About Me

My photo
No Fixed Abode, Home Counties, United Kingdom
I’m a 60-year-old Aspergic gardening CAD-Monkey. Sardonic, cynical and with the political leanings of a social reformer, I’m also a toy and model figure collector, particularly interested in the history of plastics and plastic toys. Other interests are history, current affairs, modern art, and architecture, gardening and natural history. I love plain chocolate, fireworks and trees, but I don’t hug them, I do hug kittens. I hate ignorance, when it can be avoided, so I hate the 'educational' establishment and pity the millions they’ve failed with teaching-to-test and rote 'learning' and I hate the short-sighted stupidity of the entire ruling/industrial elite, with their planet destroying fascism and added “buy-one-get-one-free”. Likewise, I also have no time for fools and little time for the false crap we're all supposed to pretend we haven't noticed, or the games we're supposed to play. I will 'bite the hand that feeds', to remind it why it feeds.

Friday, September 13, 2019

News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events - Saturday14th - Friday 20th September 2019

The Trump spent some time in his election campaign making hay from Obama having got through Three senior bods in eight years (I can't now remember whether it was Foreign, Home or Defence Secretary, I think Foreign-Sec.?), he has now got through more senior appointee's than the last three Presidents put together.

Not only is his original crowing reduced to a sort of premature-ejaculation of hypocrisy, but it suggests he's the worst judge of character ever to have appointed a senior staffer . . . or fall in love with a Kimjongwatshit!

Meanwhile - in La-la-Land - next Tuesday is possibly more important for Britain's future than the King's Speech in September 1939. If the judges find against Boris, we still have democracy and the rule of law, if they find for him, all bets are off! The idea you need to pirogue parliament for five weeks to write a Queen's Speech (which normally takes three or four days) is risible, but if the Supreme court judges choose to believe it, we've lost the judiciary, whatever side of Brwreakshit you're on.

Meanwhile all the hand-wringing and indignation over the Iranian tanker would help a simpleton believe in Bilderburg-plans and alien-lizard conspiracies, why did no one stop it? No point filling the Mediterranean (a large lake) with EU, US, Nato and other allied naval assets if you're just going to watch it via-satellite, while whinging to the media? Why wasn't it escorted to its supposed destination in Malta? Why wasn't a large bail held by the Gibraltarian court? Why was it released before the vessels Iran has seized were released?

The point is 'The West' is becoming increasingly irrelevant and voiceless in the world they used to organise!

Soon we will only have our toys, so best get out there this week and grow the stash!

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Toy Fairs

Saturday 14th September 2019

Bugger-all; lie-in this Saturday! Save some dosh for all the auctions later in the week!

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Sunday 15th September 2019

Birmingham - Barry Potter / BP Fairs - 'NEC'
Hall 18, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, B40 1NT
Tel. - 01604 846 688
Mob. - 07966 527 177
Hours unknown (probably 10:30-15:00hrs)
Admission £8, early-bird (from 08:00hrs) £12, OAP's £7.50, Children £2
[Note: adults and OAP's both up 50p]
Free parking

Eastbourne - Robert Horscraft - Eastbourne Toy & Model Collectors Fair
East Dean Village Hall, East Dean, East Sussex, BN20 0DR
Internet presence unknown
Tel. I - 01323 899 879
Tel. II - 01424 846 676
Hours unknown
Admission £1.50, under-12's free
Free Parking, refreshments

Eastleigh - Steven Clements Fairs
Barton Peveril Sixth Form Collage, Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 5ZA
Tel. - 01380 725 322
Mob. - 07958 101 891
10:00 - 14:00hrs

Newton Abbot - Ray Heard Train & Toy Fairs
Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon, TQ12 3AF
Internet presence unknown
Tel. - 01823 480 097
10:00 -15:30hrs
Admission £2.00
Free parking, refreshments

Potters Bar - Toy & Train Fairs (Peter Levinson)
Elm Court Centre, Mutton Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3BP
Internet presence unknown
Tel. - 01282 051 518 (Peter or Diane)
10:30 - 14:30hrs
Admission charge unknown

Rayleigh - SRP Toyfairs
Sweyne Park School, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 9BZ
Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)
10:00 - 14:00hrs
Admission charge unknown

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Tuesday 17th September 2019

Wootton Basset - Steven Clements Fairs - Wootton Basset Evening Fair
Memorial Hall, Station Road, Wootton Basset, Wiltshire, SN4 7EN
Tel. - 01380 725 322
Mob. - 07958 101 891
18:30 - 20:30hrs
Free parking, café

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Auctions

Saturday 14th September 2019

Poole - Cottees Auctions Limited
Mannings Heath Road, Poole, Dorset, BH12 4NQ
Tel. - 01202 723 177

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Tuesday 17th September 2019

Heaton Mersey - Capes Dunn
40 Station Road, Heaton Mersey, Cheshire, SK4 3QT
Tel. - 01614 321 911
Collectors and Toy Auction

Tunbridge Wells - C&T Auctioneers
The York Suite, The Spa Hotel, Mount Ephraim, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8XJ (Venue)
Unit 4, High House Business Park, Kenardington, Near Ashford, Kent, TN26 2LF (Auction House)
Valuations - jamesopie@yahoo.co.uk
Tel. - 44 1233 510 050 (from abroad)
Tel. - 01233 510 050 (within the UK)
Viewing from 08:30hrs, sale starts 10:00hrs

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Wednesday 18th September 2019

Warwick - Warwick & Warwick
Charlton House, Scar Bank, Millers Road, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 5DB
(Auctions held in Court House)
Tel. - 01926 499 031
Facsimile - 01926 491 906
Catalogue on-line, printed version available on request

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Thursday 19th September 2019

Ludlow - Mullock's Specialist Auctioneers and Valuers
Ludlow Racecourse, Bromfield, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 2BT (sale venue)
Tel. - 01694 771 771

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Friday 20th September 2019

Chippenham - Wessex Auctions
Wessex Auction Rooms, Westbrook Farm, Draycot Cerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 5LH
Tel. - 01249 720 888
10:30 - Finish

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Other Events

There bloody isn't any! A hot-air-balloon festival at Longleat (Warminster, Wilts) and a steampunky thing in Ipswitch 'till 3rd November (Marvelous Machines) but nothing particularly topical for loyal readers of the Blog I'm afraid!

