Lineol
34 years in operation (1906–1940)
About Lineol
Lineol was a major competitor to Elastolin in the German composition figure market. Their highly detailed 7.5cm-scale military figures, military vehicles, and farmyard animals were beautifully crafted and painted. Lineol figures are prized by military miniature collectors and can be distinguished from Elastolin by subtle differences in material and construction.
History of Lineol
Lineol made composition figures — a mixture of sawdust, glue, kaolin and other fillers pressed over a wire armature, then hand-painted — and it was, with Elastolin, one of the two dominant German figure makers. The material allowed detail and expressive posing that hollow-cast lead could not achieve, and Lineol's painting standard was high.
The range covered farm animals, wild animals, circus figures, civilians and bands, but the military figures are the historically significant part. Lineol produced extensive German military ranges through the 1930s, including personality figures, marching columns, artillery with horse teams, and vehicles, and this material was made and sold as an instrument of the period's militarisation of childhood. It is collected today as historical material, and pieces with Nazi insignia are subject to legal restrictions on sale and display in Germany, Austria, France and elsewhere — worth knowing before buying or shipping.
The Brandenburg works was destroyed and the business ended with the war; the name later reappeared in East German production. Composition figures are fragile in a specific way, which shapes the entire market.
Timeline
- 1906Lineol is established, producing composition figures
- 1920Farm, circus and civilian figure ranges are in full production
- 1933Military ranges expand greatly under the Nazi regime
- 1940Production is disrupted; the Brandenburg works does not survive the war
- 1950The name reappears in postwar East German production
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Lineol German military soldiers (7.5cm)
- Lineol farm animal sets
- Lineol horse-drawn artillery
- Lineol military vehicles
- Lineol band figures
Identifying & Dating Lineol Toys
- Figures carry a paper label or an impressed "LINEOL" mark, often underfoot or on the base; labels are frequently lost.
- Lineol figures are nominally 7.5cm scale, which distinguishes them from Elastolin's common sizes, though both firms made multiple scales.
- Composition rather than lead or plastic construction is immediately apparent from the weight and from any chip, which reveals a granular grey-brown interior.
Collector's Notes
- Composition is hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture, swells, and cracks along the wire armature, and the damage is progressive and effectively irreversible. Storage humidity is the single most important factor in owning these figures.
- Original paint is the value driver, and repainting is very common. Check inside folds and under bases where a repainter's brush would not reach.
- Know the law in your jurisdiction before buying or selling insignia-bearing military figures; several European countries restrict them regardless of the collecting context.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Lineol founded?
Lineol was founded in 1906, based in Brandenburg, Germany.
Is Lineol still in business?
No. Lineol ceased operations in 1940, after 34 years in business.
What is Lineol best known for?
Lineol is best known for Lineol German military soldiers (7.5cm), Lineol farm animal sets, Lineol horse-drawn artillery, among other toys.
Where was Lineol located?
Lineol was based in Brandenburg, Germany.
What kinds of toys did Lineol make?
Lineol is categorized under figures, soldiers.
How can you identify genuine Lineol toys?
Figures carry a paper label or an impressed "LINEOL" mark, often underfoot or on the base; labels are frequently lost. Lineol figures are nominally 7.5cm scale, which distinguishes them from Elastolin's common sizes, though both firms made multiple scales. Composition rather than lead or plastic construction is immediately apparent from the weight and from any chip, which reveals a granular grey-brown interior.
Are Lineol toys valuable?
Composition is hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture, swells, and cracks along the wire armature, and the damage is progressive and effectively irreversible. Storage humidity is the single most important factor in owning these figures. Original paint is the value driver, and repainting is very common. Check inside folds and under bases where a repainter's brush would not reach. Know the law in your jurisdiction before buying or selling insignia-bearing military figures; several European countries restrict them regardless of the collecting context.