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Motorweek (Think Top Gear without any of the fun bits) ran this right as I was turning on the Tv today. Anybody recognize themselves?
http://www.motorweek.org/features/fyi/matchbox

Looked like a fun day out.

I enjoyed that, it did look like a lot of fun and a nice location too.

I'm pretty sure I met Ron Slyder and Steve Allen at the 2002 Matchbox 40th anniversary show in New york, Bob Porcja is a friend of our very own Kwakers.

Hi Nick, Yes you did visit with Stephen Allen in NYC at the pier during that long weekend event but I don't think you were able to attend the collector's gathering at his home on the second evening. As for the Motor Week piece, I was there during the interview speaking with the producer while they were recording the video. As shot prior to editing at Matt Loftus's excellent dealer display the piece also featured an interview with Larry Smith, of Virginia, USA. Steve has a good camera presence and of course only bits of the news feature made it to the final version. Still it was good publicity for the hobby and the setting of the Hershey Antique Auto Museum lends itself perfectly to the atmosphere. Similarly, the parts featuring commentary by Bob Porcja and Ron Slyder were similarly well done. A good number of leading collectors and dealers from around the globe were on hand this past September, including Nick Powner of Abbey Models who I got to know 20 years back.

Hi Ethan.
I still have the invitation to Steve Allen's Matchbox collectors gathering that you gave me. I had brought George Sakalo and his wife Carolyn with me to the 50th anniversary show and unfortunately they were unable to come to Steve's place with us so I took them home to Trenton PA, After dinner at the Sakalo's place I headed back to NY. Now my sense of direction is normally pretty good to excellent but on this occasion it really let me down badly because after driving for 2 hours I found I was actually 2 hours further away from NY and was in fact heading towards Washington which just happened to be where I was going to go on the following day as we had planned to visit an old friend Chris Estes in Springfield VA, If we had driven back to NY we would not have got to Steve's until after midnight, So we carried on to Washington and after doing one and a half laps of the beltway we finally arrived at Springfield.

Kwakers managed to keep a low profile at this year's Hershey Show, visiting every single vendor's stand, scouting for sleepers and some new variations that only avid Forum members may have even known about. There is no time for being a celebrity when you are chasing rare Lesneys, they can be hiding 10 feet from any of the master collectors selling there, maybe even 'lost' in their models for sale. 3 years ago I found a 6C Dumper with a white hydro sleeve 15 feet from Matt Loftis, and merely 7 feet from the noted German Master 'collector' Hardy. That NMint Dumper with it's early tell-tale front lug nuts cost me $15 when I bargained for it, I thought the $20 tag it had on it was a bit steep. (LOL) Steve Allen told me it had taken years for him to find one with that white sleeve for his collection when I showed it to him and Matt at their stand.
While saving my visit with Bob Porja till last this year to again view his huge Corgi 'spare stock', I reinforced my usual comment to him that he insists on bringing "his Corgi swords to a Lesney gun show" yet again this year at Hershey. I look forward to him and that display, and he and I will play 'Show and Tell' in Albany the first week in March at our local Toy Club's Sunday event.
Thanks for the Great Link Chris, the Hershey Matchbox Show inside the AACA Car Museum make for a very busy but enjoyable day full of fun and interesting discussions with both new and 'wrinkly' old friends......I Love every minute I spend there. kwakers

Ahhh right there Kwakers but your presence at Hershey was well chronicled by this wizened old veteran of the Lesney campaigns. As Nick can attest, going to the collector shows in the States was quite a bit different than when we hit the regular circuit in England; we have still fewer fairs, made even more so by the advent of ebay. I cannot think of more than a few each year that have Matchbox as a predominant theme. I still have to recommend both Albuquerque and Hershey for the vintage stuff, and although I haven't been to the Chicago Land (Kane County Fairgrounds) in many years have heard of good finds there as well. There was a time in the late 80's through the 90's when I crawled out of the London hotels just south of Paddington to flag my ride for the setup at Sandown, and similarly to head up the Motorway to NEC. There were Crestas to uncover! And thanks for recounting your tales of our Interstate "disorientalia" as well Nick; I hadn't known the backstory of your disappearance from the Sceptered Island Gala at my friend's apartment (flat) until now.

The 22 Cresta shown by Bill Layer was probably my favorite surprise of this year's Hershey Show Ethan. Was it you or Steve who captured a few pictures of that odd colored Duck when he was showing it to us? I was too dazzled by that Toy to hardly be aware of where I was. He showed it to several of us as he was on his way out. For a non-internet collector/ Dealer, Bill sure does come up with some Great models to market, or actually just taunt us with in this one's case......The color was amazing, but I can't even describe it now because it's quick showing left me quite bewildered and in a dream-like state of mind..... kwakers

EarlyWheels wrote:and although I haven't been to the Chicago Land (Kane County Fairgrounds) in many years have heard of good finds there as well.

I have not heard about this event, what is it officially called an when is it?