Hello!
My name is Cole Jones, and I am a a toy soldier addict. Whew! It feels good to get that off my chest;-) I just thought I would post a bit about me, and I hope to learn more about all of you!
I started collecting, like many of you I am sure, as a young child. My first soldiers came when I was around 5, and they were the classic Britains ceremonial British guards. An obsession with these little redcoated wonders led me to nag the folks into a trip to London that resulted in day long tours of Hamleys and the Guards museum toy soldier shops. Despite my early forays into British soldiers, it was the French that captured my heart. When I bought my first Mignot at the ripe ole age of 7, I was hooked for life. I have quite literally spent the rest of my life chasing these guys down. The Marche Aux Puces in Paris would always yield a new and exciting figure or set, and Aux Plat D'etain on Rue Guisarde is my home away from home. Naturally, Mignot's Napoleonic line is my favorite and they make up the bulk of my collection.
Although, in my humble opinion, Paris is the place to go for toy soldiers, attending University in London allowed me to realize what I love most about this hobby: the camraderie. Having tea at Tradition, then moving on to visit Andy at Under Two Flags were priceless experiences. With the Armoury and the Guards Museum within walking distance of both of these shops, who could ask for more?
In my opinion there is nothing like going to a soldier shop and spending hours pressed up against the glass admiring the wonder of it all. Although I buy on ebay, I think it has had a very detrimental effect on these wonderful businesses, and takes the human component out of our hobby. Support your local soldier shop!
Well thats enough about me! I would love to see other people's collections, and I am always buying mignot Napoleonics, so feel free to contact me.
Cheers!
My name is Cole Jones, and I am a a toy soldier addict. Whew! It feels good to get that off my chest;-) I just thought I would post a bit about me, and I hope to learn more about all of you!
I started collecting, like many of you I am sure, as a young child. My first soldiers came when I was around 5, and they were the classic Britains ceremonial British guards. An obsession with these little redcoated wonders led me to nag the folks into a trip to London that resulted in day long tours of Hamleys and the Guards museum toy soldier shops. Despite my early forays into British soldiers, it was the French that captured my heart. When I bought my first Mignot at the ripe ole age of 7, I was hooked for life. I have quite literally spent the rest of my life chasing these guys down. The Marche Aux Puces in Paris would always yield a new and exciting figure or set, and Aux Plat D'etain on Rue Guisarde is my home away from home. Naturally, Mignot's Napoleonic line is my favorite and they make up the bulk of my collection.
Although, in my humble opinion, Paris is the place to go for toy soldiers, attending University in London allowed me to realize what I love most about this hobby: the camraderie. Having tea at Tradition, then moving on to visit Andy at Under Two Flags were priceless experiences. With the Armoury and the Guards Museum within walking distance of both of these shops, who could ask for more?
In my opinion there is nothing like going to a soldier shop and spending hours pressed up against the glass admiring the wonder of it all. Although I buy on ebay, I think it has had a very detrimental effect on these wonderful businesses, and takes the human component out of our hobby. Support your local soldier shop!
Well thats enough about me! I would love to see other people's collections, and I am always buying mignot Napoleonics, so feel free to contact me.
Cheers!
All are welcome in this hobby of ours, including current and former addicts. We all share the same passion and I personally have found this forum to be very rewarding in feeding my addiction. You could almost call HRH Shannon, the Queen of Toysoldieraina, the ultimate enabler
