News, Views Etc . . . Saturday 28th September - Friday 4th October

October? Where the hell did that come from? It was still 'Summer' last week!

Boris is out of control, Trump is out of control, I'm enjoying my free seat at the show to end all shows - the end of humanity!

Seriously, that little girl from Sweden gave one of the most heartfelt and stirring speeches this planet has heard in the last thousand years, and hardly anyone was listening . . .while the obviously racist and anti-islamist President of the USA found himself too busy to attend because he was chairing a meeting on religious persecution (?) . . . and then mocked her anyway!

You really can't make this shit up! In Courmayeur where I once spent the most wonderful two-weeks; some of the best of my whole life (coming-of-age thing, you had to be there!); a melting glacier is threatening to 'slip' into the valley crushing everything in its path because it's melted so fast this year it's become unstable and lubricated by its own melt-water might slide down its own channel, but Trump won't even acknowledge climate change!

Meanwhile, we've all had the Yahoo eMail which reveals that if we are Israeli, we can join-in the group/class-action for compensation? Never mind '51st State', whatever happens to the UK in the next few years the best we can look forward to is 53rd State, behind Israel and Porte Rico, given how Trump has been treating the Porte Ricans in recent years, I don't have high hopes for our chances . . . but the Brwreakshiteers think it's a brilliant idea!

Fuck! Democracy has been replaced by an Idiocracy

Let's see where we can buy old toys this week . . .

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Toy Shows

Saturday 28th September 2019

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

Gateshead International Stadium, Neilson Road, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE10 0EF

eMail - jim_corr73@hotmail.co.uk

Mob. - 07504 035 955

10:00-15:00hrs

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

Ludlow - Tony Oaks Toy Fairs - Ludlow Toy & Train Collector's Fair

Ludlow Racecourse, Bromfield, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 2BT

Internet presence unknown

Tel. - 01270 652 773

Mob. - 07825 631 323

10:30-14:00hrs

Admission £2.00

Free parking

Windsor - Maidenhead Static Model Club - International Toy & Train Fair

Windsor Leisure Centre, Clewer mead, Stovell Road, Windsor, berkshire, SL4 5JB

Web. - wwwwindsortoyfair.co.uk

Mob. - 07825 564 960

10:30 - 15:00hrs

Admission £3, concessions £2.50p, early bird (from 09:00hrs) £7, last hour free.

Refreshments

Said it before - one of the best UK shows on the calendar.

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Sunday 29th September 2019

Bolton - Barry Potter / BP Fairs - formally 'Macron'

The Premier Suite, Bolton 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

Carmarthen - Chris Dyer Fairs

Carmathen Leisure Centre, Llansteffan Road, Johntown, Carmarthen, Wales, SA31 3NQ

Web. - www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk

Tel. - 01643 702 757

Mob. - 07966 694 579

10:30-15:00hrs

Admission £2

Enfield - Middlesex

See 'Other Events' below

Lincoln - J&J Fairs (John & Julie Webb)

The Exhibition Centre, Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 2NA

Web. - www.j-jwebbtoyfairs.com

eMail - jandjfairs@virginmedia.com

Tel. - 01522 880 383

10:00-14:30hrs Approximately

Admission £2.50p, seniors £2, 1st child £1.50p

Midhust - SRP Fairs

The Grange, Bepton Road, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9HD

Web. - www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk

eMail: srptoys1@hotmail.co.uk

Tel. - 07739 998 012 (Paula or Gerry)

[Probably] 10:00-14:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

Pudsey, Leeds - Steel Promotions - Leeds (Pudsey) Toy/Train Fair

Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawson's Corner, Stanningley Road, LS28 5TA

Internet presence unknown

Tel. I - 0161 283 1255

Tel. II - 0161 766 2012

10:00-15:00hrs

Admission charge unknown

Café, licensed bar

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Auctions

Sunday 28th September 2019

Spalding - M&M Auctions

Unit 4, Plover Court, Stephenson Avenue, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 3SW

Web. - www.mm-auctions.com

eMail - info@mm-auctions.com

On-line (www.the-saleroom.com)

Tel. - 01406 422 848

Viewing - 29th May and mornings of sale days from 08:30hrs

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Tuesday 1st October 2019

Canterbury - The Canterbury Auction Galleries (1st day of a two day auction)

