Odds Ends Part 5 October 2018 Mystery Hedges we have a number of items. First wehave some mystery hedges from TD Barnecut. Next Ed Borris has some news on Texas Show. Erwin Sell has sent photos of some Roman soldiers flats.
Odds Ends Part 5 October 2018 Mystery Hedges TD Barnecut
TD Barnecut found on Ebay these Hedges. He had some questions. Here are his comments. I came across these toy hedges on ebay and wonder if anyone can tell me who made them? They are a very flexible rubber and somewhat fragile. The bottoms have the small round depressions often seen on many Marx, Ideal & Auburn type figures. I tried googling this type of item to learn more about them but have found nothing even close. I also wonder if they have ever been re-issued ? They would be great if re-cast in green soft plastic.
Do you recognize them?
Odds Ends Part 5 October 2018 Mystery Hedges Texas Show
Ed Borris reports that Texas Show has been cancelled for 2019. This notice was posted on their Facebook page. They may be back in 2020.
Odds Ends Part 5 October 2018 Mystery Hedges Roman Flats
Erwin sent some interesting photos of some flats from Hungry.
The figures are 45mm. One figure is mounted while the others are foot. Erwin descripts them as semi flat.
The figures are based on Elastolin Roman figures. the name of the company is not known at this time. When I look at them they remind me in a way the comic book flats.
Odds Ends Part 5 October 2018 Mystery Hedges Odds Ends
I recently put this Marx German Motorcycle for bid on Ebay. I was surprised that is sold for over $40.00. Right a light gray motorcycle is at $34.00. Also four dark gray German tanks are at $251.00! I am just amazed that these items are going for such high prices. What are your thoughts?
The high bidder on the German tanks bids way high on anything he wants to extreme limits. As a seller I always hopes he bids on my auctions.
I am really bummed the Texas Show is cancelled; I was hoping to break the jinx and make it two years in a row again as the show is not only fun but my wife and I really enjoy San Antonio and usually plan several days there around the show to enjoy the city. Oh well, we were planning on passing through to see our son at Ft Huachuca, Arizona sometime early next year; we just might stay a few days at another time of year. At least it will be cooler.
As far as the prices for the Marx motorcycles and tanks – I guess it’s somewhere between Adam Smith and P.T. Barnum. But it DOES make me wonder whether I need to put MY motorcycles and tanks up on Ebay…
Now it’s between sentimentality and greed…
Bids go crazy on an item(s); then EVERYONE lists their copy of the item, looking for gold until the items are sitting with no bids. The person who had to have it has it and now market corrects back to normal. Watch how many “HTF’, “VERY RARE” German artillery pieces pop up soon…
Brian, I agree with you. Besides, there’s no way I’m parting with my tanks and cycle – if for no other reason than sentiment.
I always thought the Elastolin Romans were just about the neatest Romans ever. And I think these semi-round Romans from Hungary — based on the Elastolin versions — look pretty neat, too.
As to the extremely high prices for some items on Ebay — like the dark grey Marx
German tanks: There will always be some collectors with ample funds who, when they see something they want, will go ahead and get it without any playing around. If you’ve got sufficient financial means, you can always win on ebay by quickly beating down all the other bidders, many of whom drop out of the bidding once they realize they are not going to get something at a bargain price. One of my toy collecting friends back in Michigan had this same philosophy. He said sometimes you have to pay a high price, or at least more than the going rate, to get something you want, but at least you’ve now got it for your collection, even if you had to pay a little too much to get it. I thought that was an admirable way of looking at things, and at various times I overpaid for a few items, but ended up being glad I now had them in my collection. But I think Brian Berke is correct in what will happen next on ebay.
And for the San Antonio Toy Soldier Show that’s cancelled for this year, I have a sinking feeling it may be the end of the road for what had become a premier toy soldier show in an ideal location (like Mr. Stengel’s show at Gettysburg). But after the San Antonio show could no longer count on Barzso & TSSD to anchor it, I can see other large dealers decide to pass on it as well. Then it becomes a vicious cycle: fewer dealers results in fewer buyers, and fewer buyers means fewer and fewer dealers. This is what happened to the once great Michigan show — it cancelled the Winter show, moved locations around a few times, and eventually lost it’s status as a permanent fixture and got weaker & weaker, finally just folding up.
I also like those mystery hedges. Having 20 or 30 of them would look good and come in handy in quite a few historical set-ups.
The show may resume next year at a different venue at least that is what Andy posted. I don”t think Barzso retiring or TSSD being sold had much to do with it if anything , Ron was never what I would call a regular and TSSD did attend. The show was probably 2/3 metal anyway the last few years. My guess is that the new management raised the price of the Banquet Room or whatever you want to call it and that drove Andy away.
Ed, that was my impression. For my opinion, I don’t know if the show would be the same anyplace but in San Antonio. They could move it to Dallas, Houston, Austin – but the idea of having the show just steps from the Alamo and all that history is hard to beat. Even when it was at La Villita you were still in walking distance – not to mention all the other attractions of the city. That was why my wife and I made it our frequent getaway (tried to make it every year).
I am hoping Andy or whomever will be able to find another suitable venue in San Antonio; after all, as I said, it started in La Villita (and some of us remember how hot and cramped those first couple years were); and then Nick was able to arrange the Menger. If Menger has decided to kill the goose I am sure there are other venues in the city that might be more amenable. I just hope it’s not too far from the historic center – particularly as the long hoped for project to restore Alamo Plaza seem to be on the horizon of bearing fruit.
What amaze me is so far every day you can see german sidecar list so they are quite abundant.
Also the few recast made by those w mold or whover stole and has the mold now may keep selling then easy as vintage to o.
So I’m skeptical.
