M is for May's Visit - Historical Bits

We reach the penultimate post in this series, but there's still July and September's lots to go through, so there will be plenty more of these mixed posts, which do seem to get the traffic, even if it fell off a cliff on the 1st October, and probably ain't coming back, something called the 'The &num=100 Parameter Change', which, as I've never chased traffic, doesn't concern me, I post stuff even AI isn't interested in!

 

Two 70mm's from Papo, both women who lived and died [young] in a man's world run by men who didn't like 'uppity' (that's 'successful') women! Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc), and Cleopatra, and I can imagine her, wandering about her palaces, with a cat in her arms, a mini-God for a God-Queen!

 

Nice pose sample of Spencer Smith Miniatures 30mm Wellingtonians, with a colour/mould-purge gun-carriage. It's funny, but when you encounter a sample like this, you know he saved-up his pocket-money, and bought a few of each, just to see what they were like! We all did it!

 

Lido on the left, Hong Kong on the right. The Hong Kong goes with those copies of European wagons and coaches, while the Lido are usually found bi-coloured, but with a clean and dirty yellow, I suspect these halves were unioned years after they left the factory!

 

At last! Loyal Readers who've been with the Blog for a while may remember several posts on these a few years ago, as both Chris Smith and me, kept finding another, then another, then another pose, and it ended-up with Chris having one more pose, the tied explorer above!

 

Which raises the question of the nature of the - as yet - unfound set, one of the Great White Hunter's is free to wander about with a gun, the other is tied up? Shades of H. Rider Haggard or Burroughs about the whole thing! And he looks like a 'Bad Guy'!

 

Papo 40mm pirate and the painted version of the lady we saw, bagged, as a generic, in Rack Toy Month, and whom we had seen before, unpainted in the Webbs' sets, it took me a while to work out she hadn't got her hands tied behind her back too, but is hiding a pistol, to either defend her honour from a pirate, or slot a Revenue Man, if she is a pirate!

 

Three 15mm war games figures, may be one for Gisby? They look to be a command group, with officer, standard barer and bugler, all mounted, for the English Civil War? Thanks again to Peter Evans for all these.

H is for How They Come In - April I - Chris - The Rest!

We're working - vaguely - backwards from the 20th century with this post as we cover the historicals, ceremonials, Wild West, medievals and ancients from the donation Chris sent to the Blog back last April.

These were accompanied by a number of eMailed images from Chris's own collection and have been covered in full here now, being both Polish sourced Plasticom and Polish takes on Plasticom, with more Plasticom 'Soldabars' added to the post! WWII/Modern infantry and Wild West.

True Wild West here, and a really nice mix; we have one of those teeny-tiny cowboys (in Peru they had a very similar set of race-horses and jockeys), another pod-foot in metallic blue, as I said only the other day, you can't have too many of these as there are so many to find!

The semi flat in red soft plastic is also nice and more have been seen here in their own post somewhere. One each of the Waddington's copies will join their mates but the metallic-purple trio are very useful. I think I've singled them out before, in silver and possibly brown or gun-metal, copies of Elastolin plastics and probably a [French?] premium, but so far a brand has eluded me.

These are all worth a word, starting with the Beefeater, who may be a tourist memento bust, or part of a larger chess-set? I can report that both he and the 'swizzle-stick' from the other day just managed to fit in the tub all the Beefeaters are in now! Some shuffling was required!

The outside pair are recent (but discontinued) Spencer Smith Wellingtonians, inside them are a pair of Raja 'Regiment' TV-related Portuguese ice-cream premium cavalry, and in the less common colours, so a real treat, while the two versions of a stroppy corporal could be early Kinder?

I say that because they seem to be based on the set from Portugal which has been issued by several premium-givers over the years, but as larger figures with separate bases and slightly finer sculpting; these being smaller, slightly 'blobbier' and having integral bases. Both sets have been credited to Kinder, but the better ones may have been dragged in (as other things have been) erroneously by over-enthusiastic Kinder collectors!