40 Station Road West, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8AN

Web. - www.canterburyauctiongalleries.com

eMail - general@tcag.co.uk

Tel. - 01227 763 337

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

Specialist die-cast sale - Day 1

"The Specialist sale to be held on the 1st of October starts at the earlier time of 10am to incorporate the 819 lots, which include boxed and unboxed Dinky, including French, Spanish and pre-war; Corgi, Triang Spot-On, EFE, plus others. Lots include Military vehicles, buses and coaches, lorries and wagons, road and racing cars, construction, fire and farm vehicles. Corgi models include gift sets and Chipperfield Circus. The sale will also include TV and Film related models, Corgi Aviation Archive and Airfix plastic kits. "

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Wednesday 2nd October 2019

Canterbury - The Canterbury Auction Galleries (2nd day of a two day auction)

40 Station Road West, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8AN

Web. - www.canterburyauctiongalleries.com

eMail - general@tcag.co.uk

Tel. - 01227 763 337

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

Specialist die-cast sale - Day 2

"The Specialist Diecast and Tinplate Toy sale to be held on the 2nd of October once again starts at the earlier time of 10am. The sale includes 805 lots of cars, buses, lorries, aircraft, military and emergency vehicles from manufacturers such as Corgi, Dinky, Triang Spot On, Britains, Tekno, Metosul, Solido CIJ and Mercury plus many more. Dinky models include French, Spanish, Pre-War and trade packs. There are also TV and film related vehicles including James Bond, Batmobiles and Captain Scarlet; Rob Eddie Brooklin Models, Shackleton Toy Foden flat beds, and Lion Car truck groups. The tinplate section includes large tinplate and diecast car transporters, Bandai and other Japanese tinplate vehicles and toys; Robots and space toys, novelty toys, figures and vehicles from UK and European models such as Schuco, Wells, Chad Valley and Lehmann."

Warrington - Warrington & Northwich Auctioneers & Valuers

551 Europa Boulevard, Westbrook, Warrington WA5 7TP

Web. - www.warringtonauctions.co.uk

eMail - enquiries@warringtonauctions.co.uk

Tel. - 01925 658 833

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Thursday 3rd October 2019

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

General toy sale

" The General Toy sale to be held on the 3rd of October features cars, vans, buses and lorries from manufacturers such as Lledo, Matchbox, Corgi, Dinky, EFE, Oxford Diecast, plus Brumm, WSI and Vanguards. The sale will also include boxed models from Best of Show, Otto Models, GT Autos and Autoart, plus TV and Film related toys and vehicles. There is a selection of kits from Airfix, Revell and others, plus American Civil War "Accurate Figures Limited" groups of boxed soldiers; Playmobil, Robots, Mattel Hot Wheels vintage badges, jigsaws, board games, children's toys, books and magazines, cabinets and much more. "

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Friday 4th October 2019

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

Vectis' first ever dedicated Lego sale

"In October this year, Vectis Auctions will be holding its first dedicated Lego Auction Sale, which will be the largest of its kind in the UK.

The majority of the sale is the lifetime collection of Stockton based Lego builder and exhibitor Mark Willis who for many years has created intricate and astonishing dioramas for the enjoyment of others.  Mr Willis, who is well respected within the Lego community, has previously exhibited at York, Wakefield and London and was the subject of an episode of the popular BBC TV program ‘Collectaholics’, which featured his vast amalgamation of over 350,000 individual pieces.  Recent works have included a model of Saltburn Pier which was on display at Kirkleatham Museum near Redcar."

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Other Events

Now - Sunday 6th October 2019

London (Docklands) - O2 Arena - Marvel Universe Live!

The O2 Arena, Pennisula Square, Docklands, London, SE10

Web. - www.theo2.co.uk

Dr. Strange, Spiderman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers etc . . .

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Saturday 28th September - Tuesday 24th December (Xmas eve) 2019

Bury St. Edmunds - Moyse's Hall - May the Toys be With You (Star Wars Exhibition)

Moyse's Hall, Bury st. Edmunds, Suffolk

Web. - www.moyseshall.org

Vintage Star Wars toys and posters (if it's anything like the one in Basingrad - covered on the blog - I can recommend it)

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Saturday 28th - Sunday 29th September 2019

London (Central) - Alexandra Palace - Tabletop Gaming Live

Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London, N22

Web. - www.tabletopgaminglive.co.uk

Board, card, war and role-playing games, new and news.

