German Plastic Show Axel Sohinus our final report is from Axel and gives a report with some more new information.
German Plastic Show Axel Sohinus Photos
I believe this is Andrey and Axel’s wife .
A young man at one of the stands Lots of great Timpo to look at.
Lots of boxes to go through to find treasures.
Britains and a Cavendish souvnier set
German Plastic Show Axel Sohinus Report
Here is Axel’s report on the show.
The show was full of offers and tables, but some of the old guys were missing. Especially Alfred Plath, the author of the Timpo toys book. Great collectors like Wolfram Schumacher-Wandersleb and Thomas Wiese, who is about to open his Timpo museum, weren’t seen. Well known dealers like Michael M-Smith and Ralf Erdmann didn’t appear also. Nevertheless the show was a big success. For most of the ones that made the way to Herne. A lot of new faces appeared and their mood was like. But what you can get!“ So sales were good on that day.
In the evening before the show around about 20 collectors (including their wifes and children) met in the restaurant Zille. Everyone had a good time talking about news in the scene. The actual situation is, that nothing new can be found of the old production lines of our childhood. No unusual variations of old ranges turned up. But on the other hand new production is increasing. Andrew Buslov from Russia joined us. He brought some very interesting new ranges from Basevich, Chintoys and Buslov toys. They were very highly respected as there are not only the fighting poses: priests, women and other civilian figures with bird mask or leopard fur, ritual instruments and objects, portly people with round bellys and so on. The evening progressed. Some new fakes of old figures were talked about that had been sold on ebay. Some other examples were seen in hidden boxes that will never see daylight. The area of Munich seems to develop into a kind of silicon valley of inventions or Mekka for counterfeiter of old toys. Converting is the next filed that regularly brings new additions. I showed my new range of conversions and some fellows did the same too. My new figures all belong tot he period between the roman empire and the middle ages. We call that times migration of the peoples. I received a lot of applause. It took eight months for 20 conversions.
Hello Paul, it’s notre Alex on first picture but out russian Friend Denitz
Thanks for the correction. I had asked Axel about who was in the picture, but he had not gotten back.
Nice photo of Denitz and his wife.
I actually had never seen those large Timpo watercraft inflatable troop carriers, but they look pretty good, especially when filled with 5 or 6 Timpo WWII figures. Generally, however, as much as I like the colorful looks of swoppets made by Timpo, Elastolin, Britains, and Cherilea, I decided some time ago to discontinue collecting swoppets in general because they seemed a little too much trouble to keep them together. Timpo, especially, I soured on after experiencing a little too much breakage of aged plastic which had become brittle over the years. I realize this doesn’t apply to all Timpo swoppets, but it happened to me a little too frequently, I thought, for me to repose confidence in them as a product, especially after having to pay the prices Timpo swoppets go for these days.
On another subject, the comments from those who attended the show were interesting, particularly about the old vintage lines having been completely explored and tapped out, but with new production (post 1980s) increasing and being welcomed. These were my thoughts exactly. Although some of the vintage plastic (like Marx, Ideal, Auburn, Atlantic, and Reamsa) is as good as it gets, much of the newer production (CTS, CTA, LOD, TSSD, ExForce, Barzso (his injection molded figures), Accurate, Italiari, some of the Russian-made plastic, and, of course, the immense contribution made by Conte’s plastic ranges), as well as some others whose names escape me at the moment, is actually very superior to much of the vintage stuff, in my opinion. I’m happy to see similar thoughts being expressed among German collectors.
I knew I was leaving someone out of my list of superior modern-day soft plastic: HAT (from France, I believe) which has consistently turned out vast lines of Ancients as well as Napoleonics, in superior detail at very affordable prices.
Also, AIP, which are not only historically correct in good poses, but which are very affordable, and in ranges which have filled in the gaps of neglected historic eras. I should add that AIP has introduced some of the best artillery pieces around, in sturdy, well-engineered, snap-together pieces, in a wide range of styles and sizes.
