Other large toy shows, like those held annually in Chicago and in Glendale CA,[4] York PA[5] and Kalamazoo MI[6] also benefit from international, as well as local, exposure.
These shows tend to have been in existence for longer periods of time – usually for decades, and typically retain the same management over years.
A typical monthly calendar in as recently as 1995 would find Florida shows devoted exclusively to the buying and selling of antique toys, dolls and collectibles being held in such geographically diverse locations (hundreds of miles apart) as West Palm Beach, Sarasota, Winter Park, Hialeah, Ocala and Ft. Lauderdale.
But within the sphere of antique toys, dolls include not only the classic 'baby' variety but also the jointed (and heavily accessorized) soldiers first popular in the 1960s as well as the detailed 4" action figures modeled after the casts of television shows and movies, that became the collector rage in the mid-1970s.
While local and regional collectors' groups may host a show devoted specifically to dolls, the larger antique toy shows, like those in Miami, Toledo and Kalamazoo, are dedicated to all manner of childhood memorabilia and actively seek to include doll collectors among their dealers.
The promoters and organizers work with the venue's management to arrive at an effective, efficient floor plan layout of the tables, for the comfort of all the dealers and attendees.
Chiefly, they are not at all like the mail-order or internet methods because at a Toy Show, a prospective buyer can hold and touch the object of their interest.
The buyer can thoroughly examine the article, and discuss with the dealer in detail the condition, the provenance, and other important aspects of the purchase.
A toy show offers the excitement of a live event, and provides the opportunity for dealers and collectors to experience and share their enthusiasm in their common interest.
Of course, any antique toy show also offers the undeniable pleasure of buyers obtaining their prize purchases the moment the 'deal' is 'sealed' – something that is impossible to achieve through mail order and internet sales – to then immediately take home and enjoy.