Tin soldier

[1] Though largely superseded in popularity from the late 19th century by fully rounded three-dimensional lead figures, these flat tin soldiers continue to be produced.

The first mass-produced tin soldiers were made in Germany as a tribute to Frederick the Great[2] during the 18th century.

Johann Gottfried Hilpert (1748–1832) and his brother Johann Georg Hilpert (1733–1811) established an early assembly-line in 1775 for soldiers and other figures; female painters applied a single color on each figurine as it was passed around the workshop.

[4] The world's largest Tin Soldier is located in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

Tin soldiers also play a role in "The Nutcracker Suite" as well as "Knight's Castle" by Edward Eager.

Tin soldiers portraying a military band
Tin soldiers being cast in German molds from the early 20th century. The two mold halves are clamped together, and the metal (an alloy of tin and lead, heated to approx. 300 °C) is poured into the mold. When the metal has solidified, the mold is cracked open. Sprues (pouring channels) and extraneous flash (metal that has penetrated cracks and air channels in the mold) are seen in the third image, and have been removed from the castings in the last image.
Illustration by Vilhelm Pedersen for The Steadfast Tin Soldier ( Den Standhaftige Tinsoldat ).