Maya Ellison
Toy soldiers have been around for a long time, with the earliest toy soldiers crafted from materials like wood, stone, clay, and metal, and reserved for the affluent in ancient Egypt. However, the mass production of toy soldiers only began in the 18th century, with tin soldiers produced in Germany as early as the 1730s. In 1893, British toy company William Britain revolutionized toy soldier production by devising the hollow casting method, making toy soldiers cheaper and lighter. The development of plastic in the 1930s further reduced production costs, and the first American plastic toy soldiers were made by Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (Beton) in 1937 or 1938. Plastic toy soldiers became widely popular and accessible to children in the 1940s and 1950s, with manufacturers producing replicas of lead figures and new miniatures reflecting contemporary military themes. Today, plastic toy soldiers remain a beloved and inexpensive toy, often sold in bags or buckets with a variety of weapons and accessories, encouraging creative and imaginative play.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of invention | The first plastic toy soldiers were made in the US in the 1930s or 1940s. The first plastic toy soldiers produced in Great Britain were made in 1946. |
| Inventors | The first American plastic toy soldiers were made by Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (Beton for short) in 1938. |
| Ancient toy soldiers | Military figures have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. |
| Mass production | Toy soldiers became mass-produced in the 18th century. |
| Materials used | Tin, lead, zinc, antimony, wood, stone, clay, and metal. |
| Production technique | Moulding the metal between two pieces of slate. |
| Inspired by | Military exploits of Frederick the Great. |
| Used by | Military strategists to plan battle tactics. |
| Revolution in production | In 1893, William Britain revolutionized toy soldier production by devising the method of hollow casting, making soldiers cheaper and lighter. |
| Revival | A mini toy soldiers revival took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s with classic lead designs issued in plastic by Dorset Soldiers. |
| Current producers | Most army men are currently made inexpensively in China. |
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What You'll Learn
- Tin toy soldiers were first mass-produced in the 1700s
- Toy soldiers were used by military strategists in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries
- The first American plastic toy soldiers were made in 1937/1938
- Plastic toy soldiers became popular due to their light weight and low cost
- Plastic toy soldiers are now mostly made in China and Taiwan/Hong Kong
Tin toy soldiers were first mass-produced in the 1700s
The history of toy soldiers goes back to ancient times, with military figures found in ancient Egyptian tombs. However, tin toy soldiers were first mass-produced in the 1700s.
Tin toy soldiers were produced in Germany as early as the 1730s, by moulding metal between two pieces of slate. They became widespread during the 18th century, inspired by the military exploits of Frederick the Great. In 1775, Johann Gottfried Hilpert (1748–1832) and his brother Johann Georg Hilpert (1733–1811) established an early assembly line in Nuremberg for soldiers and other figures. Female painters would apply a single colour to each figurine as it was passed around the workshop.
Tin soldiers were the first "real" toy figures, known as military miniatures. They were largely superseded in popularity from the late 19th century by fully rounded three-dimensional lead figures. However, flat tin soldiers continue to be produced.
In 1893, the way tin toy soldiers were made was transformed when a process known as hollow-casting lead was invented by William Britain in the UK. Britain's company quickly became the leading producer of toy soldiers after inventing the first hollowed-out, lead-alloy figurine. Their hollow-cast production system saw molten lead poured into a mould, which was turned as the metal cooled. Because the mould featured a small opening to allow excess lead to escape, the finished figurine was hollow – making it far lighter and cheaper to make than previous designs.
After 1950, rising production costs and the development of plastic meant that many shopkeepers favoured the lighter, cheaper, and less fragile plastic toys. This led to greater demand for plastic toy soldiers. The first American plastic toy soldiers were made by the Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (Beton) in 1938, although another source claims they were made as early as 1937.
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Toy soldiers were used by military strategists in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries
The use of toy soldiers dates back to ancient times, with evidence of miniature military figures found in ancient Egyptian tombs. However, the widespread production and use of toy soldiers as we know them today began much later. Tin soldiers, produced by molding metal between two pieces of slate, originated in Germany as early as the 1730s. In the late 18th century, the first "real" toy soldiers, known as military miniatures, were mass-produced by a Parisian company, "Mignot". These miniature figures, standing at approximately 2 inches, were crafted in limited quantities and adorned in colourful uniforms.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, miniature soldiers were not just toys but also important tools for military strategists. They were used to plan battle tactics and show the locations of real soldiers on the battlefield. This practice continued across centuries, aiding military leaders in visualizing and devising their strategies.
The production of toy soldiers underwent a significant transformation in 1893 when the British company William Britain revolutionized the industry by inventing the hollow-casting method. This innovation made toy soldiers lighter and more affordable than their German counterparts, increasing their accessibility and popularity.
In the early to mid-20th century, the development of plastic and rising production costs for traditional metal toys led to a shift in the material of choice for toy soldiers. Plastic offered a lighter, cheaper, and less fragile alternative. The first American plastic toy soldiers were introduced by the Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (Beton) in 1938, although some sources suggest they may have been produced as early as 1937.
During the 1940s and 1950s, manufacturers in the USA began producing plastic replicas of lead figures and new miniatures reflecting contemporary military themes. These plastic soldiers were molded in various shades of green, resembling US troops, and were equipped with an array of weapons, including M1 rifles, .45-caliber pistols, and Thompson submachine guns. The emergence of plastic army men contributed to their widespread availability, often sold in large bags for as little as a penny per piece in the mid-1960s.
