Plastic Warrior Show Axel’s Report is another report from another of our very good friends Axel Sohnius. I met Axel through one of my Ebay sales and we started up a correspondence. We have met only once which was at a Plastic Warrior show. Each time he goes since we are not there. The one time we got over in the past few years Axel was not there.
This year Axel came to the show with his wife Doris. Axel and Doris took a bus from Germany to London. The bus comes into London at Victoria Station. On Saturday Axel and Doris took a train the next day. Here is Plastic Warrior Show Axel’s Report
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Plastic Warrior Show Axel’s Report
Doris and I came to Twickenham by train and thought we were late. We took our breakfast as soon as the dining room opened and left the hotel as early as possible. The way out there is long so we arrived at 9.45. But the tables for the show weren’t set up. They had been delivered too late. The few early visitors had to wait till 10:30. We talked to some Germans at the car park. They arrived by car after a non stop night drive this morning and wanted only to stay for the show. What a torture! Stefan told me he had seen a black Timpo guards horse inside which is very hard to find.
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Here is the Timpo stand with parts and figures.
At last Paul Moorhead allowed the early members to enter the room and we went in with the entry tickets numbers 7 and 8. Barney Brown had the first table on the right hand. He always offers hard to find plastics from the early days. He had some nice Lone Star western children. At the end of the row of tables you could have spare parts well sorted in plastic bags. I looked for some WW2 weapons but the rarer ones were out. I made my rounds around the tables and enjoyed the atmosphere of old toys.
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Peter Bergner and the next photo is of his table will his junk boxes.
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Peter Bergner and Frank Roßbach from Germany had tables in the middle of the room. They had the figures which I had seen in Herne at the German Plastic Show. My interest was to find figures that don’t turn up on my side of the Channel. The tables across the entrance door showed to be the best for me once more. The figures are not displayed single and among the boxes sometimes unusual figures turn up. I found a Marx dollhouse boy, two wild west women and some spares. John and Eunice Begg kept the tables at the back side of the room. They had some special offers again, among a Barszo Playset with a burnt down log cabin. It was a nice offer but I didn’t take it as we were in London having taken bus. I let other things pass such as unusual colours of saddle clothes for Timpo horses. At the left side of the room Steve Weston and Replicants waited for me. I was pleased to buy the longhorn trail cowboys from Steve Weston and the nun and monk set from Replicants.
Doris had fun talking to the collectors she knew from Herne and afterwards waited outside for me with a cup of coffee. (Admin’s note the show is next to a pub where you get drinks or full meals.)
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We left after two hours and found some nice metal figures at Portobello road market that Andy Morant held for me.
On Sunday we went to Old Spitalfields Market and Camden Town. In the underworld of the shops a booth had some Britain toy figures. When I asked for Timpo he just said No and turned back to his conversation again. London is very busy and business never sleeps there. In Germany the Pentecost days pass without sales for two days. In London there seems to be no difference between weekdays and weekend, a shopping paradise but not for the workers and employees. So we came back with some new clothes for the toy collectors and only a few new parts for my toy collection.
Plastic Warrior Show Axel’s Report gives you an idea of the show. Plastic Warrior is a fun show you can find figures for very cheap or expensive. I like it as I have fond many unusual items for resale and the collection.
Update I have to apologize I had the wrong name for this report it should have been Axel not Alex. Just a long day yesterday
A good report.
I’d like to get into those Timpo Eskimo containers.
I’d also like to get into Peter Bergner’s “junk boxes”. Much of the stuff visible at the top of the yellow containers really does look like “junk” (except for that Jean Hoeffler horse sitting right in the middle). But I’ve gone through plenty of the so-called “junk” containers, and almost always find something I can use.
And if I walked into an antiques store like the one at the Portobello Road Market, and encountered all those Britain’s and Britains-type units in that big mass formation, I’d have thought I hit the jackpot.
Finally, I already got Steve Weston’s excellent longhorn steer cattle drive set a couple of years back. But when I read how he’s now got the medieval monk and nun set for sale at Plastic Warrior, I start worrying there won’t be any left over for the U.S. Market when Steve gets here in September.
I order things from Steve via e-mail. Postage from UK is a little high, but I find total for figures & shipping is cheaper than if I buy Replicants from USA dealers. Package usually arrives to CT w/in 2 weeks or so. Steve doesn’t wholesale to them, so you’re paying for their mark-up PLUS shipping anyhow. I can get most figure sets from him for 6 pounds = $8.76 vs. average $25 from USA dealers. Plus, he’s a pretty cool guy to deal with, as I’m sure you know. Of course, cheapest way is to wait for OTSN and hope he’s not sold out.
Andy.I had barely order from Steve Weston but did a huge order long ago that he brought to me at Chicago show over 10 years ago.He and his wife are nice dealers and fun to talk.
Yes, they manage business out UK very good and offer great deals in all the products they made and sale unique from UK/else;even after UK royal postal service got in trouble and increase all x them there.
But one of the costly countries to get something from are Scandinavians ,they have a very bad shipping service in prices.
I had only once order from one person, twice cancel purchase and 7 times sale to then with plenty cancelation as US postal to then is ok ,but their coustom fees are ridicules.
