Back from the "Big Show Show" is our theme for November.  This article will give an overview of the National Toy Show.   It will take a little extra time to down load due to its length but it is my hope it will give you a good over view of the #1 toy show there is.  

          Thousands of people journey to Dyersville each November to visit the National Toy Show.  Many wish they could attend and plan to do so someday.  This month The Toy Tractor Times will take you through the 2003 National. This way you can what the sites, people and toys are like. 

Thursday November 6, 2003

      The evening of November 6th started the events of the National.   Bob Condray and Doug Harke were inducted into the National Farm Toy Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame is housed in the National Farm Toy Museum. Both Bob and Doug were featured in the November issue of  the Toy Farmer for their achievements in our hobby.  Bob is a pioneer in the hobby. He started collecting farm toys in the 1960's will attending gun and coin shows.  In those days very few people collected farm toys and Bob would have to carry his toy tractors out of the shows in paper bags to avoid funny looks.  Doug Harke the second inductee was honored for his efforts of expanding the hobby in the North East and his wealth of knowledge.  Doug has written articles for the Toy Tractor Times since 1987 and Toy Farmer since 1992.  Doug has also brought the farm toy hobby to Western, New York.  Now in its 18th year the Geneseo, NY toy show is the largest show on the east coast  and is an event that collectors look forward to all year. This years show is on Saturday December 6th at the Geneseo High School. Toy Tractor Times will be at the show.   

Friday November 7, 2003

           The National Toy Show opens at  3:00 p.m. on Friday.  There is plenty to see and do before the doors open.  Ertl opens its factory show room to visitors on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Ertl representatives  are on hand to answer questions, take suggestions and toy ideas from collectors.   

         In the middle of the room new products are on display to the public for the first time.  These items from AGCO, Case-new Holland and John Deere will be released in late 2003 and early 2004.  All these items are pictured on ToyTractorShow.com's Toy News section at http://www.toytractorshow.com/new_toys.htm.

           Ertl also has the walls of the show room full of their current farm toy offerings.  Again AGCO, Case-New Holland and John Deere items are on display.  Seeing so many new toys in one place almost makes you feel like you are in Santa's work shop. 

           Bill Walters, Travis Hoy and Pat Wessels were also on hand at the Ertl show room.  Bill Walters is well known to ToyTractorShow.com for his involvement in the TTS Farm Toy Report.  Bill is the RC2 Farm Toy Product Manger.  Bill stays in contact with collectors on Toy Talk and at toy shows to get feed back on new offerings and to generate ideas for future replicas.  Bill is the idea person for Ertl.  Pat and Travis take those ideas and create toys.  These gentlemen work to create the best detailed models they can to improve and expand the Ertl toy line. Travis is particularly proud of his most recent project the 1/64 John Deere Sound-Gard set.  Pat has enjoyed working on the new 1/32 replicas from Ertl. The new CNH combines and John Deere 9860 STS combines in 1/32 will offer a new level of detail not found on collectors toys before according to pat. 2004 will bring even more new items from Ertl. 

           Ertl's biggest news from the show is that they will begin offering Bob Cat toys in 2004.  The Ertl show room had several interesting Bob Cat toys on display including skid-steer loaders, excavators and telehandlers.  Look for an expanded Bob Cat line from Ertl next year. 

           Before the show doors open there are still plenty of toys to purchase.  Toy dealers set up tents outside of National Farm Toy Museum.  New, old, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, Precision, custom and pedal toys are all for sale at the tents and tables.  You will find great selection outside.  You have to watch your budget or you could spend all of your money before you make it into the show. 

              The National Farm Toy Museum is open to the public at no charge during the show.  The museum is a great place to visit on Friday morning before the show opens.  Before the show rush starts you can wander through the museum and see most of the farm toys ever offered from Arcade, Hubley, True-Scale, Ertl, Scale-Models, Spec-Cast and other toy makers.   

          When you enter the Museum the first item you see is the National Toy Hall of Fame wall. This wall has plaques telling about each members contributions and achievements in the farm toy hobby.  The wall is a whose who in the hobby and includes many of the people who launched the industry and hobby. 

           There are all sorts of toys to see in the museum from old to new.  The museum is a worth a trip to Dyersville even with out the National Toy Show going on. 

         The biggest exhibit at the museum shows how 1/64, 1/32 and 1/16 tractors are scaled down from the real machine.  The cut out of a life size John Deere 4450 with all of the John Deere Sound-Gard toys is an impressive display. 