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Sunday 29th September 2019

Enfield - Whitewebbs Museum of Transport - Toy Exhibition

Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Whitewebbs Road, Enfield Road, Middlesex, EN2 9HW

Web. - www.whitewebbmuseum.co.uk

Tel. - 02083 671 898

10:00-15:00hrs

Displays of Dinky die-cast & Lone Star toys

Other models and railways on display on 4-floors

Some selling stalls will also be present

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Overseas Events

Saturday 28th / Sunday 29th September 2019

Bourgoin-Jallieu (France) - Club Maquetiste Nord Dauphiné - Replica 2019 (Toy Fair)

Salle Polyvalente, Avenue Professeur Tixier, Bourgoin-Jallieu 38, Isère, Rhône-Alpes, France

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Club-maquettiste-nord-Dauphin%C3%A9-157050558040073/

Tel. - ++0662 505 489

10:00-19:00hrs (Saturday)
09:00-18:00hrs (Sunday)

Admission €3.00

Toys, models and figures

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Saturday 28th September 2019

Chartres (France) - Galerie de Chartres - Auction

Espace Ventes du Coudray, Chartres, France (venue)

10 Rue Claude Bernard, ZA du Coudray, BP 70129, 28003, Chartres Cedex, France (organiser)

Web. - www.galeriesdechartres.com

eMail - chartres@galeriedechartres.com

Tel. - ++0237 882 828 (Mr. JP Lelièvre)

Fax. - ++0237 882 820

Doll and Teddy Bear auction

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Sunday 29th September 2019

Leverkusen (Germany) - J. Horner - Toy Fair

Forum, Leverkusen, Germany

Tel. - ++0210 351 133

Paris (France) - Association Gueules de Meil - Teddy Bear Show

Foundation Biermans-Laporte, 14th Arondisement, Paris, France

Tel. - ++0616 043 028

St. Michiels (Belgium) - Dipro BVBA - International Collectors Fair

Baudewijn Seapark, Saint Michiels, Brugge, Belgium

Web. I - www.dipro.be

Web II - www.verzamelbeurs.net

Tel. - ++032 395 638

10:00-17:00hrs

Wambrechies (France) - Museé du Jouet/Poupées (Toy & Doll Museum) - 'Eurotoy' 27th International Toy Fair

Salle Gilles Alain Billiet, Avenue Foch, Rocade Nord-Ouest, Sortie No.9, Wambrechies 59, Lille, Nord France

Web. - www.musee-du-jouet-ancien.com

eMail - contact@musee-du-jouet-ancien.com

Tel. - ++0320 396 928

09:00-17:00hrs

The museum also has two exhibitions ongoing; The Female Doll Today and; Meccano - the Collection of Monsieur Riff.

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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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Toys in the Media

Chess piece selling individualism at London South East Collages, it looks like a post-modernist production of King Lear - set design by Grayson Perry!

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Other Toy News

McBurger Joint Kingdom Chain

In a move which said more for inter-burger espionage that co-incidence, both Macky-D's and The King announced moves to phase-out free toys with kid's meals, Burger K are simply ending toys in kid's meals from last Friday.

McDonald's have come up with a more mealy-mouthed 'Happy Meal' scheme to offer customers a choice between toy or fruit-bag desert! From next year there will be a book offer (presumably a small thing with larger print or an 'activity' thing?) in addition to-, but instead of-,  the fruit as the choice.

Neither chain said whether this was a global thing genuinely wanting to make the world a better place, or if it's being trialled in the UK to see how it goes down with a modern developed population, will they (the lumpen pink monkeys) embrace the move or whine selfishly about the lack of a toy for little Kevin or Kim?

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Hobbycraft

The craft and hobby (see what they did there!) superstore chain have posted an 11% rise in sales to £81.9m, apparently fueled by the sale of sewing accessories and quilting gear . . . who knew! But for a lot of people it's the only place for miles around where you can find [limited ranges of] Airfix, Heller and Revell in the same place, ignoring the fact that it's chains like them who put the 'Indie's out of business in the first place!

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Nottingham Mafia

Games Workshop are to pay-out a dividend this year having done well, and 35p per share is not to be sniffed at, that's 35-quid per-hundred shares!

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Poundland

An odd story in both the 'i' and Metro the other day announced that Poundland were to experiment with prices above and below the magical quid, but while lower-prices (below) will be new (except that they've often had two for one deals (which is 50p each after a fashion), they have been selling higher-priced items (above) for over  a year now, so I don't know why it's suddenly news? Good PR team and lazy journo's I guess!

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Smellycat, oh Smellycat?

Lego have brought out a model of the Central Park café where the Friends used to hang-out, and Phoebe has a very realistic guitar . . . to sing Smellycat! But . . . it's got an RRP of £65, which for 1000-pieces is a lot of money, so if anyone is stuck for an Xmas present idea for yours truly . . . ?

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Lip-smacking, cool-talking . . . Mr Potato Head!