Very interesting; an AWI copy of a Britains swoppet, but as a single moulding, the locating stud suggests Wilton or someone like that (Carousel, SSCO, Grandmother Stover's, there were a fair few), but he could plug into a touristy thing? He's lost the end of his musket, but as a first sample is very gratefully received!

A painted Hun (warrior with bow - simple), we looked at them back in March here, and I'll keep him painted (is it your work, or the standard, commercially available Toy Soldier Co. paint-job?) as he's the recent Chinese gold-plastic production-run underneath.

The other two are chalk and cheese; on the right is a bog-standard MPC 40mm knight in silver (Ed Burg just posted the fort carry-case here), but the chap on the left is a first for the Blog and the collection (I have a mounted figure or two who may go with him I think, somewhere), and could be a European premium.

He has something in common with the soft polyethylene premiums from Portugal, but they were Starlux copies, I don't think this is a Starlux pose and they were off-white he's silver! Equally he could be a crudely added addition to a toy fort, it's quite a rough moulding, or even a 'from hollow-cast' but they tend not to have such heavy bases; he's very interesting!

There will be one other post related to this lot, but in the meantime my gratitude to Chris Smith for sharing them with the rest of us.

News, Views Etc . . . Forthcoming Events - Saturday 13th - Friday 19th April 2019

Brwreakshit's going so well now; I don't know whether to laugh or emigrate!

Netanyahu's 5th term got off to a good start with the dumping of more rubbish on the moon! Did you know there are 120 tons of human shite on the moon? Some of it in self-seal bags and without the 'e', one small dump for a man, one giant headache for the man in the moon! Will they name the new crater? Mare Israelius Follyii?

Meanwhile The Trouser-trump seems to be looking to a third-term - as a dictator! The way he's just hijacked the security services, sacking anyone who won't do what he says or say what he wants to hear, really is Third-World, Banana-Republic stuff . . . but welcoming Assisi, a military dictator as a 'friend' sums up the golf-cheat; nes't pas? And having used Wikileaks to his advantage in the election campaign, smearing Clinton, he's now going to hang the idiot Assange out to dry! Rotten - they are all rotten.

Toys aren't rotten! Pretty evens between Saturday and Sunday this weekend, a Tuesday evening show and a bunch of auctions through the week, should be something for everyone, and there's tons of Easter Holiday stuff . . . happy hunting!

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Toy Fairs

Saturday 13th April 2019

Faversham - SRP Toy Fairs

Bysingwood Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 7PA

Web. - www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk

eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

Henfield - David Parsons - Toy & Train Collectors Fair

Henfield Village Hall, High Street, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9DB

eMail - modelcarmart@gmail.com

Mob. - 07742 609 865 (David)

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

Nottingham - Townsend Toy & Train Fairs (Malcolm Townsend) - Nottingham Toy Fair

Bluecoat Academy, Nottingham, NG8 5GY

Web. - www.tttf.co.uk

Mob. - 07951 072 790

10:00 - 14:00hrs

Admission unknown, accompanied under-16's free

Light refreshments

Free Parking

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Sunday 14th April 2019

Birmingham - Barry Potter / BP Fairs - 'NEC'

Hall 18, National Exhibition Centre, Birminham, B40 1NT

Web. - www.bpfairs.com

Tel. - 01604 846 688

Mob. - 07966 527 177

Admission £7.50, early-bird (from 08:00hrs) £12, OAP's £7, Children £2

Free parking

Haltwhistle - Jim Corr Fairs - Toy, Train & Sci-Fi Fair

Haltwhistle Leisure Centre, Greencroft, Haltwhistle, Northumberland, NE49 9DP

eMail - jim_corr73@hotmail.co.uk

Mob. - 07504 035 955

10:00 - 15:00hrs

Admission £3, children/senior citizens £2, 'Early Bird' £5

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

Reading - Tony Oaks Toy Fairs - Toy Fair & Exhibition

Rivermead Leisure Centre, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8QE

Internet presence unknown

Tel. - 01270 652 773

Mob. - 07825 631 323

10:30 - 15:00hrs

Admission £4.00, accompanied children under 16 free, 'early bird' (from08:30hrs) £10.00, 'lazy bird' (from 09:30hrs) £7.00

Parking, refreshments, full facilities

Layouts and displays

Incorporating 'Reading Vintage Toy Fair'

Dateline show - dealers should carry stock up to 1995 only.