         Another interesting display shows how a farm toy is a produced.  An IH 1586 is shown in parts and the exhibit tells visitor how the parts become a toy. 

           Farm toys of all kinds are part of the museum's collection. The Toy Tractor Time Magazine even has its display case.  All seventeen of the Toy Tractor Times Anniversary tractors from 1986-2002 are on display.  Rick Larsen the founder of The Toy Tractor Times is pictured with the TTT tractors that he has worked hard to produce each year. Look for the 20th Anniversary TTT Allis-Chalmers 7030 in the museum at next years National. 

          You never know what you might find in the displays at the museum.  As a Steiger fan I was surprised to find a 1/64 Cougar Steiger with dual wheels. If you are a 1/64 collector you know this model was only sold on large singles. Maybe this model was an early prototype.

          There are many interesting exhibits at the National Farm Toy Museum.  The Toy Tractor Times will cover more of the museum in a future article. 

The Shows Opens: Friday November 7, Saturday November 8 and Sunday November 9

         The National Toy Show is best known for its main location at the Beckman High School in Dyersville Iowa.   When you enter the main doors you are greeted by a display of  new Ertl Farm Toys.  Craig Purcell the editor of the Ertl Replica Magazine was manning the both.   Craig was on hand to talk to collectors and answer questions about Ertl toys. 

           Scale Models also has a display in the schools main hall.  John Clemen and other staff  from Scale Models displayed several new products including models from the 50th Farm Progress Show.    The Farm Progress Toys from Scale Models impressed collectors this fall with a range of collectible toys of 1953, 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993 and 2003.  

          First Gear had an impressive exhibit.  This toy maker is becoming well known for its International truck and construction equipment.  The big news from First Gear is the 1/25 scale IH 433 Dual Engine Pay Scraper due out in 2004.

        There would be not be a National with out Toy Farmer Magazine. It was the Toy Farmer who launched the show in 1977. Now in its 26th Year Toy Farmer is the leading magazine in our hobby and has built the hobby up beyond anyone's imagination.   Toy Farmer has brought collectors together around the world and many of those collectors come to the big show each November. 

          Toy Farmer had its latest version of  the Big Bud 16V-747 on hand at the show.  Slated for release in 2004 the 1/16 "Factory Version" of the 747 will be the largest 1/16 farm toy ever made.   Die-Cast Promotions who has produced the 1/32 and 1/64 747's will now produce the 1/16 version for Toy Farmer. The level of detail on this model is quite impressive.  It will retail for $300.  ToyTractorShow.com will feature close up pictures of the 1/16 16V-747's detail in the December Farm Toy Report. 

          The owners of the the Big Bud 16V-747 has their own table at the National.  Robert and Randy Williams farm 10,000 acres of small grains in Montana with the 900 hp 16V-747.  The William's were selling a 1/64 model of their tractor with a special signature imprint with autographs.  The brothers also were happy to autograph other 16V-747's and Big Buds. 

         The Commercial Club Park was one of the early locations of the National Farm Toy Show.  While not the main the location today it still houses many toy dealers during the show. 

         Many well known people in our hobby have tables at the National Toy Show.  TTT visited with several people involved in the hobby during the show. 

         Ken Updike the author of International Harvester Tractors 1955-1985, Farmall Cubs & Cub Cadet has a table featuring CaseIH and IH toys.  Ken also writes a CaseIH toy update for Red Power Magazine and is regular poster on ToyTractorShow.com's Toy Talk as Bermuda Ken.      Ken is an very knowledgeable source on IH and CaseIH toys.  You can purchase the latest red toys from ken at http://www.cngco.com. 

       Graham and Michelle Miller have attend almost every National Farm Toy Show. This is an impressive feat but even more impressive because they are from Hertfordshire, England.   Each year the Millers' make the eight hour flight to attend the show and set up a table offering both American and European Farm Toys.  The Graham and Michelle were the first farm toy dealers to import Ertl toys to England.   For there pioneering efforts and years of involvement the Miller's were inducted in the Farm Toy Hall of Fame a few years ago.  The Miller's have their own on-line store at http://www.gandmfarmmodels.co.uk/. 

        Gordy Schultz is well known to 1/64 collectors. Gordy scratch builds 1/64 models from plastic resin to fill gaps on model farms. Gordy is pictured here on the left with his partner Mike Doctor on the right.  Gordy build hay, harvesting and tillage models.  You can see many of his items at http://www.toytractorshow.com/toy_farmin.htm. 

