On December 13, I did my last toy show of the year at Merchants Square in Allentown. This show is very likely the smallest show I attend in the United States. Still it is a show that you can find treasures. The show has a nice amount of plastic figures and sets for the show. I saw a Marx Moon base playset and a castle playset among others. Other dealers had loose pieces to look over. I saw two of the Processed Plastic sutler wagons one in the box. I did not see any foreign plastic this time as in years past.
I was able to find some figures for resale and a Christmas gift for Laurie. I saw other parties finding items as well. Prices ranged from cheap to market. I did see some of my friends so the day was worthwhile.
An interesting side note as noted in my report on the toy show, I saw two Processed Plastic Sutler wagons. I had past on both at the show. I went to my Wednesday flea market with the idea of finding nothing for sale. Because the weather was nice, there were a few more dealers than I expected. One of the dealers was the person who was at Merchants Square with the wagon. I asked the price and was going to purchase it. the dealer told a friend who was standing there that he just met his table rent and this was at 11:00 AM! I ended up buying all three of the Processed Plastic wagons he had.
Interesting report on the last show of the year. And while we’re on the subject of 2015, I notice from the TSSD website that the projected release date for the John Stengle Vietnam War cold pour figures is no longer “early 2015”, but is now simply “2015”. I know that Nick and Deanna speak regularly to John Stengle Jr., so I presume they have the latest info. Since I am determined, come hell or high water, to make the Indy Show on April 12, I look forward to speaking directly to John Jr. there, getting the status straight from the horse’s mouth, if the figures haven’t already been released by that date.
If Bill Murphy of Hobby Bunker would also start coming to Indy, I think my joy would be complete.
Don
The processed that John Jr. has a lot of problems. What surprised me that John Sr. had copies of Marx figures for sale. I wish John Jr. well.
Paul, are you talking about John Sr.’s reissues of Marx, that he always has, or are you referring to something else?
Don
I was talking about the figures John Sr. had at the East Coast Toy Soldier Show. I mention in my report he did the Marx paratrooper and pack mule among others.
John Jr had some Marx character figures at the Long Island show. Annie Oakley was one. He had a few others and some converted figures, too. I seem to remember that it was all 60 mm stuff.
I’ll try to get over there after the new year.
Bill, I imagine that nobody is more frustrated than John Stengle Jr. himself in having production problems which delay the release of his new product. When you see him, let him know we’re all rooting for his success. And tell both Jr. and Sr. we’re looking forward to seeing both of them in person at Indy in what is now slightly less than 4 months away. I think it’s great they come all the way out here from Pennsylvania and New York.
Gee, Don you mean I won’t be the highlight of the Indy show for you? Dude.
The room of Ed Borris and Mike Kutnick is always a highlight of the shows — particularly last year at OTSN where you had an Alamo diorama consisting exclusively of hundreds of Alamo defenders and Mexican Army conversions that we could take our pick from. I heard that one collector there purchased 50 of your conversions in one swoop. He now must have one of the most unique, original Alamo displays around.
I’m checking Barry’s Indy website daily (through Playset Magazine) for the 2015 table contract, so I can go ahead and send in my reservation. So far, all that’s posted for 2015 is the April 12 date. Everything else still keys onto 2014. I assume Barry is waiting for Christmas to come and go and for the new year to arrive to update all his show information to 2015.
It doesn’t speak well of my obsessive addiction to toy soldiers that I’m actually more excited about the upcoming Indy Show than I am about the arrival of Christmas. I couldn’t attend Indy last year, and I’m still suffering from the effects of missing it. Who knows what great things I missed out on by my absence?
Thanks for the kudos Don. The year before the same collector purchased 120 of my Alamo conversions. I think I actually enjoy Indy more than OTSN, perhaps because I don’t have the same lofty expectations that I do at OTSN. I actually wish the show was a day longer as the drive isn’t always fun. I have also built up my stock of 60mm Marx Indians, I have 125+ right now.
I should have metioned that John’s character figures were copies that he had made with his new process. He had a few, but old age prevents me from remembering exactly which figures he did. I am sure about Annie because he had several of them on display.