News, Views Etc . . . Mighty Rome in Miniature

Bit of a Brucey-bonus; I'm supposed to be doing about five other things I said I'd get done in the last-few/next-few days, but I wanted to get this off the desktop . . .

. . . an update to the Hong Kong small-scale Romans page, with Baravelli's foot and mounted Giant sub-piracies added at the bottom of the main section. I will try to sort out those last bits as well; still needs text and the Britains full-sized sculpts, which I Blogged a while ago, should have done it then . . .Doh!

News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events - Saturday 9th-Friday 15th November 2019

Labour gutted by Watson's departure? He was a slightly-left Blairite-allie! If they are to get fully behind the utterly-useless Corbyn (nice guy, but he hasn't got a leadership bone in his body!), the last person they need hanging around is Watson.

Tories Gutted by the departure of two sexists and a fraudster? Qell souprise Rodder's! We've had 40 years of selfish, intolerant, pocket-lining Thatcherite-Reganomic Tories and/or Tory policy, yet they are apparently 10% ahead in the polls? There must be a tribe of Daily Wail-reading Trumpundbrwreakshiteers who haven't got it yet, who will never 'get it'?

Are you going to vote for either shower of shite? I'm voting Liberal and I never thought I'd be doing that again after 2010.

In Chile the police have blinded more people with baton-rounds (rubber bullets) than the RUC and IDF put-together, managed over 50-years . . . and they've managed to do so in about three weeks!

Brazil's Lulla de Silva's out and Bolsanaro's sweating . . . while in Bolivia the locals took their corrupt ruling-party Mayoress and shaved her head, painted her red and burnt her office to the ground, almost a good-news story, and at least she's alive!

Trump's also had a bad week, oh, he's had a terrible week, but then he's clearly insane and living on Planet Donald, so I'd imagine he's the least worried of all of them!

Luckily there are still some old toys to buy! Loads of 'em . . .

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Toy Fairs

Saturday 9th November 2019

Herne Bay - SRP Toyfairs

The Kings Hall, The Beacon Hill, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 6BA

Web. - http://srptoyfairs1.co.uk/

eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. - 07739 998 012

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

Torquay - Events Frontier - 'Devcon'

Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay TQ1 3DR (venue)

56 Radford Park Rd, Plymouth PL9 9DP (promoter)

Web. - www.eventsfrontier.com

eMail - eventsfrontier@hotmail.com

Mob. - 07508 548 938

Hours unknown

Admission fee unknown

Sci-fi, film and comic convention

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Sunday 10th November 2019

Buxton - Barry Potter / BP Fairs

The Octagon Hall, Pavillion gardens, St. Johns Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6XN

Web. - www.bpfairs.com

Tel. - 01604 846 688

Mob. - 07966 527 177

10:30-15:00hrs

Admission £3.50 (early-bird £6, from 08:00hrs), OAP's £3, Children £1

Kidderminster - Tony Oaks Toy Fairs

Guilt Edge Leisure Centre, Zortech Avenue, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 7DY

Internet presence unknown

Tel. - 01270 652 773

Mob. - 07825 631 323

10:30 - 14:00hrs

Admission £1.50p

Free parking

Rayleigh - SRP Toyfairs

Sweyne Park School, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 9BZ

Web. - www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk

eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

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Auctions

Saturday 9th November 2019

Elstree - Excalibur Auctions

The Village Hotel, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3SB (venue)

Chiltern Business Centre, Woodside Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 6AA (office)

Web. - www.excaliburauctions.com

eMail - enquiries@excaliburauctions.com

Tel. - 02036 330 913

Free Tea or Coffee

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Sunday 10th November 2019

Bury St. Edmunds - Lacy Scott & Knight

Web. - www.lsk.co.uk

eMail - oleggett@lsk.co.uk

Tel. - 01284 748 600 (general enquires)

Tel. - 01284 748 623 (Oliver Leggett - auction)

Toy and Collectors Models

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Other Events

Saturday 9th-Sunday 10th November 2019

Tolworth (SW London) - Hampton Court Model Railway Society - 'Showtrain'

Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fuller's Way North, Tolworth, Surrey, KT6 7LQ

Web. - www.tolworthshowtrain.co.uk

Saturday 10:00-17:30hrs

Sunday 10:00-17:00hrs

Admission £7.00, children £3.00, family ticket (Saturday, 2+2) is £15.00 (a five pound saving), on Sunday only; child free with every adult

Free parking (limited disabled spaces)

Free bus-link from Surbiton station

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I haven't found or been notified of anything else which is toy, figure, military, space or pop-culture related worth listing here this week, there's the Classic Motor Show at Birmingham's NEC (National Exhibition Centre, from today 'till Sunday 10th) which will be fun for vehicle collector's, but that seems to be about it?

