hello. a lot can change in 10 years. Anyone remember these g

Hello. I used to be a member on here years ago and a collector of vintage SW figures. My membership details are lost in the mists if time.

Life and family meant that I haven't even thought about my collection in years. Until my lad started playing with some of my old beat up figures from when I was a lad. I got my collection out the loft, got interested again and an tempted to build another complete set with my lad. Unless he gets bored (I'll probably carry on anyway).

Now I built my collection years ago. 1999 was when I started. Although later on I did buy from eBay, I mainly bought from people. Real live people.

It seems every single one of those people have disappeared, rather depressingly.

So two questions:

1. Is collecting vintage SW going to be an online endeavour nowadays? Do people still have such things as shops. Yes I sound like an old fart

2. Anyone else remember these guys? In descending order of the masses of figures I bought from them. Would love to know what happened to them all:

Bob in the antiques market in the barbican in Plymouth. Spent hundreds there

Mark Hignett aka Spikes collectibles In torpoint. Used to do memorabilia at the NEC

The chap in Gloucester docks. Dave from memory. In fact there were two big dealers there. One on the third floor and one ground floor. Was very depressed when I went back to Gloucester to find nothing there

Purple Haze in Plymouth. They didn't have much on sale but they did trigger my interest with their full set on the wall at the back of the shop. Kathy's comics too although they didn't have much

Speckled Hen in Exeter.

Sellers at memorabilia at the NEC. Luminous Beings? Another bunch of guys who were heavily into variants. A chap who was selling tri logo boba fetts for 15 a pop out of a big bag. Wish I could remember the names now. I sent their again for old times sake circa 2005ish. There was nothing vintage really and never went again.

Anyone out there?

... plus events in the transport museum by Bristol Temple Meads plus a small stand in Wolverhampton indoor market.

Both appear to be no more.

On the other hand today I went to a place called Global Collectibles in Bristol. Figures were a bit rough for me but good to know at least someone is still out there trading.

Did the guy in Global Collectibles try to sell you some "extremely rare" Clarkes shoes? :lol:

There are still shops about and a thread was started sometime last year to try and list them all.

http://www.starwarsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21011&hilit=shops&start=0#p287180

I think most people use the internet for purchases and I have bought a fair bit on line although Ebay is a total mine field these days so you're better off looking here on the sales thread. I've never had a problem buying from SWFUK but if you're worried check out the feedback page or check to see if the seller has an approved trader lightsaber.

It sounds like you might be located in the westcuntry and I can totally recommend attended a Farthest From show in Fordingbridge. There's an insane amount of vintage on sale and you'll get to meet a lot of us too. I have no idea when the next one is though.

Hope that helps.

Hello xbomber I live in the South West and visit Plymouth every now and then, the only shop I know of is Final Frontier which is located right at the bottom of Cornwall street and has some loose vintage and every now and then some MOC's. Plymouth Guild Hall often have Ski-fi events probably 2 or 3 times a year and their is usully loads of vintage for sale. Their's one on 30 May called DEVCON doors open at 10.30am. Let me know if you find any where else as I am always on the hunt.

Afraid colllecting vintage is very internet based these day's Facebook seems to be the place but I don't know much about that. :roll:

Cheers Adam.

Welcome back xbomber! 8)

Where in Torpoint was Spikes shop?,I only ask as I used to be in the Navy 2001-2005 & used to frequent Torpoint regularly & don't remember a vintage toy shop being there! :?:

Then again,I only used to get as far as the Trot,Kings Arms,Wheelers,Harbour Lights then the Chinese on the corner across from Wheelers! :lol:

Mark

Clarkspie&chips said:

It sounds like you might be located in the westcuntry and I can totally recommend attended a Farthest From show in Fordingbridge. There's an insane amount of vintage on sale and you'll get to meet a lot of us too. I have no idea when the next one is though.

Hope that helps.

Click to expand...

Soon to be announced I believe. The date for the upcoming show of the same time last year was end of July. They are generally somewhere around the same dates each year. Easily the best (and only dedicated vintage) Star Wars show in the UK

Clarkspie&chips said:

Did the guy in Global Collectibles try to sell you some "extremely rare" Clarkes shoes? :lol:

There are still shops about and a thread was started sometime last year to try and list them all.

http://www.starwarsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21011&hilit=shops&start=0#p287180

I think most people use the internet for purchases and I have bought a fair bit on line although Ebay is a total mine field these days so you're better off looking here on the sales thread. I've never had a problem buying from SWFUK but if you're worried check out the feedback page or check to see if the seller has an approved trader lightsaber.

It sounds like you might be located in the westcuntry and I can totally recommend attended a Farthest From show in Fordingbridge. There's an insane amount of vintage on sale and you'll get to meet a lot of us too. I have no idea when the next one is though.

Hope that helps.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Really helpful stuff. I can see I'll be doing some swapping on here soon.

No shoes but he did tell me a story about going up to palitoy when they closed and buying hundreds of nein numb mail aways . them he told the next bloke in the shop . Then I read it again on the thread you linked. He must like telling that one.

It was a depressing experience. Beaten up figures at high prices. May stick to online buying or more likely swapping as I found a load of doubles last night.

DarthStanley said:

Welcome back xbomber! 8)

Where in Torpoint was Spikes shop?,I only ask as I used to be in the Navy 2001-2005 & used to frequent Torpoint regularly & don't remember a vintage toy shop being there! :?:

Then again,I only used to get as far as the Trot,Kings Arms,Wheelers,Harbour Lights then the Chinese on the corner across from Wheelers! :lol:

Mark

Click to expand...

Sorry I should have been clearer. Mark was mainly shows but if he knew him you could go round. Like an Aladdin's cave of vintage it was. Mullion Close was the address I think. I must be getting on, I can remember random information like that from years ago but can't remember what I had for tea last night.

I lived in Plymouth same time you were down. Great times. If the jobs were there I'd be there now.

theforceuk said:

Hello xbomber I live in the South West and visit Plymouth every now and then, the only shop I know of is Final Frontier which is located right at the bottom of Cornwall street and has some loose vintage and every now and then some MOC's. Plymouth Guild Hall often have Ski-fi events probably 2 or 3 times a year and their is usully loads of vintage for sale. Their's one on 30 May called DEVCON doors open at 10.30am. Let me know if you find any where else as I am always on the hunt.

Afraid colllecting vintage is very internet based these day's Facebook seems to be the place but I don't know much about that. :roll:

Cheers Adam.

Click to expand...

Hi Adam. I'm in Bristol and more than happy to compare notes on what I find. Guild hall!! No way! I used to go there about 1998. Great it's still going.

I'm sometimes in Plymouth so will check out that one plus the other mentioned on the thread clarkspiesndchips put me onto.

Nick

Yeah nice one would love to find some more, let me know if your going to the Guild Hall as I will probably go.

It was Hen's Teeth in Exeter, not speckled hen. My mistake.

Sorry mate I do not know any of this guys.

But I know what you talk about, a lot have changed the last 10 years. I started to collect in 2001 and a lot have changed.

Many of the first guys I bought from do not collect today as far as I know and many of them have I not heard from in more than 10 years.

I also remember the toy was cheaper, there was more to choose from and I also met privately with many of them. Today more and more deals is on the internet and you have to be very fast if you want to get a childhood collection. 10 years ago or just a few years ago they could be for sale in days or weeks, now 5 or 10 minutes later they are sold, it is ****ing crazy.