Mr. Potato Head has had a bit of a makeover; firstly he's been on a diet and is now a slimmer Jersey Royal 'newie' compared to his old, round Pentland Squire chipping-spud, no doubt an attempt to convince modern kids that Bibendum is not a look to aspire-to, and secondly he has moving lips which are synced to a series of phrases and songs - presumably in some expensive, electronic add-on?

As I thought he got silly as soon as a plastic potato was included in the box, I'm not that excited by the addition of something which will likely short-out with a bang if you stick it in a cucumber or a lemon - which was the original point!

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Hasbro

The US toy giant has bought the UK's Entertainment One Group, who own the Pepper Pig property along with PJ Masks and Ricky Zoom, they say it will enhance their 'storytelling capabilities' a classic piece of 'swamp talk' if ever I heard one!

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Card Factory Factor

Another example of the left hand and the right hand not knowing what each other are doing - in the papers on the 14th of the Month - we were told that the Card Factory were doing well despite the other trials and tribulations facing the High Street and despite slow sales for Father's Day (a recent and frankly crappy import), yet today's City A.M. (the UK's business & economy free-sheet) tells a completely different story of earnings being hit (14% drop in profits) due to Brwreakshit stockpiling, one of the tales must be untrue as you can't be both doing well and doing badly!

I hope they are probably close to bankruptcy for not restocking with dinoraser pencil tops the moment I wanted them to!

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H is for How They Come In

A bitty week really but a few chunks of polymer tat was added to the pile one way or another . . .

. . . the main purchase this week was a couple of bags of bits, one of smaller figures and novelties including a panda playing football (top left'ish) who looks like he should be a key ring but has no sign of ever having been such, so a baseless PVC cake decoration maybe?

The other bag was a series of Disney princesses, not something I'd paid any attention to until a few years ago (Phidal, Kinder and Kinder-like), but repaint them in the 1860's Parisian style, dark greens, maroons, black etc . . . and you've all the saloon molls you need for Dead Man's Gulch . . . and they come in a plethora of scales for any Wild West collection. I've already removed the two large bases (which were play-dough moulds or something?), rendering both women smaller - and easier to store! The purple eng-lit' supply-teacher is an ELC witch.

One of the figures in the other bag was this Disney monstrosity passing for the Pooh we knew and loved for the longest time, clearly a lid off something, he needed radical surgery which he received, and it looks like 'berserker' is about to give him some more - Yeah! Stick it to the simpering imposter, stick him like a pig!

I bought something new this week as well, it was half-price, and a bit of fun, being the Disney Little Mermaid on a knight statue, from Penn-Plax.

Four from the fifty-pee tubs or baskets, with the two Pooh animal (not so ruined by Disney's designers) pencil-tops (who need a dusting!) at the start of the week and the other two at the end of it, I don't know he resin character but could he be the Parker/Waddington's Monopoly man? He had a name I think . . . Mr Money Bags . . . or something? The pair of foals or horses (it's all a question of actual, intended or 'for-the-use-of' scale!) might be New Ray?

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Received with Thanks

Plastic Warrior magazine issue number 176 was wung this way courtesy of the mailing elves at PW Towers, a review is forthcoming, and hopefully should get out next week sometime.

Five minutes ago, images from Chris Smith (I'll have to reply later this afternoon Chris!) which will make a follow-up to something recent!

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Other News

Herald Toys & Models

New announcement from Barney "This week we are pleased to offer for sale not one but TWO new collections of Swoppet Knights - the Dorchester and Roseberry collections - all in very nice complete condition, together with some good Hilco toy soldiers, including a loose set of 3, seldom seen, 'Monarch Series' Highland Clansmen."

Missed

There was a two-day model railway show and exhibition in Aldershot last weekend, ten miutes down the road and I missed it!

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SSW Command Central

Staffing problems are not only ongoing here, but seem to have increased as the summer weather has decreased - Fontanini needed a bigger box; I should feel lucky my assistant eschews plastic I suppose!

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Other Stuff

Having seen what other people had managed to shoot, on-line, I went back to see if I could get a better or more interesting shot last Sunday, and managed to grab this bit of insect porn!

But it took 22 shots to get one usable image! The Rosemary Beetle, now I know where to look, I'll try to improve next year!

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G is for Going Fishing

Well, they haven't 'gone'; they're still here for us to look at! A small thematic post on the fishermen who have come my way over time, they are not all here, the LB set is larger than two figures and I've yet to track-down the Subbuteo fishers - who I think I'm right in saying are sitting on tackle-box stools?

