Can You Help?

9 Responses to Can You Help?

1. Don Perkins says:

   January 7, 2014 at 1:42 PM

   I believe that for a flat fee (it used to be something like $20.00 or $50.00), James Delson will let you walk through his toy soldier warehouse for a set period of time (it might be like 45 minutes or something), and purchase whatever you want from his vast stock. If you call Delson he’s quite sociable over the phone and will tell you what his current policy/procedure is for people who want to look and buy in person.

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   • admin says:

     January 7, 2014 at 4:12 PM

     Don
     I was thinking of Delson, but I don’t want to give my friend’s son sticker shock.

     Reply
2. Don Perkins says:

   January 7, 2014 at 6:11 PM

   I hear what you’re saying.

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3. Don Perkins says:

   January 8, 2014 at 3:37 AM

   He may have to take a 3-hour drive north to Boston, where he could hit Hobby Bunker, which has possibly the biggest selection in the U.S. next to Delson, albeit at normal prices. And, of course, Marxman John Stengel lives in Queens. Where does he keep all his stuff when he’s not at a show? He had a huge quantity and selection of plastic at OTSN last year.

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   • admin says:

     January 8, 2014 at 7:44 PM

     Don
     I appreciate your suggestions, but I doubt if my friend’s son will have the time to go to Boston.

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     • Ed Borris says:

       January 9, 2014 at 6:50 AM

       It’s kind of funny isn’t it, that Chicago and New York do not have a brick and mortar shop for our brand of toy soldiers. You would figure there would be multiple shops in both cities. Chicago used to have two that I knew of but they have both since closed.

       Reply
4. Don Perkins says:

   January 9, 2014 at 9:18 AM

   I’m reminded that NYC used to have Polk’s Hobbies, Schwartz Toy Store, and The Soldier Shop — all gone. Out here in Michigan, we used to have Squadron Hobby Shop, which carried lots of plastic toy soldiers as well as stacks and stacks of boxed Atlantic sets — all lines and all scales. It too is gone. I wouldn’t mind living in Chicago at all, knowing that OTSN and Kane County were always upcoming right around the corner.

   I feel bad about Stad’s friend’s son — coming to the big USA’s biggest worldclass city, thinking surely there’s at least one place to find plastic toy soldiers, and being disappointed when he finds there’s nothing.

   Growing up in the 50s, all my Marx playsets were acquired at Sears — either at the local store itself, or through the catalog, and everything else (Timmee, MPC, etc.) at Woolworth’s. Once again, totally gone. I’m making myself sad, just thinking about it.

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   • Ed Borris says:

     January 9, 2014 at 11:51 AM

     We had a Squadron Shop too and a Hobby Chest, neither actually in Chicago, but close enough. The’ve been gone for ages now. We do have a Venture Hobby, where you can get some plastic soldiers, mainly 1/72nd and BMC though. Woolworths was actually a good place to buy toy soldiers, they had Marx bagged sets, Marx 6 inch and Warriors of the World, but alas they are gone too. Of course you could also get the Marx playsets at Sears around Christmas.

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5. Don Perkins says:

   January 9, 2014 at 12:14 PM

   Yes, I had forgotton that I got all my 6-inch Marx and assorted Marx bagged sets at Woolworth’s. I also say my first Airfix HO boxes at Woolworth’s. Also got a jillion Lido Civil War. I can’t remember where I got my Lido Knights, and my Ideal Revolutionary/Alamo figures, but I had a bunch of them. I got my Marx Captain Gallant playset at a large independant toy store in Dallas, Texas, when I spent the summer there with my grandparents. A few years later I was back in Dallas visiting grandparents, and I inquired about that particular toy store. My grandmother replied, “Oh, that’s been gone for years.” Sad, sad, sad. I guess that’s why we enjoy the shows so much — we’re seeing it all again.

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