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Overseas Events

Saturday 14th September 2019

Brooksville (USA) - Regal Railways - Railway Show
Hernando Fairgrounds, 6436 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34601, Florida, USA (venue)
Regal railways, 501 East Bay Drive, Apt. 1503, Largo, FL 33770, Florida, USA (promoter)
Web. - www.regalrailways.com
Adults $5.00 children under 12 free
09:00-14:00hrs
Vendors with antiques,crafts and Model Train Layout
Lunch Available

Mulhouse (France) - Club Mulhouse 1/43rd - Toy Fair/Show
Parc des Expositions, Mulhouse 68, France
Tel. - ++0389 406 465

Saint-Ghislain (Belgium) - Philippe Rousman - Train Show
Tel. - ++0475 809 839

Wettingen (Switzerland) - Mr. Romue - Toy Fair
Sportzentrum Tägi, Wettingen, Switzerland
Tel. - ++0566 243 802

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Sunday 15th September 2019

Arlon (France) - Train Modèle Sud - Train Show
Hall Polyvalent, Arlon, France
Tel. - ++063 388 205

Bonn (German) - Jergen Hörner - Toy Fair
Stadhalle, Bonn-Bad Godesburg, Germany
Tel. - ++0210 351 133

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Tuesday 17th September 2019

Knoxville (USA) - Marble City Comicon - Knox Nerd Comic & Toy show
5618 Academy Drive, Morriston, TN 37814, Tennessee, USA (promoter)
Web - https://www.knoxnerdcon.com/
10:00-17:00hrs
Admission $5.00, kids (age?) free - purchase tickets at the door

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If you are an event promoter/show curator/auctioneer and you want your toy, model, collectable or popular-/youth-culture type sale/exhibition/event listed here -  FOR FREE  - or linked to; please eMail me -

maverickatlarge[at]hotmail[dot]com

- stating the date/s of the event, address of event, contact details, opening/viewing times, admission pricing and any other relevant facts/details or features - parking, travel notes, disability access, availability of refreshments, event subject matter &etc.

And please mention any flyer-art or poster-/leaflet-scans but send by separate eMail, in case they go to the 'junk' folder, from where they can be recovered and marked safe, but only if I know they're there!

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Other News

Rosa Parks Still Sitting Tall
The latest Mattel limited-edition Barbie doll, of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery, Alabama civil-rights activist (if keeping you own seat is activism - which it is to thick, meat-faced, red-necked, white men) sold out within 24-hours of going on sale alongside the Sally Ride doll (first American woman in space).

Poundland on the Move?
The intermediate owner of Poundland (Pepkor Europe) are looking to separate the business from the main owner Stienhoff of South Africa. Poundland has 853 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Lego Down
Hinted at last week - the expansion plans in India and China (and the setting-aside of capital for doing so) has led to a 12% drop in net profits. The plans for Asia include a regional office in Mumbai.

Vectis
Have announced news of a forthcoming auction; the  Tony Hillman Collection - Movie Memorabilia on the 26th of September more in next week's dates post.

"The Tony Hillman Collection, features 129 lots of cinema and film lobby cards and stills, Star Wars press books and literature, Photoplay and other monthly film magazine groups including Empire, Film and Picture Show etc; plus movie posters and production notes, film scripts and screenplays."

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Links

Plastic news, on Plasticsnews! The beauty of this story is that it's giving more publicity to little green, grey or tan 'army-men' than everyone else in the hobby has managed to generate betwwen them in 30-years! And it will run-on, as the same outlets will run the story again when they come out.



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H is for How They Come In

The week got off to a slow but useful start with three Fontanini knock-off ballerina's in silver-plate base-metal (which I'm not showing you as I got the plastic set at Sandown Park  a while back and will do a full post) and a resin hedgehog to join the other's from the 'Cabinet of Curious Things'.

This was mid-week and 20p! It's another Chap Mai, and while slightly fictional, with the same chunky tyres as the Land Rover and Hummer, it nevertheless holds its own as a 4x4 Chevy' pick-up against the Airfix 6x6 as you can see. I removed the 'soldier' from the bonnet with nail-varnish remover and improved it 100%!

I saw this at the same time, but only running to 20p, hoped it would still be there the next day, it was! I think it's missing something from the back, two clip-ins of some kind, hopefully I'll get them off an equally cheap on with a damaged windscreen at some point. Modern Corgi and a bit of fun as it has a figure and will go with the old Batmobile!

Picked these two up this afternoon (Thursday), tub of small scale which is an odd mix of HK Marines and Russians and Esci-Ertl Russians, Italians, French and . . . err . . .Zulus! I got it for a HK motorbike which was also in the jar.

A large resin museum/tourist knight statuette made up the rest of this weeks plunder!

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Toys in the Media

Prieser or Noch again, stack of Pound Coins again - it's a trope! It looks like Queen Elizabeth the II's saying something pithy to Donald!

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The 'dividers' thisweek were supposed to be little red-brick houses, with colored 'mavericks' in each line, but apparently Blogger doesn't support webdings and I've run out of time, the fact that I'm an aitch, makes it look all a bit pretentious, but I can assure you they are supposed to default to forward slashes! Still better than nothing, or; Still - better than nothing!

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