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Overseas Events

Saturday 9th November 2019

Auvernier (Switzerland) - J. Schetty - Toy, Train, Die-cast, Doll & Bear Show

Salle Polyvalente, Auvernier NE, Switzerland

Tel. - ++0327 312 212

Godorf (Germany) - Uwe H. Breker - Antique Toys & Technology Auction

Auktion Team Breaker;

PO Box 50 11 19, 50971 Köln, Germany (mail)

Otto-Hahn-Straẞe 10, 50997 Köln (Godorf), Germany (offices)

Web. - www.breker.com

Tel. - ++492 236 384 340

Fax. - ++4922 363 843 430

Office hours 09:00-17:00 Tuesday-Friday, Central European Time

Joure (Netherlands) - E. Kramer - Model Vehicle Fair

Zalencentrum 't Haske, Joure, Holland

Tel. - ++0513 416 571

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Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th November 2019

Chartres (France) - Galerie de Chartres SARL - Toy Auction

10 Rue Claude Bernard, ZA du Coudray, BP 70129, 28003 Chatres Cedex, France

Web. I - www.ivoire-chartres.com

Web. II - www.interencheres.com/28001

Bidding - www.interencheres-live.com

eMail - mailto.chartres@galeriedechartres.com

Tel. - ++33(0)237 882 828

Fax. - ++33(0)237 882 820    

Saturday sale - General toys, toy soldiers and model figures, boats & 'planes

Sunday Sale - Model railways; O-gauge, I-gauge and real steam

Houten (Netherlands) - R. Hobma - Train Show

Euretco, Houten, Holland

Tel. - ++0481 353 288

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Sunday 10th November 2019

Dublin (ROI) - Chris Dyer Fairs - Dublin Toy & Train Fair

The Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan Road, Dublin, Eire

Web. - www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk

Tel. - 01643 702 757

Mob. - 07966 694 579

10:30 - 15:00hrs

Admission £4

Just off N11 trunk road

Langenfeld (Germany) - Jürgen Hörner - Toy Fair

Stadhalle, Langenfeld, Germany

Tel. - ++0210 351 133

Oostmalle (Belgium) - Dipro BVBA - International Collectors Fair

Logistiek Centrum Frans Bevers, Lierselei 177, Oostmalle, Belgium

Web. I - www.dipro.be (organisers)

Web. II - www.verzamelbeurs.net (event)

Tel. - ++032 395 638

10:00-16:00hrs

Toy, Train, Die-cast, Doll & Bear Show

Spa (Belgium) - Retromobile Club de Spa - Toy Vehicle Show

The Casino, Spa, Belgium

Tel. - ++087 795 353

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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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Links

McDonald's (who recently announced they would be phasing-out toys) are re-issuing some old favorites!

Ross Mac's moving tribute to Stuart Asquith, which in turn links to other obituaries

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H is for How They Come In

After a couple of quiet weeks, it's been a bumper week, probably as people empty their cupboards to make way for Christmas gifts, Christmas guests and other merry-festive stuff?

Last Friday's trip to town procured the three on the left; a small quartz or white ('ish) jade tortoise which will be a small present for someone else in seven weeks (SEVEN WEEKS!), the boy (110mm with plinth) is some crypt/nativity thing; 'Hong Kong' (after an Italian figure, I suspect) and a key-ring of some recent cartoon character I don't recognise.

Then - on Saturday -  a friend went to the Maltings in Farnham (not the big, annual one I listed a few weeks ago, here, but the regular 1st-Saturday-of-the-month flea-market) and managed to find these three; A nice (but slightly chipped) Reisler drummer, flanked by a Pyro/Kleeware truck-crewman (with his locating spigot and no signs of glue - a clue as to his survival, loose,  in this condition!), along with a piece of ivory (or very fine bone) which I think might be Don Quicks Hot . . . Don Key Hoe Tay . . . Don Kay Hottie . . . you know, the one who tilts at windmills, or; his faithful servant Sancho Panzer.

