rdmeyersr
I've got a family member who wants me to do one of those flat style figures. Anyone give me sources for these and what they are actually called?
The flat is the precursor to the fully-round figure, and it originated in Germany. It evolved from tin tokens that tinsmiths made to be sold as souvenirs at pilgrimage destinations. They were, and many still are, made from slate molds with the images engraved in left and right halves.
They cover so many periods of history, and so many subjects.
They are still very popular in Germany and elsewhere in Europe; you can find them used to make dioramas in museums, because the small size allows for depicting large events. And there are clubs organized specifically for painters and collectors of flats.
As an online source, I recommend Berliner Zinnfiguren's online shop, https://www.zinnfigur.com/ It was founded by engraver Werner Scholtz, and is run today by his son, Hans-Günther. They carry a wide selection of flats, from their own studio and others.
Another source is Jack Muldoon's Little Tin Soldier, https://thelittletinsoldier.com/catalog/index.php Jack is probably the top vendor of flats in the US today.
If you visit those sites, you can see what I mean about the breadth of content and subjects available as flats.
Hope that helps!