Both Boris and Trump just get worse;
Boris's reshuffle yesterday only proved that they still have no Brwreakshit
plan and are just as riven within the party as they ever were. Which is doubly
ironic as the right-wing press has highlighted the many shades of squabling on the
Left for years while ignoring the multi-facetted Tories, who have - since 1979
- been slowly killing the 'great' in Britain even as they claim to be the party
to revere it!
While Trump won a 'trial' where he was able
to withhold both evidence and witnesses, while a senior judge from the Supreme
Court sort of shrugged his shoulders and intimated it was "Nuffing to do wiv' me guv!" and
half the senate ignored their oaths, intimating that their bible bashing is
about as devote as equally tub-thumping paedophilic-priests'.
Meanwhile the now-dubbed Corvid-19
seems to be only killing Chinese (which must have those on the Right warming to
it), and while it looks to have been over-hyped, has now killed many more than
SARS and MURS put together and we have no idea what it's doing or going to do in
Africa? Still, even if it gets out it'll only kill around 2% of the population
(140-million), which is a lot of bodies to dispose in a year or two, but it isn't
enough to save the planet!
More interesting is the likely economic
harm, especially to both Trump and Boris's plans, which were/are reliant on
some sort of status-quo, not a shutdown-meltdown in global travel and
logistics!
As always; toys will sustain us with
feelings that all's-well . . .
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Toy Fairs
Saturday 15th February 2020
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
Oxford - Richard Atkins Fairs -
Toy and Train Collectors Fair
Exeter Hall, Oxford Road, Kidlington,
Oxford, OX5 1AB
Tel. - 01869 347 489
10:30 - 15:00hrs
Admission unknown
Refreshments
Free Parking
Reigate - SRP Toyfairs
Rigate Collage, Rushworth Road, Reigate,
Surrey, RH2 0QF
Web. - www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk
eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk
Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)
09:45 - 13:15hrs
Admission charge unknown
New Venue - New Show
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Sunday 16th February 2020
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
Fax. - 01604
771 070
10:30-15:00hrs
Admission
£3.50 (early-bird £6, from 08:00hrs), OAP's £3, Children £1
Ditton - SRP Toyfairs
Ditton Community Centre, Kiln Barn Road,
Ditton, Kent, ME20 6AH
Web. - www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk
eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk
Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)
10:00 - 14:00hrs
Admission charge unknown
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
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
Tuesday 18th February 2020
Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis
Auctions (1st day of a four day auction)
Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17
9JZ
Web. - www.vectis.co.uk
eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk
Tel. - 01642 750 616
Sales commence at 10:30hrs
Specialist die-cast sale
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Wednesday 19th February 2020
Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis
Auctions (2nd day of a four day auction)
Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17
9JZ
Web. - www.vectis.co.uk
eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk
Tel. - 01642 750 616
Sales commence at 10:30hrs
Specialist die-cast sale
Washington (W. Sussex) - Tooveys
Spring Gardens (Garden Centre), A24 Lay-by,
Washington, West Sussex, RH20 3BS
Web. - www.tooveys.com
eMail - auctions@tooveys.com
Tel. - 01903 891 995
Catalogue online
General toy sale
Specialist die-cast sale
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Thursday 20th February 2020
Sheffield - Shefield Auction Gallery
Windsor Road, Heeley, Sheffield, S8 8UB
Tel. - 0114 281 6161
14:00 - Finish
Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis
Auctions (3rd day of a four day auction)
Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17
9JZ
Web. - www.vectis.co.uk
eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk
Tel. - 01642 750 616
Sales commence at 10:30hrs
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Friday 21st February 2020
Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis
Auctions (last day of a four day auction)
Fleck Way, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17
9JZ
Web. - www.vectis.co.uk
eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk
Tel. - 01642 750 616
Sales commence at 10:30hrs
Toy & model railways & trains
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Other Events
It's half term this week so there's a whole
lot of interactive stuff for kids going on, things related to our subjects
(which you should be brainwashing the next-generation of collectors into at an
early age!) include;
Beeston
Castle - Crafts
at the Castle - english-heritage.org.uk
Chesters
Roman Fort - How
to be a Roman Soldier - english-heritage.org.uk
Cutty
Sark - Meet the crew, take the wheel, family trails
- rmg.co.uk/cuttysark
Hampton
Court Palace - Kids stuff - hrp.org.uk
Horniman
Museum & Gardens - Permian Monsters - Life Before the Dinosaurs - horniman.co.uk
Jodrell
Bank - Space
Crafts - jodrellbank.net
RAF
Museum - Interactive exhibition (7 years and over)
- rafmuseum.org.uk/whatson
Tower
of London - [Junior] Knight's School - hrp.org.uk
York - Jorvik Viking Festival
- jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk
Most run from this Saturday (15th February)
'till at least Sunday the 23rd of February, but check websites for full
details. And there will be loads of other things going on, check the local
press, or what's left of it!
