About Tradition of London

Tradition of London has been making toy soldiers in the classic English style since the 1980s, building on a lineage of London-based makers that goes back to the early twentieth century. Their figures are 54mm and gloss-painted — the same scale and finish that defined the toy soldiers of the parade-ground era, with bright colours, polished detail, and a hand-finished look. Where modern makers have moved toward 1/30 (60mm) matte-painted realism, Tradition of London has stayed with the heritage format. The result is a different kind of collection: more decorative, more visually striking on a shelf, and rooted in the way toy soldiers were originally meant to be displayed.

Shop Tradition of London Toy Soldier Collections

Why Collect Tradition of London Toy Soldiers?

I started carrying Tradition of London because no one else in the modern toy soldier market is making figures quite like this anymore. Most of what gets produced today is 1/30 scale, matte-painted, and aimed at collectors who want photographic realism. That has its place — I sell a lot of W. Britain and King & Country for exactly that reason. But there is also a long, distinguished tradition of toy soldiers as decorative objects: 54mm, gloss-painted, hand-finished, designed to look striking on a shelf or in a display cabinet rather than to disappear into a diorama.

Tradition of London is the best modern source for that style. The painting is consistent, the historical research is solid, and the figures have a presence that flat finishes simply do not produce. They photograph well, they display well, and they hold their value. If you grew up looking at the toy soldiers in books about Britains, Mignot, or Heyde — or if you just want a single beautifully painted mounted knight or Napoleonic officer for a bookshelf — these are the right pieces.

I'm an authorized retailer for Tradition of London, which means everything in this section is sourced directly and shipped from the maker. If you have questions about a specific figure, a sold-out piece, or whether a particular set is still available from the factory, email me — I can usually find out.

— Daniel