Cake decoration seems to be the final arbiter in how many fishing types we end up with, and past cake decoration rather than current I fear, but trends are a moveable feast and fashions change, small dioramas where long-ago replaced by piles of fruit in gelatine or fancy icing waterfalls!

From the left we have a typical 1960/70's cake decoration (marked SK.No 169.S) in hard polystyrene plastic (with a soft polyethylene rod) of the kind carried by Culpitt here and Wilton across 'the pond'. Then two Lik Be (LB) fishermen, one a harpooner from a whaler (not a country Mr. President!) and one sports-fisherman with a huge tuna over his shoulder, then the Gemodels figure also carried by Culpitt, but not - as far as I know - Wilton; all three polyethylene and finally a PVC key-ring novelty, sans hoop.

George Musgrave's Gem fisherman; many colours (as per the golfer and diver figures), and he seems to have given-up casting his hook in favour of adopting the aboriginal practice of spearing the fish with the thin-end of his rod . . . And; let's be honest; he looks very pleased with the undeniable result!

Back when I was a small scale figure collector (and a bit of a philistine) I used to remove the key-ring loops! It still needs touching-up with a  bit of paint, but these days I wouldn't indulge in such vandallistic practice! Spellcheck says I just invented 'vandallistic', should it have one el or two? Questions, questions!

Fishermen!

A is for Armée Française a l'Alkastap-Altaplast

Or at least they were packed and branded as Alkastap in one of their un-marked iterations, they were probably actually made by Injecta Plastic who did a fair bit of premium type stuff.

Best - and first - known as Bonux premiums, we did look at them back at the start of the blog and there wasn't anything particularly wrong with the post's blurb, but the pictures were a tad kak-shite, so this is more of an excuse for a return, than a specific follow-up! With added big-guns!

Bonux Premiums, three sets of four figures, all depicting French troops of the brush-fire wars/end of colonialism period; Indochina and Algeria; with sets in Foreign Legion kepis, para berets and infantry helmets. Bonux is marked on the flatter side of the bases which slope with fluted-hollows underneath, like Mokerex coffee-premiums, and might - therefore - share a tool-maker.

The FFL haven't improved since we last saw them with a lot of chucking and waving going-on and not much weaponry-fighting! Although all the grenadiers are otherwise un-armed as well, so the whole unit of 12 aren't going to hold Firebase Gabrielle for long!

They were also available unmarked in the same colours as the Bonux premiums and silver (left hand picture) manufactured in the same softish 'Airfix' polyethylene, while the right-hand picture shows figures issued in a harder 'Hong Kong' polymer which may be an ethylene or a polypropylene, having a denser, tinier propety, and may be far more recent? Colours are brighter too.

In both cases they have been posed, crewing Bonux giveaway artillery, for whom I have to thank Chris Smith, as he hid them in his first donation to the Blog a year or so ago. I meant to Blog them much sooner, to which end I sort of hid them in the 'plunder posts' but things intervened (as they do) and they got put-away!

Beautifully scaled to fit the 45mm figures, I don't think it was necessarily intended, Bonux ran lots of lines together and at different times (a bit like Kinder?) and it just so happens they go together so well, maybe the guns are Injecta Plastic as well?

At some point painted versions, also with unmarked bases were issued somewhere, not so common they may have been included is some larger die-cast vehicle or wooden-building type gift set or something at Christmas? I used to think they might be home-painted, but one or two have come separately from the bulk of them?

The other issue I've found is those marked Johnson, in bright yellow, Ludo had bright red and green examples on his old site (I'll check the Forum and post a link at the end if they are there) and I've seen a powder blue one.

Last time (2010) I proffered Johnson & Johnson (pharmaceuticals) or Johnson Wax (household cleaning and hygiene products) as possible's, but I'm told they were/are (?) a chemical and insecticide brand across the Channel; that might still leave JW in the frame here, their US parent and French Subsidiary is SC Johnson?

The upper left image shows distinct colour differences in the Bonux-marked set, from black through dark olive-drab to a mid-olive green, while the lower images is - from the left; Bonux black, Bonux mid-olive, Johnson, unmarked painted, unmarked olive-drab, unmarked silber and the more ridgid unmarked plastic in a jade or mid-green.

I can't thank Chris enough for the guns, when people send stuff to the blog it's usually - and expected to be - esoteric chuck-outs, cheapies and miscellany (as the expression goes) and as it all fills gaps in the whole; is always much appreciated, however, Chris sent these, clearly marked and having a market-value (especially on evilBay.fr), so it was a real act of kindness, in a parcel already full of goodness and good things, and while I rather hid them at the time, it was only for a post like this, and I'm sure we'll see them again - there's lots of guns to compare and contrast one day!

