74th annual MFCA Show, May 8/9 2015 - show report thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter theBaron
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Do you mean the seller with the 1/35 built models as well as the K&C pieces? I had that fellows contact info.
Tom
joesgis
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Thank you Zach, Andana and Brad for the great pics! WOW {eek3} What an incredible array of stunning creations. This would be the perfect show for me....I MUST find a few to attend this show next year. A toy soldier show with all the chain manufacturer's stuff just doesn't cut it for me anymore. I hope everyone had and is having a wonderful time and comes home with special memories pieces from the show. Most are reporting lower attendance than usual but brisk sales, a good sign I'd say with most who are there being serious buyers. Thanks again to all for shooting & posting the pics of the amazing art!
Cheers,
Joe
Cheers,
Joe
Great pictures. The two vignettes that really catch my attention are the "slippery road in Caen" and a scene in which I did not see the
title of the vignette is the German soldiers with Jagdpanzer. Looking on the pictures are they more of a 1/35 kits or 1/30 metal? Can't
remember any companies (K&C, TGM or Figarti) have these items. Thanks
This was probably the largest diorama at the show called "Wo bist Du Amerikaner" (horrible German btw). You see it in post #4. I added some detail photos in my post. I think it is 1/35 and scratch built. Very impressive. It received at least one award.
jazzeum
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This was my favorite and I wish I had gotten the artist's name so I could have made him an offer.
PanzerAce1944
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Some Interesting and "Different" type of figures on display. Thanks all for sharing !
tsukaiban
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Thank you Andanna for the info. 1/35 figures I even thought that the items are First Legion resin figures. The painter might have done a couple of conversion to show the best detail to present itself which make it entirely unique. By any chance you have the name of the painter?
Here is the blog of the creator of the diorama, Dan Capuano. It is so full of details that I missed some although I did spend quality time looking at it (such as: "One of the M8 crew has injured his leg in the accident and is actually hiding under the M8 because he is immobilized from the injury.").
http://dancapuanofineminiatures.blogspot.com/2015/04/wo-bist-du-amerikaner.html
For more details, you might want to visit:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/wo-bist-du-amerikaner.70607/
where Dan also shares this story:
"Thank you all. This diorama almost did not happen. As some of you probably saw my post on FB know, but i know some of you dont. Basically the base, vehicles, trees, and the 2 figures fording down the hill were complete. I had finished up some work that night and put it on top of my curio which is about 6-1/2' high. I kept it there because i have adolescent cats who are very curious. Anyway i'm in the bathroom and I hear the most thunderous crash. I say to myself, "no it can't be". I rush out back into the livingroom and my wife is holding what is left of the almost complete diorama. The figures were in about 6-7 pieces each, lost 3-1/2 trees, turret of the m8 flew off somewhere stowage gone just a disaster. I really thought the whole project was gone. The wife and i luckily got on our hands and knees at about 2:30 in the morning and actually found every single piece. I did not go to sleep that night as it took about 5 hours of nonstop repairs (i knew i'd never sleep that night unless i knew it could be repaired). Anywho i was very lucky there was not more damage then there was. Well enough ranting, i just thought you'd all enjoy the story. Thanks again."
and discloses the source of the figures:
"I used numerous figures from different companies, most all are modifed in some way whether it be a hornet head, position changes in arms and legs, different gear etc. i used Warriors, Corpus, Mantis, Airborne, Verlinden, Miniart & Dragon."
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Larry Allen
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Hey to Zak, and Mark, Brad#1, Brad#2, Andanna and the entire Treefrog family that came to the show. :salute::
The pleasure was ours, Zak
to enjoy some great hours before the show started. I would also like to thank EVERYONE for the incredible photos that they took and shared ... really good that you did that.
As usual, the early morning show setup started off with issues. Many of us were lined up at 5:30 AM - 6:00 AM outside in the parking area waiting for the doors to the service entrance to open. The hotel staff said 6:00, but it was well after 7:00 before the first cars/vans were allows in. We had to contend with a Commando / Psycho security woman who was yelling at everyone ...
" NO, you can't park there", hurry up, get unloaded and move it along", move those boxes ... NOW", Faster, faster ...." However, after a really frenzied effort, most folks did get set up in time for the opening wave, despite one vendor who decide he didn't like his space and proceeded to change tables around (without consulting the show organizer) resulting in a bit of confusion on space and table assignment for all around him. ^&confuse
Friday was real busy with a lot of familiar faces and some new ones .... well, at least to me.
Business was brisk, with most guys finding pieces that they needed to fill some missing spaces in their collection and also starting a new series. I also noticed there were some new people that didn't have a clue about "this toy soldier thing" but were very interested on how they could learn more and get started ....a good sign.
For the third year in a row there was a local grade school teacher who asked if she could take some photos of the table and George's great mini-dioramas.
She told me, "The class room really comes alive when I can show pictures of these figures as I teach about that period in history." Also good news. She brought two kids with her and they were quite impressed .. and also asked great questions.
