A Family Enterprise

George Phillips speaks to Abram Simon about the past, present and future of New Zealand-based Fleurbaix Toy Soldiers.

- George Phillips

A fan of miniature warriors since before he could walk, Abram Simon inherited first his father Greg’s love for the hobby and then the toy soldier business he had carefully built over a period of four years. According to his parents, Abram was known to crawl the floors of the family home in Australia with a smile on his face and an old Britains toy soldier gripped tightly in his fist.

His father was the source of the much-loved metal playthings and a serious toy soldier hobbyist in his own right. “I apparently even tried to assist my father – though I was probably being more of a nuisance than a help – as he sought to paint the castings he bought from some of the leading manufacturers from the 1990s,” Abram recalled. As an older child, he began to engage in the carpet-top campaigns familiar to many of us and his love for the hobby grew steadily over the years. “Those early days in the hobby were full of fun and will always remain fond memories,” he said.

Family Business