Description
Contained within this authoritative text is the exciting history of the manufacture of toy forts and castles in western Europe throughout the turbulent nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Lavishly illustrated with nearly 800 images, this book provides detailed information on who made these castles, palaces, and fortresses, when, where, and how, and with what materials. The author focuses especially on manufacturers in Germany and Great Britain, but covers Denmark, Belgium, and France as well-and describes the fascinating story of the industry's rise and demise. Company histories show how these manufacturers, often successive generations of families, dealt with the enormous economic and political obstacles of the times. Organized spreadsheets with serial numbers, dates, dimensions, and distinctive features of products will satisfy the curiosities of toy collectors, museum curators, archivists, antique dealers, architectural history buffs, and more.
About the Author
Allen Hickling has been collecting toy forts and castles for thirty years. He has assembled one of the largest collections in the world, part of which is in a museum in Cyprus.
Reviews
'Many collectors will know Allen Hickling from toy shows round and about the country, which he has been attending for many decades, and has become the acknowledged master of collecting forts and castles. And of course many toy soldier fans display their collections on toy buildings. Chapters cover the history of toy forts, the Hausser story, the rest of the German makers, Lines Brothers, the rest of the British makers, and various European makers. Plastic collectors will find examples by Britains, Timpo, Kleeware, Starlux, Elastolin and others. But the beauty of this high quality book is in the colour photos, certainly some of the examples shown are probably unique' - Plastic Warrior, Issue 163
Toy Forts & Castles has been praised by James Opie as what we all need and by Norman Joplin as a major breakthrough. It will be useful to collectors, dealers and museum persons, but above all, with its splendid colour photographs, it is a book to enjoy. - R.T.S.
Book Information
ISBN 9780764348136
Author Allen Hickling
Format Hardback
Page Count 348
Imprint Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Publisher Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Weight(grams) 1873g
About the Author
Allen Hickling has been collecting toy forts and castles for thirty years. He has assembled one of the largest collections in the world, part of which is in a museum in Cyprus.
Reviews
'Many collectors will know Allen Hickling from toy shows round and about the country, which he has been attending for many decades, and has become the acknowledged master of collecting forts and castles. And of course many toy soldier fans display their collections on toy buildings. Chapters cover the history of toy forts, the Hausser story, the rest of the German makers, Lines Brothers, the rest of the British makers, and various European makers. Plastic collectors will find examples by Britains, Timpo, Kleeware, Starlux, Elastolin and others. But the beauty of this high quality book is in the colour photos, certainly some of the examples shown are probably unique' - Plastic Warrior, Issue 163
Toy Forts & Castles has been praised by James Opie as what we all need and by Norman Joplin as a major breakthrough. It will be useful to collectors, dealers and museum persons, but above all, with its splendid colour photographs, it is a book to enjoy. - R.T.S.
Book Information
ISBN 9780764348136
Author Allen Hickling
Format Hardback
Page Count 348
Imprint Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Publisher Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Weight(grams) 1873g