There is one topic that does make me ponder a bit. I hear the comments that the "gee, the show attendance was down." I am not just referring to this Valley Forge show, but every show. The most common reason I get told or overhear is that, with the Internet, the Forum and the Vendor Pre-announcement .. "there is no reason to travel anywhere and attend a show. I'll just purchase on-line."
I may still be a newbie in this hobby (about 16 years) but I can't believe that for a moment. There is a LOT MORE to be enjoyed at a show than the simple acquisition of a figure. Most of us communicate over this forum, but it is a looooooong time in between we get to see fellow collectors, vendors, and friends. To have the chance to "talk TS shop" with someone in person, to laugh and compare the hunting and war stories of finding a long sot-after piece is hard to put a price tag on.
The excitement of WHAT I MAY FIND ON THE NEXT TABLE is not to be missed.
Yes, I did pick up a pre-buy from George.
redface2: I have not been out-of-debt to Him for 12 years :redface2 But I also found some incredible books on The America Revolution and the War of 1812 at super attractive prices.
I also came away with items that I would have never discovered if I had simply eMailed an order and waited for my package. EVERY table holds the possibility of the find of a lifetime, and I see it happening to a lot of folks each time.
I learned a lot at this show. As with all shows there are guys (and gals) who hold a wealth of information on Military History, Toy Solders, Collecting, Stories of past shows and (now) funny events that transpired. Then there are the collectors or vendors who are eager to share a technique on painting, diorama making, building display items, diorama materials and a LOT more.
By sitting on my couch and not going to the show I would have missed the adventure and good times on getting there and the area. Many of the shows are held in a location that offers history lessons, even if that area is not quite you thing, it is still fascinating. The Gettysburg show (The Battle Field), this MFCA show (Valley Forge site); Texas show (The Alamo); my local show the NETSS show has( Lexington / Concord and Boston.)
At the shows that are a lot of items that may have nothing directly to do with TS but are PERFECT for the hobby. For example, I picked up two Civil War (reproduction) swords and hats at a table of someone who just decided to get a table and have some fun. At another show I found the "PERFECT PICTURES" to add to my man-cave. I also found a few small display cases to keep little fingers and (as said in this thread --CATS) away from my treasures.
AND ... maybe the most important take away from any show is "MEMORIES." No way you'll develop any of those when you stay at home and mow the lawn or paint the shutters. Okay, time for me to step down off the soap box.
So, I hope to see EVERYONE at Chicago this year, but get out there, attend a local show, find the item that you've been searching for; see old friends, make new friends, learn something new, teach something to someone, but most important HAVE A GREAT TIME and BUILD MEMORIES.
By and good hunting.
--- LaRRY
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Warrior
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Joe,
You'd love the show, but at the same time, you'd be in deep doo doo $$$$$$$$wise, but you can't take it with you, might as well enjoy yourself.
I gave your regards to Alan Golden; see, one more reason to come so you can meet him in person.............:wink2:
REVWARBUFF
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Had a great time at the show. The best part is meeting up with fellow Treefrog forum members. Brad James and his MFCA organization do a wonderful job in putting the show on. Even though many of the vendors have stuff we see online already, I find it helpful to see it in person. This way I can size things up better and I've found that most often the photos online can be nothing like the actual piece once it is in hand.
A lot has covered already so I will post some things that haven't got too much attention yet.
Here is a photo of some TF members: Left to right...........Brad James (theBaron), Rodrigo, Andreas (Andanna), Larry Allen, and myself:
Here are 2 of Walt Damon's entries into the exhibtion:
This entry was my favorite:
A lot has covered already so I will post some things that haven't got too much attention yet.
Here is a photo of some TF members: Left to right...........Brad James (theBaron), Rodrigo, Andreas (Andanna), Larry Allen, and myself:
Here are 2 of Walt Damon's entries into the exhibtion:
This entry was my favorite:
REVWARBUFF
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Here are a few more photos:
Warrior
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Well I'm all caught up after the show, thanks to Brad James and his MFCA organization for yet another great show, as a dealer I appreciate the time and effort they put into the planning and running of this show, it along with Hackensack are the two premiere east coast shows.
Thanks as well to Zach for the dinner company Thursday night and also, for all the customers and forum members who stopped by and supported MMTS at the show.
Thanks to Larry Allen, my helper and right hand man at the show, couldn't have done the show without him as thanks to him, the set up, selling and break down were all a snap.
Lastly Zach, always remember this; If I can do it, ANYONE can..........................:wink2:
Thanks as well to Zach for the dinner company Thursday night and also, for all the customers and forum members who stopped by and supported MMTS at the show.
Thanks to Larry Allen, my helper and right hand man at the show, couldn't have done the show without him as thanks to him, the set up, selling and break down were all a snap.
Lastly Zach, always remember this; If I can do it, ANYONE can..........................:wink2: