George Albany just got back from the MFCA show and has given us another great report.
Just got back from the show, figured I’d write while everything was still fresh in my mind. By the way, I had a late start because my wife commandeered me to help her pick up some supplies at Home Depot. She’s started a bundle of home repair/remodel projects that I, with my bad knees, feet, and shoulders, am having trouble taking part in. By the way, humping 40 pound bags of topsoil and gravel is really fun with rotator cuff injuries. Don’t ask me how I got rotator cuff injuries, never ever threw a 90 mph fastball in my life.
Anyhow, back to the show. I got there around 1:15 and a few dealers were already starting to pack up; their loss, not mine. I had decided one way or another, I was going to spend some money for something besides admission today, and I did. Found the same dealer who was asking $10 a piece for Marx rock formations at Gettysburg. His prices are higher in Valley Forge. I paid $45 for the cave, the slightly cured rock, and the pond. He didn’t have the flat rock. I guess at an average of $15 a piece, I could have done worse. I picked up a variety of figures, mostly metal, out of some junk boxes. Junk prices are still up, usually starting at $4 each, three for $10. I guess this is the new norm and will have to get used to it. Anyhow, managed to get what I thought was an older Britains Royal Marines band. Upon inspection at home, turns out they are Tunstall. Bass drummer needs an arm reattached (that does not have the drumstick and one other musician is missing his arms; will have to look into my Ron Ruddell musician arm supply and see what I have to give this poor fellow. Speaking of Ron, the website for the show indicated he was going to be there, but I didn’t see him, or his son. Ron confided in me several shows back that he was getting tired of humping lead from Emmaus to Valley Forge and back again.
I picked up a few other curiosities, a Quiralu French musician playing a funny looking horn, a Minot bugler w/full pack and rifle and a nifty little Elastolin piece. It is a section of a tree trunk on its side being used as an archery target w/a couple arrows in it. Should work nicely with a Robin Hood figure I’ve got somewhere here around the house. Looks like someone may have done some extra paint work to it, so I may over paint the non-Elastolin paint; will have to give that some thought.
I did pick up a plastic figure that I’ve never seen before, probably new manufacture, a newer company that I’m not familiar with. Anyhow, it is a Union soldier with a bandage around his head, arm in a sling, and walking with a makeshift crutch. Someone did a nice job of painting him, but he was either played with or bounced around in a box with other figures as some of the paint has chipped off. I can touch him up and he should look pretty good. If I can locate the patch cord for my camera, I’ll take a photo and send it to you and you’ll probably be able to tell me right off the bat who made the figure.
As to attendees, you’ll never believe this one. First time I’ve ever seen this at a toy soldier show….Mutual of Omaha had a financial counseling booth set up. Somebody is either way behind on commissions, or was using their business account to cover their attendance at the show. Either way, I saw no one asking for financial advice. Being in the baking business myself, out of sympathy, I almost stopped to talk, but decided that was likely a bad idea.
As to attendees, conspicuously absent (along with Ron) was Dutkins from Cherry Hill in New Jersey. They were at Gettysburg, but not Valley Forge. In attendance were Joe Saine (where I got the Tunstall band), Hobby Bunker, and Belle and Blade who specialize in war movies and t-shirts. I almost bought the shirt that says, “Bomb Squad, if I’m running, try to keep up,” but I’ve got enough t-shirts. King and Country and Britains were there. The artist Keith Rocco had an entire corner of the main floor, but there was little interest in his artwork. Too bad, he’s good (but too expensive for my tastes). Another local fellow who used to have a military history shop in Kennett Square PA was there with a table full of models, books, and some figures. There was also a dealer in attendance who sells unpainted flats. Marvelous stuff. I’ve bought a few from him (mostly Christmas themed) over the years, but I find painting flats to be quite a tedious task. They require a great deal of planning. I still have one or two I bought from this fellow a couple years back that I am still studying. Did not see the Marx Man (although I know him by reputation, I don’t know him on sight), but there was only one Marx dealer, the previously mentioned Gettysburg attendee who I know is not the Marx Man. Also saw a couple other metal dealers who are regular attendees but whose names I don’t know.
There were a lot of books for sale, lotsa metal, not as much plastic as I expected. Two separate fellows selling wooden bases (or “plinths” as our friends across the pond call them). A t-shirt dealer with regimental emblems from just about every royal regiment and quite a few U.S. units and that about covers the rest of the sales floor. I did not see a lot of major purchases taking place. Most of what I saw was folks buying a few figures here and there or rooting through the junk boxes. Did not see a significant number of boxed play sets, although on one table was what looked like a White House play set in a closed box. Didn’t get a close look, but from a distance, it had a “Marxy” look about it. Did Marx ever do anything like that?
