Bit on tv about this yesterday....showed 2 small tin models of Adolf Hitler in uniform before ww2. Whole collection looke like a kids heaven...or even a ww11 forum posters heaven.. Army of bidders marches on toys Hundreds of bidders from around the world are expected to battle over one of the largest collections of model soldiers ever to be auctioned, when it goes on sale in the north-east of England. The exhibits, to be sold off at two auctions, will feature 150,000 miniature figures and is expected to fetch about £500,000. The Potsdam collection of miniature figures was founded in 1928 by Frederich-Wilhelm Meisner, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Imperial guard in Berlin. Over the next 70 years the collection grew to one of the largest and most important collections of its kind in Europe and eventually comprised hundreds of thousands of figures. It features mainly German, British, and French soldiers from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century, reflecting battles dating back to pre-Christian times. Global interest The collection was moved following the reunification of Germany in 1990 to Potsdam, the former seat of the Prussian kings. Peter Rumsey, the Vectis toy soldier and figure expert, said today: "This is an exceptional collection of toy figures. "The first part should raise in excess of £175,00 and interest has been received from all over the world." The first auction will be held at the Vectis Auction house, in Fleck Way, Thornaby, Teesside, on 21 May, with public viewing the day before between 1300 and 1900 BST. The second auction will be staged there on 15 October.
Here´s some things to drool over... http://www.worldmilitaria.com/ahmuseum.htm http://www.hrtyrergalleries.com/auctions/January+01+03_20/Porcelain+and+Silver_195/Porcelain_707/ [ 15. May 2003, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]
Not really my scene. But heres the official cataolgue for the sale...puts my Airfix 1/72nd collection into the shade.... http://www.vectis.co.uk/auccat.php?auction_id=96&cat=The+Potsdam+Collection+of+Military+Figures
Kai, to drool over indeed. Urgh--if you even have the slightest thought of making a bid on any of those toy soldiers--they are all way over price--most of these sets are currently for sale at The Toy Soldier Factory--here in the USA. These are one and the same.
The toy soldiers look great. I saw a shop in Würzeburg that sold them. They are really expensive. I stick to collecting WWII items, maybe adding a few german soldiers between the badges and uniforms would be nice! The ah items always scare me. High prices and the burning question: is it real???
Just ask me my friend--I can get you some cheap. Also--I have one without a box that I might be able to send you sometime in the next few months when my finances get better straightened.
Thanks Carl but I don't want to put any strain on your finances for toy soldiers . What kind of soldiers do you have?
No problem my friend--these are already paid for for a few years. I can give you one of my Ultimate Soldier German Soldiers if you want it. These sell for about $30.00 each here in the USA. I can send you one as soon as I dig it out of a box and let you have it if you want. The others though--I would like to sell for a cheap price just to get rid of them. Oh I also have a 1:12 scale desert painted Kettenrad--still with the box. I pretty much gave up on buying these so I could buy militaria. Now--I will continue to get them at a later date--when the finances are better for me. These aren't as good as Dragon Figures but--they ain't bad either.
