Embarrassed about Collecting Toy Soldiers? (1 Viewer)

[MikeNick]

My partner calls it my crazy collection,My work colleagues call it weird,But to me i embrace all the elements of this hobby wth passion ie the history,the sculpture and the thrill of finding the next piece.
Bren {sm4}

As far as I see it, never give up what makes your life passionate. You are right on to see the dynamism in the sculps. I see what we collect as art, and if someone has a problem with art, then that is their problem, not yours!

Be true to yourself.
MikeNick

 

[SmilingJake]

No embarassment on my part. Toy soldiers have always held a place near and dear. I still have the last Marx Playset I bought many years ago, a Giant Fort Apache from Sears.
I think its essential to have a hobby, whatever interests you and what you enjoy. I believe its a big stress reliever. The only thing I enjoy more than the incredibly detailed soldiers that are marketed today, is collecting dug Gettysburg artifacts with solid provenance. People always used to ask me what I wanted with that rusty junk. The prices have become so high I cant buy what I used to, but to hold a piece of history in your hands and try to imagine the story that could be told --- well, some people will never get it.

 

[Go for Broke]

Hey Smiling Jake, can you post some pics of your Gettysburg relics? That kind of stuff always interest me.

 

[Poppo]

Like you all, I love those figures, and I am happy for studying history: sometimes I read first and then buy..Sometimes I buy figures I like and then I read about them. For me well made dioramas are like 3D paintings and a wonderful decoration for my home. And when I feel alone I watch them so realistic like frozen in an action and I feel less lonely...But, even if this is also a cultural hobby ( I say this to myself!), the feeling of collecting is a pleasure too close to the pleasure I had when I played with plastic toysoldiers when I was 10! And now I am 43 , so I feel embarassed with myself sometimes feeling not very mature....{sm2}

 

[jager7080]

Like you all, I love those figures, and I am happy for studying history: sometimes I read first and then buy..Sometimes I buy figures I like and then I read about them. For me well made dioramas are like 3D paintings and a wonderful decoration for my home. And when I feel alone I watch them so realistic like frozen in an action and I feel less lonely...But, even if this is also a cultural hobby ( I say this to myself!), the feeling of collecting is a pleasure too close to the pleasure I had when I played with plastic toysoldiers when I was 10! And now I am 43 , so I feel embarassed with myself sometimes feeling not very mature....{sm2}

Poppo ,

I also have fond memories of playing with my old Marx playsets , Britains Deetail & Swoppit Toy soldiers as a kid...As you said , collecting toy soldiers now brings the same pleasure to me...But i also see toy soldiers as art , each one being a unique work all it's own of some soldier or vehicle which actually took part in one of the most epic conflicts known to man...Watching documentary's on the war & reading about the history enhances my collecting experience...I am 42 , & enjoy the hobby greatly so you are not alone !

Joe

 

[Fort-Stamford]

NOT AT ALL!!! In fact my youngest son, an RC Car enthusiast, now 32, has also started to invest time in this hobby. His focus is Battle of the Bulge K&C figures. My granson is also a collector and now greatly interested in castles I've built. Started my interest in toy soldiers since 11 years of age. 58 years later the interest has not waned and my dear wife loves the changing dioramas.

 

[jager7080]

NOT AT ALL!!! In fact my youngest son, an RC Car enthusiast, now 32, has also started to invest time in this hobby. His focus is Battle of the Bulge K&C figures. My granson is also a collector and now greatly interested in castles I've built. Started my interest in toy soldiers since 11 years of age. 58 years later the interest has not waned and my dear wife loves the changing dioramas.

I wonder how long it will take your son to start blending into other theaters...? I first started buying K&C with only the intention of staying in the North Afrika theme...That did not happen...Now i just say i will stay in the WW2 theme...with just a few Confederate Cavalry !

Joe

 

[Fort-Stamford]

I wonder how long it will take your son to start blending into other theaters...? I first started buying K&C with only the intention of staying in the North Afrika theme...That did not happen...Now i just say i will stay in the WW2 theme...with just a few Confederate Cavalry !

Joe

Joe, Your so right. Once you catch the bug.....your hooked. Then forget it once you visit one of the Toy Soldier shows!! As a child my only focus was on WWII Barclay Figures from Woolworths at 25 cents each and Marx figures, then there was this long lull through high school, college years, and early career building. Then I was awaken to past memories, like Malcolm Forbes, when I saw the little fellows in a Knightsbridge store, in London. Then bang...4,000+ figures and countless themes later (9,000 if you count wargaming scale) here I am, happy as a clam. {sm4}{sm2}

 

[christopher]

hy Collectors I´m Christopher from Germany Bawü I collect and casting Toy soldier when i was 10 years old.it is a gift from my grandpa he melt and paint 10 Tin figures and says to me : loch this are the first and the last Figures than i`ll make to you the rest make you self....
now i´m 46 years old and i have a lot of Molds (maby 3-400) For me it this a wonderful Hobby i must said its better then goes every Day in a Pup and drink me silly ^&grin
greetings from cold Germany
Christopher
sorry for my bad school English

 

[Isandlwana]

To WW2 'Axis' collectors.

I would like to see an adjunct to this poll but rather like the Nazi's, some people don't seem to like polls (see what I've done there?).

What I would like to know is whether those that are quite rightly not embarrassed about their hobby are equally open about their passion for collecting Toy Soldiers depicting Nazi's, or is this a step too far?

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Nothing at all to be embarrassed about collecting toy soldiers and vehicles, etc ... ^&grin

 

[bromhead]

To WW2 'Axis' collectors.

I would like to see an adjunct to this poll but rather like the Nazi's, some people don't seem to like polls (see what I've done there?).

What I would like to know is whether those that are quite rightly not embarrassed about their hobby are equally open about their passion for collecting Toy Soldiers depicting Nazi's, or is this a step too far?

"passion" ,,the question is a bit out there

 

[emilsson]

No embarrassment whatsoever . I've only recently begun collecting toy soldiers although I have wanted to do so for as long as I can remember. I just didn't know where to start until I discovered that I live close to a number of shops that sell them (I live in central London). Now I am trying to create a parade inspired by trooping the colour.

 

[visigoth]

I had toy soldiers as a kid and got into collecting them for a while in the late 1990s. I don't have that many (a few boxfulls) and never got into it big, never had any friends who were into collecting them, so I never mentioned it to anyone.

I got interested in collecting those similar to what I remember seeing around when I was a kid--some Elastolin & some Britain, some Marx Warriors of the World.