Monday brought the third item for my collection/the Tag-list by 4M, it's a bit basic or juvenile/novelty-like, but it can go in the box with all the other siege engines! It needs a proper spoon . . . bowl . . . cup . . . you know, the thing the rocks go in! Rock holder?!!

Tuesday netted a bag of Chinasaur-dinosaurs, the big one's Schleich, the little one is a proper 'Chinasaur', the three at the bottom are the ones I was buying from WHSmith a few years ago, while the four larger ones at the top seem to be from the same maker, but a different line-code . . . and not carried by 'Smith's?

This little lot was also Tuesday, a three-quid-something speculative-bid on evilBay (or BIN? I can't rememeber!), and the poorest thing here is the Hillco Indian and horse who are both tatty (the other side of the horse is covered in mud or sand - in all the crevices) so they'll get stripped and washed.

I think the white horse is the Lone Ranger's, but I'm hoping (in the absence of the Zorro clone) he may take the actual Zorro which 'Wotan' Bill from Moonbase (cheers Bill) sent me a while ago (err . . . about seven years ago!?), even if Zorro's horse should be black!

I'm quite pleased with the early Timpo solid Indian (from a hollow-cast mould) and the Marx cowboy is in one piece, but has been mucked-about with I think; paint-wise, so I'll strip him with the Hillco's.

Which leaves two original Dulcop French Napoleonic factory-paints - to go with my unpainted PW-imported re-issues.

Finally yesterday (Thursday) brought two more bags of mixed dinosaurs. The upper shot has a large sample of 'Mini's', a glow-in-the dark raptor who must have been fixed to something as he doesn't stand up but has semi-ring hands?

The little orange one is pretty unique, but may be from a set of mini-wild animals as he has as much in common with a Komodo Dragon as he does with a more esoteric species of dinosaur! The other four are three small and one full-sized Toy Major's.

The other bag included more of the WHSmith set, and their cousins, a couple more Toy Major's, A large Safari, another Schleich and a 'new' (to me) set/handful of medium-sized dino's (the more colourful ones), along with a real cheap'o Dimetrodon (pink and jade, middle-right) who's really an old-school 'rubber jiggler' (hollowed out, cartoony) but in a more rigid material.

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Missed

The 'East Coaster' in the 'States which is daft 'cos I must have seen it you-know-where a couple-of-few-weeks ago sometime, but obviously didn't note-it at the time, so, well, at the end of the day this listing is never comprehensive and will never be definitive!

I also missed the Hanson's auction on 24th October with the Mike Stockwell tinplate collection, which is very naughty as I had the flyer, but it sort of got buried under all the other paperwork here!

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Toy News

The sad news of Mothercare's collapse this week has a direct bearing on our hobby, as they had bought the ELC (Early Learning Centre) stores awhile ago. I believe the franchised stores abroad will continue to operate - at least for now - but for how long, after watching the speed with which the Toysaurus collapsed worldwide, is anyone's guess.

It also means any figures with ELC on the base can now be considered 'vintage' . . . at least by the standards of evilBay's use of the word, that is! Although I think the same firm which supplied ELC (Bullyland?) is responsible for the similar 80/90mm fantasy and medieval stuff found in Wilkinson's/Wilco?

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Other Stuff

It should be big enough, if I just try harder I'm sure I'll fit . . . don't just sit there taking photographs, get behind me and push!

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News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events Saturday 2nd-Friday 8th November 2019

That's it isn't it? Bloody November already! Where did that year go in such a hurry?

Annnnd . . . if it's now November, and we aren't out of Europe yet (again!) why is my Prime Minister not dead in a ditch? I think he should be dead in a ditch or he may become liable to accusations of being less than honest, someone you can't actually trust . . . a liar in fact!

Fake news was the order of the week elsewhere, and troubling for involving the entire world media including both the tabloids and the broadsheets, both popular and sensible radio . . . and the TV.

First we had the bodies in a tractor-trailer; for near-on 24 hours we were told - as absolute fact - that they (or their Chinese cadavers) had travelled into the UK via Holyhead after a sightseeing tour through the Republic of- and Northern- Ireland.

