London Toy Soldier Show Pictures June 2018 (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

As a US dealer, I found this observation to be interesting;



"A number of big dealers were absent; though there were some new ones. Be interesting to see what happens in the future; not sure three shows is sustainable.

Someone remarked it is more like a ‘jumble sale’. I agree this side has grown a lot in recent years. There are some gems amongst a lot of tat. Depends what you want I guess.

I think KC UK’s displays are missed simply because of their scale / range / diorama boards that were interesting to look at. There is a lack of dioramas to show case figures – ATS and TM Terrain do this well.

I do think the show has not evolved, innovated or improved; it feels the same each time and nothing new (other than certain manufacturers who showcase their new products)"

This pretty much sums up all the US shows as well for the most part. The fact remains that with dealers retiring or passing away and no new dealers coming along, you're seeing more and more one table vendors peddling odds and ends from their collections, not real dealers but simply collectors thinning out the ranks.

This is one of the reasons why the shows are all slowly dying, who wants to kill a day and spend the money to go to essentially an indoor flea market, people can sugar coat it all they want with comments like "It's a fun day out, you never know what treasures you'll find at a show"; the fact remains we're losing dealers as well as collectors.

Sad to see the same problem exists in the UK, it's a sign of the times.


That said, I do thank you for taking the time to post the pictures, the upcoming JJD conquistadors look great as do the Ready4Action Merrill's Marauders...………….

You raise some excellent points George...Let me add a few more...How about some dealers who do not attend major shows ...or even some important makers who are notable for their absence..?

A show is only as good as its constituent parts...

As I know we both agree on...Maximum Effort Gets Maximum Results!
Best wishes,
Andy

 

[King & Country]

I pootled along yesterday for the first time in 5 years and have to agree, the venue lends itself to the feel of a Blue Peter "bring and buy sale". Apologies if the cultural reference is not familiar to some. Will definitely rely on others posting pics from now on.

The notable exceptions being the JJD figures, TM and possibly ATS. K&C and WB look tired brands. I just see them like a band that released a sucessful debut record but has been going on tour year after year playing the same tunes ever since playing to the same people and are happy to do that. The Little Legion display doesn't appear to have ever changed either and have just painted a few uniforms a different colour.

The overriding feeling was that venue aside (poor) and those few notable exceptions, I could have been visiting ten years ago.

Again some interesting points Mr.'I'...

However I do take exception to K&C being referred to as one of your two 'tired' brands! While I cannot speak for Britains...King & Country in the last 12 months alone has introduced 'The Six-Day War' series...A brand-new Pacific War Range of U.S. Marines...Polish 1939 Cavalry and Infantry plus our 'Vietnam War TET Offensive'...And that's not to mention many other additions to WW2...Apaches & John Ford Cavalry... 'Napoleonics' and 'Ancient Rome' and other K&C series.

Maybe you somehow overlooked all of that...So, if we still look 'tired' in your eyes maybe, in reality, it's because we work so bloody hard!

Best wishes and happy collecting,
Andy.

 

[Nelson1976]

You raise some excellent points George...Let me add a few more...How about some dealers who do not attend major shows ...or even some important makers who are notable for their absence..?

A show is only as good as its constituent parts...

As I know we both agree on...Maximum Effort Gets Maximum Results!
Best wishes,
Andy

My thought is this show comes too often - of the major manufacturers in the 1/30 space (that is K&C, FL, JJD, Britain’s and TG), only Thomas Gunn were there - they probably had the best display table as a result with a good number of well displayed highlights in their Ancient and Aircraft series. Other manufacturers were represented by dealers who unfortunately really didn’t have the verve to create standout displays. Perhaps if the show happened twice a year in a slightly more salubrious location , we may see Andy, John, Matt etc come and add that bit more.

 

[Imperial Miniatures]

Someone remarked it is more like a ‘jumble sale’. I agree this side has grown a lot in recent years. There are some gems amongst a lot of tat. Depends what you want I guess.

I do think the show has not evolved, innovated or improved; it feels the same each time and nothing new (other than certain manufacturers who showcase their new products)

Gazza

I come from the wargaming world and attended wargames shows all over the country for 12 years before starting to also attend the Toy Soldier show. I was quite surprised when I first attended the show at how much like a "jumble
sale" a lot of the tables were and felt that I was being a little too professional with pull up banners, racks for castings, etc.

I think it is a shame there are no wargmae displays at the show any more to show off a different side of using 54mm figures.

I am trying to move to more dioramas to show off the figures but find that I sell VERY few painted figures at shows and mostly sell kits and castings... I do treat the show as mostly advertising as I get a fair amount of business from catalogues handed out.

