Toy fair news

[ChFalkensteiner]

If there is an event in Germany that can justifiedly be called "Matchbox swapmeet" then that is the one held four times a year at Leipzig. See http://www.modellautoboerse-leipzig.de/. The next one is held this coming Saturday November 23, and sadly I am unable to attend this time too.

didn't know about that Leipzig swap meet Christian. Thank you. Is that swap meet held since a long time ?

marcel

Yes, this event was started in the GDR in the 1980s. I first attended it in 1991: that was my very first visit to the eastern part of Germany, i.e. the former GDR.

Since Leipzig is only about five hours drive from Linz, I can manage to go there, attend the event and go back within one day - that is if I get up at 2am in order to leave home before 3am.

Nowadays, as the Prague swapmeet has been reduced in size, I would prefer Leipzig over Prague if I had to choose between the two. Many Czech as well as German Matchbox specialists take stalls at both events.

[matchboxmarcel]

thanks Christian.
I once was at the Prague swap meet and was surpriced about the quantity of Matchbox and also about th fact that the swap meet started such early in the morning and already was over around lunchtime.
More a morning event I would call it.
This picture was taken there at that day.
Alex Picha and Libor introducing the 1st great book for MOY 1956-1972 to Pavel.



marcel

[ChFalkensteiner]

The problem at Prague has always been that the rooms had to be completely evacuated by 12 noon. Nowadays the Prague swapmeet is no longer held in that university building but at a much smaller venue on the eastern side of Prague, in only one room with fewer and smaller stalls and generally less space available both inside and outside.

The Leipzig swapmeet is nowadays held in one of the buildings of the former ("old") Leipzig fairground, in the south of the city. The building is called "Pavilion of Hope", and there is plenty of space inside the hall. There is not so much time pressure either; stallholders usually start packing up around 1pm.

[matchboxmarcel]

thanks Christian.

now, early awake as more packing to do for Sinterklaas (5th of December is the big party as you know but he already arrived from Spain last weekend)
The delivery van stands ready.



marcel

[Idris]

now, early awake as more packing to do for Sinterklaas (5th of December is the big party as you know but he already arrived from Spain last weekend)

All together now:
"Zie ginds komt de stoomboot
uit Spanje weer aan.
Hij brengt ons Sint-Nicolaas
ik zie hem al staan.
Hoe huppelt zijn paardje
op het dek op en neer,
hoe waaien de wimpels
al heen en al weer."
(Just don't mention Zwarte Piet!)

[Maestro]

Marcel, you forgot to mention that the maker of above photo is Egbert Vonkeman a.k.a. Egbert2CV on the Dutch 3inch forum (3inchforum.nl), so all credits to him!!
But still it is a nice photo!

And about Zwarte Piet: I'm very fond of him, he is the ONLY real helper of Sinterklaas!

[matchboxmarcel]

Idris,
Interesting to see that this news of a few reached TV and Radio abroad.
That for a character that exist longer then the Santa Claus.

When the Dutch discovered America they brought Sinterklaas with them.
Hence Santa Claus and Sinterklaas pronounce are almost the same and the characters looks like the same.
Untill CocoCola made a more fat man of Santa Claus.
However they both have a beard and red costume and give presents.

With so much negative publicity about Sinterklaas in the last few years it is no longer the nice child period for children it used to be.
In recent years we got Halloween with scary faces from the USA in state.
I know children who were more happy with Sinterklaas then with the Halloween party.

marcel

[Diecastmolester]

And about Zwarte Piet: I'm very fond of him, he is the ONLY real helper of Sinterklaas!

Hah, he is nothing compared with Krampus.

[matchboxmarcel]

Another item I found at the Dannhausen Aachen swap meet November 16th was this very rare Indian catalogue from Maxwell.
Maxwell is well known for making copies of Matchbox models.
Kay Schaber sold me this rare catalogue and as you can see on the front page and on a page in this catalogue the copy of the Y11-1 Aveling is pictured.
Model 502 as you can also see in the impressive listing on the back of the catalogue.

Many years ago I bought that Maxwell model and you can see the Indian city of Calcutta is both mentioned in the 1st page of the catalogue as also on the box of the model.
Very rare to find boxes with these model.
There is a flower on the roof, both with my yellow model as on the blue model in the catalogue.
On my box there is a yellow dot, indicating the model is yellow.

Very happy with this catalogue.




















Marcel

[matchboxmarcel]

confirmation that I just booked my night coach tickets for Sandown feb 29th.
I will arrive at London Victoria at 6.30 and leave the same evening there at 21.30.

Looking forward to meet again. It has been a while since I visit.

marcel