Midwestern Toy Soldier Show April 2017 is one of teo shows held this past weekend. The other being the North East Toy Soldier Society’s Toy Soldier Show. We have our first report on the Midwestern show from Don Perkins. We hope to have more information from other attendees.
Midwestern Toy Soldier Show April 2017 Introduction
The show itself took place on Sunday, April 9, but like OTSN Chicago, this show starts with active, exciting room trading. It doesn’t commence five days in advance like OTSN, but by Friday afternoon many of the major dealers and others have fully stocked open rooms, and hall traffic is active.
This year, like last when the show transitioned upon the passing away of Barry Carter (it’s now run by Rick Keller, Steve Connel, and Rod Chapman) it was well-attended by prominent dealer/collectors from throughout the Midwest. It was also attended by Alan Ford and Dan McClean (Pennsylvania), John Stengel Jr. and Rick Eber (New York), and Francis Turner (West Virginia).
From the Midwest region itself, there was Ron Barzso, Jim Clouse, Ed Borris, Mike Kutnick, and Don Pielin (all from Illinois); Eric Koopmeiner (Wisconsin); Larry Lovely, Todd Nace, Michael Handley, and Joe Saine (all from Ohio). Other dealers came from Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri. Even Roger Garfield, new proprietor of the Chicago Toy Soldier Show, was in attendance.
Midwestern Toy Soldier Show April 2017 Don’s Purchases
For myself I went looking for the two Marx 60mm Robin Hood mounted knight poses (on the two cream-colored horse poses). I found them Friday evening in Toymeister’s room, for $25.00 each ($50.00 total for the two horses with two riders, including the hard-to-find lance).
I also purchased the following:
a. Four (4) Lido FFL camels from Rick Eber for $2.00 each, and 5 Marx galloping cavalry horses, also for $2.00 each.
b. Ten (10) Marx Cpt. Gallant Legionnaires from John Stengel Jr. at $8.00 each, 2 Marx metallic silver Arabs at $15.00 each (from another dealer), and a red-brown running Arab (from Calvin Plowman) for $20.00.
c. From the Ed Borris/Mike Kutnick room I finally obtained a bag of the TSSD Vietnam War U.S. Marines. I already had the NVA figures that go with them.
d. I got a few other miscellaneous figures, but was unable to find the additional Atlantic 60mm Greeks I was looking for. I think they go well with the LOD Walls of Troy, but they were nowhere to be found.
Midwestern Toy Solider Show April 2017 Show Observations
Despite the above, which I generally considered to be in the range of normalcy price-wise, I thought there was a continued observable trend of softening prices for vintage plastic, particularly for common-place Marx figures. For instance, one dealer had a big basket of 54mm Marx Alamo/Fort Apache Pioneers for 50 cents each.
Ron Barzso and his wife had several tables with lots of stock, but no new offerings.
John Stengel Jr. also took up about 9 tables, loaded with stuff, but had no new Action Casting production. He said his Gettysburg Show Special next month will be a mounted Union Officer.
I don’t know what the Sunday Show door attendance was, but until about Noon (when I left) there seemed to be fairly heavy traffic in the aisles.
Rick Eber said (when the Sunday Show had about 3 hours left to go) that he had sold 6 boxed Marx Playsets, and had purchased 10 other boxed Marx playsets for his inventory.
Jim Clouse came with a couple of his beautiful framed playset terrained battleboards. He confirmed he’s about to go to work on preparing a 1/32 scale Trojan Horse, LOD’s newest addition to it’s excellent War of Troy line
I can’t connect to my e-mail due to some problem while I was gone, but I can connect to my computer.
We arrived about 1:30Pm on Friday, almost immediately we had a $300.00 sale , so I held out hope for room trading. That one sale was virtually it for Friday, Saturday we maybe did $100.00 the whole day and I think we had maybe 5 outside visitors what I would term the general public , meaning those not normally connected to the toys soldier world, dealers and regulars.
Saturday did not fill me hope for good luck on Sunday and indeed the show started slowly, however after the first hour traffic picked up considerably and our sales started booming to the point that we probably ended up with in excess of 12 hundreds sales. Not exactly a booming day , but enough to keep me encouraged enough to go back net year. We don’t carry the high priced items of say a Rick Eber and I left many of my higher priced items at home. However, all in all it turned out to be a pretty good show.
I only really made three purchases, I bought a complete set of powder blue 60mm cavalry from Rick Eber, a large supply of loose figures from Ron Barzso and a set of metal Indians from Ron Barzso’s buffalo hunt that I picked up from Jim Clouse.
Overall I would give the show a solid B rating and hope for the future. Remember this is only the 2nd show in Lafayette and this was a new location. I think the term room trading is confusing to the average person on the street and only those of us that are familiar wit the hobby understand that terminology. If perhaps the terminology was changed to something like “pre-show shopping” it may draw draw a bigger crowd. That is of course my opinion and you can take it for what it is worth. I understand that if the room trading increased the show attendance may drop, so I can understand the reluctance to change the advertising. I guess it’s a fine line you have to walk, if the room trading was too good, dealers may not get tables and just sell out of their rooms. However, if the room trading is too slow it could discourage dealers from attending at all.
I’m glad you did great ed.Hope it boom again better next time too.
yes I agree the trading words is confusing for many not familiar .They should use other name and advertise it better too even in the outside building and adds ;so outsiders know ahead time and days before too.
Any how good news …
best..
I think Don’s comment about softening prices is interesting, as the demand is down for the more common vintage figures? Though people still seem interested in collecting the scarcer items. If there were more new collectors ‘entering the market’ those common figures would still command a higher value, perhaps. Glad the show had a positive outcome.
Don, I have a couple of boxes of Atlantic Greeks. Cavalry and Greek Life or something.
I have a box of loose figures also. 60 mm, right?
Maybe we can trade.
I saw the photos of this show and found it very interesting. Here in my country (Brazil) we do not have shows like what you have, not even close. We have here flea market that occur in a few places where many antiquities are sold and sometimes appear something related to the collecting of toys soldiers. These flea markets usually only in larger cities, such as São Paulo, in small towns (where I live) there is no kind of fair / exhibition / show that deals with toy soldiers collecting. So you are very happy to have so many places that have exclusive focus on this type of collections. I am now a little jealous. LOL
Yes we have shows but it depends on the area. Some areas might only have one show in year. Others like the Northeast we have many more. I only do shows about two hours from my house. They are great places to get things an meet people. I had the same situation like you. I always want to go to the Plastic Warrior show and finally did. We have not been back for the last few years due to cost. So I would planned to go one of the big toys for a show.
If you saw pictures of OTSN you would be very jealous, that is a show people attend from all over the world. The show and related activities goes on for at least 5 days for some people longer. Everyone has to make a pilgrimage to Chicago once for this show.
I’m glad that the shows are at least holding firm. In a few years I’ll be done with working and will be able to attend more of them. I’d done OTSN twice and loved it. I do the SC show and Atlanta show when I’m actually in the US to do it. I’d really like to hit some of the ones in the N.E. US. I hit flea markets when I drive up for visits and find incredible stuff for dirt cheap. The shows must be amazing.