldier shop. I think I only went in there once as a kid of when I was about 9 or 10. It seemed to be set up more for adult collectors, so I didn't go back. At the time I bought mostly Britain's boxed sets (or I should say my family bought them for me). Elastolin figures were relatively expensive. I only started collecting them in the late 1990s after I discovered what they were on Ebay.

I did buy some Elastolin medieval siege engines. At FAO Shwartz I bought two western forts made of wood. I no longer have them.