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What is Tradition of London Shop?
Tradition of London Shop is an online store for traditional toy soldiers and model figures, built around a large catalogue of historical ranges rather than a single product line. Its range covers 54mm gloss toy soldiers, unpainted 54mm kits, larger 80mm–110mm figures, 25mm–30mm wargame figures, plus paints, books, magazines, wooden plinths and glass domes. The catalogue is organised by period and subject, from medieval knights and the Battle of Agincourt through the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War and the Zulu War to present-day guards regiments.
Who it suits
- Collectors of painted display figures who want glossy 54mm soldiers organised by campaign or regiment.
- Modellers and painters looking for unpainted kits, spare parts and Vallejo Model Colour paints in one place.
- Wargamers working in 25mm or 30mm, including several distinct figure ranges.
- Military-history enthusiasts who enjoy themed collections such as the English Civil War or the Seven Years War.
What to weigh
The strength is breadth and period depth: a collector building a Napoleonic or Jacobite display has many related figures to draw from. The trade-off is that this is a specialist catalogue site, so expect to browse categories rather than search a small curated selection, and check scale, painted or unpainted status and availability for each item before ordering. If you want a single centrepiece, the larger 90mm and 110mm figures are the obvious starting point; if you want to build units, the 25mm–30mm wargame ranges make more sense.
As a first step, decide your scale and whether you want painted or kit figures, then open the matching category and compare a few entries for pose, period and parts included.
Which toy soldier scale should I choose between 54mm, 80mm, 90mm, and 110mm?
Choose the smallest scale that still gives you the display presence you want: 54mm is the practical default for collecting, gaming and shelf display; 80mm and 90mm are for collectors who want more detail and presence with a still-manageable footprint; 110mm is a display-piece scale for people with room and a specific subject in mind. At Tradition of London the ranges are organised by size (54mm gloss, 54mm unpainted kit, 80mm, 90mm and 110mm), so the catalogue itself lets you compare how much choice each scale offers before you commit.
What each size is for
| Scale | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| 54mm | Starting a collection, war-gaming, dioramas, broad historical coverage | Less surface detail per figure; figures look small on their own |
| 80mm | Collectors wanting more detail than 54mm without a big jump in space | Fewer subjects than 54mm; harder to mix with existing 54mm collections |
| 90mm | Centrepiece figures and portrait-style painting | Needs more shelf depth and height; smaller ranges |
| 110mm | Statement display pieces, one-off subjects | Largest footprint and cost per figure; least suited to gaming or large dioramas |
How to decide
- If you want many periods or armies: stay at 54mm. The page evidence shows the 54mm ranges cover everything from Agincourt and the English Civil War through the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, the Zulu War and World War I, plus present-day guards and police. Smaller scales rarely match that breadth.
- If you paint for the pleasure of detail: 90mm gives noticeably more area for faces, lace and equipment than 54mm, and is a common choice for a single figure you work on over several evenings.
- If space is tight: measure your shelf first. A 110mm figure plus a base and glass dome (the shop lists domes from 20–150mm) takes considerably more room than a 54mm figure, and a group of them needs a dedicated cabinet.
- If you already own figures: match the scale you have. Mixing 54mm and 90mm on one shelf looks inconsistent unless you deliberately separate the displays.
A useful next step is to pick one historical subject you care about and check which scales carry it; if it appears only in 54mm, that settles the question for that project.
Can I buy unpainted kits instead of gloss-painted figures for painting myself?
Yes. Tradition of London lists a separate 54mm Kit Unpainted range alongside its gloss-painted 54mm toy soldiers, so you can buy figures to paint yourself rather than only finished display pieces. The unpainted range covers many of the same historical themes as the painted line — for example Napoleonic armies, the American Civil War, the Zulu War, the English Civil War, Agincourt and the Seven Years War — plus some subjects such as the Camerone/Danjous Last Stand 1863. Spare parts are also listed in 54mm and 90mm, which helps if a part is damaged or you want to convert a figure.
Choosing between painted and unpainted
| Gloss-painted 54mm | 54mm unpainted kits | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Collectors wanting ready-to-display figures, consistent finish, gifts | Hobby painters, war-gamers, people who want a specific uniform or weathering |
| Work required | None beyond basing or display | Assembly, cleaning up, priming, painting, possibly varnishing |
| Control over result | Fixed by the maker | Full control of colours, shading and finish |
| Main trade-off | Less room for personalisation | Time, paint and skill needed; resale appeal depends on your painting |
A practical example: if you are building a Napoleonic British line unit for a game and want every figure to match, unpainted kits let you choose one palette and repeat it. If you want a single showpiece on a shelf, a gloss-painted figure saves the hours of work.
Next step
Decide by purpose first: display-only or hands-on painting. Then check the 54mm Kit Unpainted category on Tradition of London to confirm the specific regiment or subject you want is offered unpainted, since the two ranges do not always cover identical subjects. If you are new to painting, start with a small batch of one or two figures and the Vallejo Model Colour paints the shop lists, rather than a full unit.