Yey I’m happy x sellers who can make money off it.
Out nostalgy I keep only one if do.
Rest can go x $$ to buy other I dint have.that is why I recylcle my collection.
My thoughts
Best
The mystery hedges were made by Auburn.
Which makes perfect sense, now that you point it out, since they are rubber, rather than plastic.
Thanks Lynn,
Do you know what sort of set they may have been included in? Perhaps a doll house? I understand that Auburn also made some kind of trees and cactus plants. Does anyone have photos of these which they could send to Stad for posting here? Where Marx trees seem to be very common , I’ve never even seen anything like that from Auburn so am curious .
It is interesting that none of farm or frontier playset box and instruction photos shows then ,neither the army playset .
Kent great site show many samples ,none with it included.
neither google many photos of playset by Aurburn.
so looks like something not common if made by Aurburn.
my thoughts.
I would also be interested in what sets these presumably-Auburn hedges appeared.
I like Auburn — Marines, Frontiersmen, Indians, and Farm sets — but I’ve never seen these before.
I would also be interested in learning what sets these presumably-Auburn hedges appeared.
I like Auburn — Marines, Frontiersmen, Indians, and Farm sets — but I’ve never seen these before.
There are cactus with the western set accessories.
So far there cactus ,bush and trees in the farm ,western and animal and ARK playset sets many Aurburn packing size variation ,never see any hedges in any box .here are some samples.While some farm fences are green ,all playset i had seen show in box or instruction not hedges .I m curious in this information
Wonder what playset had these Hedges if are indeed by Aurburn.
Regardless they look very vintage style and nice looking .
Kent link
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/toysoldierhq/Auburn.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-AUBURN-NORTH-AMERICAN-ANIMALS-IN-ORIGINAL-BOX-20-ASSORTED-ANIMALS-301/273356271701?hash=item3fa54db055:g:pH0AAOSw9CVbSrZz:rk:9:pf:0
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Auburn-Rubber-Farm-Set-No-553-with-box/143027604338?hash=item214d1c0b72:g:oSgAAOSwHrlb-vKH:rk:12:pf:0
Ha! the illustration on that Farm set shows a barn as big as the child playing beside it.
I saw the Auburn cactus photo on Kent’s website. I would still be interested to see if they made any trees or bushes.
Erwin, thanks for your interest and research!
the Playset magazine #41 Auburn Early American frontier and other aubrun toys issues does not show it either .Very intriguing.
best
If the hedges were made by Auburn the only set I can think of that they would have been used in was the Suburban children set. It came with six children in pink rubber like vinyl plus a picnic table and I think a swing set and other accessories including perhaps the hedges. I picture the children at my Auburn page and i was going to add a picture of an ad for the set. I will try to find what I did with the image.
All this is very intriguing: have any Auburn moulds ever re-surfaced to produce recasts: the hedges look great
The molds ended up in Mexico. I found the army figures in plastic years ago. Auburn got under the inluence of the mob.
Intersting how many molds end in rest America .Mexico and Peru got the most from US makers .
In mexico not counting Marx factory. TM, MPC, PAYTON and Even LINDE , MANURBA and other germans brands many mold end there. But many scrapped or lost now.
While argentine got hands in Britains after coping many other UK brands.
Best
Britains leased the molds to Argentina and never had them returned.
The molds were worthwhile to other countries toy companies as it was cheaper than making new molds.
Is funny the Britain mold history .LOL
I heard it long ago and can not belive some one can go along with such trick.
Now under TSSD they produce the new figures and converted new poses set that in my opinion are much better .So they got along with it easy and enjoy sale then now.
It looks most US maker get rid off the toy army set mold by 70s and 80s when the fury of action figures was the new toy soldier child desire and the “peace movement” had kill with anti war propaganda the history of toy soldier teaching .Louis Marx close Marx just in time as he saw it coming right with vietnam war ending and those took over barely struggle to liquidate it right after .
In my opinion
From 1955 till late 1960 most South america and mexico were coping ,like Plombel and JUGAL that copied not use the original US molds.They copied many Marx sets as well IDEAL,LIDO and MPC .
I have many of these copies as well advertise from the makers in 60s where it show their version copies WITH differences in scale detail and minor variation
The even made 6 IDEAL GI’s in huge 15 cm scale along 4 MARX and others.
Only factory from main US brand was plastimarx in mexico that become semi independent with mexican ownership by late 60s already .
Then by 70s -80 got the real US molds liquidated from US brands .By late 90s the plastic toy soldier fury also had died in rest americas countries .
Only Mexico and Peru keep then in some party supply retail line companies as pinata feelers .
My thoughts.
best
The molds left more due the companies going out of business. Marx molds only came loose when Dumbee Combex Marx sold its assests. Dinamicos got the molds of Marx through game done by American Plastics. American got the auctioneer to sell the molds in one lot which put them out of reach of the other buyers. American then sold some of the molds to Dinamicos.
The mystery hedges were made by Atlas in the 1960s for their HO slot racing line. They were a rubbery plastic that could be curved around track edges as a crash barrier.
https://imgur.com/hoYqBI6
Yep, those are the hedges in question. Good research ! Do you know if Atlas made any trees or shrubs in HO scale?
I see some of the hedges for sale on-line but they are not cheap. Someone ought to track down the mold and re-issue them.
These hedges were sold as HO. Atlas’ slot-car line was nominal HO size.
As far as I know, Atlas never made any other HO trees or bushes, either for their model railroad lines or their slot car line.
As to the guesses above, I suppose it’s possible the hedges were originally produced by Auburn, and Atlas purchased the dies or the rights to sell them. I know nothing about that, and the lack of corroboration above makes me think it’s unlikely.
— David