9th Annual Marx Toy & Train Collectors National Convention
and
JohnnyCon 2007 West Virginia

On June 15th-17th, several members of the NoVA Joe Club (Scott, Curtis, and Brian) attended the 9th Annual Marx Toy & Train Collectors National Convention at the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum.  The curators, Alan and Alan (father and son) where incredible hosts - and you could tell they were dedicated and cared a great deal about the museum!

In addition, the CircleXRanch (Noah and Terri Coop) hosted the West Virginia 2007 JohnnyCon.  Along with the incredible displays at the toy museum (some of which appear below) and the fantastic Marx Toys sale and convention, there was a custom figure contest Scott Stewart of Stewart's Attic hosted.

Friday afternoon, most of us headed over to the Official Marx Toy Museum of Glen Dale, WV.  This was an incredible museum and we have some pictures to show you too!

In addition, Friday night we had the chance to attend a Marx figure and playset sale. We got some truly incredible items and got to see the old Marx factory. For example, Brian got a complete Stony Smith soldier in box - a toy he had as a child - in great shape and a great Sam Cobra to build a custom James West, Scott and Curtis picked up some Johnny West store display figures and horse, and a whole lot more!

The car you see in the picture above is an operating 1:1 scale version of one of Marx's most famous toys cars.  The The Virtual Marx Museum provided the 1:1 scale car.  In the car was a handout that read (and I have paraphrased):

The Amos & Andy Fresh Air Taxi parade car is a size version of the toy
that was made by the Louis Marx Company in Erie, PA.  

The toy was produced in 1930 at the 18th & Raspberry plant which was
the first factory that produced Marx toys.

The parade car was made from a 1930 Ford Sedan that George Gauthier
and the Perry Highway Hose Company Volunteers built for parades in
the 1950s and 1960s!!!

   
The original toy


Brian in the car!  *HONK*  *HONK*

The Toy Museum

What can we say - that toy museum was incredible.  Certainly something for everyone!  From old tin toys to modern toys, old trains to modern trains, old dolls to new dolls, this museum was a joy.  Take a look at our page for 8th Annual Marx Toy & Train Collectors National Convention and JohnnyCon 2006 for pictures of the museum itself.

9th Annual Marx Toy & Train Collectors National Convention
and
JohnnyCon 2007 West Virginia


Convention


Scott Stewart from Stewart's Attic.  Scott kept the peace and protected the
plains as the newest character figure in the JohnnyWest series :-)
(And yes ... that is a REAL Bronze.  Scott was awared that in Desert Storm.)


Here is a figure Scott did of himself
when he was part of Desert Storm.


Terri Coop talking to Scott.  
The Coops (Terri and Noah) - owners of  
the CircleXRanch - sponsored the JohnnyCon
portion of the event .


Tom Heaton
Author of "The Encyclopedia of Marx Action Figures"
and the associated
"Module 1: The Johnny West Adventure Series"
and "Module 2: The Best of the West Series 1974".
You can get the book and the modules direct from Tom at
his Vintage Toy Room website.


A couple of the guys from "The Marx-Man".


One of the dealer rooms in the basement (there were about 5
rooms in the basement.

Up on the main entrance floor - some more dealers.


Up on the top floor of the museum - still more!

Jim Wolfe and his table.

Custom Figure and Display Contest


Very cool customs of figures from the Stephen King "Dark Towers" series.


What is the Wild West without a shootout?


Hidalgo rides again!


Chuckwagon sing-a-long!


The Marx Figure And Playset Sale

Check our 8th Annual Marx Toy & Train Collectors National Convention and JohnnyCon 2006 site for pictures of what the sale looked like.

The sale was held in the old Marx Union Hall, which was right next to the old Marx factory.  After the sale, some of us took a walk down to the
factory to check it out for ourselves!

The Marx Factory


The Marx factory.


This is the water tower from the old factory.

The Official Marx Toy Museum of Glen Dale, WV

The Official Marx Toy Museum of Glen Dale, WV is an incredible museum.  This museum had some of the Marx playsets, laid out in all of their glory, many of the action figures (Johnny West, Johnny Apollo, Stony Smith, and the 8" figures), many of the tin toys, and more!  The museum also has several movies they play that show the history of the Marx toy company.


As with virtually all other companies during World War II, Marx put
aside their primary business and used their factories to make munitions.


One of the increduible Marx playsets.


Some more of the playsets ...

In addition to the incredible playsets and other Marx toys, there were several Johnny West store displays.


One of Brian's favorites (and something he collects) the Marx Famous Firearms.
(Brian picked up several at the Marx Show/Johnny-Con and Friday Night Sales.)


Curtis picked up this set (with box) at the Marx Show/Johnny-Con.


Knights anyone? They have several on display.


They have many cases of Johnny West and Best Of The West.


The great Sam Cobra - including (on the right) the Quick-Draw version.


Being here is like being .... a kid at Christmas!