But you know what .. I wouldn't have missed that for anything.
In the past I have heard folks say that, "Going to a show has lost all its excitement."
Maybe with the Internet and the TF Forum and all the vendor dispatches displayed each month the anticipation of "What's new?" is lost.
BUT guess what ... when you attend a show you get to do that for EACH and every table you walk by ..... maybe, just maybe that long sought after piece is just 10 feet away. {sm3}
Every table or booth had something that made me stop and daydream. Talking to the dealers is always enjoyable as many love to talk and tell you about where some item came from, what they collect or a real good story. On the forum (or the net), we tend to visit the same folders and sites. At the show, I saw all the Toy Soldiers that seldom encounter and that was a real treat.
Meeting and talking to so many folks with the same interest was enjoyable. You can't get that on a keyboard & monitor.
So many Forum threads are dedicated to .. "Can I match a this vendor's figure with that vendor's figure? How do they look together? What color is that green on the Tiger? Will my diorama piece go with my mounted Dragoon? ....;
AT THE Show it is very easy ... just look!! {sm4}
Now I am looking forward to the next show ....
--- Larry
This post needs to be bronzed.
If you don't attend shows because of the "I can order this or that on the internet from my dealer of choice, I don't need to see it in person to decide if I want to buy it or not" logic, you really are missing the boat.
As a matter of fact, you're not even on the dock.
I picked up two spectacular Napoleonic artwork books at the show, one of which is the last one in a series I was missing, the very one I've been searching for like a certain someone did for a white whale for close to six years, almost went face down on the floor when I saw it for sale yesterday, I grabbed it so fast smoke came off the pages.
Not to mention as Larry said, you get to meet up with people who share the same passion that you do.
Several years ago while doing the Valley Forge Show, my Dad and I were neighbors of one Keith Rocco, he and I hit it off and have become very good friends. It might sounds sappy and corny and dopey, but I am honored to call a world famous artist a friend of mine, one I couldn't have met had I not attended shows.
Not to mention all of the collectors I've met in person at the shows and gotten to know, plus all of the dealers that I've become friendly with (yep, as crazy as that sounds, I've become very good friends with numerous dealers with whom I compete for your hard earned toy soldier funds).
You can't put a price on that.
Ok, back to the "that color green is wrong" discussion........................