How do I find figures for a specific historical period like Napoleonic, Zulu War, or World War I?
Use the shop's Categories → Catalogues path and choose the range first, then the period. The page evidence shows the catalogue split into two main figure types—ToL Toy Soldiers 54mm in Gloss and ToL Toy Soldiers 54mm Kit Unpainted—and each of those branches lists the historical periods separately. That is the most reliable way to find figures for a period like Napoleonic, Zulu War or World War I.
Periods visible in the catalogue
- Napoleonic: British, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, French and Prussian sub-lists
- Zulu War 1879: listed as its own period, alongside British Army 1879–1900 and Indian Army 1890–1910
- World War I 1914–1918: listed separately, with a Prussian Army 1914 sub-list
- Adjacent periods that often get confused with these: Crimean War 1853–1856, Indian Mutiny 1857, American Civil War 1861–1865
Choosing between the two 54mm ranges
| Range | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 54mm in Gloss | Display figures, collectors who want a finished look | Less control over paint scheme |
| 54mm Kit Unpainted | Wargamers and painters who want a specific uniform or unit | You supply assembly and painting time |
If you are building armies for a Napoleonic or Zulu War game, the unpainted kit branch makes more sense because you can match units and paint them consistently. If the figures are for a shelf or a gift, the gloss range removes that work.
A practical next step
Decide your period, then your scale and finish, and only then browse. For example: "Zulu War 1879, 54mm, gloss" is a much shorter path than searching the whole catalogue. If a period appears in one range but not the other, check the other branch before assuming it is unavailable—the two catalogues do not always mirror each other exactly.
For periods outside this shop's lists, such as later 20th-century conflicts, specialist makers are worth checking; King & Country covers modern and Second World War subjects, though its ranges and scales differ from the 54mm Tradition format, so mixing the two in one display needs care.
Are Vallejo paints, bases, and glass domes available to complete and display my figures?
Yes. The shop's catalog lists AV Vallejo Model Colour Paint, Wooden Plinths and Bases, and Glass Domes (20–150mm) alongside its 54mm and larger figure ranges, so you can source paint, a base and a display dome from the same place as the figures.
What each item covers
- AV Vallejo Model Colour Paint: acrylic paint for brush-painting figures; a practical choice for the unpainted 54mm kit range and for touching up gloss figures.
- Wooden Plinths and Bases: display and mounting bases for finished figures.
- Glass Domes (20–150mm): dust protection and display for smaller figures; check that the dome's internal height clears the figure plus its base before ordering.
A practical example
If you buy an unpainted 54mm kit figure, plan the whole build in one pass: paint first, mount on a plinth once dry, then measure the finished height (figure plus base) and pick a dome that comfortably exceeds it. A 54mm figure on a plinth can approach the upper end of the dome range, so measure rather than assume.
Decision criteria
- Painting only: Vallejo paint is the core purchase; bases and domes are optional.
- Displaying finished gloss figures: a plinth and dome matter more than paint.
- Mixing scales: the dome size range suits smaller figures best; confirm clearance for 90mm and 110mm figures.
For period-specific figures to complete a display, the shop's own themed ranges are the natural starting point at Tradition of London.
What is the difference between the 25mm and 30mm wargame ranges for tabletop battles?
The difference is mainly figure scale and how much room each unit takes on the table, not a different style of game. Tradition of London lists separate "25mm War game" and "30mm War game" ranges, and the 30mm side is split into several sub-ranges (Tradition, Clive Knight, Holger Eriksson and Willie). In practice, 25mm figures are smaller, so a given frontage holds more of them and battles feel larger and more sweeping; 30mm figures are chunkier and more individually readable, which suits skirmish-heavy or visually dramatic games where you want each soldier to stand out.
What this means at the table
| Consideration | 25mm wargame range | 30mm wargame range |
|---|---|---|
| Troop density per area | Higher; good for big battalions and wide battle lines | Lower; units occupy more space |
| Visual presence | Compact, slightly less detailed at arm's length | Bolder silhouettes, easier to identify units |
| Rules fit | Rules written around 25mm frontages and basing | Rules that tolerate or specify larger basing |
| Storage and cost of space | Easier to store and transport large armies | Needs more table, cases and shelving |
| Mixing with other collections | More likely to match older 25mm armies | Best kept as its own collection |
Choosing between them
Start from your rules and your opponents, not the figures. If you already have a 25mm army or play rules with fixed 25mm base sizes, stay in 25mm so your units remain compatible. If you are starting fresh and play smaller, scenario-driven games where individual figures matter, the 30mm ranges give you more character per model, and the four sub-ranges let you build several distinct forces within one scale.
A practical next step: pick one historical period you actually want to game (Napoleonic, American Civil War or Seven Years War are all listed in both scales), then compare the figure counts needed for a typical unit in your preferred rules. That number, multiplied across both sides, tells you quickly whether 25mm's density or 30mm's presence fits your table and budget.
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