I also might mention Chintoys, put out by Engineer Bassevitch at the direction of the mystery collector in England. My Conquistador Set #2 arrived today from Scott’s Model Shop in California, along with the new set of Aztecs (to go along with the previous set of Mixtecs & Zapotecs). These Chintoys are very well sculpted, well designed, in an excellent quality soft plastic. Along with their outstanding American Civil War mounted personality figures, and regular release dates, these Chintoys are becoming an important part of current production offerings.
Don, I agree. With you and like to add my thoughts on it please Most today production is far ahead, detail and better done than most vintage not doubt.
Also, many native Chinese maker such Sunjade Supreme and few others had come with very nice figures in detail and accuracy with good ideas as well.
Not to mention that many of “American-Western” made figures set are designed by Chinese artist and EXF company are the production of Asian owner using Asian artist and else.
Still I think we must see it with some other perspective as well, I think.
Figures from past now call vintage were x children to play with then as simple toys.
With the very exception of few late 60 and 70 production by the new self-call (“model figures”) as described in their box and catalog such AIRFIX,MATCBOX ,ESCI that were not” toy soldiers” per say to be use x play by kids but more like to be paint and use as exposition model replicas .Most of rest vintages were playable toy figures exclusively made x children only. Include the dynamic swap toy figures by TIMPO, Elastolin, Britain, ISAS, NARDI, PLASTY, JH and many others with movable parts and to be change as a more interactive x kids and taking the detail anatomical of figure off the realism. Yet making kids very happy of course.
Yet; makers such Britain (detail) line, elastolin and Starlux were far ahead in history as vintage but their figures were also far ahead x many kids parents’ pockets too.
The new modern production serves and been produce for a completely different customer (Adult children)-Call plastic toy soldiers’ collectors of today limited market and the now growing war gamers hobby as well using the 1/32-30 scale more. Who look in to history and accuracy far above than when children of 50s-70s had the now considered vintage.
Many factors make both era toy figures production different as are affected by those factors.
1-Back then, neither technology or tooling was developed enough to produce such quality so easy as today, even for rich powerful makers such MARX, IDEAL with the best sculptors was very costly and MARX prefer to give more for less. So, they cut a lot in accuracy and historical part that children back and still today won’t look much of course.
Louis Marx always will think in kids’ mentality and not worry about history, accuracy or realism but to make children happy and follow the TV-Movies charter thematic as close possible -Hollywood had never been historical at all. Back then less.
2-Today with computer, programs and 3d Software makers can design a figure without asking or paying artist to make two or three figures before do the final prototype that in many cases today are been 3D printed after digital designed in a PC.
3-Back then plastic was in its infancy and that is reason why so many issues with plastic fragility and breaking after few years occur during production of many makers in those years.
4-Today there plenty choose from and research is clear as to what is best to use plus
suppliers of material are all over the world and very well explained.
5-historical data after decades is just few click from internet to use and no need spend month reading books or use few images to make the figures made as those back in 50s/60s
6-Backthen it may take month years for makers artist to do research in simple armor, weapons and uniforms and many prefer copy same showed in movies rather than look more the real part.
Why? -Economy, difficulty, lack of research been made yet and children will not look much in to that.
Yet many vintages were simple well close ENOUGH historical done to real ones. Mostly the European makers
At the end I think old vintage should be vintage collectible because nostalgic, addition to sets and fun to have then more than any toady’s makers that of course satisfy a very different small reduce world of amateurs and professional collectors/hobby enthusiastic people.
I use many vintage sets mix with new ones in my battles. The ugly figures set and less accurate I collect then out curiosity and or nostalgy
In general, I approve and collect most vintage.
While in modern I sometimes dislike errors or crude made figures when I know more can be done and had been done easy by other low-cost makers such AIP and CTS. Yet some makers are simple too lazy or not quite good in to making a bit more effort as this hobby is hungrier historical-detail demanding that ever.
Last but no least I totally agree and consider AIP artillery pieces the best in plastic. Sturdy well deep detail done and in many variations. I think is their best line ever. Their figure is very simple generic done and weapons hard distinguish in most set cases. Yet they cover with simplicity clear the armies sets they made. No question about it.
My thought
Best.
🙂
I’t not my wife, but Axel’s wife 🙂
sorry about that when I have no description on people I have to guess.
Hat is in the state of Washington, US. The home office of what seems to be the current parent company, Pacific Coast, is in HK.