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From Thursday 13th February (yesterday)
until Sunday 17th May 2020
Edinburgh - Royal Botanic Gardens -
Think Plastic: Materials & Making
Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith Row,
Edinburgh, Scotland
Web. - rbge.org.uk
Art & Science of plastics, recycling
and sustainability
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Sunday 16th February 2020
Basildon - Discover Dolls - Doll Show
Holiday Inn Basildon
Tel. - 07725 562416
Porthcawl - MGM Fairs - Dolls,
Bears and Miniatures
Grand Pavilion, The Esplanade, Porthcawl, Wales,
(it's not a marine mammal Mr. President), CF36 3YW (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
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Overseas Events
Saturday 15th February 2020
Kissimmee
(USA) - Regal Railways - Toy & Model
Railroad Show
Colombian Club of Osceola County, 2000
Neptune Road, Kissimmee, FL 34474, Florida, USA
501 East Bay Drive, Apt. 1503, Largo, FL
33770, Florida, USA (promoter)
Web. -
http://regalrailways.com/regal-railways-upcoming-toy-and-collectible-shows-sale/
Tel. - ++17 272 441 341
09:00-14:00hrs
Admission, $5.00 children under 12 free,
'early-bird' $7.00 (reserve between 08:00-09:00hrs)
Vendors and exhibition model train layouts,
antiques and crafts
Lunch Available
Sunday 16th February 2020
Woodstock (Canada) - Collectors Shows - Ontario Toy Show
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Missed
The Model
Engineer Exhibition which was apparently held at Alexandra Palace, London
18/19th January . . . nobody told me, so I didn't know, so I couldn't tell you!
Lovely stuff on display though; I'll try to remember to look out for it for
next year.
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Message
If you are
an event promoter/show curator/auctioneer and you want your toy, model,
collectable, military, historical 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 a link; if the event or your organisation has a
web-page.
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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Stadswatch
Let me see if I understand this right . . .
last year I announced the show dates (on a Friday, in a show dates post) only
for TJF to be 'reminded' by a third-party a few days later? Correct? Yeah,
correct. This year I announced the show dates (on a Friday, in a show dates
post) only for TJF to be 'reminded' by a third-party two days later? Correct?
Yeah, correct.
Last year I got my overview out in (and
after waiting for-) a Friday 'News, Views . . . ' before TJF,
despite then being accused by Stadinger of 'dragging
it out' (while my father died). Correct? Yeah! Correct! This year, after
waiting for a suitable Friday 'News, Views . . . ' I got the overview out two-and-a-half
weeks before the JF! ALL correct!
AND; after his grandiose announcement of
forthcoming full coverage of all three Western shows (for the second year
running), and his pompous justification of his criticism of me . . . what did
we get - in a less than 'timely manner'?
For the second year running . . . well "a damp squib" doesn't do it
justice!
A damp squib has form, can be held aloft,
and dried or re-lit from another match, what we got was the remains of a
dropped-blancmange, after it has been scrapped out of a door-matt, no more than
a dirty, wet stain. Pertaining to only the one show, it contained a few
catalogue images and not much else!
