Elastolin-10.5 cm

Elastolin figures in the 10.5 cm range

Elastolin is a trademark used by the German company O&M Hausser (O&M Haußer) for the toy soldiers and other types of figures it manufactured from a “composite” material. This composite material consisted of sawdust, a glue such as casein, and clay (kaolin) molded on a wire armature, trimmed, and hand painted at the factory.

The Hausser firm was founded in 1904 by Christian Hausser and his sons Otto and Max. Production of all figures (and all other toys) stopped when the German economy was put on a war footing in 1943. Limited production of composition figures resumed several years after the end of World War II in 1945 and was largely supplanted by plastic figure production by the 1960’s.

The 10.5 cm range started production in 1912 and was halted around 1939. From 1932 until production of this line stopped, they were primarily intended for export.

Elastolin 10.5 cm Gallery

One of fun parts about collecting composition figures, including Elastolin, is the never-ending search for paint variations. Many of the composition figures were made with the same body mold, but are crafted to represent the soldiers of different nations by substituting heads with headware more appropriate for that country. In combination with a unique paint job, the same mold could make a French, German, American, Russian, Serbian, or Italian soldier.

I have come across a lot of paint variations and I’m still not sure which country some of them represent. My favorite ones, however, are those that combine two countries in some of the duplex and triplex figures below.