         Mark Wikner has served the collector community for 25 years making replacement and custom decals.  Mark has a great selection of decals in all scales available. He carries almost every make and model of tractor and combine.  The only brand that Mark does not carry is CaseIH, International or Case.  Another decal maker has those brands.   Mark as a full catalog showing his decals and is best known for his speedy service.  You can contact Mark by e-mail at decalman@cfu.net .

           Don Cambell is a talented builder of steel models.  Don and his wife Debbie have been a part of the National Toy Show since 1998  when Don won the display contest.  Don was so surprised and honored by the award.  He and Debbie are the nicest people you could meet in our hobby.  Don's models are all steel construction , 18ga. , the parts are individually cut out and shaped to form each piece of the machine. All the parts are then welded or bolted to complete the model. No glue, plastic, or brass. After the building is completed, the model is then sandblasted, the welds are filled and sanded. Primer and paint is applied with paint guns, not spray cans. Decals are applied last. These models are very solid and can be handled frequently without having to worry about them falling apart . The detail in the engines alone have over 75 pieces on each one. The steering axles and tie rods are hand built.  Don has built tractors, combines, implements and construction pieces in scales ranging from 1/12 to 1/16.  In 2003 he has built some even larger construction models.  Don shares his work and building tips on his website at http://www.doncampbellmodels.com . 

      Kate Bossen is one the best and largest toy dealers to purchase from in the nation.   Bossen Implement serves collectors of all scales, brands and interests.  Kate is one of the few toy dealers in North America that carries European farm toys in addition the main line Ertl, Scale Models, Spec-Cast and DCP products.   Kate was one of the first toy dealers on the web.  In 2004 Bossen Implement is expanding its web offerings with consignment sales and a toy finder service.  You find one of the largest farm toy selections on the web at http://www.bossenimp.com/. 

             The National Farm Toy Museum is a big part of the show.  Many well known toy dealers including Bossen Implement are set up in the museum.  The Toy Tractor Times calls the museum home during the show.  Here is our table featuring the on-line magazine and 2003 TTT tractor.   Rick Larsen and I enjoyed having so many visitors during the show. 

            You never know who might meet at the National.  Jason Renfrow stopped by the TTT table to say hello.  Jason was our first new subscriber, when the e-issue was launched in April. Jason is subscriber #1.  Jason is pictured above standing with me holding the original issue of The Toy Tractor Times from August 1983.   I really appreciate Jason's subscription and giving the new TTT a chance.  Jason has collected farm toys since the 1980's.  This spring he was searching for farm toy information on-line.  He had never heard of The Toy Tractor Times Magazine but it looked like the type of information he was looking for, so he signed up.  Jason really enjoys each issue and now visits ToyTractorShow.com almost daily.  We will run a future story on Jason and his collection.  Thank you to all the subscribers who have followed Jason and to those new readers who joined at the National.    

         Jeff Moore stopped by the TTT table as well.  Jeff has been a goof friend for a number of years.   Jeff owns Moore's Farm Toys.  Moore's offers all sorts of 1/64 parts for tractors, combines and pullers.  Moore's has their own table in the high school with all the parts you could need.  Make sure to visit Jeff's website at http://www.mooresfarmtoys.com

      Roger and Steven Blair of Hancock, MN won the 2003 National Farm Toy Display contest.   Their 1/16 display had a great looking work shop on it.  When you look into the shop it looks almost real.  Just look at the picture below.  You would almost think it is a real shop.  The lighting, tools and walls are nicely crafted to create a life like shop.  The Lowell Davis figures look right at home.  Congradulations to the Blairs' on their win at the National. 

            The Display contest is a big part of the show.  Collectors from across the country bring their model farms and custom projects to the show.  The hours of intense work pay off as thousands of people come to look at the models and farms.  Mark Lyman was one of 14 entrees this year.  He had a nice display showing allot of action.  He enjoyed being part of the show and picked up several ideas.  He plans to show again in 2004.  Keep up the good work Mark.  

       Mark Lyman's display is just a sample of the interesting displays at this years show.  Additional displays built by TTS members are featured in this months "Down on the Model Farm" article. 

      I hope you have enjoyed TTT's overview of the National. If you have never been to a National Farm Toy Show, keep it on your to do list.  I look forward to seeing many of you at next years show. 

TTT November 2003 Page 9

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