Here a brown version of the single barrel '25lbr', I've seen a bi-coloured one in the same brown and pale fawn or sand, and I've also seen bright blue-single and double-guns and yellow ones.

I couldn't choose between the final two images of the seven-figure line-up, so the other one is above . . . a slightly different angle!

Ludoprimophile - Johnson

Ludoprimophile - Bonux (with lots of guns)

23rd Feb 2021 - How sweet; TJF's found one . . . figure!

B is for Beered-up Bender Bot!

I knew I had a Bender-bot which I thought to add to the back-end (tail-end?) of the previous post, but then I couldn't find it in Picasa? Looking on the desktop (which has far too many folders on it because I'm lazy) I found it was already a post, waiting, so here it is as a follow-up!

Courtesy of Mr Berke of New York, this is another rival to Lego (always to be encouraged), with 'popular market-leading brand' stud-compatibility and you can see from the obverse of the card that there are other ranges including masters of the Universe (He-Man) and Star Trek figurines, also it (Mega Construx or Mega Brands)'s backed by the mighty Mattel, so let's hope for big things and a break on Lego's hegemony!

It's 'Kiss my shiny metal ass' Bender with his Mom's Old fashioned Robot Oil can and swag-bag, too cool for coding school!

Robots give way to ducks . . . and British Bobbies! Brian shot him with a Jada Nano Metalfig of Uncle Scrooge for sizing/scale and then shot the Disney Duck with other recognisable figures (Hill policemen?), so only two pictures and a couple'a-hundred words but a full tag-list!

Bender looks quite worried by the proximity of Scrooge! Throw the oil at the duck and run with the loot mate . . . s'my advice! Or; are they going into business together? Cheers Brian!

P is for Pango Pencil Pals

Not everything get's kept for Friday 'forthcomings', and this is a case in point, having failed to find anything in the Basingrad charity shops (I forgot to look!), I managed to pick these up in one of the card shops . . . Cards Direct if the price labels are to be believed and there's no reason not to! They did the dinoraser chinasaur pencil-tops we looked at recently, or recent'ish, it may have been a while back?

These robots came in two sizes with or without a hole in their fundament, and as they were both cheap as chips, and robots, I grabbed all! Three designs, duplicated in both sets and with shaped blisters on both card, no others to find, it's complete sets, line and range!

As with their chinaraser dinosaur brethren, what was the odd one has grown into a side-bar collection of stuff, which grows every time I take my eyes off it for five minutes! I also thought to glue the thin ones back-to-back with their matching thick one to make double-sided bot's, but they would be too fat and look like the bot's who won the all-you-can-eat meatloaf competition!

The beauty of getting more bot-rasers is that we get to look at the whole family again before I put them away! It looks like the most awkward cocktail-party ever . . . where's that obsequious ambassador with his pyramid of chocolates!

"So, what do you do?"

"Obey humans mostly . . ."

"Oh! I help destroy Death Stars"

"I suppose someone has to, but it's not for me . . . odd hours and stuff, light-sabres, rubbish compactors; health and safety must be a nightmare"

"It's not a walk in the park - that's for certain!"

P is for Premiums, Down Under

These have been in Picasa for too long really, not because other things haven't been there for longer and - indeed - are still languishing there (!) but because when Tom Clague sent them to the Blog they are still current or current'ish, but that was over a year ago, so they may now 'only' be collectable!

The less interesting to figure collectors first; these were issued by a supermarket type concern in Australia, I think as part of a promotion, i.e.; if you spent so much you got one for free, rather than as purchases? checks eMails . . . every AU$30, got you a toy!

Blind-bag groceries which the Airfix 'Multipose' Bren-gunner reveals to be in-scale with larger dolls, but which could also be used to 'play shop' . . . presumably Coles shop! And - apart from the blow-moulded bananas - realistic renditions of high-street/household-name brands.

Tom pointed out there was a certain irony to the supermarket giving-away little bits of ephemeral plastic tat, two weeks after they phased-out their plastic carrier-bags, but sadly that's the nature of the world we live in! I have seen more wooden toys this year, even Mattel Hotwheels have a wooden range out at the moment!

These are a little more like it! Also found by Tom in Coles; chino-dino-bods! Blind-bag mini chinosaurs, looking slightly familiar, but it's a while since I had a session on them so I'm not sure if we've had them here under other packaging, but lovely sculpts, with realistic, subdued paint schemes . . . nice!

