My First OTSN Show - Advice Please (1 Viewer)

[Der Alte Fritz]

So 2016 will be my first OTSN show and was seeking some advice on the basics:

1) I understand that room trading begins on Thursday. How does this work, what time does it begin and how do you know which rooms are devoted to trading?

2) what kinds of activities are going on for Friday, Saturday and Sunday

3) any general advice for a newbie?

Regards,

Fritz

 

[jazzeum]

Room trading starts on Wednesday but most dealers don't really open their until Thursday and the show really doesn't take off until Friday.

How it works is that each dealer has a room from where they sell their products. This is usually the room where they also sleep. Rooms usually open between 9 and 10. Dealers are located on the 4th and 5th floors. When you get off the 4th floor, there is handout, which shows the layout of each floor and has the rooms and names of dealers on it. You need to get one as they tend to go fast. As the hotel layout is a maze, once I see a room, I usually check it off as you can find yourself going around in circles.

Friday and Saturday are more of the same. Sunday is the actual show. You can get in earlier if you buy an early bird ticket. I think they're around $20. Beats waiting on line.

My general advise is have fun and bring money! It can get expensive if you're not careful. I would try to keep to a budget. However, if you need money, the hotel has a cash machine and there is a Bank of America across the street.

Brad

 

[mikemiller1955]

My general advise is have fun and bring money! It can get expensive if you're not careful. I would try to keep to a budget. However, if you need money, the hotel has a cash machine and there is a Bank of America across the street.

Brad

Fritz...

I concur...hahaha...

I have only been once...
last year...
but forget the budget...
some of the things you see there...
you may never see again...
so just buy them...

 

[jazzeum]

I think it depends on what you want to buy. For example, if you collect Russian figures, yes, bring lots of money!

Several years ago, I heard of someone spending around $3,000 {eek3}

 

[Warrior]

Room trading starts on Wednesday but most dealers don't really open their until Thursday and the show really doesn't take off until Friday.

How it works is that each dealer has a room from where they sell their products. This is usually the room where they also sleep. Rooms usually open between 9 and 10. Dealers are located on the 4th and 5th floors. When you get off the 4th floor, there is handout, which shows the layout of each floor and has the rooms and names of dealers on it. You need to get one as they tend to go fast. As the hotel layout is a maze, once I see a room, I usually check it off as you can find yourself going around in circles.

Friday and Saturday are more of the same. Sunday is the actual show. You can get in earlier if you buy an early bird ticket. I think they're around $20. Beats waiting on line.

My general advise is have fun and bring money! It can get expensive if you're not careful. I would try to keep to a budget. However, if you need money, the hotel has a cash machine and there is a Bank of America across the street.

Brad

This is great advice. The dealers are up on the 4th and 5th floors; anyone with their hotel room door open is a seller and is ready to sell. Rooms usually open at 10:00am and close around 10:00 or 11:00pm.

If I'm not mistaken, aren't you a member over on The Miniatures Page?

Welcome to the forum and if you have any other questions, fire away...................

 

[jazzeum]

Fritz,

I notice you posted in the Trophy section. Chicago can be hit and miss for Trophy, more miss than hit.

Brad

 

[Deitz]

So 2016 will be my first OTSN show and was seeking some advice on the basics:

1) I understand that room trading begins on Thursday. How does this work, what time does it begin and how do you know which rooms are devoted to trading?

2) what kinds of activities are going on for Friday, Saturday and Sunday

3) any general advice for a newbie?

Regards,

Fritz

Welcome to the forum. What part of Illinois are you from?

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

Yes I use the same "handle" on The Miniatures Page and other forums.

Thank you everyone for the information, it is very helpful.

I started collecting toy soldiers in 1980 when I was in London and happened to walk past the window of the Under Two Flags store. I bought the whole window display of Seaforth Highlanders and Dervish and added to the collection over the years making purchases from Jim Hillestad and another gentleman named Striltz ( Ed?). I gravitated to wargaming in the 1990s and only recently rediscovered toy soldiers.

Please check out my blog, the Der Alte Fritz Journal where I have quite a few pictures of my Sudan collection

https://altefritz.blogspot.com/2016...howComment=1471192558288#c7986672310839993320

 

[villagehorse]

Yes I use the same "handle" on The Miniatures Page and other forums.

Thank you everyone for the information, it is very helpful.

I started collecting toy soldiers in 1980 when I was in London and happened to walk past the window of the Under Two Flags store. I bought the whole window display of Seaforth Highlanders and Dervish and added to the collection over the years making purchases from Jim Hillestad and another gentleman named Striltz ( Ed?). I gravitated to wargaming in the 1990s and only recently rediscovered toy soldiers.

Please check out my blog, the Der Alte Fritz Journal where I have quite a few pictures of my Sudan collection

https://altefritz.blogspot.com/2016...howComment=1471192558288#c7986672310839993320

You certainly have a wonderful collection, really like the Sudan theme. :salute::, Robin.