By the middle of the next day we learned they had actually come straight across the Channel from the Hook of Holland, and by Teatime they were looking to be the Vietnamese - we are now being told they all were (institutional racism). Lazy - or nonexistent - journalism throughout the entire media (globally; not just here!), led to a story which was only accurate in that it got the number of dead bodies and the location of the stationary trailer correct.

Soon after that, we had the other story . . . The Orange Loon (who has now decided to intervene in our elections; validating everything I've had to say about him, the fuckwitted fucktard) gave us a most lucid, artful, picture of the last moments of a Terrorist leader, which - again - the world's media ran with!

I wondered - immediately - how someone could be both a whimpering-coward and a fanatic screaming Allah Akbar and blowing himself up . . . at the same time. We were told (by a 'President') he also killed three of his children.

We now (best part of a week later) start to learn that there were only service-dogs in witness to the events (how many of them were destroyed in the action?), that there were only two children, that he may have been firing back, that the people on the ground 'can't say more' because they didn't see anything else, and had to 'go and deal with other resisting Jihadists'!

He talks shit, OK? The President of the United States of America talks utter shit - all day long. Did anyone hear his interview with Farage (rhymes with c**t)? he talked vacuous bollocks with vague generalisations, a few populist tropes and sweeping statements with no foundation, it's all hollow rhetoric, delivered as a child might lie; daring the listener to object!

Both stories were, in their first iterations, wholly false! But they are the narratives that will be held in the memories, not the drip-dripped corrections. 'Fake-news' becomes fact.

And away from those two pieces of garbage réportâgè, we saw; as was predicted would happen - immediately after the fire at Grenfell, over a year ago - the Fire Service getting the blame for 40-years of Thatcherite-Raganomic Tory cuts . . . cuts to building regulations, cuts to fire service provision, cuts to watchdogs' and regulators' budgets and cuts to local authorities, not to forget the tax-cuts to fucking property-developers!

You can't make this shit up; you need Presidents' and politicians to do it for you - with the help of the media!

Stick with toys!

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Toy Fairs

Saturday 2nd November 2019

Beconsfield - Toy & Train Fairs (Peter Levinson)

Beconsfield School, Wattleton Road, Buckinghamshire, HP9 1SJ

Internet presence unknown

Tel. - 01282 051 518 (Peter or Diane)

10:30 - 14:30hrs

Admission charge unknown

Blackpool - Brian Tattersall - West Coast Toyfair

Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool, FY2 9AA

Internet prescene unknown

Tel. - 07498 711 514

10:00-15:30hrs

Tables £30, admission charge unknown

Merthyr Tydfil - Chris Dyer Fairs

Merthyr Leisure Centre, Methyr Leisure Village, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, CF48 1UT

Web. - www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk

Tel. - 01643 702 757

Mob. - 07966 694 579

Admission £2

10:30-15:00hrs

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Sunday 3rd November 2019

Ashington - David Parsons - Toy & Train Collectors Fair

Ashington Community Centre, Foster Lane, Ashington, West Sussex, RH20 3PG

Web. - www.modelcarmart.co.uk

eMail - modelcarmart@gmail.com

Tel. - 01424 846 676 (Pete)

Mob. - 07742 609 865 (David)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Adults £1.50, concessions £1

Bolton - Barry Potter / BP Fairs - 'Macron'

The Premier Suite, Macron Stadium, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6SF

Web. - www.bpfairs.com

Tel. - 01604 846 688

Mob. - 07966 527 177

10:30-15:00hrs

Admission £4.00, early-bird £8, (from 08:00hrs), seniors £3.50, children £1

Free parking

(Sandown Park in two weeks!)

Bristol (North) - Chris Dyer Fairs

BAWA Health & Leisure Centre, 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
Web. - www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk
Tel. - 01643 702 757
Mob. - 07966 694 579

10:30 - 15:00

Admission £2.00

Exeter - Bulldog Fairs - 'Westpoint'

Westpoint Arena, Clyst St. Mary, Exeter, EX5 1DJ

Web. - www.bulldogfairs.com

eMail - bulldogfairs@aol.com

Tel. - 01373 452 857

Mob. - 07917 125 641

10:30 - 14:30hrs

Admission £4, each under-16 free with adult, 'Early Bird' £10 from 08:30hrs

Falkirk, Scotland - McLaren Models - Scotmodel 2019

Tel. - I 01324 624 102

Tel. - II 07483 260 915

(All other details here) 

St. Ives - J&J Fairs (J&J Webb)

'One Leisure' St. Ives, Burgess Hall Events & Conference Centre, Westwood Road, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 6WU

Web. - www.j-jwebbtoyfairs.com

eMail - jandjfairs@virginmedia.com

Tel. - 01522 880 383

10:00 - 14:30hrs

Admission - Adult £3.00p, seniors £2.50, 1st child £2.00p

Where the cats and the sacks and the wives came from, not Cornwall!

