35th East Coast Toy Soldier Show October 2017 Part Three we are looking at more plastic down plastic row. This time we start off with Francis Turner and his tables.
35th East Coast Toy Soldier Show October 2017 Part Three Francis Turner
Francis Turner was back with a nice array of plastic figures and playset.
In this case has Francis had several of the Marx figure bags including the rare Boys camp figures. It was the first time I have seen this bag.
Various Marx character figures including the Marx purple Ben Hur character figures and Superman.
Marx six inch Germans including the rare WWII German stabbing down
A tin litho one level western town very likely from the Marx Alaska playset It missing saloon door.
George Kroll was helping Francis at his tables.
Marx Zorro character figures in yellow Prince Valiant cream figures painted. Last but not least Howdy Doody
Francis had a number of of the Verrone figures. Patric Verrone first did the presidents that Marx never made then expanded out to other figures. I like his Mark Twain figure.
Despite the weather the show got crowded at times.
Mike and Noreen Russo had plastic and metal for sale.
John Stengel JR had a number of interesting items for the including Barzso Braddock’s Defeat and LOD Enterprises.
A nice fire engine lot.
Marx Put To-get-her cowbys and Timmee Russians
A close up of the Timmee Russians and Processed Plastic 2 1/2 truck. John got the truck years ealier and merged it with the Russians as the colors matched.
John told us he would be releasing figure again in 2018. No specifics or time line.
Matt Murphy of Hobby Bunker told us he would have various Russian plastic figures in stock including the the Platic Platoon Vietnam figures.
35th East Coast Toy Soldier Show October 2017 Part Three Final Thoughts
Laurie and I got to met and talk with Mike Pendergast. He has done a great report on his site.
One of the surprises at the show was Mike Myers of Wayne’s World and SNL was walking around. We missed him but Mark McDermott saw him and took this picture. I will try to see when he was there. Other people report two SNL writiers were there.
We thank Mark for use of the photo.
We left after two and half hours. On the way home we had rain all the way home but only one slight delay due to an accident on the highway.
If you look close at the picture of Stengel’s table, you can see the Marx put together cowboys he had at OTSN. Plus he has those turqoise Union and Alamo Mexican figures.
John told me he had a figure of me, as a Zombie slayer, but he has to redo it as someone told him it looked like Bruce Willis.
John was selling the set of four for $200.00
Yeah, that’s the price I remember from Chicago.
Are the Verrone figures converted from Marx 60mm presidents?
Here is an article on Patric Verrone
https://www.wired.com/2009/10/st_verrone_futurama/
There are others on him on the web.
If you use a person’s likeness such as Bruce Willis you have to pay a licensing fee. Some people like the late Robin Williams said no on his Peter Pan figure that Mattel did. Other like the late Charlton Heston want high upfront fee of $100,000.00. that is why the Warlord figure does not look him.
He wasn’t trying to sculpt Bruce Willis, he was trying to sculpt me.
I knoww John wanted to get thecorrect likeness. I just mention license part as someone could have misconstrued his intnentions.
Interesting those TM matching red with truck,wonder the price asking?
Rare seen the Elastolin swoppet AK soldiers here in US in those sets match ,wonder price too asked.
Best..
Erwin, John Stengel Jr. had that same set of reddish/orangeish Timmee Russians with the matching Timmee two and a half ton truck at the October 15 Columbus, Ohio Toy Soldier Show. He was asking $500.00 for the set. I was attracted to it, but had to back off when John quoted his price. I would have cheerfully paid $100.00.
Thank you don x update.I apreciate it much…
I was wonder more for curiosity as i have some original and the cloned made by LIska that i’m very happy with as plenty x deal i got years ago.
Yet i see it intersting in set made with specific truck in same odd colors.
However i doubt that price will be a sale anywhere in years unless some deep pocket or nuts want to pay for it.Not even mint in bag had sold as that in years ,last time i saw an ebay mint red set of much more figures Russians sold was x less 200.00 .
just my thoughts..
best..
What are those swoppet-looking figures in tan uniforms under the Russians? Are they Elastolin swoppet Afrika Korps in pith helmets?
They are Elastolin Afrika Corp figures.
If Mike Myers and 2 SNL writers were there, perhaps our hobby will be getting mocked on TV like the Trekkies did in William Shatner’s skit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaB_G1WNT70
Maybe Mike Myers will be telling us grown men who play with toys to “get a life”.
Well that is what 99.99% think of us in general i can tell ;30 years from now i feel like one of the last mohican with my collection.For now till then i will enjoy it in life …
The comment I hear most often when I talk about this hobby is that they didn’t even know there were shows, web sites or new items being made. Granted Dungeons and Dragons have given the hobby a bad name as everytime Dungeons and Dragons is portrayed in movies or on SNL the hobbyists are protrayed as mondo geeks. Most people can’t separate D & D from toy soldiers, so we take a hit.
If anyone dares tell me to “get a life” because I collect and “play” with toy soldiers I tell them I HAVE a life – and PART of that is studying history, collecting historical toy soldiers and playing with them – how do THEY waste their spare time?
If they DO make a sketch about us, there could be hidden benefits! Toy soldier collecting could become the next big trend among modern ironic hipsters. I know Dungeons & Dragons is more popular now than it has been for years with the various parodies and spoofs and the kids on Stranger Things playing the game.
