A reader from the UK, Mike wrote me how he amazed how much I find. I replied to him it is not easy. I have to go out each week and do various flea markets in hopes of finding items. There are no guarantees that I will find anything. First the amount of plastic figures that is showing at flea markets is getting less and less. Many times I will find figures at one or two tables only in the entire flea market. Next you have your competition, who are looking for the same items. Despite the negatives I still enjoy the thrill of the hunt and see what I can find. You never know what you will find.
I loved those guys as a kid, especially the officer. The one you hardly ever see intact is the one that carried the flag or guidon. The guy with the knife and the rifle over his head is rather a strange pose.
I think ebay is taking the wind out of some of the flea market trade. My area has never been good for toy soldiers (don’t understand with an Army base right next door) but we have a large flea market not too far from here. When it started out about twenty years ago it was fun to go to because there were neat things there one didn’t find at Walmart, a lot of second-hand stuff, homemade crafts (well done), and other stuff one didn’t often find. I always looked in vain for old toy soldiers (the remnants of an old “Battleground” set or something) but occasionally would find something else of interest.
The last several years one finds a lot of cheap Chinese crap the sellers picked up somewhere and are trying to make a profit on, some crafts, but it’s a waste of time. I’ve spoken to more than one person who has said a lot of the sellers are saving the money they paid for boothes and operating on ebay where they often can get more money for their goods. So it goes.
I’ve hit two big flea markets in Michigan the past two weeks. One had a group of 8 re-painted Manoil Dimestore soldiers, while another dealer at the same show had a box of painted metal WWII Crescents. At the other weekly flea market in Royal Oak, Michigan, a dealer had some Playmobile trees, as well as as several boxes of painted Britains-style metals, and a loose box of Timmee cowboys and Indians with 3 54mm Marx galloping cavalry horses. These were both pretty big, established flea markets. So in other words, pretty slim pickens’.
Don
The flea markets are tough. As said before if one or two tables have items we want. we are lucky. Add to this the heat we are getting right now it makes it even harder. One dealer did not bother to set up because of the heat as there were no customers. My friends in Europe have had flea markets cancel due to the rains they are getting.
I will keep plugging away as you never know what will turn up.