Decorative Arts: Mignot Toy Soldiers

There is a special French company called Mignot that hand-manufactures lead toy soldiers.  It has been in business since the era of Napoleon and is still creating exceptional, tiny pieces of art.  I began collecting Mignot soliders last year and have a shelf devoted to them by the fireplace.  The amount of work, patience and detail in each piece is amazing.  This photograph was taken by a friend on a visit to Paris, where you can find entire shops devoted to these pieces, with thousands on display.  They are regularly available on ebay and a few online sellers specializing in toy soldiers.