I took a quick look at the exhibitions for judging. The room was not quite shoulder-to-shoulder, but close enough that I didn’t get a good look at all the displays. What I did see was up to the usual outstanding work I’ve seen in the past. There was one excellent vignette entitled “Dragon Slayer.” From a distance, it looked like a shoe-in for best in show, but I couldn’t get close enough to say for certain. I’m also prejudiced, nothing like a good dragon display to catch my eye.
Stad: I believe the one dealer he did not know for the plastic was Rick Eber. Yes Marx did several different White House playsets. they one George saw is very likely the one which came with 35mm Presidents. The Union figure with the crutch is Accurate.
I have seen several comments on Treefrog forum from people who were disappointed with the show ‘s vendor area. People enjoyed the exhibits as always with many fantastic displays.
Once again the same trend seen very often, shows are dying because internet stores, cost trips-gas and less vintage original dealers/items. More regular= all new everybody carry items. Some dealers even start to cut in their trip to shows as they notice a lack of sales. Very few new generation are involved and no advertising reaching then or others too. Other facts also as mention before add to the problem.
Sad but true
Good observation about the next generation. I’ve not seen many little boys at shows in recent years. I did see a father and a teenager yesterday at MFCA, but don’t recall anything else besides middle-aged men. Ron Ruddell tells me that Cub Scout troops sometimes take trips to his store to see how the casting process works and get a look at all the nifty stuff he carries. Ron makes certain that every boy leaves with a soldier (free) in the hopes that one or two will get interested in he hobby.
George
We all need to work to get the next generation going. I have given toy soldiers to a young boy with his parents permission. Bill Lango let Boy scouts into his show free to encourage the next group.
I’ve also given soldiers to little boys. I do a lot of casting (Oh, heaven forbid, little boys playing with lead soldiers — didn’t hurt me) and I’ve given soldiers to the young neighbor boy and my god-daughter’s son to name just two. They seem really interested at first, but I guess since they aren’t animated on a screen, they just aren’t fun enough. Who knows. I just get concerned that too many kids spend too much time in front of screens (says the guy typing an e-mail). We were fortunate in that our kids had a balance between video games, sports, scouting, and even, yes, toy soldiers. Too much screen time? Is it a problem, or just a different world? Beats me. (By the way, there was a typo in my original post, I’m a banker not a baker.)
George, I agree ,too much screen , computer and video-games. Making then more colorful more digital will give kids idea of more animated action articulated figure with color.
Wonder if painted figures will do a job better at shows on cheap plastic figures!!??In order to attract kids to ask dad for buying then.
As I had say before any store section with video games has a action/toy character figure not small section where most game character are sol and not articulated,more type Japanese fully painted figures.
Ironicly all army,call of dutty and other war historical related video games are in same stores with out any representation on toy figures for them.
Could any toy soldier company producing plastic figures now reach these stores(wal mart,target,TRU) and ask for renting space to promote their sets(may be painted)!?I think it will bring kids attention.
Wal-Mart 4 BY 6″ SPACE RENTAL IS LESS THAN $150.00 a month for vendors with out year compromise. Commission of sales differ by negotiation.
The ACW figure is an original Accurate sculpt from their first release. Plenty of pix on the ‘net of it.
Good show report, and I’m glad George finally got his 3-piece Western Rock Set. Just reading it makes me antsy for my own next show, which unfortunately won’t be until August, when Joseph Saine has his 2-day auction/show event out here in Michigan. Until then, it’s just the ordinary run of general antique shows and flea markets, with the usual paucity of toy soldiers.
Marx-Man John Stengle is a tall, slender fellow, in his 60s, usually wearing a baseball cap, and usually running a string of tables.
When I go to shows just as a buyer, I find there’s no substitute for getting there early. On the occasions when I’m renting a table as a vendor, I notice around 12:00 Noon the buying activity starts to thin out considerably, and my thoughts turn to packing up and getting a start on getting home. Of course, John Stengle, whose got plenty of experience in these things, told me once he never packs up early himself, because he’s found that at a the very end of a show, there’s often a sudden surge in buying.
Pardon my ignorance as younger than most of you guys. I have this odd question.
The black and white TV (lack of color in movies and advertise) has any to do in the like of unpainted figures in US market back then or not!?
Interesting point
Erwin
I would say that TV did not have anything to do with unpaid figures in the United States. It was more cost and tradition. The UK for example had a tradition of painted figures. The metal companies had a system of sending figures to people to paint the figures. This was carried on when they went over to plastic. In the United States, the lead companies Barclay and Manoil who did painted lead figures did not do plastic. The only painted figures done in the United States was Beton who continued to paint until the end when cheaper product from Japan finish their business.
