LIFE OF BRIAN
All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us? Well now you can add provide a model for some pretty sweet toy soldiers. East of India arrived on the OTSN Chicago scene all the way from Aberdeen, Hong Kong. On display in true 54mm fashion was their new Roman line and it looked fantastic. I thought the detail involved on the inside part of the Roman shield far exceeded anything I had seen before on Roman soldiers. Additionally, the different color schemes for the archery group and the heavy infantry group made this line look like a real Legion when they’re all standing together. They even had a two man ballista crew which I thought fit well with the other archers. When asked why they decided on a Roman line, Ken Clarke-Jervoise replied, ”The Romans were a natural extension of our existing Greek War line.” My Magellan like geography started spinning when I thought of East of India doing Romans. I’m sure that’s why they call the Roman and Greek lines The Ancients.
THE PIPER IS DOWN, THE PIPER IS DOWN
As a result of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion Scotsman were banned from wearing kilts and playing bagpipes. I learned this sweet morsel of information by checking out John Jenkins new Highland Clansman figures. Although this fact probably won’t be the Jeopardy final question it will provide you with well rounded information for this line of toy soldiers. You have to tip your hat to the sculpting of John Jenkins. When you can make guys in plaid skirts look this mean and tough then you are for sure in the right industry. My personal opinion was that these were the best new figures at the show. Collectively as a group, this line carries a charging energy that I’ve never seen before in toy soldiers. The only real way to describe it in words is to say that this group all looks like they just finished playing a really bad round of golf. John Jenkins himself could not have summed it up any better by stating, “The running and attacking poses really capture the moment.”
DO IT YOURSELF, LIKE UHAUL
The Marx Man is a small New York based mail order only company which provided the show with some fantastic 40mm metal casted toy soldiers. Although I had never viewed 40mm paint-it-yourself toy soldiers before I have to admit I was impressed. The 40mm size provides the perfect optimum for just enough detail to make a non magnifying glass viewable diorama. The smaller size also helps those many collectors who have space allocation issues. Additionally, the 40mm soldiers come in multiple theatres of conflict such as: Zulu, Alamo, American Civil War, Dark Ages, Napoleonic War, Pirates and Seven Years War. The Marx Man, run by John Stengel Junior, is a road warrior bunch spending up to 40% of their time on the pavement in order to complete 35 shows a year.
VIA SATELLITE
Live from Chicago its Toy Soldier TV! I was really hoping to find a guy walking around with an actual satellite on his head like those old Gulf War Al Franken correspondent spoofs on Saturday Night Live. All I found was this round bald guy with a camera named Tony Neville from King & Country UK. Yes I know it isn’t really live television it’s more like toy soldier Utube. I thought it was pretty cool though. The web site allowed instant insight to what is going on at OTSN. TSTV is an excellent way to reach out to collectors and find new ones for that manner. As voiced by Tony Neville himself, “There is nothing like bringing collectors closer together through the use of internet film.” You mean there are not women on broadband? They were of course on site to film new releases from manufactures and add to TSTV’s already mind boggling 8 hours of web page film. Crap, I think I’ve been scooped.
On top of doing all that filming King and Country UK brought along the masters for the newly released additions to the Crimea Campaign. On hand were two new additions to the Thin Red Line and Charge of the Light Brigade theatres. The sculpting and paint work on the Crimea lines in my opinion is the best that King and Country produces. In particular I thought the new strictly limited Light Brigade “The Rescue” was by far the best of the group. The set displays a mounted 11th Hussar sergeant rescuing a dismounted 17th Lancer. The horse in this set looks so real it could be racing at the Kentucky Derby or the Grand National for that matter. These new additions will be available for purchase in early December 2008. Additionally, plans are in progress by King and Country UK to release a new part of the Crimean Campaign in December of 2009. Wait for it, wait for it!
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
I am talking about toy soldiers here and not a trip to the local Piggly Wiggly supermarket. Walkerloo Toy Soldiers was on site all the way from Treauville, France. On display from Walkerloo were historically accurate illustrations mounted on to both sides of a thick durable re-cycled card. In other words, they had really sweet looking paper toy soldiers. The best part about their product was that you could fill up an entire kitchen floor with soldiers for a reasonable price. They were for sure designed for the younger collector in mind. My wife was standing next to me while I was checking these out. I made the mistake of asking her why we didn’t have any younger collectors around so I could have some of these by proxy. She shot me an icy stare and quipped, “Because I’m still raising you.” Sweet, why don’t you just make me feel like Steve Bartman going for a foul ball at Wrigley Field? How about them Cubs?
Now for the plastics. The plastic toy soldiers at this venue were some of the best I’ve ever seen. First off, Toy Soldiers of San Diego produced some new late time period WWII German Elite troops that were out of this world. These soldiers were so vivid and so well detailed they almost got me into collecting plastics again. The soldiers reminded me a lot of the early Marx “Guns of the Navarrone” plastics that I use to have when I was a kid. That was until my jerk brother incorporated my entire collection at the time into his own personal Fourth of July fireworks show.
Adjacent to the great TSSD display was Steve Westons Toy Soldiers. Steve had an incredible new set of Mexican Bandits at the show. The Bandits tied in well with the rest of his company’s product to make an appealing Magnificent 7 display in plastic. These soldiers looked like they could be on their way to a Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre but I don’t think we were anywhere near Lincoln Park.
Last but certainly not least was Ronald Barzso with Barzso Playsets Incorporated. On hand was an excellent Boonesborough Fort that was officially licensed by Fess Parker. This structure was very well detailed and it included: 4 three-piece block houses, five complete wall sections with catwalks, and one working gate. Additonally, Barzso released a Daniel Boone playset that included log cabins, a blacksmith shed and a whole pile of sweet looking plastic figures. I use to love getting these playsets as gifts when I was a kid. The only problem was that I ended up with a lot of casualties from Mom’s vacuum cleaner.
The show provided some great times and an excellent chance to meet up with friends, fellow collectors, manufactures and dealers. If you’re serious into collecting toy soldiers this is the show to see. With such a large volume of potential buyers walking around the toy soldier manufactures always provide their new and best wares. After a long hard day of checking out new product you can always drink a beer at the nearby Hooters. I told you it was nirvana.
VOX POPS
Alex Prieto, Houston Texas
Alex is a big King and Country fan. He often provides other collectors with his famous K&C repaints. Alex was in search for anything out of ordinary. Additionally, he was making mental notes of what to order on line as he couldn’t fit it all in his suitcase.
Bob Darcangenlo, Greenvalley Arizona
Bob has been collecting five or six years and was looking to add new Napoleonic’s to his King & Country collection
Randy Brown, Columbus Indiana
Randy was really enjoying the show and was looking to pick up more East of India and Aeroart soldiers to add to his army.
Clive Gande, Essex England
Clive crossed the Atlantic to collect anything that pleases his eye. According to him he can never get enough camels. I’m sure he was talking toy soldiers and not cigarettes or ***s as their called in the UK.
Roger Schultze Lafayette Indiana
Roger was a first time visitor to the show on Sunday and he came away very happy. He was impressed with the large amount of plastics for sale as well as some great old space toys.
David Adamson, Sunderland England
I’m not sure if Dave was adding to his toy soldier collection or not. I think he spent a lot of his time looking for a Chicago Cubs Fukudome jersey.
Mike Tarantino Diamond Bar California
Mike was looking to purchase some Trophy, Imperial and Frontline to his massive collection of 5,000 plus toy soldiers.
