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.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

D is for Damn Shelfies!

I swear to God (with something more believable as my witness) these shelfies are hiding in Picasa, and every time I think I've rounded them all up, three more pop out of the woodwork! These are from October, December and the other day!

We looked at these infant-like Teamster trucks in a previous shelfie post, but I had shot another of the 'water tank' version with sharks in, really just a box ticker, as these animals will turn-up in mixed lots years from now, and need ID'ing!
 
A rather poor shot, like the previous taken in B&M, this one at Christmas, and these were in those bog-box stacks above the groceries in the 'entrance' isle you are forced to go down the full length of before you can navigate to where you really want to be! But it means they may have cleared after Christmas? If they haven't, I'll try to get a better shot next time I'm over there!
 
The brown Polar bear looks like the cream ones in the common charity-shop group, so they may be new colours of those existing, so-far generic, sculpts.
 
Seen in Lidl a few weeks ago, it looks like an Ariane or similar Euro-satellite launch-vehicle? Siku, and a long-box - twice the price, of so, of their little Matchbox types.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it my imagination or am I right that there are not as many rack or shelf 1/32 stuff as 20 years ago.
Or have toy soldiers become unfashionable.
Certainly in the Poundland type stores, it's more about Dinosaurs and I have never understood the appeal of dinosaurs and how very young children know so much about them.
I just don't get them.
Certainly my major problem here is the "small pond" problem that there just aren't the major shows or regional shows like Plastic Warrior and Russell Court.
But I must check out Lidl.
I miss the selfies...Horrible Hisyories seemed to come and go very quickly.
A conventional toy was New Ray...die cast racing cars with mechanics and accessories but also disappeared quickly.
These were replaced by plastic versions sold as Auto World ...a plastic version but with three mechanics a nd "standing drivers" in each box.
A bit fragile and easily broken but I once had around 30 of them which made a very impressive grid.
I had big plans to paint them in national colours and use my own decals for say Lufthansa, Qantas. She'll, Coca cola, Doors etc.
But the paint did not work well on the plastic

John (FJH)

Hugh Walter said...

No John, they are definitely thinner on the ground, and not only that, but when you do find plastic figures these days, they tend to be either smaller 45/50mm or larger 60/70mm, so you can't win!

I guess, from looking round toy shops, childhood is very short these days and seems to be served by a 50/50 mix of traditional (unlicensed) toys and novelties, alongside the latest craze, while only adults seem to be keeping Star Wars and Lego afloat! Millions of figures, kept on the card in bankers boxes!

The odd thing does come to the surface, but only occasionally - Dollar general in the States has given us a steady stream of fantasy stuff the last eight-or-ten Halloween's, and Wicked Duels have got some nice sets out, as have Emce, but mostly 50mm, and I got some nice pirates the other day, but again 50mm, and copies of some I've already got!

Supreme and Hing Fat still have a lot of stuff in their catalogues, but it's finding it, Peter Evans imports HF, but one suspects the stuff is actually commoner in the provincial cities of Russia, Asia, Mongolia or Central/South American and African townships?

While Steve Weston has all the 'new' production, but it's silly-pricey, except DGS which can be fund at affordable levels? So there is stuff out there, but you have to search online, or hope your favourite dealer gets some in!

H

Anonymous said...

The funny thing about Dealers is that SOME are a bit eccentric in their attitude. Another word would be "unpleasant".
There is only one place locally (25 miles away)
A nice range of new kits, Master Box, and 1/32 call to Arms, Armiesin Plastic which won't be re-stocked....and other vintage and pre-owned vintage stuff Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Corgi, Subutteo.
There are plenty of bagged plastic figures....pricey and no distinctionmade between Airfix and the cheaper clones.
Britain's Deetail cost £3 for Ww2 figures...£6 for mounted Deetail. And £10, £15 £20 for Deetail Napoleon's etc.
Apparently a show in a hotel in a few weeks and maybe if there are dealers there, pricing might be competitive.
Seriously thinking about Plastic Warrior this year.

Hugh Walter said...

I was thinking more mail-order Juhn, the Weston's are a lovely copule and have/can get most things.

The show should be one of the best ever. I know Mercator/AL has new stock for the show, which will have been hoovered-up at provincial auctions or as part of a metal-collection, so should be new to market and have rarities?

One of the biggest dealers of the last 30-years has sold his stock to someone else, who was already a cheap and pleasant seller, they will be there together, with probably a mountain of good stuff.

And someone on our Faceplant group was talking about taking a table, and he's been getting nice stuff, most of which will also be 'new to market' so it should be an excellent show?

H

Hugh Walter said...

'John', sorry, typo!

H