Märklin 8049/2: coastal artillery in tinplate

This Märklin tinplate coastal artillery model, catalogue number 8049/2, dates from the 1920s. It is finished in hand-painted blue-grey, one of the maker's military colour schemes.

Military subjects were a familiar part of toy production in this period. This model could fire small projectiles, although those pieces are often missing from surviving examples.

The contrast between a toy and its military subject is part of its history. This example is in the KallisToys Museum Collection, where it can be studied alongside other early tinplate models.

Have you come across another version of Märklin's coastal artillery, or an example with its original accessories?

Story and research by Hans van Dissel.