In Final Fantasy VII, what were the 1/35 Soldier items for?
There is no use for the 1/35 Soldiers in Final Fantasy 7. But if you purchase the vacation home in Costa Del Sol, the soldiers will be up on display there.
Oh and if anyone cares, there are 12 in the set.
And for more info on items in FF7: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Final_Fantasy_VII_items is a great reference.
It is possible to get more than 12 x 1/35 Soldiers, up to the item limit of 99, as you can receive them as a prize in the Speed Square in the Golden Saucer. The same goes for the Masamune Blade and Super Sweeper items, neither of which have a purpose in the game.