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This week in historical and product spotlights, we’re featuring pirates!Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable items or properties. The earliest documented instances of piracy were in the 14th century BC, when the Sea Peoples, a group of ocean raiders, attacked the ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean...

This week's history and product spotlight is on the St. Francis Raid. Check out our toy soldiers from the Raid on St. Francis in our John Jenkins Designs section!The St. Francis Raid was an attack in the French and Indian War by Robert Rogers on St. Francis, near the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River in what was then the French province of Canada, on October 4, 1759. Rogers and about 140 men entered the village, which was reportedly occu...

We had a great time at the 2019 Chicago Toy Soldier Show. Thanks to everyone who came out! We're looking forward to the 2020 show already. Check out some photos from the show below. ...

MTH Electric Trains, formerly known as Mike’s Train House, is an American toy train and model railroad designer, importer, and manufacturer based in Maryland.Mike Wolf, the MTH founder, started assembling and selling trains in 1973 at the age of twelve. When he was twenty years old, he opened a toy train mail order business in a bedroom of his parents' home.Today, we’re in the golden age of model railroading, with more product choices than s...

It goes without saying that we love toy soldiers. This week, we're learning about where and when these cherished figurines came into prominence.Military figures have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs and have appeared in many cultures and eras. Tin soldiers were produced in Germany as early as the 1730s by molding metal between two pieces of slate. Toy soldiers became widespread during the 18th century, inspired by the military exploits of Fre...