Suppliers and studios > Tradition

The toy soldiers from Tradition are cast in quality white metal and hand painted to the highest standards in gloss enamels. The figures in this range are of the traditional size and stand approximately 54 mm/ 2-1/4 inches tall. All toy sets are packed in red boxes bearing the Tradition logo. A wide variety of subjects are covered in this range and new sets are constantly being added.  

Tradition was founded over half a century ago by Roy Belmont-Maitland as “Norman Newton Ltd”. Initially they produced unique 54mm animated figures (a range of custom-made figures – still in production today) to customers’ exact requirements. These figures were sculpted by Chas C. Stadden, the renowned sculptor and artist.

Around 1964 the company started publishing a groundbreaking, prestigious magazine on military uniforms which went under the title of Tradition and following the success of the magazine, the model soldier range was similarly named. Many leading military authors and artists, past and present, were at the time contributors to Tradition magazine, which ceased publication in 1974. Over the years the ranges of model soldiers were continually being expanded, with the masters being sculpted by Jeff Willis, Ron Cameron, Alan Caton, Clive Knight, David Scheinmann and Andrew Stadden.

In 1980 the toy soldier range was introduced, sculpted by David Scheinmann, which from modest beginnings has expanded to a very extensive range covering many popular subjects and periods of military history.