I am still experimenting the stand and wonder if I should back to boxes of castings rather than using racks as people seem to like to sort through boxes (looking at other stands) - any opinions?

thanks

Mike

 

[Old Bill]

Thanks Roy, for sharing the pics and comments....
Were there any stands for cast and older sets being resold, or just brand new items from the regular manufacturers?
Cheers
Luiz

Thanks Luiz,

Yes, there were indeed stands for cast and older sets being resold - a bit of everything really.

(More stalls now with an "eclectic" range of wares - described as "Bring and Buy", "Jumble sale", "tat" etc. in some of the preceding comments.)

Cheers,

Roy.

 

[Warrior]

"I come from the wargaming world and attended wargames shows all over the country for 12 years before starting to also attend the Toy Soldier show. I was quite surprised when I first attended the show at how much like a "jumble
sale" a lot of the tables were and felt that I was being a little too professional with pull up banners, racks for castings, etc."


In addition to toy soldier shows, I also attend wargaming shows, specifically the big three HMGS shows in PA; Cold Wars, Historicon and Fall In. At this shows, the "dealer hall" as it's called is full of just that, dealers. There is an array of professional racks, shelving, banners, etc, etc, as the vendors do their best to showcase their goods.

There is also a "flea market" where convention attendees are welcome to purchase a table during one of the six sessions to sell unwanted wargaming items; they just throw the goods on their tables and try to dump it to buyers.


At most of the toy soldier shows, there is no separate flea market area, so again, collectors selling unwanted items are mixed in with the actual dealers. As the hobby grays, we're seeing more and more collectors selling, we're also seeing less and less actual dealers again due to retirement, non entry into the business or illness/death.

As Andy pointed out, some dealers choose not to do shows, which is their option as a business owner. In the past 10 years or so, to my knowledge we've had two new dealers come upon the scene, which in the grand scheme of things is not a lot. During that time, we've had probably ten times their number retire or pass away.


The hobby just suffered a massive blow with the passing of Bill Lango, a well known seller and promoter.


When I began my business back in 1996, I never realized how great the experience would be as far meeting so many great people that I would otherwise have never met; I also never realized how painful it would be to lose them.


I've had the wind taken out of my sails with the passing of Shannon, John Stengle Sr and now Bill Lango; the hobby goes on, but a little piece of it is gone with each case and it's never coming back, just like a tiny piece of me died each time...…………………......

 

[King & Country]

My thought is this show comes too often - of the major manufacturers in the 1/30 space (that is K&C, FL, JJD, Britain’s and TG), only Thomas Gunn were there - they probably had the best display table as a result with a good number of well displayed highlights in their Ancient and Aircraft series. Other manufacturers were represented by dealers who unfortunately really didn’t have the verve to create standout displays. Perhaps if the show happened twice a year in a slightly more salubrious location , we may see Andy, John, Matt etc come and add that bit more.

Great post!

I wish I could attend more shows but it's simply not physically possible...I already take part in Shows and Collector Events in the U.S. (Chicago & San Antonio)... Mainland Europe (Rome, Milan & Paris)...Singapore...the U.K. (December's London Show) ... and next week I head down to Brisbane before moving on to Sydney & Melbourne.

All of these events take up a fair amount of time and cost a whole lot of money... Are they worth it..?

Of course, I obviously think they are and are worth the time and expense as I get to personally meet and talk with K&C's collectors and dealers, often on a 'one-to-one' basis. The feedback, the ideas and suggestions plus the enthusiasm and friendship that has been built up over many years and visits is worth its weight in gold!

I wish I could do more but, at the end of the day, there's still only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week...Maybe in the 'next life' there will be more!!!

All the best and happy collecting,
Andy.

 

[fantomark]

Great pics!
What a pity I could not attend the show!!

I am glad to see that Thomas Gunn are adding a new Elephant to their Punic Wars range.

I was really pleased with TG Roman Elephant , which I bought in the unpainted version.
Does anybody know if this one will also be available unpainted ?

I believe the unpainted version option is a fantastic idea in fact!
To me painting the model is the best part of the fun!
I do like the opportunity of doing a bit of superdetailing and weathering, as well as adding a bit extra stowage , etc.
(I am also a keen AFV modeller - and Ellies were in fact the Tanks of Antiquity!!).
Cheers!

 

[joesgis]

Gazza,
Thank you for all of your great photos! It looks like the very best way to spend a day to me!

Cheers,
Joe

 

[joesgis]

Roy,
Thanks for posting your show photos. It looks like it was a lot of fun as always. I hope you had a great time!

Joe

 

[theBaron]

'...There is also a "flea market" where convention attendees are welcome to purchase a table during one of the six sessions to sell unwanted wargaming items; they just throw the goods on their tables and try to dump it to buyers.'


