I have a party that would love to hear your stories about Peter Fritz good or bad.
I will start in off. At show in New Jersey Peter drunker than a skunk came into my face. He said to me “I have a Beverly Hills doctor who wants a Untouchable Playset if you get one it’s mine.” I look at and said in your dreams.
The other side Peter was very smart with his Toy A Day Auctions. These auctions got quite popular and others followed his lead. If Peter had worked it right it could have turned in the EBay of the internet.
-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Biff Smith on I Am Back From Germany
- Mark on German Plastic Figure Treasures Spring 2024
- Mark on April 2024 Odds Ends Catching Up
- Mark on Expeditionary Force Ancient Greeks Archers and More
- admin on German Adventure Final Report Friendship
Archives
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- March 2011
Categories
- Action Casting
- Austin Miniatures
- Barzso Collectibles
- Bill Nevins
- Billy Hill
- Blue Box
- BMC
- BMC Toys
- Brian McIver
- British Plastic
- Clairet
- Collecting Finds
- Conversions
- CTS
- DGN
- Dinamicos
- Dulcop
- Ed Borris
- Elastolin
- Elastolin
- Engineer Bassevitch
- Erwin Sell
- European Figures
- Expeditionary force
- Greg Liska
- Heimo
- Jescan
- Larry Patterson
- Lintek
- Lod Enterprises
- Lone Ranger
- Lone Star
- Marolin
- Mars Figure
- Marx
- Marx Toys
- Mattel
- MicShaun's Closet
- MPC Toys
- New Ray
- Peter Bergner
- Peter Evans
- Plastic Figure Showcase
- Plastic figures
- Plastic Warrior
- Pvblivs
- Red Kepi
- Remco
- Replicants
- Russian
- Russian figures
- Show
- Simex
- Spanish Figures
- Stad's
- Star Wars
- Starlux
- Tarzan
- Technolog
- Thomas Toy
- Timmee
- Toy Hunter
- Toy Hunters
- Toy Show
- Uncategorized
- Zorro
Meta
I ran into Peter at the old Kennedy Airport show where he was walking around with a Davy Crockett Alamo boxed set. I could never tell if he was drunk or sober. Later I learned that he was drunk most of the time. I asked him “how much?”
and he wanted 500 bucks for the set. Now, this was when playsets were plentiful and plastic was the poorer child compared to metal. So, I said to him “Peter, no one is going to pay 500 dollars for playset.”
He didn’t bother to answer me and turned and staggered away and I recall thinking that the day that playsets cost 500 dollars would be the day that I quit the hobby.
Well, I’m still here and playsets cost way more than what he was asking that day.
I have yet to decide if Fritz was a visionary or just a greedy bastard.
I liked the “staggering away drunk” part. I myself haven’t given up the hobby due to the cost, yet, but I gave up a while back the idea of acquiring boxed Marx playsets.
Don
I agree I have not given up on the hobby either. I can get figures for myself at reasonable prices to enjoy. The problem is I have too many jobs and projects to sit and enjoy them.
Bill
Back then who would have thought the prices would go crazy like they did. I was happy what I got in playsets. Most of the playsets I got were ones I wished I had as a child. Because I had mostly loose figures and did stories with them I bought loose figures for myself. These were much cheaper than the playsets. As to your question on Peter the answer would be both.
By a Party you of course mean his Daughter ?
Paul
Yes, it is one of his children. He also has a son.
I really wish I had gotton involved in the hobby just a couple of years earlier, and hence would have had an opportunity to meet Peter Fritz while he was still active.
Peter was no box of chocolates. Most of the early collectors in this hobby were affable and willing to help. Peter was neither. Believe me Don, you realy didn’t miss anything.
On the flip side of the coin was Ed Watts. Ed was as amiable a guy that this hobby has ever seen. Smart, funny and alway willing to help. Ed would take his time with you, no matter how busy he was. He was easily as knowledgable as Fritz and more than willing to share. Which is more than I can say for Peter.
I never bought a single thing from Fritz because I didn’t care for his attitude.
It seems to me that instead of wasting time on someone who, in my opinion, did quite a bit of damage to this hobby, perhaps that time would be better spent remembering people like Ed Watts.
Thank you for your comments and those who contacted me.
Amy
Glad you enjoy the comments I posted from the collectors on my site. I glad to hear you got other comments. Your father was an interested part of Marx playset collecting history.
Regarding Peter:
I got to know Peter because I ran across his book once at Gettysburgh- that was well over 20 years ago. At first he made me happy, then mad at him a couple times, then appreciative, in the long run. I sent him a batch of stuff I had been pulling out of an old mom & pop toy store that I had been cleaning out in Western PA. He sent me some ok Marx Civil War things, which I had wanted – it was the beginning of my collection. But I was innocent haha…. when he asked me off-hand where I had come across a store like that, I told him…..(not thinking somebody from that far away would go there…. stuuupid me ;0) He and another long-time Marx searcher from W.V. came in while I was out of town & cleaned out a Ton of stuff from the store… But, he made up for it over time. (which is why I was kindof surprised to read that people said he wouldn’t talk with them) For days / weeks / months , for a few years- he would stay on the phone with me for hours teaching me all about the hobby/business, not just Marx, but other toy areas, also (because as I got better at searching, I started finding a Lot of things). Ultimately, my successful years of selling at shows, Toy Shop Magazine, PFPC, and later eBay, all as “Lost in Time,” were a result of the hours and hours of time he spent educating me. // He also came through for me when I needed it. I once had to have an unused high-number erector set to trade to get a mint-unused Giant Battle of the Blue & Gray set for my personal collection – Peter came through with it in a matter of days. I still have that set…
Hi Brad
Yes Peter was a fountain of knowledge if you got a chance to talk to him I learned from him how playset were packed among other things.
Did Peter Fritz pass away? I have been trying to find him for some time now.
Did Peter Fritz pass away?
I’ve been hearing that since about 1990.
I did not get a chance last night to respond on the question on Peter Fritz. At the moment Peter is alive but in very poor health. His life style caught up to him. He lives in CT in a small apartment. There is one collector who visit with him several times a year. He lets me know what is going on.