The companies that did plastic figures in the United States Marx, Timmee, Ideal etc. found that it was cheaper do them unpainted. It allow them to give more figures for the same price than if they had been painted. Marx which did painted figures never did them in the United States. The painted figures were done in Germany, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Ideal did the DC painted superheroes in Portugal.
The UK figure companies eventually looked for ways to cut out the painting process. Other companies in Europe moved production to other countries.
Interesting question, did black and white TV have anything to do with unpainted soldiers. I don’t think so. As I recall, the most popular soldiers we played with were painted, Timpo, Crescent and metal Britains and Johilcos. The great thing about unpainted plastic, Marx in particular, was volume and excellent sculpting. We integrated the painted guys with the unpainted fellows with the unpainted fellows usually being the first victims of the battle. First victims were almost always the ring-hands with their ghoulish appearance, we always sent them into battle first.
Erwin, I can only speak for myself but I’ve been painting my 1/72 scale collection for over thirty years now. I got into painting reluctantly because of the problems in keeping the old enamel paint on the plastic. It took many, many years of experimenting to come up with a solution to the problem of keeping the paint from chipping and/or peeling from my figures. The improvement of acrylics and sealants, not to mention plastics that are flexible and hold the paint better have all but eliminated the problem. I’ve painted over thirty thousand 1/72 scale pieces over the years – and it all started out because the colors of the then-new ESCI figures didn’t match the colors of my older Airfix guys…
But I held off painting my 1/32 guys for decades. First, the sentimental value of the figures from my childhood and then the idea they were now collectibles. And then there’s the idea of imagination. I’ve said it elsewhere that one of the problems of painting guys is once they are painted they are sort of stuck as what you painted them to be. I mean, when I wanted to do an Alamo when I was a kid I used ACW guys with Kepis as Mexicans. Later on I could use any blue Napoleonic figure with a shako as one of Santa Ana’s troops. If I wanted to “John Wayne” it I could use my red “Brits” too. Now that I’m painting them, my Mexicans will definitely be Mexicans, no way I can stick them in to a formation as French or Prussians (it would really disturb my sense of accuracy). WW2 the same thing. If I ever get around to painting my WW2 troops I’m going to have to figure out which division patches I want to use on my US troops if I paint them Army; by the same token there’s no way I can substitute a guy painted as a Marine as an Army guy. And then, which theater of operations are the figures to be used in? Will I paint the uniforms brown in the early War uniform scheme or use the green 1944 patterns? Now for me the research that goes in to getting it right has been part of the fun of painting my 1/72 collection – but the tradeoff of just being able to get a bunch of guys out of the bag or box and playing with them has been a major reason I’ve held off painting my guys. It’s why I’ll probably only paint part of my collection. I know I’ll “retire” most of my childhood figures in pristine condition and only take them out occasionally. I’ll divide up the recasts and paint half for pix and dios and keep half unpainted to have fun with.
I think American’s like unpainted because that’s the way we got them when we were kids. After all, we are trying to recapture a piece of our youth in some respects or at least items we had when we were kids. Also, if you buy vintage Marx and then paint them it’s a sacrilege.
One of the reasons I think kids of today aren’t as captivated by toy soldiers as many of us are has a lot to with the times. Growing up in the Midwest with our crap weather at least 5 months a year, there were a lot of times where we didn’t go outside especially at night because of the weather. There were only 4 TV channels so, to keep us occupied we broke out the toy soldiers. Today if a kid is stuck in the house he has 250 channels to choose from plus video games. Kids today just have too many options to entertain themselves.
But even though American producers didn’t typically paint their figures, the wide variety of colorful plastics which were used seemed to make up for it. Even today, the stunning colors of my Timmee pirates and Lido knights still stand out. Marx was a little more restrained in it’s color schemes, but that rich Marx blue on Civil War, Revolution, Foreign Legion, Alamo Mexicans, and Fort Apache fronteirsmen, coupled with those great yellow 54mm and 60mm Indians made quite a colorful display.
I think Ed is right: It’s what I had as a kid, and it’s still what I like today.
I also agree with Ed. It is the long indoor days of winter & the rainy indoor days of summer that always seemed to get me playing with toy soldiers. Later I used the time to paint & convert my figures. (I have some Starlux knights I have repainted at least 3 times)
I was very fortunate to grew up in a household of toy soldiers. I am the 3rd generation of collector. However my sons do not have same interest. (Ed is very correct on this point as well.)
Thank you all for the answer and comments. Good to hear from all and clear the odd doubt/question in my mind for once. I appreciate all comments and admin(Paul) for letting me use his space on this.