Scaling comes from the LB-Airfix Saladin armoured car and you can see they are 3 or 4-inches in the main, around 6-inches maximum? Thanks to Tom for sending both and letting us know what's happening 'Down Under'!

M is for Moon Shot

Have we had that title this year already? Apologies if we have, I know we've had a few posts on the 50th anniversary, not as many as I'd been planning, but I wasn't anticipating a three-month hiatus, anyway, this is only a quickie . . . the cabinet in Basingrad library, which had the vintage toy display, now has a moon-shot display and I fired off a few pickies last time I was up there.

The whole display, it's a simple display, but an eclectic mix of items which gets the 'temperature' of the thing quite well I think, with collector cards (Topps?), models, posters, postcards, a few key-rings (chains, fobs, hangers; whatever you call them there . . . where you are!) and an old copy of Analog magazine with an Apollo launch on the cover..

The bigger poster to the left is fascinating, but - if you're me - you need glasses to read most of it as it's smaller than a standard rack poster, but packs a mass of information, the most interesting being the timeline - and titles - of the various space-suits from the pre-Mercury/Gemini days up-to the current EVA-suit (extra-vehicular activity suit), and I'm going to see if I can find a copy on-line.

A similar graphic has all the rocket/launch-vehicle types - in scale with each other, while a time-line of the whole space programme in liner-form is down the right-hand side

I:48th scale kit of the command module with return capsule has been made to a high standard, I'm not sure who's kit it is, or whether it's a modern or vintage kit? We looked at a 1:96th scale one currently on sale from Revell earlier in the year as part fo the Toy fair reports, they also do a 1:32nd scale version which would be excellent for those Hing Fat and other figures we looked again at a few days ago.

While Airfix must be in the frame, but I don't remember a 1:48th scale kit of this type, and their issues for the 50th this year were as piss-poor as all their other 'anniversary' coverage in recent years, not dwelling on WWI, but their WWII has been no better and for the moon-shot they only re-issued three; their 1:144 Apollo and in 1:72nd scale the polyethylene figure set and the Eagle Lander kit - as a starter- or craft- set with paint, glue and an additional set of figures . . . and that was it.

Likewise, if this mighty Saturn V rocket is 1:144th it could be the Airfix model, but it's not easy to judge, trying to fit (mentally) two seated Airfix figures in the Lander it might be the Airfix, as the two modules look a tad small, however Revell do a 1:96th one and I suspect this is that kit? They do also have a 1:144th one! When did Revell take Airfix's crown . . . it must have been a decade or two ago now?

Anyway, it's a nice little display and I thought I'd share it with you, if you happen to be in Basingstoke, at a loose end, it's worth a five-minute close-up look!

News, Views Etc . . . Vectis Auctions - Thursday 26th September 2019

This is a verbatim press release from Vectis on their forthcoming TV and Movie memorabilia sale this thiusday, and specifically two 'star items', which I'm sure were on Moonbase a few months back/a year or so ago?

You sometimes find this, something sells, the buyer decides they have everything they're going to find, and sells-up, there were a series of hollow-cast sales back in the 1990's where the same big-ticket items went round about three or four times as each buyer either reached his perceived pinnacle and sold-up, or passed-away - with the surprise of having got the elusive ones?

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Rare Gerry Anderson Props to go on Sale!

Speedboat and Sportscar from the pilot episode of ‘The Investigator’ to be offered at Teesside Auction House, Vectis on Thursday 26th September.

Gerry Anderson is forever associated with "supermarionation" - a sophisticated form of puppetry. Having had numerous successes with Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet, among others he planned on releasing a new series based around two inexperienced but dedicated teenagers, trained by a mysterious alien intelligence with unknowable powers to tackle international espionage, environmental disasters and political corruption.

Sounds like it had a huge amount of potential for mystery, suspense and action, however, for a variety of reasons including the concept being "too far-fetched" and problems with some of the models, the show never went into full production. It was seen as a rare failure for Anderson, who had enjoyed phenomenal success with his previous 18 successful shows.

The two vehicles in the sale where created for the 1973 pilot episode, shot on location in Malta.

The first is a speed boat, in one sixth scale which had to be towed for the live action sequences in the twenty-three-minute pilot episode.

The second, a red, eight-wheeled sports car is radio controlled and fitted with a petrol fuelled motor-bike engine.

Both were designed by Reg Hill and manufactured by Space Models of Feltham, who had made many of the props for Gerry Anderson's other productions, including Thunderbirds. The Investigator was to be the final Supermarionation production for Anderson.

