"Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-17

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"Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-17

Post by Sporrns »

If you are in the area, come by the MD Arms Collectors Ass'n. (MACA) at the Fairgrounds at Timonium MD this coming weekend, 16-17 March. Show is open from 9AM to 5PM Sat. and 9AM to 3PM Sunday. (Don't forget to wear your green for St. Patrick's Day if you come Sunday!

Bill Murphy and I will be at our usual location, Tables B 4 & 5 in the main hall. While not an "official" AHFCA function, I will have a small display of XEs; just 3 guns but one in each gauge. A number of notable Foxophiles will be there as well. So come on buy and chew the fat, oogle guns, and swap stories of the olden days!

See you there, Kevin
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by James Orr »

looking forward to seeing you there on Saturday.

Regards,
Jim Orr
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by Sporrns »

The show is now history but there were a number of surprises that we reveled in. I did a display on XE Foxes, only 3 guns, but one in each grade, which was very well received. (No award, but I've won my share over the years so let the younger newer guys take home some gold!). Concensus among the exhibitors was that this year's turnout was a bit light - most agreed at about 5/8 to 3/4 the usual numbers. A little hard to understand given that Friday at noon waiting in line to set up it was 70 degrees and sunny! Yesterday and today were chilly with brisk breezes, but no rain, sleet or snow, which any MACA show veteran will tell you was "standard issue" many times!

Seen in commerce but passed on or missed: A really beautifully engraved CE grade but missing the short rib extensionunder the barrels between the forend lug and ejector feet, also a botched right ejector in bad need of adjustment (I passed but a less vigilant lad snagged it). Also an absolutely beautiful SPE Skeet Special 12 ga. in mint condition (I passed since I have one as good), snagged by a show-resident Foxophile who prefers to remain unnamed (killer gun!); a heartbreaker very early, high-condition pin gunith color and great wood, missing its forend, offered for $300 and let go for less; a really nice all original Savage 16 Sterly with tons of color, great wood & no "bodgering", walked around by the son of the owner who bought it new. (I passed again because I already have one just as good). Most exciting unconfirmed rumor was the probable existence of a DE 20 ga. that was included in a mass purchase of a 250+ gun collection out of PA! Exhibitor would not confirm or deny, but grilled about "current market value" figures for DE 20s. "Investigation continues"......

Attached is a shot of the display; again, fun to put on but a LOT of work!! Layout consisted of story boards explaining how the grade came to be in the Fox lineup, a description of how Gough's restyled/redesigned engraving patterns changed the look of the grade from "1st gen" to "2nd gen", advertising and marketing strategies, and figures on comparative rarity of the grade in the various gauges. Redhead duck decoy, woodcock, dove, and hanging yellowlegs carvings offset the guns, along with an appropriate vintage shell box for each gauge's use in the marshes and fields. Light blink coming thru the open warehouse type garage doors blurred & lightened the image, but you can get the idea. Enjoy, Kevin.
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by Researcher »

Nice work Kevin. Thanks for all your effort.
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by Jim Cloninger »

Kevin, you did an incredible job, as usual. Keep us updated on the DE 20. Jim
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by JasonPeck »

Very sharp as usual Kevin.
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by James Orr »

Very good display and good to talk with you and of course to handle your latest. Keep me in mind. Thank you for all your dedication.
Regards,
Jim Orr
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by Sporrns »

Many thanks for all the positive comments, guys. It (for me) is always worth the effort.

One tip I wanted to pass along regarding display materials, Jason and I (and I hope a few others) have used the "Fox Gets the Game" banner in our displays in a couple of different ways. This time I found a large, vintage-looking frame that fit the banner perfectly for width, and also allowed 6 inches or so at the bottom to insert a logo title or phrase (this time it was "The A.H. Fox Gun Company XE Grade" in red letters on a yellow field (great combo for bad-light shows!).

I originally thought I could just attach the banner to the glass using double-sided tape, thereby avoiding taking the backing panel and matting out of the frame, etc., then doing the same to the title bar space. Luckily, when I went to the craft store to buy the tape, the craft mavens there asked me what type of material the banner was made from. They told me not to use double-sided tape; that it would release easily from the glass surface but likely pull holes out of the banner material due to the powerful chemicals in the tape. Sure enough, most packaging warned of "permanent bonding", etc. Good to know before ripping holes in your $45 banner! I wound up disassembling the frame & components, positioning the banner in the upper field using common Scotch tape to hole in place, then placing and taping the title bar space. Took a lot longer but I still have an intact banner! Kevin
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by JasonPeck »

Very interesting Kevin. For my display last year I just used 2 large brass split pin fasteners through the banner holes to a cardboard backing.
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by Sporrns »

Jason, here is a closeup of the banner/poster. The backing to the mat and glass insets is a hard tenite hardboard held in place by glazing points spaced about 5 inches apart all around the inside rim of the frame. I guess I could have used heavy cardboard but with the glass, the hardboard gives the frame much more stability; the downside is it adds to the weight of course. Kevin
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by fox-admin »

I had an opportunity to visit Kevin briefly at the show. Very nice display of high quality Fox XE's with great story boards.,decoys and a shore bird carving. Thank you Kevin well done!!!
The show is more of a quality military show but just enough shotguns to keep my interest. I did see some nice shotgun shell boxes and a couple of decent Parkers, one 8 ga and an interesting 16ga 32 with duck engraving and no safety. If it was closer to home I would attend every year but a 5 1/2 hour drive makes it not an annual event for me.
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by MARSHFELLOW »

Kevin,
I truly like the framed Fox banner that both you & Jason have at the shows. Very eye catching & classy. Always enjoy talking with you & Murph at the show. Say hello to brother Tom for me.
tjw
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by TOOL MAN »

Great show display Kevin!! You are indeed the P.T. Barnum of Foxdom!! Thanks for all of your efforts and to anyone who exhibits with style and creativity----like you and Jason----the accent is on EFFORT!

PS----Guess I'll retain my title as the village idiot. I brought my banner to a "professional" framer and he handed me a bill for 4x the cost of the vinyl. And it doesn't look half as good as what you two created. Live and learn. :oops: :oops: :oops:
On the whole....I'd rather be in Philadelphia....
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by Sporrns »

Thanks again, guys - I like doing these displays from the educational aspect as well as being able to put something together that expresses a personal touch in terms of layout, accoutrements, etc. I always try to look at it from the point of view of how many people are actually going to have the opportunity to see and examine any of these guns in hand. It's one thing to wade through MMs book and try to extract figures and styles in the mind's eye, but quite another to see the actual guns there before you. Kevin
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Re: "Old Baltimore" Show at Timonium MD Fairgrounds Mar 16-1

Post by eightbore »

To add to Kevin's list of "Fox Finds" at the show, I will add a nice little Skeet and Upland Game 12 gauge.
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