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The first American plastic toy soldiers were made in 1937/1938
The history of toy soldiers can be traced back to ancient times, with evidence of miniature military figures being found in ancient Egyptian tombs. However, it was not until the 18th century that toy soldiers became widely produced and available, inspired by the military exploits of Frederick the Great. These early toy soldiers were made from tin or lead and were usually hand-painted.
In the late 19th century, the British toy company William Britain revolutionized the production of toy soldiers by inventing the hollow casting method, making the figures lighter and more affordable. This marked the beginning of mass production for toy soldiers, although they still remained expensive for the average person.
As early as the 1930s, toy soldiers began to be made from plastic in America. The first American plastic toy soldiers were created by the Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (also known as Beton) in 1937 or 1938. Beton acquired the molds of another pre-war plastic figure company, Universal Plastics, and their figures remained on sale even after lead toy production was halted in 1942.
After World War II, rising production costs and the continued development of plastic led to a greater demand for plastic toy soldiers. Shopkeepers favoured the new material as it was lighter, cheaper, and less prone to breakage during transport. This shift also aligned with growing anti-war sentiments in the 1960s, which contributed to a decline in the popularity of traditional metal toy soldiers.
During the 1950s, companies like Zang Products (later known as Herald) and Louis Marx and Company emerged as significant producers of plastic toy soldiers. Marx sold boxed playsets with figures and accessories, while another manufacturer, the Multiple Plastics Corporation (MPC), offered plastic figures in various colours that could be used to represent different types of characters, including soldiers, farmers, pioneers, and cowboys.
Today, plastic toy soldiers continue to be widely available, often sold in bags or buckets with a variety of weapons and accessories. They remain a beloved and affordable toy for children, with a cultural impact reflected in media such as the Pixar movie "Toy Story."
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$18.96 $19.99
Plastic toy soldiers became popular due to their light weight and low cost
Plastic toy soldiers were first produced in the United States in the 1930s and in Great Britain in 1946. They became popular due to their light weight and low cost.
Toy soldiers made of tin and lead preceded plastic toy soldiers. In the 1890s, the British company William Britain revolutionized the production of toy soldiers by using a hollow-casting method, making them cheaper and lighter than their German counterparts. However, these toys were still expensive and out of reach for most people.
After 1950, rising production costs and the development of plastic led to a greater demand for plastic toy soldiers. Shopkeepers preferred plastic figures because they were lighter, cheaper, and less prone to breaking during transportation. Plastic toys could also be mass-produced at a reasonable cost, making them more accessible to children.
The first American plastic toy soldiers were made by the Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (Beton) in 1938, although some sources claim it was as early as 1937. Beton acquired the molds of another pre-war plastic figure company, Universal Plastics, and their figures remained on sale when lead toy production stopped in 1942.
In 1946, Airfix produced the first plastic toy soldiers in Great Britain. Other companies, such as Louis Marx and Company, also became large historical producers of plastic toy soldiers, creating realistic soldiers with great detail and historical collections.
Today, plastic toy soldiers are still widely available and are often sold in plastic bags or buckets, with a variety of weapons and accessories. They are known for their low prices and can be found in discount stores, supermarkets, and toy stores.
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Plastic toy soldiers are now mostly made in China and Taiwan/Hong Kong
The history of plastic toy soldiers can be traced back to the 1930s and 40s, when companies like the Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (Beton) in the US and Starlux in France began producing them. However, it was in the 1950s that plastic toy soldiers really took off, with companies like Marx, Airfix, and Reamsa adopting plastic injection moulding techniques to mass-produce these toys. The appeal of plastic was that it was cheaper and faster to produce than metal and lead casting, and the toys were lighter, cheaper, and less prone to breaking during transit.
Over time, the designs of plastic toy soldiers became more detailed and realistic, with companies including accessories and weapons like M1 rifles, .45-calibre pistols, bazookas, and flamethrowers. The soldiers were often moulded in shades of green, reflecting the uniforms of US troops.
While plastic toy soldiers were once widely available in stores across America, they are now mostly sold in dedicated toy soldier shops or general toy stores. The majority of these toys are now produced in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. The shift to East Asian production can be attributed to rising costs and safety concerns around lead-based paint in the mid-20th century, which led some companies to relocate their manufacturing to these regions.
Today, the most common plastic toy soldiers are Vietnam-era soldiers, typically equipped with M16 rifles. These are produced by companies like TimMee Toys and are often sold in plastic bags or buckets, alongside vehicles and accessories. The off-brand knock-offs are particularly popular, with 1000 clones made for every original army man.
Plastic toy soldiers remain a nostalgic and affordable collectible for adult enthusiasts, with some pieces from the mid-to-late 20th century, especially those from the 1960s, highly sought after.
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Frequently asked questions
The first plastic toy soldiers were produced in the United States in the 1930s or early 1940s.
The Bergen Toy & Novelty Company (also known as Beton) made the first American plastic toy soldiers in 1938 or as early as 1937.
The first plastic toy soldiers were replicas of lead figures or new miniatures reflecting contemporary military personnel. They were moulded in various shades of green and equipped with weapons like M1 rifles, .45 calibre pistols, and Thompson submachine guns.
G: Plastic toy soldiers became popular in the 1950s due to rising production costs and the development of plastic, which made them lighter, cheaper, and less fragile than metal toys.