I’m north of 66 years old. I collect playsets and toy soldiers because of Marx Playsets from my childhood in the 1950s and early ’60s. I can still picture the phenomenal display boards in my favorite toy store (Blinn’s in Bridgeport, CT) and various department stores. I think those memories are 80 – 90% of why I love these old toys. I don’t know if or how young kids today would have that connection. So, I suspect (cannot PROVE my opinion) that when we old timer 1st generation Marx kids die off, no more hobby per se. I think the Europeans who grew up with, for example, Britain’s, Timpo, and metal figures have a much stronger foundation than kids from the USA and the tradition will continue abroad when it is faded in America. Just can’t see it lasting much longer with certain dealers crazy prices for mint playsets. I recently inquired about an MIB Boys’ Camp playset and the guy told me some crazy price “because it’s very rare”…… It was literally several thousand dollars. It really gave me a good laugh. Never even dignified it with a reply.
The reason I collect toy soldiers is not completely known to me. I suspect because it was something I could do alone and it provided me with hours of comfort where I could use my imagination. It was also a safe time,while I was setting up the toy soldiers there were no stresses from the outside world, I didn’t have to think about or worry about getting jumped going to the candy store or other places I might go. Don’t me go wrong I didn’t spend a lot of time in my house unless it was raining or really cold out. I played some type of ball almost daily. However, there is something comforting about toy soldiers at least to me and brings me back to simpler less stressful times.
Here, here, I agree. I started out trying to find examples of soldiers I had that my mother either gave away or threw out (same with comic books). Now I just enjoy painting, converting, casting, and displaying. I tried to interest young kids by giving away soldiers that I had casted and painted, but other than my own son, I had little success. He is not terribly interested as an adult, but he has saved the soldiers he played with in the hopes that he has a boy or boys to play with them again. Maybe there is hope.
I’ve done the self-searching thing as to why I never “outgrew” toy soldiers completely – though there were times in my life other things took the front seat. They remain some of my fondest memories – playing with my brothers on the bedroom and living room floors. At the same time they fueled my love of history. And when I get real deep I think perhaps with all the moving around we did when I was growing up they were the one constant. As I’ve said before, I still have a surprising number of figures from the Giant Blue and Gray set my older brother and I got for Christmas 1961 that kicked it off.
Now I love to sit and paint my guys in the evening; I like looking through my books and on the net to make sure I get the details right on various units – it relaxes me. And then I enjoy setting them all up and taking pics of the guys – photoshopping them and then sharing the pics with others.
I was talking to my older brother the other day about it and he said he still liked toy soldiers but didn’t have any place to set them up. Well, I went out and bought some new issue Marx ACW figures for a sentimental Christmas present. I think he’ll get a kick out of it.
At the same time I’m in a woodworking frenzy trying to make Alamo sets for my grandkids – it’s been a blast gathering figures and accessories to give them a set worthy of my memories. It’s been a real challenge getting the stuff together I want in the sets. So many accessories are out of production now, even the BMC Alamo accessories but I’ve done a pretty decent job I think. The thing is I’ve had to build three sets for three sets of grandsons aged six thru nine. What a challenge. But fun – and I think it will be worth it. I hope to pass the “bug” down.
I recall that I got far more odd reactions about 20 or 30 years ago when toy soldiers were more widely played with by children. My sister and my nephew who is only 10 years younger than I used to give me problems about my hobby, as did some of my friends. The funniest one was a college buddy who would go with me to the hobby shop and put down a hundred bucks on model railroad pieces, then mock me for buying a couple of boxes of 1/72 Esci figures.
Today, my wife (and my sister used to say I would never find a wife as long as I collected toy soldiers) sometimes gets mad at me for buying more sets and my collection is collectively referred to as “crap”, but I don’t get many negative reactions anymore. I think toy soldiers are moving into the adult hobby status like model railroads now.
I’m not sure why I never lost interest in toy soldiers. They are still just as fascinating to me now as when I opened my first Jean Hoefler Fort Apache back in the late ’60s. I love history and battle movies and I have always loved setting up battle scenes and creating imaginary characters and adventures. My toy soldiers have been constant companions since age 4 or 5. I admit I don’t do as much actual playing with my soldiers now as I would like to, but at age 52 I doubt I will be “outgrowing” them now.
Ah! My interest started with the Marx Playsets I asked for under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning for many years which also helped inspire my career in the Army. Most of them ended up somewhere lost in the great outdoors or sacrificed to big bangs, bb guns or arrows for target practice. Now, I have been actively “rescuing” worthy soldiers when I can do so economically (with a few splurges from time to time). But I am trying to raise the 3d generation (I have already done my part with my children) by introducing & indulging my grandchildren with classic toy soldiers & battles as presents & when they come to Grandpa’s house to visit. They love this stuff!!
Thanks for all the great photos of the East coaster to everyone that took them !
Your and Mike’s photos are great. I amso glad to see others taking pictures and share them with people who could not make it.
It was nice to meet Paul again and his wife Laurie. I picked up some Marx Germans for a good price. I was not really looking for anything, except for the Barzso recast figures. But I didn’t find any available, maybe when I go to Gettysburg in the spring.