Three Thunderbirds voices were used- Peter Dyneley (Jeff Tracy) as The Investigator, Shane Rimmer (Scott Tracy) as John, and Sylvia Anderson (Lady Penelope) as Julie.

These two vehicles are extremely rare examples of TV and Film history and are featuring in the 26th September TV and Film related sale.

Vectis have previously sold toy prototypes of vehicles, produced by the iconic British toymaker Dinky, which were to be marketed alongside the show. Unfortunately, the toy line was also mothballed and therefore these are also incredibly scarce.

Both the car and the boat have pre-sale estimates of £3,600 to £4,600 each,

For more information please contact Kathy Taylor or Andrew Reed on +44 (0) 1642 750616 or email admin@vectis.co.uk

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Stockton-on-Tees - Vectis Auctions (1st day of a two day auction)

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

Web. - www.vectis.co.uk

eMail - admin@vectis.co.uk

Tel. - 01642 750 616

TV and Movie memorabilia sale

Trains and model railways the next day - Friday 27th September 2019

P is for Plastic Poilus from Powys

Ha-ha, did you see what I did there . . . sometimes I even amuse myself! Actually I'm not sure Swansea is in Powys, but that would spoil it, and if Trump can place the USAAF in the AWI, I can place the Louis in Powys!

Frenchies, six-inch monster-men a'fightin' and a'dyin' for the glory of France in some muddy trench somewhere . . . in Belgium! Rifles are a bit small and one of them has a ray-gun! In fact that SMG-alike probably hints at World War Two . . . likely still Belgium though! Remembering one of the rules of French military victory; ignore the fact that the Germans always come through Belgium and build a line of forts somewhere else.

Picture was taken with the old camera and is a bit fuzzy! Marx. Six-inch. French Infantry. Polyethylene. Box Ticked!

T is for Two - Britains Archive

Although it's actually three images, but from two sources a decade or two apart.

This is from a 1930's Hobbies Annual (1938 I think, but it's not where I left it to check?!!) and is a standard advert found in Meccano magazines and similar hobby and craft publications of the time; in this case cross-referenced in the text of the Hobbies' fretwork section where farm plans are on sale.

I honestly can't remember where these come from, I know it's 1950's America, but which catalogue I can't recall? I think it might be a Bussler's though; as both Polk's and Bob Bard/ Military Miniatures' are more basic listings, I also have a fair bit of House of Miniatures stuff so it may be one of them?, When the originals turn-up I'll add a note - if I remember! Anyway, I think I'm right in saying $2.50¢ (or even $1.65¢) was quite a substantial amount for the day - imported lead, steam-ship fuel, tax!

B is for Box . . . Ticked!

A quick one this morning, previously seen in Plastic Warrior magazine where I hoped it was the one Peter Cole remembered from his time there, a previous iteration shown in the same mag' having had artwork he didn't recognise.

Galt were primarily suppliers of educational toys, books, learning aids and junior school/infant-sized furniture, and would change their range graphics from time to time hence different versions of this set, which is obviously wholesaling a handful of Britains animals.

I actually had a really nice mid-80's Galt catalogue (thick as a Thomason Local!) but failed to follow the golden rule; 'Never lend a book you wouldn't want to lose', lending it to the wife of a client who was planning a bedroom for her kid . . . never saw it again!

What I do remember of it was that you could get a Lego City airport, with two big airliners and several other aircraft along with numerous vehicles and buildings, with several-dozen mini-figures for a price which was less than half the High Street price for a similar set, or similar quantity of 'elements' (as Lego pretentiously call their pieces!), not that the set concerned was in the High Street catalogues, it wasn't!

F is for Follow-up - Ackerman-Lollipop (LP) / Silvercorn

We've pretty much done these to death now, with help from other quarters, but I found mine the other day and shot-off a few close-ups;

The case, in the UK it seems all forms of these sets were handled by Ackerman, but with the Silvercorn branding remaining visible, strangely Ackerman have a US office, but as we saw last-but-last time, they were Lollipop/LP in the 'States.

The three figure-runners from both sides, it looks as if each set got about four of the shooters (above left), two of the marchers (below left) and one command runner (right hand side) which had to be photographed twice! The prone guy is meant to be firing a pistol (I think?) but looks more like he's pointing at something.

There are two runners of accessories, although the two dark grey signs (see posts passim) weren’t in here, so I guess I recognised them from some tub of lose signs I may have somewhere, and that they were added to the other set?

These sit in the lid, over a pile of the rubbery figure-runners, who are themselves piled on top of a large coated-paper play-mat, hence the have two little cut-outs moulded into the outer frame-runner, to make room for the slide-lock mechanism.