BOTSTOCK X I I I - THE OFFICIAL THREAD

[kennetzel]

Thanks Joe.

 

[Andyman]

Don't drink all the beer, Joe.

[I Robot]

Sounds perfect Joe!  I'll be in town sometime tomorrow afternoon. 

 

🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻

[Joe K.]

I've got some last minute running around to do, so I probably won't be in the shop 'til late afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone. Have a safe trip. 

[Tinman]

Does anyone know if the event at Phil's is still on for Saturday, I'm driving up from Bel Air, MD and was going to go straight to York?

[Phil R]

Bill and all those interested in coming to my house Saturday 10-1?. Definitely still on as I've been preparing all week.

 2242 cedar Road York PA  17408. So far 8 people. I'M PROVIDING LUNCH AND A FEW SURPRISES.

Please let me know by some time Friday if you're coming. I'll also provide Mapquest for those interested. I live on the west end of York just north, approx 50-60 minutes from Adamstown, pretty much all Rt 222 and Us 30.

After Friday at Adamstown I'm going home for final prep Saturday. Perhaps you can carpool similar to the Chambersburg  Brady trips.

[Electric Robot and Son]

I will be attending Phil.

[Tinman]

I'll be there Phil; I'm driving straight there from MD so your place will be my first Botstock stop!  ER&S, if you catch a ride to Phil's you can return to Adamstown with me...give us time to catch up.

[I Robot]

I'll be there too Phil

[Morbius]

Kelly and I are there in spirits...

[Joe K.]

My thanks to Mary Young for writing this article that appeared in Wednesday's Berks Country supplement in The Reading Eagle newspaper:

[Morbius]

Very nice Joe, wonderful article.  

[nasa]

Congratulations Joe.....well deserved....and nice shirt!

[Joe K.]

Thanks guys. This should be easier to read:

Treasure Hunt by Mary Young

OUT OF THIS WORLD AND A LOT OF FUN

Stoudtburg Village has been a fixture behind Black Angus Antiques Mall on Route 272 in the Adamstown area for about 20 years now. 

I've been to The Little Doll House & Hospital in the village often enough but never explored the rest of the village until recently, when Karen Redsicker, aka the Dolly Doc, suggested I have a look.

The market's owner, Ed Stoudt, built the village in Bavarian style. The design enables shop owners to operate their businesses on the first floor and live above them. It's an ideal setup for antiques, collectibles, crafts and gifts.

The first shop I visited was Out of This World Oddities & Artifacts. The sign on the door states: "Some things old, some things new, all things fun."

It's a small gift shop with an attached museum. Its name is appropriate. You'll understand why after you read the story of owner Joseph Knedlhans.

He's a retired New York City police officer. For the last 10 years of his 20-year career, he was with the emergency service unit, New York's version of a SWAT team.

He worked with a robot that was sent into situations involving hostages, barricaded suspects, emotionally disturbed people or any incident in which the bad guy threatened to shoot police officers.

"We had bells and whistles, tear gas and shotguns, but we would try to defuse the situation with a machine," Joe said.

The machine was an Andros Mark V by Remotec. It was capable of climbing stairs, opening doors and using keys to open locks. It was equipped with a laser-sighted Taser.

Joe met his wife, Margo Moore, on patrol. She owned The Chocolate Garden, a shop on the east side of Manhattan.

She had been a model, a film actress and a news photographer. Her last job was corporate events planner for Working Woman and Working Mother magazines.

The Adamstown area was a getaway for Joe and Margo. She collected piggy banks, pig salt and pepper sets and porcelain pigs. On one of their trips, she spotted a small plastic robot.

"She said, 'You work with robots,' " Joe recalled. " 'I'll buy it for you.' "

Robots began multiplying.

Margo was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, shortly before they signed the papers to buy the property in the village. She died a year later.

Today, the museum collection includes about 3,000 pieces, including a robot that makes cotton candy, a coin-operated robot that dispenses candy, several sets of Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots in different sizes, Mr. Machine and lots and lots of other robots of all shapes and sizes. The robots include some of the more difficult to find tin litho type.

All are displayed attractively in white cabinets. Some have small video players attached to play old commercials and films about the toys.

Joe has one of the best plastic robot collections anywhere, and probably is one of the top 50 robot collectors in the United States.

Visitors will notice a vintage space film playing on the gift shop television. His favorites include, "The Forbidden Planet" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

Of course, you can buy space toys in the shop. You'll also find books, videos, alien-related things and other toys. Older pieces usually get sold quickly.

Joe will have company this weekend. More than 20 collectors and their families are coming for the 13th annual toy robot collector convention, this year called, "Botstock."

The museum and shop will be open normal hours, Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The timing with Extravaganza is a coincidence but will give Joe's company plenty to do besides the convention. Most shops in the Adamstown area are open late and have special sales.

The village has far too much to offer to cover in one column. Plum Pudding Antiques and some of the other village shops will be featured periodically in the future.

Mary Young is a freelance writer and collector. Tell her about your treasures, where you go to find them and the fun you have on the hunt. You can reach her at you1949@gmail.com.     

[Kanaan]

Most excellent, Joe!  See you and everyone on Saturday night at the Park Place.