Model soldiers set to fetch €700,000 at auction

ONE of the largest collections of model soldiers ever to be auctioned will be going under the hammer later this month.

The army of exhibits, to be sold off at two auctions, will feature €150,000 miniature figures and is expected to fetch about €700,000.

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.

The first auction will be held at the Vectis Auction house, in Fleck Way, Thornaby, Teesside, on May 21, with public viewing the day before between 1pm and 7pm.

The second auction will be staged there on October 15.

Managed by the same family for three generations, the collection was moved following the reunification of Germany in 1990 to Potsdam, the former seat of the Prussian kings. An historic 18th century building became the new home for the collection and it was named Potsdamer Zinnfiguren Kabinett (Potsdamer Tin Figure Cabinet).

The owner of the collection, Dietrich Garski, was born in Potsdam in 1931.

Peter Rumsey, the Vectis toy soldier and figure expert, yesterday said: “This is an exceptional collection of toy figures. The first part should raise in excess of £175,000 and interest has been received from all over the world.”

Vectis chairman Bryan Goodall said: “This is one of the most important collections of toy soldiers ever to come up for auction.”