Currently I'm on my way to 20+ Toy fair
tags with many more to come and - as I think you will agree - from what you've
seen; it could all have waited! That Papo
guardsman, for instance; was announced last year, I never got round to doing
the Papo posts (for reasons we all
now are familiar with) so I have 80-something-odd, year-old images (including
the guardsman) still to use, or add to this year's (only took 13), and the
guardsman's only just appeared in the catalogue? And wasn't on show on the day
- either year, so . . . NO urgency!
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Corrections & Clarifications
Meanwhile I also pointed out three weeks
ago that he was copying me or reacting to what's happening here at Small Scale
World more than ever, and his response has been three weeks of intermittent
posts, most of which seem to refer to recent activities here!
I also suggested he '...had nothing' and most of his output this month has been not shitestuff,
but otherpeoplesstuff!
You can't keep denying you're a dealer not a collector and then fail to produce
more of your own stuff.
1986, 2001, 2006 and current ranges +
feebleBay scrappings
In the cause of which derivative,
reactionary, dust-sitting there have been three very questionable attributions
of stated Chinese-produced stuff. The Tak
Shing from Dittmann was the most likely to be accurate, but it's a name
like Smith. there are dozens of Tak
Shing's in both Hong Kong and China of which several work/ed in toys, one
trading as Millifield International Ltd.,
another as Wellegant Development Ltd, yet, with no empirical
evidence given for the attribution, we don't know which Tak Shing he's referring to, thus it wasn't terribly helpful.
The second attribution was so vague (Dildobreath I think? or was it
Sell? I wasn't paying much attention) and equally lacking in sources as to be
useless and they've both made-stuff-up in the past, while TJF's own post on Hing Fat contained material which had
never seen the inside (or outside; in passing) of a Hing Fat factory, and he knows it . . . but - like the other two - it
didn't contain any empirical evidence for the attribution anyway!
They are making it up as they go along, so my criticism in the autumn
which caused TJF such anguish stands; they are now damaging the hobby . . . and
one of them is a University Professor?
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Toy News
Hasbro
Totally contrary to what you might have
read on Shitestuff recently, Hasbro
have published their figures for the Christmas quarter and they are good, profits
were up on the back of Star Wars merchandise
and Elsa-dolls, while revenue was
kept healthier by spending less on Advertising, which is an interesting,
counter-intuitive development - advertise less; make more!
Coincidently; one of the outcomes of the Corvid-19
outbreak has been a questioning of the future-use of conferences and trade
shows!
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Dinky
A Dinky
truck (pre-war Pickford's) is due for
auction on the 5th March at Charterhouse
Auctions (no, me neither, I'll try to find it all in time) and is expected
to fetch £2,000, after being purchased for four-quid! Dated to between 1934 and
1936, and having white-rubber tyres in pretty good nick, it was found in a
charity shop!
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Mattel
The toy-giant is launching a set of
construction blocks made from 'renewably sourced' and 'sustainable' plastic,
interesting monikers as they mean it's neither recycled, nor - necessarily -
recyclable? It isn't bio-degradable either? They will be branded under the
recent Mega Bloks purchase. They are
'bio' and will be in the Sainsbury's/Argos
group's stores, first in Europe. Definitely one to watch?
Further to the previous Barbie stories (recent SSW's passim), Ken-doll is getting red-hair.
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Lego
Always in the news, this time it was a
puff-piece in the Metro showing-off
an International Space Station model
with 864 pieces which actually looked very good. How stable it is I don't know
but I'm guessing much use is made of Lego-technical
nylon rods to stiffen everything? It's the best-part of £70, mind!
Far more interesting is the number of votes
for a Starbug model from Red Dwarf on the Lego Ideas website, it needs 10,000-votes to be considered and has
3,000 already with 600-days of voting still to go.
Lego have also lost one of its executives, Jean-Jacques Van Oosten
(previously Lego's Chief Digital
Director) has left to return to his former employer's B&Q (Kingfisher) - he
clearly has more faith in Brwreakshit than I do!
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Hornby
Joining Hasbro
in poo-poo'ing Stadinger's pronouncements of gloom (twice in the last month),
the Margate-based group of companies including Airifx have posted better than expected returns for the Christmas
quarter, with higher sales and profit margins! They also announced that their
chief-investor is extending their credit limit.
