Traditions of London
For over 60 years, the name Tradition of London has been synonymous with everything to do with toy soldiers. Even today the little shop in the heart of London's exclusive Mayfair district, a stone's throw from the luxury hotels of Piccadilly and Park Lane, is still a magnet for collectors from around the world.
One man who has witnessed the changes, the shop was not always in Mayfair, the ups and downs, the changes of direction from manufacturer of toy soldiers and supplier of militaria, and fine prints to supplier and retailer of relatively inexpensive toy soldiers, exquisitely painted collectors pieces, and books is manager Steve Hare.
Steve has worked for the firm for over 30 years and he is a veritable mine of information, if he doesn't know about a given figure, print or old book, no matter the manufacturer or publisher, nobody does. Even before joining the firm, Steve was a collector of militaria, mostly Napoleonic, and today he has a fine, but diminishing collection as he judiciously parts with a piece now and then as he nears retirement.
Steve has overseen the shop and its contents, first under the original owner, the incomparable, but sadly deceased Roy Belmont-Maitland, and since 1988, under the new Swedish owners, Anders and Gunnar Lindström. Originally going under the name of Norman-Newton Ltd, in the 1960s Belmont-Maitland began publishing a new, for its day but still being copied today it was that groundbreaking, magazine under the title Tradition.
This was so successful that eventually it was decided to change the name of the business and the toy soldier range to Tradition as well. Over the years a veritable honours list of well-known names in the miniature figure sculpting and painting world has, at one time or another worked for Tradition, including the likes of Charles Stadden, his son Andrew Stadden, Edward Suren, Alan Caton, Marcus Hinton, David Grieve, Ian McKenzie, and many others.
One man who has witnessed the changes, the shop was not always in Mayfair, the ups and downs, the changes of direction from manufacturer of toy soldiers and supplier of militaria, and fine prints to supplier and retailer of relatively inexpensive toy soldiers, exquisitely painted collectors pieces, and books is manager Steve Hare.
Steve has worked for the firm for over 30 years and he is a veritable mine of information, if he doesn't know about a given figure, print or old book, no matter the manufacturer or publisher, nobody does. Even before joining the firm, Steve was a collector of militaria, mostly Napoleonic, and today he has a fine, but diminishing collection as he judiciously parts with a piece now and then as he nears retirement.
Steve has overseen the shop and its contents, first under the original owner, the incomparable, but sadly deceased Roy Belmont-Maitland, and since 1988, under the new Swedish owners, Anders and Gunnar Lindström. Originally going under the name of Norman-Newton Ltd, in the 1960s Belmont-Maitland began publishing a new, for its day but still being copied today it was that groundbreaking, magazine under the title Tradition.
This was so successful that eventually it was decided to change the name of the business and the toy soldier range to Tradition as well. Over the years a veritable honours list of well-known names in the miniature figure sculpting and painting world has, at one time or another worked for Tradition, including the likes of Charles Stadden, his son Andrew Stadden, Edward Suren, Alan Caton, Marcus Hinton, David Grieve, Ian McKenzie, and many others.
"What does a young boy want with toy soldiers? Well! Let’s face it, you lay a computer game out on a table and feel them, play with them, wonder about the history behind them. When it all comes down to basics, there’s nothing like a set of toy soldiers. There was the future of the toy soldier industry before me. What first held the attention of boys in the time of the pharaohs still holds the attention of bright young boys in today’s society. Long may it remain so. "
By Charles Davis |
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