Contributed by collector and Overstreet Advisor Art Cloos
Photos by Alice Cloos
One of the longest running vintage toy shows on the East Coast returned on Saturday, November 5, 2022. The 44th edition of the Allentown Vintage Toy Show went off at the Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Agricultural Hall venue. It would have been the 45th, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show was canceled in 2020 for the only time in its history.
The show is something of a legend among vintage toy collectors who come from all over the US and from overseas to attend. By “vintage,” the show means pieces at least 50 years old and in the early days of the convention, violating that rule could result in the dealer being removed. Per the sign-up information, show staff monitor dealer tables to ensure that the items offered fit the “vintage” criteria. They have, however, become more lenient about that age range these days.
Many of the dealers have set up there for years and the same can be said for the show attendees. There is a lot of history on display here. From Disney to 19th century cast iron toys, from TV to radio shows, from comic to pulp based collectibles there was a vast variety of items available for purchase. Don’t plan to go through this show in an hour. It just is not going to happen, especially for serious buyers looking for a particular item or items. You get the sense quite quickly that this is a seasoned group of veteran dealers who know exactly what they have and what they are willing to accept for it. Likewise, it was quite obvious that the buyers at the show know their stuff and know what an item should cost as opposed to what is being asked. Prices are not generally cheap, but bargains can be found or negotiated. I am happy to say I did not come home empty handed.
Auction houses in attendance included Morphy Auctions, Milestone Auctions, and Bertoia Auctions.
No review of this show is complete without mentioning David Bausch, who is the special person in charge of the show. He is extremely knowledgeable about collecting antiques of many kinds, and he is an antique car and toy collector. Automobiles were his first passion, then came the toys as an outgrowth of collecting toys related to cars. Soon he and his friend Jeannie Lowe were hitting all of the antique stores searching for car related items and toys. They made contacts and they saw the value of the stuff before many others did. While going to antique fairs where all kinds of historical items were sold, they began to ask each other why is there no such show for toys? That is why he and Lowe were the perfect pair to create The Allentown Vintage Toy Show 45 years ago. At the age of 91, (in two weeks from when I typed this) he is still in charge of his show, and he keeps a sharp eye on everything going on.
When Allie and I went to our first Allentown show, we discovered that there was not much advertising except in some national collecting magazines. It was very much a word of mouth event which is pretty much how we originally found out about it. Both the dealers and buyers had been coming together for this show for a long time and the feeling I got was they didn’t need publicity for the show. Things have changed now.
At this edition of the show, Allie and I were amazed at how friendly dealers and buyers were and many of them did not want to stop talking once a conversation was started. Allie noted that there were new exhibitors who brought some different types of materials, and this expanded the already extensive choice of items to choose from. Also, in talking to attendees, she discovered that at this show there were a lot of first timers there. The Facebook page is now very active and there is a lot of interaction with pictures posted every day and a banner that features a different show dealer every month. It is a must if you want to be kept up to date on the show.
Age has been creeping up on the people who make up this show, and we lost my friend who had set up there for many years. But, new dealers are coming in and Allie was told the only empty tables this year were for dealers who could not make it.
Allentown Vintage Toy Show is a great opportunity to see friends and make new ones. While waiting in line, we met a Marx Playset collector, and I stopped by Noel Barret of Antiques Road Show fame who was promoting his auction company, Pook Pook Inc. Later, I met an interesting collector of Christmas decorations who showed me tons of images from his collection. I also ran into longtime friend, Ron Prager, who is getting back into conventions post-pandemic.
Once done with the show, I heartily recommend checking out the Allentown Fairgrounds right across the street. Dan Wuchter, who has been a part of the farmers market since it opened in 1955, and with his wife Laurie, keep the gears turning at the farmers market today. With over 60 local merchants, you’re sure to find everything you need in one quick stop. You can find a variety of lunch or dinner items, and there is an impressive amount of farm produce from vegetables to fruits to fresh meats.
There are several nice hotels located in the area and local attractions to check to make a weekend getaway out of attending. During the weekend, we ate most meals at Linx, a nice pub that is nearby, which has karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Allentown Vintage Toy show will return in 2023 on the first Saturday in November, which is the traditional date. Admission is only $5 but you can pay $50 for early admission on Friday, which is set up day. However, the promoters are discussing make it a two-day event on both Saturday and Sunday. You can find them on Facebook and you can also contact Susan at sfrey5564@gmail.com, Julie at jsauerzopf@msn.com, or call (484) 553-2947. You can also call the Fairgrounds at (610) 433-7541 for more information.
To see more photos from the Allentown Vintage Toy Show, jump to our Catch the Wave section.
