UK Trade Fairs Report Peter Evans gives a report on the two trade fairs he attended. The first show he did was the UK Toy Fair in London. The other trade fair was the International Gift Fair in Birmingham UK. His report will give you the status of items in our field.
UK Trade Fairs Report The Report and Airfix
After visits to the British Toy and Hobby Fair in London and The International Gift Fair in Birmingham I can give the following information regarding new (and no so new) products of interest to collectors.
To be brutally honest there wasn’t that much to be seen but what there was some items worth looking out for.
Airfix have reissued their H0. 00 / 20mm WW2 series as ‘Classic Airfix’ with the original box art and reproduction style packaging.
The WW1 series have been reissued, only one year after the centenary in a similar style.
No 54mm figures however and the sales rep I spoke to had no idea if they would ever make a comeback.
UK Trade Fairs Report Papo & Wild Republic
Papo have two (!) new figures. A clown and a very Hollywood King Arthur. I was informed that the Mini + 60mm figures are selling well.
Wild Republic have several sets on offer. Two tubs that contain ancient Egyptians and Mediaeval knights. Similar in size and style to Papo.
They also do a pirate tub with 65mm painted pirates, plus bags of Egyptians and knights that range in style from 54 to 60mm.They also do a pirate tub with 65mm painted pirates, plus bags of Egyptians and knights that range in style from 54 to 60mm.
UK Trade Fairs Report Comansi
Commansi, along with all the
The bulk importers were still showing bags of crude copes of Airfix British paratroopers with under scale tanks, etc. destined for the cheapo shops.
I regret that that’s all that I have to report but at least there were some pinpoints of light in the gloom.
Let’s see what 2020 will bring.
I like add something here please.
that Comansi line is same since 2006 ,posted in video other day too.
http://www.stadsstuff.com/?p=14524
What is not reported in that show fair is that COMANSI re launch the 1992 (4 series western toy figures with the” old plastic recasts of 6 houses” .Same I carry import sold in late 90s again .
here is the direct link
https://www.comansi.com/en/38-far-west-comansi
They can be bought direct from ebay Comansi store .These are the same 6 nice model houses produced in 1968 used first with 2nd and 3 generation of over 80 poses western figures poses classic made painted first in 65-70 mm scale ,no longer made .
I carry import those houses in 90s .
Now sold as link above show with these more toyshy figures of later 4 generation made to compete with EXIN nad HEIMO line in 80s and also with the new last generation better made figures as well.I did carry those figures in small amount too .
The historical COMANSI figures PVC are large scale 90mm or taller .i ihave a one sample each plus catalog of 2014
The Pirate buckets are in amazon since 2017 and ebay too .They are are local school/toy learning store too .I post then here as they are from same distributor as new knights (Liberty Imports) come last year as well .
Pirates are 65 mm and 8 poses total no 4 only , base in some of platsoy and papo poses.
They are at some Target seasonal section towards back store and come first to TRU before close down in last months.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Liberty-Imports-Bucket-of-Pirate-Action-Figures-Playset-with-Boat-Treasure-and/233080517138?epid=558557978&hash=item3644ae7212:g:IxYAAOSwYTtcLzx2:rk:11:pf:0
The knights ,egypitain along other piartes and western indiand tubes are in some stores of craft and of learning school supply too since last year.
Wild Republic sale then off museum and turistic historical attraction as well too some time.
Best
What Peter’s report showed is there is really nothing new. It is why I gave up on NY toy fair.
yeah I agree.after my report to 2014 NYCTF I give up too.
for our hobby the toy companies do not bring any new to those toys fairs as is not the main interest of any retail at all.
Airfix brought the put together 1/48 new line in 2014 and since then was a lost as kit makers every year lost more as well.
another hobby down.
new generation every day interact less w actual objets in hand rather live play w a virtual reality world.
so far from reality and become off human interaction more.
Tecnology become more the obsessions x kids every day since younger ages.
my thoughts.
best
I believe these latest 54mm issues by Airfix were a waste due to the brittle and breakable plastic. I steer people away from them. When you open a box the bayonets and rifle ends are bent to stress or broken off. It was HORRIBLE plastic material choice. Wouldn’t trust that plastic guy on his plastic type recommendations.
Yes, Airfix went the Imex route, going for the stiff brittle plastic because it is easier to paint – but I have to wonder if the intended audience was any more happy than we were with lots of broken pieces.
Yes, Mr. Murphy, I think you are correct.
I always liked IMEX, and purchased nearly all their sets, until they changed over to the stiff, brittle plastic (which also, to me, seemed cheap); then I simply quit buying, even though I still liked the sculpting of many of their figures.
Likewise with Airfix. What toy soldier collector didn’t like Airfix? Then one day I ordered a dark blue color of the Airfix reissue WWII Germans from CTS. I thought they would make a good SS contingent fighting Russians in my Barzso/TSSD Stalingrad playset. Upon receiving them, I was disappointed to see that the modern Airfix company had also, like IMEX, reverted to a stiff brittle plastic which made gun tips easily breakable. At that point, I was afraid to order any more Airfix reissues.
I can understand collectors who paint their figures wanting a surface to which paint has good adhesion. But I don’t think collectors who paint want brittle, breakable figures any more than I did.
IMEX is a hour and a half away from me and when they switched to the stiff plastic I started getting complaints of figures damaged in shipping. I spoke with the Imex owner and tried to get him to revert to a softer plastic, but he was convinced that his main market was selling to kids who would paint them up as school projects and kept making them in the stiffer plastic. I was losing money replacing damaged figures so I dropped the line.
Last year in a spirit of experiment and adventure I bought a box of IMEX 1/32 Revolutionary War Americans – at least three or four were broken. I also bought a box of 1/72 Mexican Presidio infantry, which if I had thought about it was especially crazy because of the thin lances. Several of the figures on the sprue were split and broken – no sign of damage to the box by the way – and I have to assume I will lose more figures trying to detach them. As a result I have with real sadness returned to my avoidance of IMEX figures; if the plastic was tolerable I would load up on them.