He explained to me that the "PALIKARI" was made from resin by him and his friends, based on images and photographs brought by tourists and truck drivers from Greece. I think it is clearly influenced by Carl Haag's "Armatalo" at the Benaki Museum. The mold that was created was sold to some Greek company that closed down, and the unique mold was lost forever. They only kept one copy, the one that was in the showcase. He agreed to sell it to me at a reasonable price, mainly because he understood that I appreciated it and wanted it.

From then on, a collaboration began between us, where he would create and I would pay. This lasted for years. I bought many unique figures at 120 millimeters from him. He failed, despite his efforts, to make me a modeler and teach me how to paint toy soldiers. However, I continued to collect toy soldiers since then.

In 2015, when I went back to Belgium, the shop unfortunately had closed. I can no longer find figures at 120 millimeters, but now I collect whatever satisfies my aesthetic and historical criteria. And this is what I decided to share with you.

Mihalis Kostarakos
Retired General

When I started this collaboration for the book you are holding in your hands, with the late General Kostarakos, I could not have imagined that I would be forced to complete it and write the introduction of the book on my own, and to edit its publication, as well as to present it by myself, without the presence of the Chief. Unfortunately, the General passed away prematurely, and I now have the moral obligation, towards his memory, to deliver to his family and the readers, in the best possible way, the work he started which concerned his great collection of toy soldiers and the connection of this collection with mythology and world history.

I took on a great responsibility and succeeded in not letting the General's work get lost in the vast internet. I hope that from where he is, he sees us and is satisfied with the final result of the book. I now feel that I can look up at the sky and tell him: My Chief, mission accomplished!

Nikolaos Pitsolis
Retired Lieutenant General