The Little World

Here in Perth, Western Australia, we have been told that the big local scale model exhibition that’s been going for decades will fold up after this year.

This is sad. The reasons given for this is the retirement of the organising committee and the lack of any volunteers to replace them. There may also be some problem with the costs that arise from this sort of thing – the hall complex that normally houses the annual weekend show may be demanding too high a price.

This is just speculation, but it causes one to think about what the show was and why it has been staged all these years. There have been four components; display, competition, trade sales, and recruitment. A swap-meet also featured largely in the Sunday’s pleasures.

Well, the trade aspect was catered for by several of the shops that set up their stands in the hall. They all have their own premises that are open throughout the year, and we can visit them all week if we wish. Even country visitors can make a special trip to Perth and do five shops in a day.
Show special prices could be done over a counter.

Swap meets are now being held every four months or so, and if these were more widely advertised they would burgeon. The pricing and sales are the responsibility…or liability…of the participants anyway.

That leaves display and competition – both activities that turn largely upon our vanity and wish for praise. Well, display for two days and a yellow prize ribbon are laudable, but pretty transient. Old scale modelling magazines have more long-term life than the big scale modelling exhibition.

What to do? Read on in future posts…