Stad’s Flea Market Finds June over the years I have many good successes. The flea market today are getting harder to find items. This is due more competition, the internet and the decline of goods available. As one person said to me it is harder to get the home runs. What you look for today are the singles as they will add up.
With this changing landscape of hunting for items you have to plan your search careful. First you have to know what markets are good for you or not. One market I pass on as it has two major pickers sitting on it and I know that it is a waste of my time to go there. Other markets are visited only occasionally due to distance and quality. Still if you go and keep looking you will find items.
An example of the persistent is the item above the Dinky Bren Gun Carrier. This item pop up at flea market that has been getting mostly new merchandise. The carrier is missing its driver, but it is still worthwhile to acquire.
Stad’s Flea Market Finds June Junk Boxes
One of the items I am looking for our junk boxes. One reason as I have said before is I look at it as a challenge. If I buy this box can I converted into a profit? Another reason I will buy a junk box does it has parts I can use. I may not be able to use them right away but down the line if I get enough I can enough I can sell them as lot on Ebay. I have been doing this with Lido western horses.
I will also sometimes find items for the collection. In one recent junk box I found a nice lot of figures made in China. First from the lot are some army men inspired by Processed Plastic.
Next I found these army figures which are new designs. Too bad they are only 45mm.
Another set of figures done for dollar stores are firemen. It is interesting to see the changes in equipment that firemen have to help them in extinguishing fires.
This last group of figures made in China I found it interesting that one Chinese company copied the Timpo swoppet Western and made them solid figures.
Stad’s Flea Market Finds June final Thoughts
I have been doing flea markets for nearly fifty years. I have seen many interesting flea markets over the years. I recently went back to one I have not been in few years for various reasons. I found out that the market was not the same as I last saw it. There were only a few dealers set up. The big action was a series of auctions going on the outside of the main building. These auctions were household auctions with lots of junk. I glanced at the auctions and headed into the building.
The building is still dark and dinghy as it was 5o years when I first took my parents to it. I walked around and found a poster for Mel Brooks’ movie Silent Movie. I walked back outside and saw they had an auction with some toys. I looked over the toys and found nothing until I spotted a small shoe box of newer knights and dragons. I thought I would see what they would go for. The auctioneer start the lot off at $2.00. I said two dollars, but the auctioneer did not hear me and dropped the price to a dollar. I indicated to the auctioneer I would pay the dollar and I ended up with the lot at that price. Laurie got a new dragon for her collection.
Stad’s Flea Market Finds June has few more days to go so I have a chance to find more items for the collection or resale.
Great find.The dinky are great find and as u said ,still good value as is.Only reason I don’t collect then is the scale,same I never collect the CTS armor series.
But dinky are much accuracte than britain died cast.
The tim mee base poses are by Imperial first then BOLEY too.Sold in around 2012? first.google boley army men..
The others are copied or ealy 80s.
There 3 more poses as far I recall.
They look very vietnam era.
I had seen the HK verssion on ebay that are about 54mm according to list and listed as Imperial!?.I can not confirm as never in hand.Generally imperial marck figures w their logo.
Firefighters were sold under Boley in bags too.Now at many dollar stores around.
Some of the poses resemble an american brand!/
?
I forgot…
Those solid body Timpo/Transogram figures are interesting. I’ve come across them incheap Cowboys and Indian bag sets. The ones that I have are in interesting colors, like beige, tan or rust. They are not bad figures when mixed into a large set up of Indians.
The only drawback is that they are a bit stiff, as far as poses go. It appears the molders were going for the straight up and down body types. Easier to do.
Are there others besides Cowboys and Indians being produced?
I am sorry for commenting on such an old post.
I had a set of the 45mm new design mystery figures growing up and I’ve been trying to track down information on them ever since I lost them.
They were my favorite Army men growing up, very modern (90s) US Army. There was a prone figure with an M16A2 and a kneeling figure with an M249 SAW with the older style stock. I think there was a Markman with an M21 and a few other poses but I can’t recall.
Your picture is the first trace I’ve been able to find of them online!
Have you been able to find out anymore info?
Yes, too bad in 45mm, sculpting looks pretty darn good !
Interesting how Brands are copied in all corners. Look this set what has bellow in poses.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOPARKON-GREEK-VINTAGE-70s-MARINES-TOY-SOLDIERS-PLANES-CAP-GUN-MOSC-SEALED-/272263187940?hash=item3f64268de4:g:3UkAAOSwepZXRJ6~
Mark, The Timpos copies/solid bodies are not 45 mm. They are about 52-54mm and mix in well with existing brands. I don’t see them often, but I grab them when I do.
Erwin might know how many poses and who made them. I’ve seen two different sets of them. One set was cleanly cast and came in vibrant colors, mostly earth tones. There are Indian poses in a very light tan, almost cream color.
The other sets I’ve seen are cast OK, but are in the usual yellow, green, red and blue.
Both are nice, but the first is more desirable.
Bill.Sorry
Unfortunately this time I’m off the way.I had not interst as most former swopped timpo poses as they are looks odd x me.
I do knows first copies in solid were made in Greece and Argentina and I own the WW2 and modern mint sets I boxes .I saw the cowboys and indiands.
In 6 poses each base in basic 2 series poses swooped timpo poses.I do not own the western sets.
I can provide picture of all mine ,but never see the chinese verssion in hand neither know if said china below and/or how many poses they did.
The above copies figures I mention are true 54 mm.
I also have the solid knights poses of timpo swooped knights and romans made in argentina only .
No Greece as far I know.
Best.