ONTARIO MODEL SOLDIERS SOCIETY ANNUAL SHOW,
JUNE 15, 2024 – TORONTO, ONTARIO CANADA
Although my wife and I visit our daughters and family in Canada each year it never seems to coincide with the Annual OMSS Show. This year was an exception.
I can’t tell you how excited I was to travel to the show’s new location in the west end of Toronto. The venue had two large rooms and a stage, all put to good use, with lots of tantalizing items for sale, a competition area full of very interesting entries and the stage being used as a wargamer area.
The first person I met was my friend Ian Pearson, who I also encountered in last year’s Chicago Show and the Atlanta Show in February. Ian is also an author and publisher of a book entitled, “History of the Marches of Canada”. In it, was made mention of some of my musical relatives. He presently has
another book at the publishers.
The sales area was full of vendors. Their tables were loaded with a great selection of figures, new and
old. Brent Reeves travelled all the way from Windsor, 4½ hours west, and was selling figures from various manufacturers. Dave Norman was selling metal figures, including Britains. I purchased Lt. General Sir Thomas Picton at the battle of Waterloo on horse, an excellent Britains figure from
Brent Rieton. Mike Chries had a great selection of Britian’s on sale. Grant Lawson was selling Del Prado, of which I bought a few. John Hambly was there with a great selection of naval figures. Scott Dummit came quite a distance from east of Toronto to man his table. A former naval veteran, Scott has his own business and is very involved in most aspects of the club. Scott makes and sells figures representing the Canadian military. On this occasion I bought a Britain’s 95th rifles bugler at Waterloo
from him.
Jim Qualtrough was selling a variety of figures. He is also well known for his model ship restoration, repairs, cleaning and assessing model ships. I had a great surprise and joy in meeting the daughter of an old friend and her husband, Richard Wiggleworth. Her father, Mark, had passed away and they were selling his collection. Something we see all too often, I am afraid.
As I was turning a corner on my last pass around the show, I stopped at Steve Rollonsin’s table. For many years I have been looking for a set of British cavalry with lances which I had to leave behind as a boy in Nova Scotia when we moved to Ontario. As I looked over all the figures on his table I saw
some lancers. I immediately checked on my phone for the description of the set of lancers that I had been looking for over many years. There they were the Queen’s Bays. I bought the set and Steve threw in an extra at no cost. That really made my day.
Another good friend Keith Ritchie, past president and now chief competition judge, was hard at work with his team, carefully looking over every detail of each piece entered in the competition. Each look resulted in an entry in each judge’s competition form. I was impressed not only with the quality but
that the table was full of entries. There were about 49 entries in five categories that filled the competition tables. I enjoyed taking my time to look at each and appreciate the thought and hard
work that went into each of these.
One of the great benefits of collecting/ making model soldiers is the friends you make, and the fun shared. The OMSS Show was well worth a visit and new friends made. I am now looking forward to the largest Toy Soldier Show in the world in Chicago this September and the South Carolina Military Miniatures Show at the Confederate and Relic Room in Columbia, SC November 9, 2024. Happy modelling y’all.
About the author: Norman Cuthbert is a member of the Ontario Model Soldier Society (51 years) and a
member of South Carolina Military Miniature Society (12 years) and lives in Charlotte, NC.