With meticulous planning and audacious battle executions, Napoleon swept all before him at Lodi, Austerlitz, Marengo, Jena.... and very nearly Waterloo.

Among his biggest secret weapons was a small army of little metal "men"... figures not much bigger than the Imperial thumb... painted with the colours and uniform appointments of key Grande Armee regiments.

The were Napoleon's map markers, used to position infantry, artillery and cavalry on campaign maps. Free standing they allowed Napoleon to explore a number of attack options without casualties, than choose the one felt to be the most effective. And in the field, they also served to secure maps from wayward breezes wherever the Emperor needed them at hand, whether on campaign desk, drum head or the ground itself.

A number of years ago, it was possible to secure a unique Napoleonic artefact... a small set of Map markers reputed to have been used by the Emperor himself.

Your Map Marker figures were also models for a special set made in 1812 by goldsmith J B Odiot in commemoration of the birth of Napoleon's Son, the Duke of Reichstadt and King of Rome. The figures, with ranks and appointments marked on top of their shakos, were entirely lined with gold and finely decorated and represented the 22nd Light Infantry, a Corsican volunteer unit commanded by Napoleon in 1792.

When mounted on pins, they could be moved on a machine to imitate drill procedures. In 1821-1822, goldsmith A Grapin was commissioned to convert the set to represent an Austrian regiment. In 1862, it became the property of Napoleon III who had the figures reconverted to represent French soldiers.

The re-artwork set was given, in 1870, by the Empress Eugenie to Baron de Pierres, and has been a much-valued familey heirloom since that date.

This Napoleonic Map Markers have been crafted precisely to the specifications of the originals by R P World Models, Nottingham, England. And unlike Napoleon's own originals, they appear in colours authentic to those of Grande Armee units.

Size of each Map Marker/ Figure height Circa 35mm 
   

By STEADFAST SOLDIERS, Produced in Nottingham, United Kingdom