At most of the toy soldier shows, there is no separate flea market area, so again, collectors selling unwanted items are mixed in with the actual dealers. As the hobby grays, we're seeing more and more collectors selling, we're also seeing less and less actual dealers again due to retirement, non entry into the business or illness/death...

Many years ago, going back to when the show was held at Widener College, we had a separate flea market area for the collectors, the "little guys". So the old-timers tell me. We had to phase it out, because the professional dealers took advantage of taking tables in the flea market, which was cheaper per table, and they crowded out the "little guys". By the time we moved to the Valley Forge Convention Center, the separate flea market was merged into the regular vendor area.

George is right. We have seen the passing of the "little guys", the collectors selling their collections, and we are seeing the passing of many of the professional vendors as well. This is inevitable. And it's getting tougher to stage a show, when the costs go up, but attendance goes down. When I joined the MFCA and got involved with the show, in 1993, we had 1800 patrons come through the door. That has number has gone down gradually, over 25 years, just as the number of vendors has.

Things change. That is a fact of our life.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Warrior]

Many years ago, going back to when the show was held at Widener College, we had a separate flea market area for the collectors, the "little guys". So the old-timers tell me. We had to phase it out, because the professional dealers took advantage of taking tables in the flea market, which was cheaper per table, and they crowded out the "little guys". By the time we moved to the Valley Forge Convention Center, the separate flea market was merged into the regular vendor area.

George is right. We have seen the passing of the "little guys", the collectors selling their collections, and we are seeing the passing of many of the professional vendors as well. This is inevitable. And it's getting tougher to stage a show, when the costs go up, but attendance goes down. When I joined the MFCA and got involved with the show, in 1993, we had 1800 patrons come through the door. That has number has gone down gradually, over 25 years, just as the number of vendors has.

Things change. That is a fact of our life.

Prost!
Brad

Brad,
The same thing is happening at the HMGS shows, you've got professional dealers who take flea market tables, 100.00 in the dealer hall vs 20.00 in the flea market. The folks at HMGS turn a blind eye to it. There is one couple there who sell scenery, all bagged and labeled, another couple who sell bins full of Osprey books, they both should be in the dealer hall, end of story.

Bottom line is there are those who try to beat the system no matter the venue.

Funny you mention MFCA; when I first started attending, it filled the entire top floor of the convention center. Andy from K & C used to attend, he was on the right as you came through the door. On Saturday, it was overwhelming how many folks stampeded through the doors. Eddie showed me a floor plan from 1997, the first year I attended the show, I went through the dealer list...…………"deceased, retired, deceased, deceased, retired, retired, deceased, deceased...………." It was eye opening and sad to see.

As you said, you can only do your best as a promoter/club to run a show, it's up to the vendors and collectors to show up.


And yes, things change; most of the time, not for the better...……...now I sound like a "Get off my lawn!" old dude...…………………….......

 

[Currahee Chris]

Brad,
The same thing is happening at the HMGS shows, you've got professional dealers who take flea market tables, 100.00 in the dealer hall vs 20.00 in the flea market. The folks at HMGS turn a blind eye to it. There is one couple there who sell scenery, all bagged and labeled, another couple who sell bins full of Osprey books, they both should be in the dealer hall, end of story.

That whole design is a trainwreck. It was a great idea but has just been abused terribly over the years with no end in sight. I wouldn't blame any of the real vendors if they took a flamethrower to that place because of all the abuse.

 

[Nicholas V Hall]

The Islington site made the whole thing a much better affair. I had some revenue protection guy asking me if I had paid to get in, then you see loads of kids looking round for nothing because it’s their school and they have access. And you are right, it’s like a jumble sale. Loads of NHS tourists sleeping rough on the streets of Camden don’t help. Islington was a far more civilised experience,but I suppose they want too much money,shame.

 

[Peiper007]

i really do not like the current location, I cannot think of a single redeeming feature of the venue, externally the area around the school is not good, very few places to get something to eat and thou it feels safe enough I actually do not think it is? internally the show is a 'dogs breakfast', awful layout, there are non-show people, adults and children, wandering all over the place, they are entitled too of course, but that is not the type of venue I want to see. The layout means the rows between the stands are very narrow and hard to get along, the whole exhibition is displaced, there is no order. I can only think they have put one of the larger established dealers/manufacturers in an area and surrounded them with the junk shop/jumble sale stuff.


I did notice in June there were a few exhibitors missing, no K & C stand, plus 3 to 5 others who's names I cannot remember.

I think they need to seek another venue, if not I can see the show going downward.............. Then again no one else is putting forward to organise a show, so we have to be happy with what we get!