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Numismatics
Dinosaur 50p pieces are to be issued to
celebrate British paleontology, they will not be put into general
circulation but will be available to
collectors from the usual outlets and anodised coloured ones are also on offer
- Iguanodon, Hylaeosaurus (kind of spiky kerthunkersaur) and a megalosaurus are
the stars.
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Hawkins Bazaar
Had stated their stores would stay open
while the wind-up was processed and they looked for a buyer, but I can confirm
that local shops have all been closed (and empty) for over two weeks now.
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Model Village
Wimborne
Model Town & Gardens a 1:10 scale model village
you will not be surprised to learn can be found in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, has
had a make-over for the summer, with a gang of volunteers turning out on the
28th January to replace doors and windows, mend roofs and spires, spring-clean
and paint, if you're passing this summer it might be a worthwhile detour and a
nice break in a long journey, can't be far off the dreaded A30 'caravan-park'
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H is for How They Come In
A busy week on the 'H is for . . . ' front,
with all sorts purloined from various charitable emporiums in Fleet during the
course of the week, but with a wet Saturday it was a longer buying-week, and I
suspect I've been missing out on stuff on Saturday's when I tend to avoid the
town?
He's from the standard 6" range, but I
couldn't resist a new-colour R2D2, even if he's probably got a different
number-title? He has two fold-out tools at the front for connecting with Death
Stars and opening-garbage compactors or mending reading-glasses, and a
hook-grapple-rope which comes out of his back, brilliant!
Poured-resins from The Works, the mermaid is different to the one we've seen
previously I think, while the sloth is a different colour to one I already had
which may not have been on the Blog yet? The others are all-new and are being
cleared at £0.50p.
Two bags of 'ings, some Moshlings, some I don't know, the right
hand lot are like the Disney ones
which came in a year or so ago, the left hand bag is a mix of actual Moshlings, sucker-based things I still
haven't got a name for despite the fact they've been coming-in for some time
now and late Gogo Crazy-bones with
the strange triangular plate on the bottom? there's tons of this stuff out
there and I will do a few over-views one day: Zings, 'kins, 'lings and 'mings
etc . . .
A third bag had some Phidal stuff (older I think; around 54mm), four standard mid-line Gogo's and two other small collectables!
The dinosaur seems to be a solid leg
variation of the hollow-ones we looked at the other day, while the Gau (?) is a
CHINA-marked variation of the old Blue
Box model, usually in gray, the Blue
Box MADE IN remains, with the china over-printed where the Hong Kong used
to be, so probably still Tai Sang,
for a rack-toy contract.
The kerthunkersaurus has a pointed tail?
I found this on the floor in the main
shopping-precinct and thought it was a fancy-fairy caterpillar to begin with,
then I realised it's a fancy-fairy unicorn! Very soft, almost-foamy, silicone-rubber.
Three AFV's at 20p each, the truck is
brand-new, the tank may have a bit of age, but is China-marked while the
semi-deform, pull-back motor Elephant/Ferdinand
SPG seems to be a variation of an old Chun
Shing toy (image to the right dated 1986 - that's empirical evidence PSTSM!),
the running gear is the same, the barrel might be (both the plastic components)
but the superstructure (die-cast) is different/has been changed.
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Other Stuff
Interstellar
I recently watched this movie and can't
understand why it's not better known, I know it deals with complex theories and
philosophical consepts so you have to follow every word, but it's a fantastic
movie, like 2001 A Space Odyssey, but
for the dying-planet generation, everyone should watch it.
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Posting
I've got nothing ready for Sunday and/so
Monday will be a late PM post, with probably a rushed 'News, Views . . . ' on
the forthcoming Vectis four-day'er,
which I've not received from them yet.
If these storms pass and we get some nice
weather, I'll have a few days off to sort the garden out, so be ready for
radio-silence at some point in the next few weeks!
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This Week I Are Been Mostly Sorting . .
.
. . . China-marked vinyl smallimals! And
that's the second box in three-weeks Girly-girl hasn't jumped in and this one
was small enough to force the corners, so she may be sickening for something .
. . or lulling me into a false sense of security?
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