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Auctions

Monday 4th November 2019

Ledsham - UK Toy & Model Auctions Ltd.

Craxton Wood Hotel, Parkgate Road, Ledsham, Near Chester, Cheshire, CH66 9PB (venue)

46 Wirrel Gardens, Bebington, Wirrel, Merseyside, Cheshire, CH63 3BH (offices)

Web. - www.uktoyauctions.com

Tel. - 01513 343 362 (Barry Stockton)

Tel. - 01270 652 773 (Tony Oaks)

Catalogues £3.50p from office address

Die-cast, trains and toy soldiers

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Tuesday 5th/Wednesday 6th November 2019

Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis Auctions (2-day sale)

Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 9JZ

Web. - www.vectis.co.uk

eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk

Tel. - 01642 750 616

Specialist Die-Cast

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Thursday 8th/Friday 9th November 2019

Elstree - Excalibur Auctions (2-day sale)

The Village Hotel, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3SB (venue)

Chiltern Business Centre, Woodside Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 6AA (office)

Web. - www.excaliburauctions.com

eMail - enquiries@excaliburauctions.com

Tel. - 02036 330 913

Free Tea or Coffee

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Other Events

Thursday 31st October - Sunday 3rd November 2019

Birmingham - NEC - BrickLive

National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, West Midlands

Web. - www.bricklive.co.uk

Lego again! Stolen from Hestair Kiddycraft

Newcastle - Discovery Museum - Brilliant Bricks

Dicovery Museum, Blandford Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Web. - www.discoverymuseum.org.uk

Lego again, again! Still stolen from Hestair Kiddycraft

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Thursday 31st October - Sunday 8th March 2020

London (Central) - Wellcom Collection - Play Well

Wellcome Collection, Euston Road, London, NW1

Web. - www.wellcomecollection.org

An exhibition looking at why both children and adults play and should play

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Saturday 2nd November 2019

Pudsey - MGM Fairs - Doreen Jeffries Doll's House Fairs

Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawsons Corner, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 5TA (venue)

Linnet Lodge, The Village, Wembworthy, Devon, EX18 7RX (promoter)

Website - www.mgmfairs.co.uk

Email - enquiries@mgmfairs.co.uk

Tel. - 07818 462448  

10:30-15:00hrs

Admission - adults/seniors: £2.50, children: 50p

Free car parking, refreshments

Free Prize Draws

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Overseas Events

Saturday 2nd November 2019

Brummen (Netherlands) - E. Bouwmen - Toy Auction

Bouwmen & Bouwmen Auctioneers, Saturnusweg 6a, 6971 GX Brummen, Holland

Web. - www.veilinghuisbouwman.com

eMail - info@veilinghuisbouwman.com

Tel. - ++0575 560 393

North Dallas (USA)

Nearly forgot this one, it's all here on the Faceplant page

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Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd November 2019

Bern (Switzerland) - Silvia Bürki - Toy Fair

Bernexpohalle, Halle 1 & 2, Bern, Switzerland

Tel. - ++0313 401 193

Vintage Toys, Dolls, Bears, Trains, Figures, Die-cast

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Sunday 3rd November 2019

Bad Cannstatt (Germany) - Dr. R. Theurer - Toy Fair

Kursaal, Bad Cannstatt, Stuttgart, Germany (venue)

Wiesbadenerstraẞe 74, D-70372, Stuttgart, Germany (organiser)

Web. - www.theurers-spielzugmaerkte.de

Tel. - ++07115 590 044

Fax. - ++07115 590 054

11:00-15:30hrs

Champagne-sur-Oise (France) - Thierry Storme - Toy Fair

Salle Du CCS, Parc Municipal, Champagne-sur-Oise, France

Tel. - ++0130 344 488

Heilbronn (Germany) - Automania - Toy Fair

Audi Forum, Heilbronn, Germany

Tel. - ++06221 786 422

(And there's a nice mountain nearby to wander-up!)