It is sad that developed countries face these issues with so much technology.
Shipping to and from Russia, Japan, Korea, china is more cheap that to those in Scandinavia
Australia and NZ are too very hard to get and ship to..
Don,sorry ,do you need Jean Hoeffler horses!!?.I like junk cases, but last two years I notice a lack of respect x space and wile you digging you see these pushing people sticking both hand at same times, almost grasping your own finger and that made feel bad and let the dam case along so he can enjoy it.
I mean recently I notice like they are hungry vultures looking x toys soldiers, not even child’s will look like that.
I just got a shipment from France of those Cofalu Cowboys Indians, some of which were pictured here. I bought on E-Bay because in the pciture of the lot there were three of the guy running with the stachel and firing a pistol. Well, not only was I pleased with the speed of the arrival of the package from France, but the lot contained more figures than were shown in the picture. I actually got 6 of the guy with the satchel as well as several other extra figures. There were shrunked clones of the Marx 6″ cowboys , some mounted cowboys and a host of Indians both mounted and foot. Must have been 35 to 40 figures total. They come with a partial factory paint job like you would see with some of the Crescent or Timpo figures, however most of these had bad paint jobs. They were made out of a soft plastic or vinyl, and some had factory made holes in the bases while other did not. Overall I was very pleased with my purchase.
ed,
Those are the deals I like to have too. Were you can get a lot goodies and extras x resale/conversion or else
Most French vintage are hard plastic not good x conversion but you can always make things out with your hands
Also the soft plastic later version are often better deal-cheap.
In European figures I do not care if figure is unpainted or painted or recast, or lost half paint, as far as the figure is ok and average good to great condition I keep it.
I my collection I barely repeat poses, so off those lots I end with extras x resale most time.
I been using eBay for half my European /else figures buys.
In US shows and US sellers with knowledge’s, most European toys are very high mark if recognized brands.
You end up getting better deal including shipping from abroad often.
Ironical many of same European figures I ended reselling are sold back abroad.
Once bought a figure in the UK that made in Spain and it was sold to collector in France.
We bought Steve a tee-shirt a few years that that read something to the effect , “I’m a Replicant’s Stooge”. He accepted it graciously , but I’m not sure he ever wore it. It was an inside joke basically in regards to a forum arguement about Replicant’s if I remember correctly. It seemed funny then.
I bet he can answer as he read some times here ed, or wait x next OSTN show and ask him.
We gave it to him person, he said it was too big.
Oh.
He could put in hot dryer and srink it.:-) 🙂
Pump iron get big.
What.?
Wait how is that?
I didn’t think there was such a thing as a “too big” T-Shirt, sweatshirt, etc.
In the U.S. they’re supposed to be big, loose, floppy. Total comfort is the goal.
Maybe in England they like the “tailored” look.
Don,I’m small person, so I can not use and x large size shirt or will looks like a scarecrow.
In the other side my brothers is opposite me, very tall and big
So he likes any large and big shirt.
So I think in US we have to use as in every country the size the fits all us accordingly and in the like way.
As far I recall ,I think Steven is not a tall neither big person, may be I’m wrong.
So may be he said that because it or may be he like it in more tide way on body!!
Just saying…
Michael Jordan helped popularize the baggie look with his oversized Bulls basketball shorts to fit over his UNC shorts worn underneath. Spread like wild fire. In fact, I myself wear baggie shorts to the gym for my every other day workouts.
Andy, I think you missed Mark’s question as to where in Connecticut you were from. He is from Meriden, and I myself (along with my wife, dog, and cat) used to live in both Cheshire and Hamden. I worked for U.S. Repeating Arms Co. (Winchester Firearms) in New Haven, and then for Avco-Lycoming in Stratford.
So we were both wondering what part of the state you might be from, if you don’t mind the question.
Don, if I tell you, then I have to kill you!! (Favorite all time movie line by Maverick in Top Gun. If he stole it from some other ancient source, don’t “anyone” bother correcting me because I DON’T CARE!!!!). Seriously, grew up in Bridgeport when it was really nice (born in 1951) then lived off “The Green” in Stratford for a while and now Derby, CT’s smallest city, for the last 17 years. Not my favorite place in the world, but my condo is paid off!! Worked for hospitals & clinics as a psychiatric Social Worker & now on sabbatical/retired. Will probably do some private work when I get bored of DOING NOTHING!!!!! (or my money runs out…) 🙂
Andy, thanks for all the info. I was also born in 1951, but out on the West coast — San Francisco.
But when I got layed-off by GM, I was offered a job in New Haven, and we relocated to Connecticut, and always thought Connecticut and the rest of New England were just great. I’ve driven by the Stratford Green several times, and my wife and I have been through Derby on one of our weekend jaunts exploring the state. When we got to Connecticut in the early 80s, we knew Bridgeport had seen better days.
It was my Stratford, Connecticut employer (originally Avco-Lycoming, but then transformed into Textron-Lycoming, that transferred me to Michigan. But my wife and I had to think long and hard about leaving Hamden and the rest of New England for the Midwest.
Hopefully Mark in Meriden is also seeing your post.