 

[gk5717]

As Brad stated get a paper that shows what rooms are what. But a bit of further advise if you see something you like in a room but say you will come back later in regards to buying it. RIGHT THE ROOM NUMBER DOWN. I guarantee you won't be able to relocate that particular room, especially for a new guy.
I spend all available money on items at the show. I go cheap on outside expenses. Example if you have a car stay at another hotel nearby, much cheaper rates and usually free breakfast. Do not eat or drink at the Hyatt unless someone else is buying! You will have a good time.
Gary

 

[jazzeum]

I will disagree with Gary, my mentor on Chicago, a little. If you see something that you want to buy, try to get it then because, unless the seller will hold it for a little while, it's likely to be gone when you return.

Eating at the hotel, as Gary says, is not cheap. What I do in the mornings is buy a bagel and coffee from the stand at the front of the hotel. It won't run you more than $5 or $6 plus the woman who runs it is supernice. I look forward to saying hello to her every year. It's people her that make the Show special.

 

[Warrior]

I will disagree with Gary, my mentor on Chicago, a little. If you see something that you want to buy, try to get it then because, unless the seller will hold it for a little while, it's likely to be gone when you return.

Eating at the hotel, as Gary says, is not cheap. What I do in the mornings is buy a bagel and coffee from the stand at the front of the hotel. It won't run you more than $5 or $6 plus the woman who runs it is supernice. I look forward to saying hello to her every year. It's people her that make the Show special.

Speaking of that woman (and she is a sweetheart); one year at the show my Dad and I went for dinner and he wanted a coffee on the way back to the room, so we stopped at the stand, he bought me one too and I think the tab was something like 8.00 and my Dad in his usual stage door whisper says "EIGHT DOLLARS!?!?!?"..........."Jeez, at least Jesse James wore a mask"...................and the woman says "Jesse, that's my name!!"................and I looked at my Dad and said "She got you there pops" and we both killed ourselves laughing.

My sidekick Larry is awesome help and a ton of fun to be around, but I really miss not having my Dad at the shows..............the room is getting dusty here just thinking about all the fun memories I've had with him.......................

 

[jazzeum]

Great story George. Little stories like that make the weekend special.

 

[marco55]

Yes I use the same "handle" on The Miniatures Page and other forums.

Thank you everyone for the information, it is very helpful.

I started collecting toy soldiers in 1980 when I was in London and happened to walk past the window of the Under Two Flags store. I bought the whole window display of Seaforth Highlanders and Dervish and added to the collection over the years making purchases from Jim Hillestad and another gentleman named Striltz ( Ed?). I gravitated to wargaming in the 1990s and only recently rediscovered toy soldiers.

Please check out my blog, the Der Alte Fritz Journal where I have quite a few pictures of my Sudan collection

https://altefritz.blogspot.com/2016...howComment=1471192558288#c7986672310839993320

Welcome to this forum Jim.Jim is the proud owner of Fife & Drum Miniatures and Minden Miniatures.Very fine AWI and SYW miniature lines cast in 1/56 scale.
Mark

 

[Warrior]

Great story George. Little stories like that make the weekend special.

A couple more that you'll appreciate; He came with me to the Haberdashers Spring NJ show when it was in Secaucus and around noonish, he said he's going to the snack cart in the lobby and did I want a sandwich, I said sure, I gave him the money. He comes back about 20 minutes later with a huge plate of pasta, chicken, shrimp, salad, etc, etc and I said what's up with that and he tells me "Well the snack cart was not out yet, so as I was walking back, there was a bicycle convention in one of the large function rooms in the hallway and they had a buffet set up, so I figured since there were no sandwiches, this would do...................".........................:wink2:

He also came with me to the Haberdashers show in Korea VA one year and in the morning, there was coffee and cookies for the vendors; my Dad bit into one of the cookies and he said "This is awful, it tastes moldy"...............so he asks the Haberdasher what was the deal with the tray of cookies and he says "I bought those at a flea market, they are St Patricks Day leftover cookies from the supermarket, I paid 1.00 for the tray" and my Dad says "You paid a buck for those; man did you get screwed!"...........................^&grin

My Dad is something else, never a dull moment, he made the shows fun despite all the work...................

 

[jazzeum]

Priceless gems. The second story is unreal.

 

[Warrior]

Priceless gems. The second story is unreal.

One key fact I neglected to mention; the show where those St Patricks Day leftover cookies were at was in June................{eek3}

 

[gk5717]

A few years back I would be in Georges room, actually 2 rooms. His dad would be sitting in the 2nd room in a chair nodding off asleep and George would point to him and say "There is my head of security" His dad being a retired Boston policeman.
Gary

 

[jazzeum]

One key fact I neglected to mention; the show where those St Patricks Day leftover cookies were at was in June................{eek3}

Maybe a beer chaser would have helped.

 

[Warrior]

Maybe a case of beer would have helped.

Fixed it for you.......................:wink2: