Collectibles Reviews

For collectors of toy sodiers, the German company, Elastolin, has always been considered one of the best...sadly, they are no longer with us. The Schleich-World of Knights line, however, seems poised to pick up nearwhere Elastolin left off. Their medieval figures, while not quite as realistically painted as their predecessors, are made of a more durable material, the poses are quite realistic, and the paint jobs are excellent. These figures can function as collectibles or as toys--for very careful children. A wonderful series of knights!

I purchased this little fellow in Prague after being given the Dragon for Christmas. It's a remarkably detailed piece, with an amazing level of historical accuracy in the armor and armaments of the 14th/15th century. It's made of highly durable plastic, and overall it's rugged enough to withstand the rigors of entertaining youngsters. I bought several other members of the Schleich Knights series for my two nephews, aged 4 and 6, so there is minimal concern that the detachable parts could be dangerous for young children. The pieces come in two opposing camps: the Red Fleur de Lis, and the Blue Lion, and each piece has a corresponding piece in the other, with somewhat different design and graphics. As with all of the Blue Lion camp, this toy reflects a slightly more advanced style armor than their rival, the Red Fluer De Lis, with the Red Camp showing arms and armor of the 12-13th Centuries (typically), and the Blue the arms and armor of the 13-15th. This reflects an impressive variety in styles of armament and armor of the period, and vastly improves the educational value of the series. The level of detail, for this price, is actually quite surprising. Also, it appears some political sensitivity went into the crafting, as the Red Fleur de Lis corresponds more closely to the English armor and weapons of the preiods, while the Blue Lion more closely refelcts the French, despite the switched heraldic devices.