Birmingham Gift Show 2018 Peter Evans’ Report Peter goes every year to Birmingham UK to the Gift Show. He goes there for his job at the Costume Shop. While there Peter also looks for toy soldiers. Over the years he has found many interesting item. Here is his report .
Birmingham Gift Show 2018 Peter Evans’ Report The Report
Without wishing to sound like a doom monger it has to be stated that for figure collectors 2018 brings very little in terms of commercially available items.
Here’s a round up of what was seen:
PAPO are finally marketing their Mini+ tubes in the UK. These are approximately 55mm scaled down version of the larger figures. Of main interest to collectors will be the Knights, Pirates (even with a couple of Mutant types) and Fairytale sets.
In the larger size there are two new figures aimed at the Scottish tourist market. A model of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland and a William Wallace figure definitely based on Mel Gibson’s effort. The real Wallace Never wore a plaid kilt (didn’t exist then) or paint his face blue. Any historical film with Mel Gibson’s name must be given a certain amount of caution ! But still a nice little model that will find a home in some collections.
WILD KINGDOM are still doing the tubes of 60mm Mediaevals and now have a set of Ancient Egyptians in the same style.
There are also two playset buckets of Knights and Ancient Egyptians but these are similar to PAPO in size and style.
There was also a fine 54mm farm house, animals and farmer on display which may turn up in toy stores this year.
The company is Norev. They are known for diecast cars
AIRFIX have dropped all their 54mm sets and have severely reduced the 20mm range.
And. sad to say that was about it.
The Papo small tubes come in 2014 at NYC toy Fair and are around on ebay and sometime amazon x quite some times,there also a series or pirates and fantasy monsters/warriors as well done .They come to compete with Plastoy LTD previous years release and now discontinued of minitubes sets with samurais,knights,pirates,soldiers ,else.
To me they are around 52 mm
The knights and Egyptians are same from SAFARI LTD sold around since 2012.
Now also sold under Wilde Republic here as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Safari-699304-Ancient-Egypt-TOOB/dp/B000GYSZES/ref=pd_sim_21_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000GYSZES&pd_rd_r=FXVMWFAHT6ZYCXQSCPVJ&pd_rd_w=aJU6l&pd_rd_wg=nibDi&psc=1&refRID=FXVMWFAHT6ZYCXQSCPVJ
Just repack under a distributor with “alike name”.They have romans ,pirates ,wild west ,else sets too.
The Norev sets are just reissued of Jem RF and other french mix molds.Norev also used brand name known as Ludorev first in 80s to reissue many other name brand molds probably to avoid license issues else.
I have those farms sets from 90s in different packing done back then as well but with different tractors.The figures and animals i’m pretty sure are french figures poses original or copied or using same molds ,so are or could be some of buildings.
Company is exact same that reissue using Jem molds knights 4 castles playsets in plastic with knights as well a fort with indians and cowboys sold in 90s .Still around on ebay and at shows .Were imported here by several toy soldiers dealers such Stone Castle imports and A to Z hobby .I bought all then from first.
Never like the Mel Gibson’s odd made up version of false history in that movie .No only the Scottish are wrong dressed depicted ,also their weapons used in film are and the way they fought on battles are wrong depicted in field as well .Not to count the lovely relation between Bruce and Princess of course.I’m surprise they let him do such trash about a Scottish hero.
The only good is the musinc from the film to me .
My thoughts
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While the papo may have been around for awhile. It maybe the first time Peter has seen them at the show. More concerning is that Papo only added two figures to their large medieval figure line.
I have never had interest to watch Braveheart. Other people love it which is the privilege. I also have a very hard time watching 300 for its inaccurracies. I only last a few minutes.
I figure the Norev were reissues as the company has been purchased several times and merge with other companies. Once again it had not been seen in UK before. Laurie and I brought the knight in 90’s back from onre of our Germany trips. We found them in a Toy R Us in Belgium which was closed before the demise of the company.
I had noticed the Papo tubes and figures on ebay and amazon for the last couple of years and was tempted to get some, But I couldn’t find out what there true scale was. As ive mentioned a few times on here I only collect figures of 50mm to 60mm. However whenever I tried to find out the scale of these Papo figures I heard scale sizes of 45mm and up to 70mm which for me is to small and to big unless of course I can convert them, But if the comments on here are suggesting that the figures are 52mm I will buy a set and see for myself. By the way I havent seen those Egyptian and Knights buckets yet in England so I will look out for them.
Plastoy not Papo mini figures tubes are 52 mm approx .Papo are around same ,unless measuring the top ornate helmets,feathers else could give then few mm more.
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Papo Mini+ figures stand at 55mm – they are an in-between from the main range and the minis
Ok I will look out for them as i’m sure I haven’t seen any at 55mm, If it is the case I will probably buy some.
And Papo M G looks like a mad bravewoman Scottish from XVI century w broken sword to me.
Bruce is extracted from a big scake generic knight they did before.
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The NOREV farmhouse could be useful for a number of eras but it will definitely need a little work to hide that unsightly ivy and stonework and neon green shutters.
There more variation style of the farms w great use.that was main reason I bough then.
The 80 reissues were done more realistic w less fancy colors.
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Sorry 90s not 80s.