I went out early Sunday morning to check out two flea markets. The first market is more an antique market and I have found some good items from it this summer. This time it was a little disappointing. Other getting some Airfix German Mountain Troops and some loose pieces from regular sources, there was nothing to be had. There were dealers and some had toys, but no one had any figures worthwhile to buy. In the loose pieces I got a hard plastic table in yellow I do not recognize and will be doing a picture of it.
The other market is newer items, but I have pulled some older items out of it. I did find a small back of MPC 35mm knights. I passed on Marx Frankenstein in orange as I was not sure if there was a demand for it. I have seen a number of items lose value this year. I saw a bag of 45mm silver Marx pioneers but one of the poses was damaged so I passed on it as well. Both markets felt off with lots of lookers.
I decided to relax today as one of my sources had not decided on what market he was going to and I figured if I went to one of the two markets he would have been there and it would not be worthwhile.
It has been a tough summer in finding things due to competition and lack of material. Still I have been please what I have found and I looking for the fall where I will have a busy season from the end of October to beginning of December.
Sunday roaming in the antique and flea markets in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and upstate New York in the crisp, cool Fall can be one of the unrivaled pleasures of life.
My wife and I used to live in Connecticut, and we still miss our Sunday excursions in the nice Fall weather, in the outlying towns and villages outside New Haven. There’s something uplifting about it, and a great relief from the hot humidity of Summer. We just had one little dog then (as opposed to your 3), and she loved going with us.
I lived in Wallingford Ct, Don, a little North of New Haven now I live in Meriden just North of Wallingford.
Mark
Hi Mark —- Yes, I’ve been to both Wallingford and Meriden many times. At the time, my wife and I actually lived in Hamden, but worked in New Haven for U.S. Repeating Arms Co., that made Winchester firearms. Then left for Avco-Lycoming in Stratford, which eventually became Textron-Lycoming, and transferred me out to Michigan with the U.S. Army Tank Command. At the time, we (Textron-Lycoming) produced the turbine engines which powered the U.S. Army AGT1500 Tank. My wife and I loved Connecticut, and we were both sad to leave New England.
I meant to say our engines were the “AGT-1500” turbine engine. The tank was the M1 Abrams.
No problem,I assumed you meant M1 Abraams
Yes, unfortunately, the U.S. Repeating Arms Co. plant when I was there employed 800+ people, and Textron-Lycoming employed around 4500 people. Neither of them even exist anymore.
It’s tough around here ,lot people moving out of state .
You guys are lucky. The ONLY items of interest I have seen in my town’s flea markets, Goodwills and garage sales in 11 years of living here have been a zip-loc bag full of MPC Revolutionary War & knights at a Goodwill which I bought, a ziploc of BMC Civil War I did not buy, and a couple of 6″ MPC Indians that had sat out in the sun at the flea market every day for years until they were bleached out and brittle. I bet they are still there.
Yesterday I bought a $3.00 grab bag of ugly scrawny modern Airfix western recasts at Goodwill because it had a couple of BMC Alamo crates and tables added into it.
Of course, I am not out every single weekend at dawn, so maybe there is some good stuff being snapped up before I arrive, but it seems to me like the only toy soldiers you find here as a rule are modern ugly dollar-store figures.
Mark T
My area while I find things there is heavy competition. I do not get out as early as some people who are out with flashlights. I have come to a point I get what I get. I will have busy season from end of October to beginning of December.
North east region has been already over searched I should say. The deep in country town are only remnants ,but plenty other areas are getting hit hard by attic/home cleaners that got paid by antique/auction dealers to get the first hand in any find.
Few garage sale have what is left from previews owner as most are either sold old houses to new young family /owners or rented and all inside is gone. Most near coast areas are complete occupy by new generation with not interested to and in old toy vintage .
In upstate NY the deep inside and close to greatest Adirondack natural reserve area the best ,but you have to spend days searching during spring ,summer and fall. Lake George area and Saratoga-NY areas run annual late September October weekends miles garage sale but because are is touristic ,chances are they sale it as close to real vintage show price. I had found some rare items close to the border with Canada. But in may case not much time to do runs.14 years ago my town and around had several antique and garage permanent building, all close down because the internet had affected then and rental increase. They did carry once a wile few items I got, but after 2008 all were gone. You can see literally garage sale item all over eBay now, people sale used clothing, trash tossed items like goodwill in eBay.
My stretch of Long Island is still a hotspot. The one market that remains open has been a gold mine for me. Not just because of what I find there, but the connections I have made with many of the dealers. I have realized several very large collections from these people. They buy the entire contents of homes and resell the stuff. They
all have my card and call me before things make it to the market.
For you guys who don’t live near flea market, it would be a good idea to look in the yellow pages and see who advertises home clean outs. Go there and drop off flyers or cards. Print something on you home computer
Bring examples of what your looking for like a baggie full of various plastic figures. to show people. You never know.
This Sunday I found a few items. An MPC sealed bag of 5 pirates and weapons sprue.
A Brontosaurus from the London Museum and a set of 5 different MPC canoes with Indians, with all their weapons. I may take a few pix later.
I also got a large box full of Old Toy Soldier Newsletters and Toy Soldier Review magazines from the 80’s thru 90’s. Always fun to thumb through old toy solider mags.
It did give me pause to think about what happened to the guy who’s magazines these were. I herd from another dealer that his (the mag owner) collection was going up on auction. All gloss Britains and the like.
Good advice Bill !