Original Item: Only One Available. 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 composite material and later from plastic. The Hausser firm was founded in 1904 by Christian Hausser and his sons Otto and Max. The factory was situated in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart. Production of all figures (and all other toys) was interrupted when the German economy was put on a "total war" footing in 1943.

Elastolin composition figures were manufactured in 40mm (also known as 4-cm), 65mm (6.5-cm), 70mm (7-cm), and 105mm (10.5 cm) scales. Since 70-mm is approximately 3-inches, a 70-mm figure is approximately 1/24 scale. The Elastolin catalogs of the 1930s describe the 7-cm figures as being "normal size" (normalgrosse) and the 4-cm figures as Miniatur-Soldaten. The catalog numbers for the 4-cm figures began with the preface M so the catalog number for a 4-cm marching Heer Trommler (Army snare drummer) was M 47/1. The models made in the 1930s for the Heer Army were based on a parade ground setting, with various soldiers made to complete the entire scene.

When war broke out, Haußer - Elastolin began to manufacturer decorated wooden modular battle scenes, which could be linked together, and were used to help display the collections of composition soldiers that one might have. This is a lovely "Trench Scene", complete with a machine gun emplacement, built on a thin wooden board, and expertly decorated. The section measures approximately 12 3/4"L x 6 3/4"W x 4"H, and is in very good condition, showing some deformation of the wooden base, which has caused cracks in the wooden and paint decoration.

The trench itself has three 70mm scale soldiers in it, two by Elastolin, and one by Lineol, and there is an unmarked composition machine gunner inside the emplacement. They are in very good shape, though they show wear and cracking due to age.

A lovely set, ready to research and display!