{If you've never been you should give it a go, it's one of the better shows in the year's calendar}

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Tuesday 16th April 2019

Wootton Basset - Steven Clements Fairs - Wootton Basset Evening Fair

Memorial Hall, Station Road, Wootton Basset, Wiltshire, SN4 7EN

eMail: clementfairs@aol.com

Tel. - 01380 725 322

Mob. - 07958 101 891

18:30 - 20:30hrs

Free parking, café

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Auctions

Saturday 13th April 2019

[Runcorn] On-line Auction - British Toy Auctions

Web. - www.britishtoyauctions.co.uk

eMail - enquiries@britishtoyauctions.co.uk

Tel. - 01928 579 032

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Tuesday 16th April 2019

Newbury - Special Auction Services (SAS)

81 Greenham Business Park, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG19 6HW

Web: www.specialauctionservices.com

eMail: mail@specialauctionservices.com

Tel: 01635 580595

Fax: 0871 714 6905

'Glorious Trains' sale

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Wednesday 17th April 2019

Warrington - Warrington & Northwich Auctions

551 Europa Blvd, Westbrook, Warrington, Lancashire,  WA5 7TP

Web. - www.warringtonauctions.co.uk

eMail - enquiries@warringtonauctions.co.uk

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Thursday 18th April 2019

Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis Auctions

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

Web. - www.vectis.co.uk

eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk

01642 750 616

General toy sale

"The General Toy sale to be held on the 18th of April features over 400 lots of cars, commercials, buses and military vehicles from manufacturers such as Corgi, Dinky, Matchbox, Vanguards, Lledo, Oxford Diecast, Rami, Solido and EFE. Plus, Lansdowne and Brooklin, Jaguar Model Club, and Atlas Editions, including aircraft, with further models from Corgi Aviation Archive and Sky Guardians. Other lots in the sale include WSI Collectables, Tekno and other Trucks and Trailers; Scalextric, Railway related, and Plastic Kits from Revell, Tamiya and Airfix. The sale will also include reference books, comics and annuals, pottery, vintage games, F1 figures, and Trade Packs from Star Wars modern collectables, "Stig" and Thunderbirds figurines, and "The First Real action" game system."

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Other Events

From Now

London (Kensington) - Lindt (sponsor) - Gold Bunny Treasure Trail

Kensington Palace Gardens

Tube - High Street Kensington (Circle & District), Notting Hill Gate (Central, Circle & District).

Ages - 3-12

Duration - Approximately 90-minutes

Runs until April 22nd

From Now - Sunday 14th April 2019

Whitby - Whitby Goth Weekend

Whitby (all of it), North Yorkshire

Web. - http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/

Saturday 13th April 2019

London (Central) - London Games Festival - Free Family Day

Trafalgar Square

Web. - http://games.london/ (odd URL, but that's it!)

"Free, fun, family-friendly"

Seem to have missed the first 11 days - blame the promoter!

Saturday 13th April - Sunday 14th April 2019

Manchester - 'Animecon'

Sugden Sports Centre, 114 Grosvenor St, Manchester, Lancashire, M1 7HL

Web. - www.manchesteranimecon.com

Cosplay, manga artists, panel discussions &etc.

Saturday 13th April - 23rd April 2019

Basingstoke - Festival Place Shopping Precincts - Lego in Space

Web. - https://www.festivalplace.co.uk/events-features-offers/features/bricks-in-space/

From Saturday 13th April 2019 - 'till . . .

Windsor - Legoland - New Ride; The Haunted Monster Party

Web. - https://www.legoland.co.uk/explore-the-resort/land-views/adventure-land/rides/the-haunted-house-monster-party/ (beware of pop-ups)

"Lord Vampyre invites you and your family to the ultimate fang-tastic celebration at The Haunted House – Monster Party!"

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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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Competition - Just for Fun!