Kortrijk (Belgium) - Dipro BVBA - Toy Fair

Kortrijk XPO, Kortrijk, Belgium

Web. - wwwdipro.be

Tel. - ++032 395 638

10:00-17:00hrs

Müllheim (Germany) - Jurgen Hörner - Toy Fair

Stadthalle, Köln-Müllheim (Cologne), Germany

Tel. - ++0210 351 133

Pont-Audemer (France) - Andre Huc - Toy Fair

Comlexe Sportif, Pont-Audemer, 27, France

Tel. - ++0607 383 525

Sevenum (Netherlands) - 'Ronald' - Toy Fair

Partycentrum de Schatberg, Sevenum, Holland

Tel. - ++0651 545 129

Die-cast, tin-plate and model railways

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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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Toy News

Character Group

The owners of the Pepper Pig, Teletubbies and Pokémon franchises in the UK have issued a profits warning after their trading dropped in Europe following the liquidation of Top-Toy, a store chain in Sweden.

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Top-Toy

This Swedish retailer has gone to the wall! Who knew!

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Clintons Cards

The long-time supplier of PVC novelties, keyrings and pencil tops to the less fussy members of our hobby (me!), has been put-up for sale by the Weiss Family who bought it seven years ago. KPMG are handling the sale which may go to auction.

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Lego

For reasons one can only wonder at, the Bilund pirates are looking at the possibility of a subscription-model, where owners (of a licence?) would hire sets, one-by-one? Yeah! It's just a get-Lego-in-the-news-before-Christmas type PR story isn't it . . . isn't it? Would you pay a fine if Chewbacca was missing when you returned the 'Falcon? Would you have to look after the box? What if you used some of you own bricks and got them mixed-up when you had to put it away and return it! An idiot idea Mr Brooks - Lego 'spokesman'; idiot idea!

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FAO Schwarz

This iconic name opened its 'first' European 'store' . . . sounds good, huh? Turns out it a restricted-footage franchise in London's Selfridges, and rather as all these Hamley's are opening in the far East, just a marketing exercise with a corporate-owned (Three-sixty Group), brand-name. Expect men dressed as Babes-in-the Wood soldiers!

That though, was a couple of weeks ago and they opened their second - in Dublin - this week!

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H is for How They Come In

Another quietish week, but a nice bag of mixed animals came in, three gneric (but nicely decorated) Chinasaurs, four small PVC rack-toy animals and two rather interesting hard-styrene piggy-wiggies, probbaly from an infant's set; they are quite big - Action man wiuld look normal with one tucked under his arm!

I also picked-up this little fairy lady sitting on what looks to be a cabbage-top - I thought it was a lily-pad in the shop! She's a poured-resin with bronze-powder, enough to polish slightly, but not heavy enough to be a 'cold-cast bronze'.

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Received With Thanks

I haven't run this for a week or two, but lots of stuff has come into the Blog and I have Chris Smith to thanks for all sorts, some of which you've seen now I think, Brian Berke has sent more images, and Theo van der Weerden has sent some images which are posting in the next few days and go with stuff from Chris and myself to make an interesting follow-up to the recent Hong Kong identifications.

Angelo sent me a lovely article on a minor Italian make's military line which I thought was just a check-list and probably destined for the A-Z pages but when I checked it at home found war a comprhensive article! Which will now appear here as soon as the images have been sorted - it's a real treat.

And I received a request for help from Joe (in Germany or the Czech Republic?) Walton in the USA, with images of such a lovely thing it's the Blog which has ended-up been helped. Again; post in the pipeline and more details then, but the case has been opened!

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Links

Ian Visits Pollock's Toy Museum

Dispensa's Kiddie Kingdom - Illinois

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Other Toy Stuff

There are moves afoot to sort out the Tag list, some duplicate entries and typos have crept in so it needs cleaning-up.

I will also break-down the 'Ancient' Tag into eras which is a bigger job, and there are one or two other large Tag's which need sorting, but I've started!

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Other Stuff

Autumn colour out the front as the shrubs start to go over, seven-and-a-half weeks to the big day! Can we start humming carols yet?

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