Tom reveals the answer to last week's little quiz question - while I must apologise as I had said I'd give a further clue on Monday and then didn't! It was another time-poor week! The clue - which would have confirmed the Oracle at Smithii was 'It's waterproof to 600-meters below sea level!'

Seiko Prospex Diver's Watch!

Handing over to Tom . . . "With our guessing game, I’m pleased to say Chris ‘the master of suspense’ Smith has largely nailed it first post!

The figure is indeed a mascot for Seiko divers watches. But here, the plot thickens. Assuming you could afford the $700 AUD entry level price for one of these watches (that is a million Brexit pebbles to you guys) ~ you do not get the figure with the watch :-(

I asked in the shop, and the woman there explained to me that the figure is part of Seiko's ‘VM’. So I stood there and smiled awkwardly, and she elaborated – their ‘visual merchandising’. Which for you and me means – you can’t buy him!"

But please - less of the 'Brexit pebbles' Mr [consummate] DJ; I'll have you know the crazies wise old Etonians on the Tory's back-bench have assured us we will be signing very agreeable trade-deal's with you and the neighbouring Kiwi's any day now!

Burkina Faso is already in the bag, and talks with Mongolia are quite advanced, I believe! While you can almost smell the artisan whale-blubber candles winging their way here from the Faeroe Isles; firmly packed in guano - The Little Englanders' Brave New World, who needs Gibraltar huh?

And anyway, some of the pebbles in those Welsh streams 'round Brecon have little silver and gold flecks in; they must be worth a tanner or two, or at least a swap for a couple of sardines?

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H is for How they Come In

Bought some stuff this week for Easter posts which I'm not showing now, sorted artillery and tracked vehicles, shot some of the Russian die-casts, found the [storage] totem poles but haven't combined with the newer ones yet and combined the Roco-Minitanks' stuff, both vehicles and figures - who have separate, different sized boxes.

The above was an odds bag from Blue Cross the animal charity; three ELC medieval/fantasy giants, a late Britains Petite knight and a Kinder mole, not just any mole, no common-or-garden mole, but a sexy, busty, Baywatch beach-babe mole!

You can't make this shit up anymore, with TJF and Sell spouting their shite at one end of the hobby and Funko-superdeform-Star-Wars-Angry Bird-Lego-Minecraft-Pencil Top mash-up's at the other end; it's Warhol's 'pop eating itself' writ-large!

I actually purchased these as I was posting last week's 'Events' post and have since acquired four more for a forthcoming post (or 'update') on Jada's Nano-Metal figures, here from the Halo gaming franchise and on clearance at The Works.

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Toys in the Media

Two this week, large Duplo-compatible bricks of unknown (but likely Duplo) origin are being used to illustrate an educational story in the 'i', while UK readers will be familiar with the IKEA ad. (here in Metro), as I seem to remember it being used a few times now, but for loyal readers further afield, it pertains to a 'real' chariot (flat-packed - of course) but very-much channels the pictures on the backs of old Airfix 'Blue Boxes' or the Atlantic ancient sets!

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A is for Archive - So Called Joggers!

The man the PSTSM and their French friends would have us believe is a 'connoisseur' of toy soldiers, knew - in 2016 - absolutely nothing about the previous 70-odd years of the US Toy industry's history or its relationships with Europe, Japan, Hong Kong or domestic wholesalers!

One would also hope we'd all be a little less flippant about ivory production now!

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Sorting!

The 'Treasure Chest', or one of them! Spencer Smith's combat infantry and a few plastic Authenticast copies, some Japanese blow-moulds, Tiny Trojan's and Springwood's Napoleonics; all together now except the blow-moulds which have outgrown the tray and will be moved when I've found somewhere to put them and the others, still elsewhere.

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Spring!

The mild winter and sudden cold-snap in February followed by a mini-heatwave has produced a mass of wild, native violets in among the strawberries, there's always a few, but this year there's a mass of them! They won't pose a threat to the strawberries and - as their flower seasons overlap - may help get the strawb's pollinated, ergo; more strawb's - bargain!

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